MY SPIRITUAL TRAVELOGUE - PART 2
After visiting Nashik, we all assembled at Gobergaon railway station to catch the train to Phandarpur. We had a comfortable full night journey and reached Phandarpur next day morning. Not a tiresome travel at all....!
Pandharpur is an important pilgrimage city on the banks of Bhimā river in Sholapur District of Maharashtra which is alternatively known as Chandrabhaga because of its half-moon like shape. The city is named after a great merchant Pundalik who achieved self-realisation there.
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| Pandharpur Rly Station |
We were transported in pre-arranged vehicles to the place of our accommodation at 'Shri Gajanan Maharaj Bakta Niwas' of Shri Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan Trust which is about 10 minutes drive from the Phandarpur railway station. This is situated in a sprawling area inside Shri Gajanan Maharaj Mandir complex. It is a feast to our eyes to see the well laid out gardens, 72 feet high and 51 feet wide intiricately carved marble 'Praveshdwar" Main Gate and the marble idol of Shri Gajanan Maharaj.
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| Gardens |
Shri Gajanan Maharaj -
When mankind is in distress, surrounded by worries and problems, a saint is required to show them the path of trust and lead them to light. Saints guide the mankind to become a devotee of God and preach and show them the way to lead a life for which they are born. One such saint made his appearance in Shegon on 23 February 1878, called Shri Gajanan Maharaj. Nobody knows his birth details as is evident like most other saints. He has a tremendous miraculous power which was noticed by several people. He exhibited his divine spirit, to name a few - curing a leprosy patient, gave life to a dead dog etc. He conquered all his senses. The holy book "Shri Gajanan Vijay" tells tale of his spiritual power. Today, the Shri Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan Trust lives upto to its aim of putting into practice its ideology of "Sarve Bhavantu Sukhenah" (May all be Happy), do yeomen services to the mankind.
After our checking-in, we proceeded to the Chandrabagha river for taking bath. We never forget the enchanting view of the holy river and it is a life time opportunity for us to have our dip in the holy river. The morning was quite pleasant and everybody was enjoying their experience.
A worryless and fully tired yatrigha resting..
A proud owner of his assets..
A special mention to Raju in our diary, who sells Dahi in a pot. After a refreshing dip in the holy Chandrabhaga river, a tumbler full of hard to break solid pure white dahi stirred with a pint of salt or sugar at a paltry sum of Rs.Ten takes us to a different world, cannot be narrated in words.
They draw welcome tilak on pilgrim's forehead and earn their daily livelihood.
We proceeded to the temple of Lord Vithoba for darshan.
Pundalik is a devoted son to his parents Janudev and Satyavati, who lived in a forest called Dandirvan. But after his wedding, Pundalik begins ill-treating his parents. Tired with their son’s misbehavior and ill treatment, the elderly couple decide to leave for Kashi like so many pious Hindus in the bygone era who would relocate to Kashi as their end drew near.
On knowing their plans, Pundalik and his wife decide to join them on pilgrimage. The ill treatment continues. On the way to Kashi, They decide to stay in a ashram (hermitage) of a pious and venerable sage, Kukkutswami. to spend a few days there. That night, when all were asleep, Pundalik by chance is awake and sees a remarkable vision. The dream which saw utterly shocked him and his consciousness transforms. He realizes his misdeeds, becomes entirely devoted to his parents and ensures their comfort, even risking his own.
Devotion in any form reaches God swiftly. Impressed by Pundalik's devotion to his parents, Lord Vishnu plans to bless Pundalik immediately. So, He leaves Vaikuntha (His abode) for Pundalik’s ashram.
Vishnu knocks at Pundalik’s door, when he is busy serving his parents food. Pundalik does realize God is at his door. But such was his devotion to his parents, he wants to complete his duties and only then attend the visitor. Then, Pundalik does something strange but out of real devotion. He throws a brick outside for God to stand on and wait for him until he finishes attending to his parents.
Seeing this act, Visnu is extremely impressed and the ever-loving God waits for his devotee. When Pundalik comes out, he begs for pardon but far from being displeased, Visnu is taken over by Pundalik's love for his parents and grants a boon. Pundalik requests Vishnu to stay back on Earth and bless all his true devotees. He agrees to take the form of Vithoba, or God who stood upon a brick, and a temple comes up there. Along with Vithoba, Rakhumai (Mother Rukmini, the consort of Krishna, one of avatars of Visnu) is also worshipped here.
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| Lord Vithoba and his consort Rukhmai |
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| Lord Shri Vithoba Mandir |
The queue system followed for devotees at the Mandir for darshan of Lord Vithoba is a unique one. Adjacent to the temple there is a multi-story (heard it is a 8 story building) building where the devotees have to wait in the queue complex till they enter the temple main entrance, nicely routed through all the floors. The wait normally takes about 4 - 5 hours on festival days depending upon the crowd size. Through one half of the complex the queue ascends upto the top floor and through the other half decends to ground floor in a spiral formation and joins with the temple main entrance. Devotees can sit on side ways while they are in the queue.
All these things did not bother us when we came out with a Blissful darshan of Lord Vithoba and Rukhmai.
My memory traces back the lines of someone who said -
"O Lord, take my love, and let it flow in fullness of devotion to Thee;"
"O Lord, take my hands, and let them work incessantly for Thee;"
"O Lord, take my soul, and let it be merged in One with Thee;"
"O Lord, take my mind and thoughts, and let them be in tune with Thee;
"O Lord, take my everything, and let me be an instrument to work for Thee.."
"O Lord, take my mind and thoughts, and let them be in tune with Thee;
"O Lord, take my everything, and let me be an instrument to work for Thee.."
After our darshan of Lord Vithoba, we moved to Shri Gajanan Maharaj Baktha Niwas.
As we were having sufficient time to visit nearyby temples viz. Jaggubai Temple etc. But, we first visited Sant Kaikadi Maharaj Math. It is on the north side of the town. It is a modern innovation depicting the ethoes of the epic Gods and Saints. It may take minimum two hours to see the entire Math.
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Sant Kaikadi Maharaj Math - entrance
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| A water tank in the shape of a milking cow |
We spent a little longer time there which made us to return back to the Baktha Niwas to get ready for the over night journey to Mantralayam.
Next day morning we reached Mantralayam Road in Karnool District of Andhra Pradesh.
Mantralaya is one of the important pilgrimage centers in South India as it houses the original samadhi Brindavan) of the great saint Sri Raghavendra. Devotees throng Mantralaya to have the darshan of the Brindavan of Sri Raghavendra. The mutt is situated on the banks of river Tungabhadra in Karnool Districtof the state of Andhra Pradesh bordering Karnataka.
Sri Raghavendra Swami (1595–1671 CE) was a Hindu saint and philosopher. The spiritual power and the miracles he performed have led to him being worshipped as a God incarnate even today.
Sri Raghavendra Teertharu was born as Venkanna Bhatta in Bhuvanagiri Town in Tamil Nadu to Brahmin parents, Sri Thimanna Bhatta and Smt. Gopikamba, in 1595, 1598 or 1601. He was also known as Venkat anatha or Venkat acharya in honor of Sri Venkateswara. After having his initial education under his brother-in-law Lakshminarasimhachar in Madurai, Venkatanatha was admitted to the Sri Mutt in Kumbakonam where he took sanyasa and adopted the name Raghavendra Theertha Madurai Venkanna Bhatta Sri Lakshminarayanacharya , was born in the same year, after which the family moved to Kumbakonam.
In Sri Mutt, Raghavendra Swami studied under Sudheendra Theertha. He quickly emerged as a talented scholar and consistently won debates over scholars older than him. He was also known as a teacher of Sanskrit and the ancient Vedic texts. In 1621, Raghavendra succeeded his guru Sudheendra Theertha Jeeva Samadhi
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| Guru Shri Raghavendra Swami |
Manchalamma is the presiding deity of the Manchale village and one has to offer prayers to Manchalamma first before they enter Sri Raghavendra Swamiji's for darshan. The Manchalamma's shrine is located on the left of the mutt.
Manchalamma Mandir
Guru Sri Raghavendra Temple tomb
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Guru Raghavendra Swami Temple main entrance      A Picture of Moola Brindavana at Mantralayam decorated with Gold Kavacha   
Silver Elephant vahana
Golden Chariot at Mantralaya, Wonderful site to see when it rolls around the prahara.
 
Guru Raghavendra's hand writing - 'Sri Rama'
PANCHAMUKHI ANJENAYA TEMPLE
Sri Guru Raghavendra performed penance at a place called Panchamukhi (Karnataka, Raichur District), near Mantralayam, where He received darshan of Hanuman in the form of Sri Panchamukha Mukhya Prana. He performed tapas (medidation) for twelve years in a cave temple on top of a hillock in Gandhal village in Raichur District which is about 23 KM from Mantralayam. Around the hillock there are different shapes of gigantic rocks which are very rare and an eye catching view to anybody. From the top of the hillock, a narrow passage takes you to the sanctum of the temple where
Panchamukhi Sri Hanuman Temple  
Sri Anjaneya Foot prints
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வணக்கம்
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