Melkote Araiyar Sri Rama Sharma

A Traditionalist to Celebrate

From sacred poems to literary texts, from rare historical photographs to unique route maps of philosophers, from the best of historical manuscripts to lifelong commitment to promotion of Sanskrit and Six Decades of Araiyar Sevai, Araiyar Sri Rama Sharma is truly a unique personality 

Araiyar Sri Rama Sharma is a one of a kind human being. It is rare to find someone hailing from a remote location (till a decade or so ago, there was minimal public transport facility to this region - to Melkote and Thondanur) to remain totally devotionally connected for over 70 years with absolutely no financial interests. At 76, he continues to be very active. He has remained rooted to his hereditary location and has been performing Araiyar Sevai at Cheluva Narayana Swamy Temple in Thiru Narayanapuram, Melkote, a Pancha Narayana Kshetram (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2009/10/thiru-narayana-perumal-in.html) for six decades starting at a monthly sambhavanai of Rs. 2.50 in the 1950s. But for those whose mind connects with God, financial returns don’t matter. They see it as their duty to spread Dharmic Messages to the World at Large.

Earlier this month, he took part in the revival of the three day Pavitrotsavam at the Kulasekara Azhvaar Rajagopalaswamy temple in Mannar Koil, near Ambasamudram chanting the Vedas and reciting the Divya Prabhandham during the Ghosti, serving as a mentor to those present at the Utsavam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/09/mannar-koil-pavitrotsavam-revival.html).

The Name ‘Rama Sharma’

The Name itself is quite unique and not common among traditional Vaishnavites. His father had always been devotionally attached to Gayathri Upadesam and as he recited it yet another time, it occurred to him to name his son ‘Rama Sharma’, a name that features in the mantra.

Never went to School!!!

His father, Araiyar Srinivasa Narasimhan, was a freedom fighter. His active involvement meant he travelled extensively in the period 1943 to 47. Thus Sri Rama Sharma grew up under the care of his grandfather, Jaggu Venkatachar Swami, who was a Vidwan at the Mysore Palace. He was just three years old when his grandfather began initiating him into Sanskrit at home. So engrossed were both, the grandfather and the latest entrant that they continued to spend time at home with this ancient language. And this passionate engagement at home meant that Sri Rama Sharma did not join school like others his age. Through the 20^th Century, he remained the only family member to have never attended a formal school. 

If it had not been for the temple connect he may well have become a great swimmer for right from the age of 5, he had begun to swim in the popular Melkote ‘Eri’, one where he used to have his daily bath early in the morning.

                                    14 year Old Rama Sharma Araiyar

A Record Performance at 8 years

When he was just 8 years old, he passed an examination conducted by the Ubaya Vedantha Pravarthana Sabha, Melkote on Vedas, Divya Prabhandham and Ramanuja Darisanam such was the strong initiation given by his grandfather. At a very young age, he became an integral part of the Veda Ghosti at the temple. By the time he was 12 years, so profound was his knowledge that he had begun composing poems, both sacred and relating to historical events. His very first composition was on the success and contribution of the Vijayanagar empire.

During the entire period of his first 20 years, the only time in the day that he engaged with youngsters his age was between 5pm and 6pm when he mingled with them on the streets as part of an outdoor activity. Outside of this, his activities centered on analyzing indepth historical scriptures, becoming fluent in the Sanskrit language, Chanting the Vedas and Reciting the Prabhandham.

While boys his age were making a slow and steady progress through school education, Sri Rama Sharma leapfrogged many years ahead of them. His Grand Father also focused on initiating Rama Sharma into many other languages. By the time he was into his late teens, he had become proficient in Kannada and Tamil as well. He also passed Visharat from Hindi Prachar Sabha and became fluent in Hindi too.

He studied Nyaya Sastram and Vedantham at the Melkote Sanskrit College, Mimasam at the Mylapore Sanskrit College and learnt Vyakaranam at the renowned Mysore Patshala. He also learnt various Agamas and Sastras.

At 19, he completed a Masters Degree in Navya Nyaya Vidwat and was awarded the Gold Medal by the then President Dr. Rajendra Prasad. A year later, he completed a course on Vishishtadwaitha and was conferred the title of Vishishtadwaitha Vedantha Vidwat.

Sanskrit Teacher at the renowned Melkote College

At the age of 26, Sri Rama Sharma Araiyar joined the Melkote Sanskrit College, one of the renowned educational institutions for Sanskrit in the country as a lecturer at a monthly salary of Rs. 100. Given his strong foundation in the language and confidence of the youngster, the then Principal handed the new lecturer the challenging task of teaching the most difficult topics to the students. He went on to become the Principal of the college in 1989 and headed the institution till his retirement in 2000.

His discourse on Kautilya’s Artha Sastra has been a big hit across the country and he has presented this over many decades in multiple locations in several states in India. He began publishing books from 1969 in Sanskrit and has kept it going over the 50 years. He has thus far published 100s of books in multiple languages. For his proficiency in multiple languages, he was conferred with the title of Pancha Baasha Kavitha Vallabha. He has also been honoured with titles such as Vidwath Kavi Ratnam and Sri Vaishnava Simhan.

President’s Award for Sanskrit

In 2014, he received the President’s award for his extraordinary contribution to Sanskrit. Through his life, he has travelled extensively across the length and breadth of the country promoting and developing Sanskrit. 

Rarest of Rare Collections

His collection of manuscripts is yet another unique feature. He has over 250 Olai Chuvadi manuscripts, 1000s in Paper Manuscripts and 30000 printed ones in the form of a book. Yet another unique feature of his life has been the collection of rare historical photographs. He also has a collection of self sketched maps outlining births and journeys of historical spiritual leaders such as Madhvacharya, Adi Sankara and Ramanuja. Books have been his biggest asset. He has read all the scriptures. He can easily dissect Granthams in many Indian languages and is also good at reading inscriptions. 

60 years of Araiyar Sevai 
(http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2010/12/araiyar-sevai-saving-rare-art.html)

The over 1000 year old Araiyar Sevai has been a dying art and is now performed only in three Divya Desams in Tamil Nadu – Srirangam (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/02/bharathwajan-araiyar-srirangam.html), Srivilliputhur (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/08/araiyar-srinivasachariyar-srivilliputhur.html) and Azhvaar Tirungari (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/03/how-family-disputein-azhvaar-tirunagari.html).

Thiru Narayanapuram in Melkote is the only one outside of the three Divya Desams where Araiyar Sevai is still performed. Araiyar Sevai is an integral part of the three Brahmotsavams and is also presented during Adyayana Utsavam and other annual festivals such as Aadi Oonjal, Avani Pavitrotsavam and Chitrai Vasanthotsavam. The Araiyar also has a role during the daily aradhana in the morning and during Padi Etram, Sayana utsavam, among others.  During Mattai Adi Utsavam, they present the Abhinayam and Vyakyanam while through most of other performances it is predominantly Vyakyanam and presentation of Ragam and Thalam.

Sri Rama Sharma began presenting Araiyar Sevai in 1959 at the age of 16 and has been continuing this service for the last 60 years. The Araiyar also performed aradhana at the Pattabhiramar Sannidhi, a location where Vaishnavite Saint Ramanuja performed Mantra Upadesam, a service for which the monthly Sambhavanai was Rs. 50 paise.  His son Parthasarathy Araiyar, who too has been performing for the last 25 years, gets Rs. 200 every month for his service at the temple.

He leads a simple life residing in an old fashioned house near the Cheluva Nanarayanaswamy temple in Melkote (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/04/vaira-mudi-utsavam-melkote.html) where he has spent almost his entire life.  

Blessed with a wealth of knowledge on Scriptures, Vedas, Prabhandham and the ancient languages, he has never shied away from sharing with all those who have sought to learn, yet another great quality in him.

It is a Tuesday afternoon in Puratasi and a quiet day at the temple, usually time for a 76 year old to take a nap. But not Araiyar Sri Rama Sharma for he is involved in a long two hour conversation with a visitor describing a hereditary subject. His wife points out his unstoppable conversational ability, especially when it comes to historical topics and the Sanskrit language, which has been close to his heart all through his life ever since he began writing sacred poems on the Lord.

As one guest departs on that Tuesday evening, another one arrives and he welcomes him just as energetically as he had his previous guest, a couple of hours earlier and sits next to him on the floor. And he begins a new devotional topic. From Ramanuja’s contribution to Vijayanagar’s rise, he rolls through straddling between different centuries and periods – from contribution of a great ruler to the works of a Philosopher. As the guest departs, he sits down with his books and scrolls through them to pick up his next devotional topic for the evening. That’s truly a remarkably devotional way to live life.

He continues to make a contribution each day of his life through his writings on historical scriptures culling out incisive meanings from the sacred verses. From sacred poems to literary texts, from rare historical photographs to unique route maps of leading religious philosophers, from the best of historical manuscripts in the country to lifelong commitment to promotion of Sanskrit and of course six decades of Araiyar Sevai, Araiyar Sri Rama Sharma is truly a unique personality who has contributed in great measure to the upkeep of our tradition and culture for a meager financial return. 

He is a man we should all celebrate.

Araiyar Sri Rama Sharma can be reached on 97400 80619.

On Jan 21, 2020, Araiyar Sri Rama Sharma was honoured at an event in Hyderabad with Sri U.Ve.T. Gopalacharya swami award by Tridandi Jeeyar.