From driving the launch of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan to identifying ancient Shiva Lingams in the city that had lay hidden, from listening to Legendary Musicians, from showcasing his sensitivity to human emotions at The Hindu office to finding the Biggest ever crowd around the Kapali temple on the occasion of Sankara Jayanthi, Periyava's Trip over 60 years ago was event filled
While Maha Periyava found many of the city residents not being able to follow the traditions, he was very happy that they understood their shortcomings 'When one feels strongly about the shortcomings, that on its own amounted to a great realization. And that was a great first step in the right direction.'
Kapali Temple / Mylapore Photo Archives
It had been almost three decades since his previous trip to Madras and devotees were eager to see him in the city. It was K. Balasubramanian, son of the Founder of Sanskrit College who visited Kanchipuram and impressed upon Maha Periyava the importance of his presence in Madras given the expectation of the people as well as the possibility of spreading Dharmic messages to a larger audience. Periyava was apprehensive of the changing lifestyle in the city and the issues relating to the rituals to be followed every day. It was only after great persuasion did he relent and agree to visit Madras in 1957. It turned out to be his longest stay in the city and a powerful and impactful one at that for there were several long standing decisions taken during his stay. The Chaturmasya Vritha of Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal in Chennai in mid 2019 ( last year) marked the 60th year since the completion of that long trip of Periyava to the city.
During his stay, he walked the length and breadth of the city in the process launching several initiatives that have stood the test of time. From driving the launch of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan to identifying ancient Shiva Lingams in the city that had lay hidden, from listening to legendary musicians to finding the biggest ever crowd around the Kapali temple on the occasion of Sankara Jayanthi, his was an event filled trip.
Two decades ago, Upanyasakar Ganesa Sarma, an authority on Maha Periyava, presented a Pravachanam on Periyava in Sapthaham style spread over 7 days and in 7 cantos. He has since presented this across the world on 200 occasions. He has also written Periyava Charithram in Hari Katha style and also penned books on Periyava.
Ganesa Sarma looks back at Periyava's entry into the city "Periyava arrived in Madras in September 1957 to a rousing welcome hosted by The Hindu’s Chief Editor Shri. Kasturi Srinivasan. This was immediately followed by a Pushpa Pallakku procession around the four Mada Streets of Mylapore that went on till 2am."
Kasturi welcoming Maha Periyava in 1957 ( From The Hindu Kanchi Mahaswami Vol II)
Non Brahmin as President of Bhavans Madras
When he met with Shri. KM Munshi, the Founder of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in 1958, Periyava asked for a branch to be opened in Madras and directed him to Simpson’s Shri. S. Anantharamakrishnan. Says Shri. Ganesa Sarma “The building that is now Bhavan’s was to be out on sale. Just in time, Anatharamakrishnan bought the property on East Mada Street in Mylapore and gave it to Munshi to create the space for the first Bhavan’s in Tamil Nadu.”
Not only was Periyava responsible for the launch of the first Bhavan's in Tamil Nadu, he also sowed the seeds for the formation of the committee and the appointment of a Non Brahmin as the President "As the Bhavans was being set up in Mylapore, he said that it was likely to be perceived as being confined only to Brahmins and hence suggested that a non Brahmin be appointed as the President.” Periyava suggested Lakshmana Swami Mudaliar as the first President.
Golden Jubilee Celebrations
Periyava had ascended the Peetam in 1907 and devotees were keen to celebrate the Golden Jubilee in Madras but he was not keen at all “Before his arrival here, devotees gathered in Kanchi to celebrate the 50 years but he declined. Instead, he was keen to showcase and celebrate the achievements of Acharya Adi Sankara.”
It was thanks to the persuasive efforts of Shri. CP Ramaswamy Iyer and Shri. Rajaji that Maha Periyava finally accepted and the golden jubilee of his ascent was celebrated in Madras.
Significant Contributions to City Temples
The now hugely popular Perumal temple in Koyambedu was not so at that point of time. It was referred to as Kuchalava Puri in ancient times and one finds the idols of Valmeeki, Sita and Lava – Kucha at the temple (a story on this temple follows). There is no Rama idol at this temple
It was only after Periyava’s detailed description of its historical importance during his stay in Koyambedu did devotees see it in that light. 60 years on, devotee crowd throngs the temple these days.
It was during this trip that Kumbabhisekam was performed at the Subramanian Swamy Temple on Eldams Road,Teyampet.
When Periyava visited Mangadu, he was keen to start a Patshala near the temple as Adi Sankara himself had installed the idol there. Ganesa Sarma says that when the members of the Sankara Mutt complained to Periyava that the seller was quoting a high price, Periyava asked them to pay three times the price to buy the property as he saw it as a very sacred place.
When he reached Nanganallur on the way back from a trip to the airport, he asked a person to not wash clothes on a particular stone leaving everyone startled at this seemingly odd remark. Ganesa Sarma says it was yet another significant contribution of Periyava to the city temple. “When the stone was lifted and turned around, everyone was stunned to find a Shiva Lingam. 60 years on, the Artha Nareeswarar temple has become one of the more popular Saivite temples in the city attracting huge crowd.”
Inside the IIT Madras campus, he pointed to a stone and that too turned out to be a Shiva Lingam. He was also instrumental in the construction of the Ashta Lakshmi and the Aaru Padai Veedu temples in the city. When Mukoor Srinivasa Varadachariar spoke about the flourishing city of Bombay, Periyava suggested to him to build a Lakshmi temple in Madras “He asked for the printing of Ashta Lakshmi photos and to begin construction with the funds collected from the sale of these photos.” It was with this collection that the construction of the Ashta Laksmi temple began.
Periyava, Vikatan and the LIC
On the long walk to The Hindu, one of the members pointed at the LIC and remarked to Periyava that it was the tallest building in the city ( the building had just been constructed). This episode on Mount Road in front of the LIC showcased the perfectionist that he was, says Ganesa Sarma “He called out for Vikatan’s Sridhar who was walking just behind him and asked him for the number of floors leaving him a bit stumped. While he was actually counting the number, Periyava moved on. When Sridhar joined him a few minutes after, he told Periyava that there were 12.”
It was then that Periyava showed the huge crowd around him the kind of attention he pays to minute details “He told Sridhar that the recent edition of Vikatan had the sketch of LIC with 18 floors. That was the reason for his enquiry. Sridhar later said that no reader had pointed this in the week after the issue had hit the stands and that Periyava was the only one to have brought this to his notice, leaving him completely embarrassed.”
Periyava’s experience during The Hindu visit
The episode at The Hindu showed his sensitivity to human emotions “Periyava was to be shown the new machinery at the printing section at The Hindu. Just prior to his arrival, most of the members were asked to move out of the room to make way for Periyava, a decision that seemed to disappoint them for they were all eager to be alongside him. When Periyava entered the room, he called for all those outside the room saying it was they who would understand the functional aspects. It was a gesture that delighted everyone.”
At The Hindu Office - From The Hindu Book on Kanchi Periyava
One morning, when Periyava passed the house of the legendary Madurai Mani Iyer in Karpagambal Nagar in Mylapore, he entered the house. The legendary musician was asleep "Periyava told him that the members informed him that it was his house and he came inside to see if he could hear him sing that morning. When Mani Iyer informed him that he had not had bath, Periyava said 'You are always bathing in songs.'
On another occasion, when he passed Viswanathan Iyer's house in Nungambakkam, he made his way to the backyard through his neighbour's house to listen to his songs. Once Viswanathan Iyer had finished and turned back, he was shocked to find Periyava standing there that left him embarrassed at the disrespect to the Saint. Ganesa Sarma says that Periyava explained the reasoning behind his action 'An artiste's flow should not be disturbed and the audience should remain in silence around a singer."
A shop on North Mada Street
When he spotted the Srivathi stores on North Mada Street, he asked the vidwans the meaning of the shop name - was it Swami's name or Ambal's, leaving them stumped. Periyava told them that it was the name of the owners of the shop - Srinivas and Padmavathi - as simple as that.
One of the biggest crowds around the Kapali temple was witnessed on the occasion of Sankara Jayanthi in 1958. The celebration was grand that included an abhisekam for the idol of Adi Sankara with a trip from Sanskrit College to Kapali temple and back on each of the five days of the Utsavam. The crowd on the occasion was so huge that only the heads of the devotees were seen around the Kapali Tank.
City Fears Unfounded - Delighted at the stay
In a farewell remark, Periyava said that ahead of his trip, he had been apprehensive of being able to perform all his daily rituals in the traditional way. But his fears were unfounded. He left on a positive note for the city dwellers. Ganesa Sarma says that the people found his feedback very encouraging “While he found many of the city residents not being able to follow the traditions, what struck him was the fact that they were constantly saddened that they were not able to adhere to the traditions. He was very happy about that feeling amongst the people in the city and remarked that when one feels strongly about the shortcomings, that on its own amounted to a great realization. And that was a great first step in the right direction.”