Saturday 2nd of June witnessed the Jayanthi celebration to the Sage of Kanchi, reverentially Maha Periyava to all of us, at the Sri V.D Swami Auditorium
The mood all around was mellifluous and overflowing with thoughts and memories of the Paramacharya.
The invocation song on Mahaperiyava rendered beautifully by Ms.Bhuvaneswari coupled with the Veda Gosham beautifully adulated the Paramacharya’s divine qualities.
Smt. Surekha Mehta, Trustee, SWAN explained that the Acharya was a Brahmanishta and Shrothriya, a highly learned and self realized person who effortlessly discharged his duties to the Mutt, occupying the highest seat of spirituality from a tender age of 13!. She observed that our Chief Dr SS.Badrinath was a most blessed man as he was called upon to discharge the divine duty of attending to the eye care of this great Sage!
The Chief Guest of the evening, Shri. Krishna Chand Chordia, a philanthropist, a Tamil scholar, pursuing his PhD at 66 and an ardent devotee of the Acharya, this multi-faceted personality was introduced to the gathering by Shri Sugal Chand Jain, Honourary Treasurer. His unbridled oration, reminiscing his exposure with the noble soul enthralled the audience
He Shri Krishna Chand recalled how as a boy of about 6 or 7 years he peeped for a few fleeting moments into a house named Chandra Vilas in the town of Ulundurpet, where the Paramacharya had camped and took a quick glance at him and how the deeply etched memories in the Acharya’s mind, sent word for the same boy, when he turned 16, and how this teenager got his first orders from the Sage to be a part of the Go Shala at Sankara Mutt in West Mambalam Chennai. There was no looking back for this young lad from then on.
Paramacharya’s ‘beckoning call’ was so strong that he related himself to many such Go Samrakshana Shala’s, Shri Krishna Chand recalled the ultimate moment of ecstasy when Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal subtly pointed him to light the lamp when the Mambalam Go Shala celebrated its Silver Jubilee. Such was the Guru Anugraha bestowed on him he observed.
Sri. Krishna Chand Chordia, elaborated that the Acharya constantly advocated Veda Sam Rakshana and was instrumental in starting innumerable Veda Paata Shalas that were run by the Mutt as also the Gurukulam pattern of learning which built strong cultural and tradition based values.
Any one associated with the Acharya would be stunned at his amazingly simple hermit living. Endowed with abundant scriptural knowledge, Paramacharya had a stream of scholars at the Mutt who engaged in lengthy discussions on various topics ranging from the advancement of technology to important political decisions.
Sri. Krishna Chand Chordia’s implicit faith in the Guru’s words, has helped him to create a Meatless Village at Puzhal , nursing over 30 cows.
He concluded with a strong verdict that if everyone were to adhere to the Paramacharya’s advise, society would be Dharmic and ever progressive.
Shrimathi N.Anuradha, Optometrist & Faculty Member, Elite School of Optometry spoke on the joint ESO-TTD-Sankara Nethralaya eye camps and thanked the TTD for its generous donation of Rs 9 Lakhs towards procurement of equipments for the camp. This was followed by awarding of certificates to the Optometrists and support staff who were part of the ESO SN TTD free Eye camps by Shri V.Vaidhyanathan, Member of the Board.
Dr Rashmin Anil Kumar Gandhi, Director, Sankara Nethralaya Academy & e- learning delivered a warm vote of thanks, observing that we owe everything to the blessings of Paramacharya.
The day concluded with floral tributes to the Paramacharya and distribution of Prasadham and a wonderful pictorial calendar to those assembled.