Educationist and Director of Sivaswami Kalalaya, Vathsala Narayanaswami, then 26, took a bold and independent call to clear the entire house on Sundareswarar Street in Mylapore to make way for Maha Periya's stay 60 years ago
Within days of her wedding, Educationist and Director of Sivaswami Kalalaya Dr. Vathsala Narayanaswami was blessed to have darshan of Kanchi
Maha Periyava in 1958. A couple of months later, much to her delightful
surprise, the greatest of opportunity came her way all on its own - a divine
one that any devotee would have been happy to be presented with. Just ahead of
Deepavali that year, Sankara Mutt placed a request to the new household asking
for her residence on Sundareswarar Street to be handed to Maha Periyava for
three days.
87 year old Vathsala finds it difficult
to move around freely these days given her age but her eyes simply light up
when asked about the year when Periyava stayed in her house for 18days. Those
devotionally exciting days remain fresh in her memory for it was one that
transformed her life and gave her the unflinching belief that she had
Periyava’s blessing forever.
A Throw back in time
She had married D
Narayanaswami in July that year and moved into the house in Sundareswarar
Street that was right behind the Sankara Mutt in Mylapore. Her first Deepavali
after the wedding was just round the corner when the Mutt approached the newly
married couple asking them for the house, for Periyava to stay for three days.
Her father in law, Padmashri
N. Dharmarajan (of Hirakud Project fame), was out of city on work. Her husband had
spent his entire childhood and teenage years in the North and was not
particularly familiar with the traditions of the South Indian Temples and the
lifestyle of the Acharyas. Her sister in law was doing her graduation at the
SIET College. Given this background, her
mother in law was a little apprehensive.
But the young 26 year old newcomer
to the house took a bold call on acceding to the ‘3 days’ request of Sankara
Mutt “I told my mother in law that we could all move to my father’s house on GN
Chetty road, T Nagar and that I would drop the sister in law every day at
college and pick her up as well.”
All the family members
immediately vacated the house handing possession to the Sankara Mutt. Periyava
stayed in the bed room while Jayendra Saraswathi resided in the front room of
the house. The back wall of the house was broken to create a passage for the
disciples to bring milk and food for Periyava from the Mutt.
A Twist to the tale - 3 days extended to 18 days
It was not the end of the
story for there was another twist to the tale. Her father in law sent a
telegram that he was taking the next flight to Madras as he had completed his
work in Calcutta. Not knowing as to how his father would react, Narayanaswami
had not updated him about the developments back home. He picked his father from
the airport and drove straight to their home in Mylapore. Soon after Dharmarajan
reached, Periyava welcomed him with these words “Padmashri - I have entered
your home without you knowing.” Periyava had not been told about the
achievements of Dharmarajan or his arrival at the house. And yet as soon as he
entered, Periyava addressed him as ‘Padmashri’. Tears rolled down Dharmarajan’s
eyes. So moved was he by Periyava’s presence that the three day plan was
extended and Periyava stayed there for 18 days.
“My father in law commended me for the courageous
decision to have the entire family vacate the house with no second thoughts”
says Vathsala. It remains one of the happiest moments in her life.
Periyava’s Divine words
She encountered many more dramatic
experiences with Periyava, each of which increased her belief in Periyava’s
devotional powers. Many years later, when
Vathsala’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, Vathsala took her along to Kanchi
to meet Periyava. When she presented Kalkandu to Periyava that morning, he, after
consuming a pinch of it, told her ‘She is hale and healthy. There will be
nothing to worry.” Vathsala’s mother lived a healthy life for many more years.
A CEO once came to her house
on work and immediately felt a happy vibration. He asked her if any saint had
been there. He later returned and handed a huge black and white photo frame of
Periyava that finds a prominent place in her pooja room even today.
Vathsala finds it difficult to explain the fact that in recent years seven
cows from different streets and locations have chosen a tree inside her house on
Sundarareswar Street to give birth “This week an eighth cow in pregnancy has
entered the house and has taken her place beneath the tree. I strongly believe
that the presence of Periyava for those 18 days in 1958 has made this home so sacred
that it finds unlikely visitors.”
No bringing down of her home
Six decades on, Vathsala and
her husband stay all alone in the huge bungalow with their son having settled
in the US. They have resisted the temptation to sell the independent house despite
tremendous pressure from many to convert it into a flat “I do not want to bring down a house where Periyava had once stayed”
sums up Vathsala on the impact Periyava’s presence in her house has had on her
life.
Periyava reached out to me at Sanskrit College -
Narayanaswami
Narayanaswami spent the best
part of his first three decades in the North and hence was not accustomed to
the traditions of the South Indian Temples. Within a few days of his marriage
to Vathsala, he accompanied her to Sanskrit College, where Periyava was
residing. Since he was not used to these traditions, he stood outside the
College while his wife and parents waited inside for a darshan of Periyava.
Much to his surprise, a man knocked on him and told him that he was called for
by Periyava.
Narayanaswami shocked
everyone with his answer “Periyava would not know me. I too have not seen him
before. Hence I think this is a case of mistaken identity. Please go back and
check for the right person that he is looking for. Stunned by my statement,
more senior members of the Mutt approached me to take me to Periyava, who
showered his blessings on me and my wife and wished me a happy married life. 60
years on, I believe that it’s that wedding gift – Periyava’s blessings - that
has helped us lead a peaceful and enjoyable life.”
“It was a great first experience
with Periyava and I was truly blessed to have been personally called for by him
that day. That’s when I realized the great devotional power in him.”
(Dr. Vathsala Narayanaswami holds a Ph. D in Education
and is currently the Hony Secy, The National Boys’ and Girls’ Education
Society)
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