A Pilgrimage Through History

Wayanad was a place where a great ancient civilization existed. Ancient Wayanad had big cities, buildings, and scientific progress. Because of people’s arrogance and immoral way of life, the land lost its prosperity in the course of time. One can see white anthills in many places in Wayanad, especially near the ashram. They are the signs of some goodness lying underground. Guru had said that they should be taken care of. Guru said this while standing near the white anthills near the old prayer. Through our prayers, the negativity of demonic spirits will go away, and ambrosia will emerge. Our biggest concern is that. That must be the perspective of dharma. After some time, there will be big changes in this area. Guru had prophesied that an airport will come up in this area and many foreigners will arrive which will transform this place into an international pilgrimage center. Changes will occur equal to the measure of people’s diligence, dharmic awareness, and responsibility. The duty of Santhigiri is to instill awareness among the people.

Wayanad is the most backward district in Kerala. it has an ancient culture of ‘gotra sanskriti’ (tribal culture). Navajyothi Sree Karunakara Guru had said that Wayanad had a rich civilization centuries ago, which was destroyed due to people’s adharmic life. Stone monuments, stone tools, and other remains representing various phases of history going back to the Palaeolithic period have been found in Wayanad. The Edakkal cave at Ambalavayal has rare stone inscriptions in India. Based on these findings, historians testify that an ancient civilization existed in this region.

The most famous pilgrimage centre in Wayanad is Tirunelli Temple which is known as ‘The Kashi of the South’. Tirunelli village is located on the foothill’s of 1200 feet tall Brahmagiri mountains adjoining the Kodagu Hills in Karnataka. Oonda Sastri had written in his description of Wayanad that Tirunelli was a beautiful city with seven storied mansions. Many place names in Wayanad and the history of temples are associated with the incidents of Ramayana and Mahabharata. According to a legend, Sri Rama performed the last rituals of his father Dasharatha at Papa Nashini near Tirunelli Temple, after learning about his death. Thousands of people visit Thirunelli temple for prayers and ‘Pitru Karma’ every day.

Tirunelli is also the abode of many sages and saints. Pakshi Pathalam, Garudapara, etc. inside the forest around the temple are the places where sages used to do penance. When Babar, the Sub-Collector of the North Malabar Division visited Tirunelli, he saw a sage at ‘Pakshipatala’. He got steps constructed for the saint to go to the cave. A people who gave birth to one of the richest cultures in human history lived in this region full of forests, meadows, and hills. The Adivasis whom contemporary society describes as most uncivilized are the descendants of that civilization. Paniyar, Atiyar, Kurichiyar, Kurumar, Urali, Kadar, Kattunai are the Adivasi groups found in Wayanad. Each tribal group has its own rituals and places of dwelling. The migration to Wayanad in the early 19th century by various sections has adversely affected the freedom, culture, language, and self-reliant lifestyle, and even the self-esteem of indigenous tribal people. They became deprived of land and property. They became slaves under upper-class landlords for whom they had to work. After independence, the efforts to uplift the Adivasis saw only partial results. Except for the Kuruvas and Kurichyans, the tribal groups today are in a state of struggle for survival.

Wayanadan Chettis are a group of people found in Nenmeni, Nulpuzha, and Muppainad panchayats of Wayanad district and in areas adjoining Tamil Nadu. Historians say their ancestors had come from Dharapuram near Coimbatore. They are landowners and farmers and are leading a better life. They follow Marumakkathayam like Nairs. They worship stone idols and lamps in the tradition of Hindus.

Many place names in Wayanad are associated with the myths of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Sashikala is a hill near Pulpalli near Batheri Taluk. Its real name is Sishumala. It is believed that Sita, during her exile with Sri Ram lived in the Valmiki Ashram here. The legend says that the children of Sita – Lava and Kusha were born and brought up here. They caught the horses sent by Rama who performed the Aswamedha Yaga. Sita Devi temple which is very rare in Kerala is in Pulpalli. The cave in which Vatmiki did penance is near here. It is now covered with earthen mounds. It is said that Lakshmana let Sita down on the rock a little above the cave. Places such as Choothupara in Batheri Taluk (the place where the Pandavas gambled), and the Kanneer Lake in Ponkuzhi (the lake where Sita’s tears fell) are also associated with Indian mythology.

Jains from Karnataka came to Kerala from the 8th century to the 14th century. Although the Jain culture had spread in Kerala, it exists now only in Wayanad. Many Jain settlements are here. The Jain temples in Wayanad date back to nine to the fourteenth century. They are situated in Sultan Batheri, Panamaram, and Mananthavadi. Now there are no Jains in Sultan Batheri, which was the earliest Jain settlement in Kerala. During Tipu’s invasion, the Jain temple at Batheri (Kidanganad Jaina Basti) was partially destroyed and Tipu Sultan used this temple as his armory. The place which was originally known as ‘Ganapativattam’ where Sultan stationed his army, later came to be called Sultan Batheri. The major landowners of Wayanad are the Jain community who prided themselves on agriculture. They are the inventors of natural farming here. They had migrated from Karnataka and still speak Kannada at home. The Wayanad Jains are called ‘Goundars.’ The rulers of Karnataka provided the necessary assistance for their growth.

The Beginning of Santhigiri Ashram, Sultan Batheri Branch

Nambiar Kunnu, near Cheeral in Nenmeni Grama Panchayat was a rural area full of meadows and fields in 1970s. The life of the natives was full of difficulties in the absence of water and roads. The area was sparsely populated. Sri Parameshwaran was a KSRTC driver and a native of Ernakulam. He was a devotee of Guru. He bought six acres of land from one Francis. The government had allotted seven acres of land to Francis after his retirement from the Army. He sold six acres out of the seven acres. The rest of one acre was given to Scaria, who was the caretaker. Parameshwarana often visited this utterly desolate and lonely place at Nambiar Kunnu. He had developed a friendship with one Muhammad Gurukkal who lived in the area. The locals called Parameshwaran ‘Parameswaran Swami’. He had a long beard and hair, and his body was short. A thought occurred to Parameswaran Swami’s mind that he should donate the six acres of land to the Guru. He informed Guru of his desire to dedicate the place to the Guru and the Guru blessedly granted his permission. This place is related to the previous lives and samadhis of the Guru. Perhaps Parameshwaran had not known that he was becoming a tool in the hands of God and his will and that there should be an ashram in this place. Thus, the beginning of Santhigiri Ashram, Sultan Bathery, was on those six acres of land. The registration was done in the name of the Almighty Guru in 1979.
In 1977, Guru talked to Parameswaran Swami about beginning an Ashram at Sulthan Bathery. He sent Parameshwaran and KK Thomas (Kunjachan Swami), a native of Kumily to Batheri. They decided to build a shed in the Ashram land while staying with Muhammad Gurukkal.

With the help of a few laborers, they, under the leadership of Kunjani, the son of Muhammad Gurukkal, built a small shed where the old prayer hall stood, after removing and leveling the land, and using six poles of the coral tree (murikk). The sides of the shed were covered with palm fronds and the roof was made of grass. There was a place, a single-step mud pedestal in the shed at the Southwest corner to put the lamp. Parameshwara Swami lit the lamp in the month of November 1977 at an auspicious hour on the day of Vijaya Dashami. The lamp was about one and a half feet high with an Aumkar on the top.

With the construction of the shed, Kunjachan Swami Moved there. Three stones were placed for an oven on the northeast corner of the shed and cooking was done there. Paliyil Bhaskaran, Sugathan, and Kunjani were there for assistance. Kunjachan Swami used to light the lamp in the morning and the evening and pray regularly. He shared love with the local people and served whatever food was available.

The Arrival of Guru in Sulthan Bathery

Guru had a desire to visit Sulthan Batheri long before. The Almighty Guru traveled to Kozhikode on 12, November 1978 by train accompanied by Parameswaran Swamy, Chellappan Pillai, Babu Swami, Radha (Shishyapoojitha), and other disciples. They reached Kozhikode the next morning. Kozhikode Central School Principal Sri Sharath welcomed Guru at the railway station and took him to his quarters. A devotee who knew about the arrival of the Guru came there and invited Guru to his house. Then, the Guru said; “The rice is already boiling, let’s eat from here today.” Everyone ate from there. Guru went to KSRTC Bus Stand by taxi on the morning of the 14th and boarded the bus to Sulthan Bathery.

Guru gave apples and fries to those who were with him while climbing the pass. It was very cold. When pressed by Babu Swami and others Guru covered himself with a green shawl. The bus reached Bathery at one o’clock in the afternoon. From there, the group boarded the bus to Cheeral. Guru walked down the Vendol Kunnu and Arthavayal Thodu and passing along the side of the cremation ground, reached Nambiarkunnu Ashram in Batheri at 3:30 in the afternoon. The Guru was attired in a dhoti and shawl and wore Hawaiian sandals with green straps. He also carried a black briefcase containing the Guru’s essentials.

Kunjachan Swami washed Guru’s feet and did Pada Namaskaram. Guru sat on a stool. A cloth was spread on it. Guru enquired about the well-being of devotees present there. He then asked them to pray and do sankalpam for the prosperity and goodness of the land, which should happen according to God’s will. After that Prasadam was distributed to everyone. Prasadam was Paris chocolates with green wrappers. Then a mat was spread on the ground and food was served to Guru in a special vessel. After food, Guru proceeded to look around.

Then Guru and his entourage visited the home of Muhammad Gurukkal where Parameshwaran Swami used to stay while coming to Nambiarkunnu. They received the Guru courteously and gave him tea in a cup. After sharing love and affection, he came down from there and went to the ashram. He said to those who were with him: “Everyone should come and look after the things here and pray.” He walked down to Cheeral at five o’clock. When he reached Vendol, he took water from Mrs. Paru, the wife of Mr. P.K. Kumaran, and washed his feet. He took a bus from Cheeral and got down at Batheri. From there he went to Kozhikode by KSRTC bus. That night, Guru stayed at Sri Sharath’s house. The next day the Guru and the pilgrim group went to Guruvayur temple. Sitting in the temple hall, Guru asked Suma to see ‘what is the present situation’. Suddenly, saying that he should leave, Guru got up and walked away. The head priest who was coming through the North wing after the worship was stunned to see Guru and stopped on his path. He dropped the keys down and prostrated at the feet of the Guru. Guru caught him and helped him to stand up. The priest cried and said, ‘I see your form in the idol every day.’ Then he said to the people standing around. ‘If you want to get something spiritual it will be got from people like this.’

He requested the Guru thus: ‘Please come and have a meal at my home.’ ‘I already ate food.’ said the Guru. When he pressed, Guru sent two followers to his house. On their return, the priest wanted to give a ball of offered butter to Guru. They did not take it saying that the Guru will not eat the offered butter. When the devotees explained what had happened, Guru said: ‘One should take what someone gives with a good heart.’ After that, everyone took food from a hotel and left for Ernakulam ashram.

The Devotee community of Batheri

The nature and climate of Wayanad in 1977 were different from today. The mist used to make the Wayanadan mornings and evenings beautiful. The wind blew with a howl outside the hills and valleys. Extreme cold and the scatter of rains and wildlife posed a challenge for people who struggled against nature for survival. It was in 1977 that Kunjachan Swamy alias KK Thomas arrived in the middle of these hardships obeying the word of Guru. His life was an example of self-sacrifice. A leaky shed, slippery clay soil when it rains, difficult paths, no water and light, leeches, scorpions, snakes, and foxes, and poverty! He had to collect water from a pond in the field below and carry water on his shoulders climbing a steep hill to reach the ashram. He had to starve for many days because he had no rice to cook. Some days there was only tapioca that tasted bitter and chili. He curled up inside jute bags or palm leaves unable to tolerate the cold. There is a history of his spending three days with only 50 paise during the days of hunger. A tea cost fifteen paise then. He drank only one cup of tea a day. When he cried and slept for three days thus, he saw a dream: ‘Go to the nearby Kappil Govinda Chetyar’s house.’ That was the dream. He went there and got five bales of rice. He brought it, and after pounding away the husk, prepared porridge to eat. Even when he was sick, he passed the days without any complaints and blaming somebody. Kunjachan Swami kept the ashram clean and tidy despite all these lacking. Swami could make good friendships with the families in the vicinity of the ashram. Many of them began to come to the ashram for prayers. When they came for prayers, they came with a can of water. They cooperated with the agricultural work of the ashram. Also, they began to offer homegrown yam, sorghum, tapioca, and other vegetables. There was a tradition of offering a little quantity of the first harvested rice and giving it to the ashram. He was alone in the ashram for two years. Thangappan Pillai from Thiruvananthapuram came occasionally and helped him. After Vijayan (Jagatpriya Swamy) came in 1981, Kunjachan Swamy went back. Many locals saw the Ashram with suspicion. The Swami could bring the nearby residents closer to the ashram. People like Biju, Vatsan, Kunjhani, Palayil Bhaskaran, Krishnankutty and Sugathan helped a lot. The ashram’s poverty came to an end only after buying five cows by way of a loan.

Krishnankutty began to be active in the ashram activities from the second Batheri visit of Guru. He offered a cot and a chair made of Grandis. When the tiled Parnasala was built, he dedicated a chair, cot, and an armchair made of special wood. The carpentry work of the hall built in 1980 was done by Krishnankutty and Ramanan. From the time Parameswaran Swami came to Batheri Sugatan was a familiar figure. He was one of the few who contributed to the Ashram’s early activities. But during Guru’s first two visits, Sugathan could not meet Guru. When his mind was thus in pain, he had a vision of a volley of light rising. That night he saw a dream. He saw a person in dhoti. He gave him vibhuti and applied it on his forehead. He kept the rest under his pillow. When he woke up in the morning and looked under the pillow, he saw the vibhuti lying there. When he told this experience to Kunjachan Swami, he said not to tell anyone about it. During the following days, when praying to the Guru, he saw the vision of lamps passing by and one of them became clear and a person’s figure appeared inside the lamp. He saw this for four days. Unable to withstand this experience anymore, on the fifth day at half past three in the morning, he set out on his journey to Thiruvananthapuram to meet Guru. When he saw Guru, he was astonished to realize that it was the figure of Guru that was seen inside the lamp.

When Guru came to know that he had come without informing anybody, he said to him that he should have come informing somebody. When his experience was narrated, ‘This is shown for your sake. Not only this, but more things are also yet to be seen.’ On the third day Guru said: ‘There is nobody in Bathery, you need to help financially.’ Guru himself arranged the ticket for his return and said to him: ‘Live as a householder without any thoughts of sannyasa. You can stay both in the ashram and at home. Guru used to send letters to Sugathan giving instructions and enquiring about the ashram work.

Palayil Bhaskaran was seventeen or eighteen years old when he met Parameswaran Swami. He cooperated with Parameshwaran Swami after the land was bought in digging its trench, etc. Some unspeakable love brought him close to the ashram. In his free time, Bhaskaran was engaged in ashram activities. When the shed was first built, he was at the forefront along with Kunjhani, Sugathan, and Vatsalan. When he first saw Guru, he immediately started loving him. Guru held his hands, and said, ‘Just do everything slowly.’ After two or three years of coming to the faith, he could see the figure of Guru in the waking state. He could see light particles with the naked eye. Things to do would come to mind by themselves. ‘There was an occasion when you had left Guru in one birth. Many people come to the ashram. Whoever they are, things should be handled carefully.’ Guru said. When the Guru comes, he would give money for everything. Once when he was in difficulty, he told Guru about his financial problems. The Guru consoled him saying, ‘be associated with the ashram, that will change.’ Baskaran keeps the faith in the Ashram to this day from the beginning.

Abhivandya Sishyapoojita’s visit to Batheri

After Guru’s departure, Abhiwandya Sishyapoojitha visited Sulthan Bathery on January 21, 2000, and laid the foundation stone for the Prayer Hall. The construction of the Ashram was completed on 5th June 2005 and she herself performed the consecration. It is after 18 years that Shishyapoojita is again visiting Sulthan Bathery for the conclusion of the consecration. When a branch ashram of Santhigiri becomes prosperous, fundamental changes will take place in that land. The stagnant souls of ancestors receive the rain of sacred light of peace. Through the goodness of ancestors, every home will have peace and prosperity. Children with merit will be born in different parts of the country. The karmic course of that place will be corrected through them. Those who are engaged in the different activities of the Ashram without knowing anything are the initial players in the great work of liberating the world. They are the initiators of the World Renaissance. Through the merit of the children born in their families who are just ordinary people they too become the possessors of virtue and good fortunes. Let us work together as children of God to do what God has willed us to do without considering the differences of caste, religion, country, or language.