For Maniamma, Guru was the whole world

From cracks and crevices in the roof of their living quarters, water is leaking through. The mother of the family residing there tells her daughters to keep some pots and containers wherever the water was falling. The children like to see the water drops falling into the pot. The family had no regrets or grievances with living there. Quite the contrary – the father, mother and two girls were filled with joy that they had the opportunity to stay near Guru. It was in 1988 that Air Force officer Somasekharan Nair, Maniamma and their two daughters came to the Ashram at Pothencode and started staying with Guru. Even after having stayed and enjoyed the elaborate facilities provided by the Air Force Hostels during his service at Madras, Gwalior, Delhi, Srinagar and Baroda, the leaky quarters inside the Ashram where the family stayed never bothered them. They had a five-cent plot and a house in Kesavadasapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, which he bought so that it would be convenient for their children to study at the nearby Kendirya Vidyalaya. It was then that Maniamma’s elder brother Vikraman Nair brought his sister and brother-in-law to the Ashram. It didn’t take long for these Ashram visits to become regular affairs. They were accommodated in a room provided by Guru in the building where the old press was located. One bedroom and a kitchen. They lived there happily at that time despite the lack of facilities in the Ashram and the fact that very few people actually lived in the Ashram premises with their families back then. They were satisfied even though rainwater leaked through the roof of their home leaked during monsoons. Maniamma had the opportunity to be involved in many activities of the Ashram including being of direct help to Guru. That was the reason for that family to come and stay here – to serve Guru, to stay close to Guru. Maniamma had complete faith in Guru. Similarly, her husband, Somasekharan Sir, also was there in the assistance and aid of Guru. He stayed with Guru till His merging with the Adi Sankalpa. The family always wanted to submit whatever they had to Guru. The mother was very disciplined and was of a devotional and prayerful nature. Whatever Guru says will be followed. Maniamma raised her children in the same way. She would rush to Guru after leaving all other work in the Ashram. She would stay there for long periods of time. Guru would talk to Maniamma about many things.

(July 3) At 11 o’clock on Monday night, that devout follower of Guru went back to Guru. Our Maniamma passed away. The family of that great woman is closely intertwined with Santhigiri Ashram’s legacy and history. Maniamma, a native of Kottarakkara and her husband, Rt. Air force officer Somasekharan Nair, a native of Karunagappally, along with her children Shalini and Tanimahima came to stay at the Ashram and lived inside for about eight years. Later on, when the L.I.G. quarters were built, Guru called Maniamma and gave her the key to a house there. When Maniamma hesitated and kept thinking that there are people more deserving than them, Guru proclaimed, “You should buy this – I have kept this for you.” . The family then sold their house and property in Kesavadasapuram and proceeded to buy a property and build a home in Anandapuram near the Ashram.

Guru meant the world for Maniamma. In the beginning, Maniamma, who was good at cooking, used to cook and bring special food for Guru, even from as far as Kottarakkara, her hometown. Guru would carefully store and have the jackfruit halwa for a long time. Many dignitaries who visited the ashram have tasted Maniamma’s handiwork.

Maniyamma was born as the eldest daughter of Kuttanpillai and Vijayamma at their home – Kottarakkara Pallikal Kuttikunnil. She met Guru for the first time in 1983. She had said that she felt an unprecedented love then. Along with Maniyamma, all the other siblings of that family became Ashram devotees.

In 1993, Guru visited Maniamma’s family house near Kottarakkara. Before that, Guru often said that they would go to that house, but the family kept wondering how they would invite Guru. The family thought that they would call Guru after building a new house. But Guru went there unexpectedly, and told them that they don’t have to ‘invite’ Guru to His own home. Everything after that proceeded very quickly. They welcomed and played host to Guru as well as they could with water from the well and flowers from the yard. Guru told them that, through prayer and meditation, there would be a great change in a 3 kilometre radius area surrounding that house.

Maniamma’s relative Narayanan Nair was there when Guru reached the house at Kottarakkara. He sat among everyone in the audience. When Guru said “I know everyone who is gathered here..” he asked Guru, “Does Swami remember me..?” Guru replied.. “How can I not know Narayan Nair?”. He was a Sanskrit scholar and teacher at Banaras Hindu University and had been taking classes for monks for some timeat Varkala Sivagiri. Guru was recalling his life in Varkala with Narayanan Nair. Guru had visited his house then.

On February 22, 2003, the family dedicated a silver pedestal to Guru based on a visionary experience that Maniamma’s sister’s daughter Janani Nishchitha Jnana Thapaswini had. Maniamma’s heart and mind was behind it. On that day, the Poojitapeedam Dedication was being celebrated all across the world. Santhigiri Ashram revealed the spiritual significance of the place on 18 December 2003 when Abhivandya Shishyapoojitha visited their house in Kottarakkara again. The family decided to dedicate the eight acres of land there to Guru.

In August of 2008. Maniamma developed a fever which worsened and led to her getting admitted to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. In the ICU, she suffered a stroke that left her lips and part of her body swollen shut and her memory and speech impaired. She was shifted from the ICU to a ventilator in which she spent 18 days. The doctors who checked said that there is no chance of even ten percent of her life coming back. She suffered brain and heart damage and would be crippled if at all she survived. At this time a group prayer was conducted in the Ashram as per Guru’s instruction. Abhivandya Shishyapoojitha specially conducted sankalpam for Amma. That’s how the illness changed. Maniamma later said that she saw visions continuously during her unconscious state.

In the month of March 2013, a satsang was held at Kottarakkara and the devotees expressed their desire to have an Ashram branch there. When I informed Guru about it, Guru granted permission to build the Ashram. Maniamma and her family dedicated their family plot to Guru. With everyone’s efforts, that place at Kottarakkara became an ashram in a matter of days. On March 23, 2014, Abhivandya Shishyapoojita lit the lamp and inaugurated the Santhigiri Ashram Kottarakkara branch.

Relatively few people have understood the meaning of the word dedication so truly and deeply. Maniamma competed to give whatever she had to the Guru willingly, and motivated others to do the same. It was this mother’s prayer that inspired her sister’s daughter, Ranjini, to come to Guru Sankalpa in sacrificial majesty as Janani Nishchitha Jnana Thapaswini. This past October, two more members from this generation of that family – Maniamm’s grandsons, joined the brahmachari-sangha at the Ashram – Janasthuthi and Keerthana. Maniamma was in a very unwell condition for a few months. She was staying in a hospital for a very long time. Maniamma told her daughter who went to see her in the ICU of Gokulam hospital, “Guru is standing beside me.. to take me away..” The passing away of that perfect devotee of Guru causes great pain to all of us. Whenever I saw Amma, she always talked about Guru.

In 1988, an ashram devotee got married at Thaikal in Cherthala. On that day, the Guru sent a team from the ashram under the leadership of Maniyamma. I was a boy then. The affection and love I got then has continued till now. I was in Delhi when Amma passed away, and could not attend the ceremony as I could not get a flight ticket back. My salutations to that blessed Mother. Amma’s self-sacrifice to bring Guru to the rest of the world is a tale of legendary devotion. There is so much to say. Memories of goodness and greatness that multiply with the more I reminisce.
My respectful obeisances to this great, loving mother.

With Prayers and Gurusmarana,
Swami Gururethnam Jnana Thapaswi
General Secretary, Santhigiri Ashram