Building Guru Raghavendra Mrithika Brindavanam: Experiences

@03-May-2010 Over the last 5-6 weeks, there has been multiple versions of the master plan for the site that was prepared and modified on a continuous basis. It had taken a lot of versions from where it all started to the current version. The drawing layout of the main temple including the gho-shala is available at the following location: http://gururayar.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/temple-and-goshala.jpg The drawing layout of the central hall (to be used for meditation/annadana hall/discourses etc.) and accommodation for the archakas is available at the following location: http://gururayar.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/central-hall-and-accomodation.jpg The drawing layout of the accommodation for the yatrikas/seva devotees is as seen in the following location: http://gururayar.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/yatris-accomodation.jpg Any comments or thoughts from the visitors to this blog site on these proposed layouts are more than welcome to add value as we all realize that th...

@15-Mar-10 The following scanned picture gives a bird’s eye view of the complete plan – Not to scale as far as the plot layout is concerned. http://gururayar.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/myscan.jpg The center portion is going to be the main sannidanam with Lakshi Nrsimhar, Hanuman and Sri Raghavendra Brindavanam followed by the ardha mandapam and maha mandapam. On your left hand side where you see the two small portions at the top and bottom portion is where the different sannidhis for Pandurangar and Rukmini for one location and Sri Ramar, Lakshmanar and Sita for the second location is being planned. Sarvam Sri Krishnarpanamastu

After the last post that I had made a couple of weeks back, things have been proceeding steadily without getting struck. Maybe it was Guru Rayar's thought that the lessons on patience has been taught enough to me for the time being!!! After one of the architects and another engineer who was instrumental in shaping another of the mrithika brindavanams for Rayar in Chennai had given their acceptance to carry out the works, it was the turn of the sthapathi to come out with the initial sketches on the vimana, artha mandapa and maha mandapam. For this purpose, I had requested the sthapathi to come down to Sri rangam with all these details on the last Monday March 11,2010. After discussion with the acharyar and taking into account the various agama sastra rules, it was decided that it would not be appropriate to have a single sanctum sanctorum having all the deities of Sri Lakshmi Nrsimhar, Anjaneya, Rayar brindavanam, Pandurangar and Ramar all in a single enclosure. So it was decided ...

Sincere pranaams to all! Over the last few weeks, as part of the various activities in this gigantic project, I have been observing that even small activities have been getting pushed and pulled along for no reason without getting completed till very late. Some of the examples that has continously happened over the last few weeks that has been made to write this blog item are: a) Even a small erection of a shamiana and pandal just on the eve of the performance of initial suddhi homa on the project site could not get completed till around 11:00PM the previous night when the proposed start of the homas was around 6:00AM the next morning - This got delayed to such an extent that we had to switch on the head-lights of the car to have some light for the erection of the pandal since it was totally pitch dark otherwise in that area at that time of the night. At least, HE had given me the wisdom on that evening to decide to visit the site the previous evening without which this would not...

Friday, Feb 05, 2010 was an important date and a critical milestone on the development of this project. Achar had suggested that some initial homas and poojas are better to be done on this site to suddhify ('purify') the place before the actual construction begins. In this regard, it was suggested that we do the ganapathi homa, sudarshan homa, srisuktham and purusha suktham homa, manyu suktha homa along with hari vayu stuthi punascharana. The main significance of manyu suktha homa is to purify the place with the offerings to Lord Sri Lakshmi Nrsimha. It is said that Bheema (who was a Vayu avatar) in Mahabharat war after killing Dushasana, took his blood in his both hands, and offered to Sri Lakshmi Nrsimha by reciting this 'Manyu Sukhtha Homa' - which helped to purify the complete place. Hari vayu sthuthi is the rendering of a great pandit and one of the favorite sishyas of Madhavacharyar called Trivikrama panditar - after he had a divine vision of Sri Madhvacharyar...

The site pictures that has been taken after the plants has been planted are available at the following location: http://picasaweb.google.com/vasan.vs/200912091#

It was ordained that today was the D day where I would get to meet up the learned person from Srirangam who will offer his consultation on the pancharatra agama sastra to be used for the construction of the temple. The material on this agama sastra is very difficult to get for the common man as there are not much of resources available on the net on this topic. For some details on this agama sastra, you can visit the wikipedia site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pa%C3%B1caratra By HIS grace, it looked like this meeting with the learned pandit also should happen only in front of Sri Pandurangar in the usual temple that I frequent very much. It served as another lesson and reiteration of the facts that he is continously blessing us on the success of this endeavour!!!! Sarvam Sri Krishnarpanamastu