The temple that was built in a day

This is a temple that legends say was built in a day. It is also the only temple in India where the Kalyana (marriage) ceremony of the deities are conducted in the  night.

This is the temple of  Rama also known as Kodandarama Swamy in Vonimitta, a small town in Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh.

Vonimitta is just 28 kms from Cuddapah and it is near to Tirupathi. It is very close to the city of Rajampet.

The Kodandarama Swamy temple is several centuries old. It was constructed in one day by two devotees, Vontudu and Mittudu. The two devotes sacrificed their lives after constructing the temple.

The sacrifice of the devotees did not go in vain. They turned into statues and even today they are  standing at the entrance of the temple. The place also is named after them-Vontimitta.

Another legend says they were thieves and that they gave water to Bukka Raya, the Vijayanagar Emperor. Pleased with this, the Raya named the place after them.

Vontimitta in Telugu also means a single hill. The Kodandarama Temple stands on a single hill. 

The idol of Rama in the temple which has three gopuras was consecrated by Jambhuvantha who also installed the idols of Sita and Lakshmana. Another peculiarity of  this temple is that there is no idol of Anjeneya or Hanuman nearby. This, the locals say, is the only temple in India where Hanuman is nowhere to be seen near his Rama.

However, Anjeneya has a separate temple near the Kodandarama Temple on a small hillock called Gandi.

The three deities of  Rama, Sita an Lakshmana in the Kodandarama Temple are carved out of a single stone or rock.

The temple is in Vijayanagar style and  the main mantapa built by the Vijayanagar kings, has a dancing Vigneshwara.

The walls of the temple and its pillars have beautiful carvings in the Vijayanagar style. The carvings are from the Ramayana and are exquisite.

There are two small ponds here- Rama Theertha,  Lakshmana Theertha and a meditation hall. Locals say Rama and Lakshmana shit arrows into the earth so that water could come out and quench the thirst of people and animals.

The temple was initially built by the Cholas and subsequently by the Vijayanagars.

The temple has  important links to Telugu and Haridasa literature.

One of the greatest Telugu poets, Tallapaka Annamacharya,   visited the temple, and has composed poems praising Kodanda Rama.

Another Telugu poet, Mahakavi Bammera Pothana,  lived here and  dedicated his magnum opus, “Mahabhagavatham”  to Kodanda Rama. Vavilakolanu Subba Rao, known as Andhra Valmiki for translating Valmiki’s Ramayana into Telugu, has also dedicated this work to Kodanda Rama of  Vontimitta. The house where Subba Rao lived is now an ashram and visitors and travelers are welcome to stay here..

Another aspect of the temple is that it is located in the very region where Kishkinda Kanda, one of the seven Kandas of  Ramayana took place. The Anjenaya Temple at Gandi is equally important for a pilgrim as it is believed that it was Rama himself  who created the figure of Hanuman or Anjaneya.

Incidentally, Tallapaka which is the birthplace of Annamacharya, who was a contemporary of Purandara Dasa, is located just six kms from Rajampet.

Annamacharya wrote 32,000 Kritis or compositions and he was a regular visitor to Tirupathi. Many of his compositions are in praise of Venkatesha or Balaji.

Tallapaka is known for its temples of  Chennakesava and Siddheswara. There is also a Srichakra, idol of Eka Tataiah , an ardent disciple of Lord Parasurama, and the Annamayya Dhyana Mandira.

The TTD has adopted Tallapaka for development on the lines of Tiruvayaru. It organises the Annamacharya jayanthi regularly.

Cuddapah is 248 kms from Bangalore by road.  It will take you a little more than five hours and you can stop at Madanapalle or Chitoor en route to Cuddapah. The Horsley Hills in Madanapalle are famous. The Rishi Vally School is located here.

There are two road routes that you can choose from. The first is Chitoor-Tirupathi-Renigunta and then left to Rajampet and further to Vontimitta. The other route is Chitoor-Rayachoti and straight onto Rajampet. There are also trains from Bangalore to Cuddapah.

The Nava Brahma Temples

There are several cities in India where there is a temple dedicated to Lord Brahma. The most famous of such temples is the one at Pushkar near Ajmer in Rajasthan.

There is also a temple for Brahma near Vellore. It is just off the Chennai-Bangalore highway and it is in Virinchipuram, 15 kms from Vellore. It is called the Margaparendeshwar Temple.

The other main temples for Brahma in Tamil Nadu are the Brahmapureshwara Temple at Tirupattur near Siriganur,  Trichy and the Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara temple at Kodumudi which is 40 kms away from  Erode.

However, there is only one place in ancient India where there are several temples dedicated to Brahma in India. Though the temples were built by the Chalukya emperors of Badami who were Kannadigas, they are today located in Andhra Pradesh.

The Chalukyas have built some of the most magnificent temples ever seen in the world. The Badami-Aihole-Pattadakal area is called the cradle of temple art. The rock cut caves of Badami, which was the capital of the Chalukyas, defies imagination.

The Banashankari Temple in Banashankari near Badami is one of the most impressive temples of its kind. The Banashankari temple in Bangalore is only a pale shadow of this original.

The Chalukyas ruled over a vast area in south India and  its greatest emperor, Pulekeshi, defeated Harshavardhana or Harsha on the banks of the Narmada.

One of the most beautiful group of temples left behind by the Chalukyas are the Nava Brahma temples at Alampur in Mehaboobnagar district in Andhra Pradesh.

Alampur is a small town near Kurnool and the Nava Brahma temples date back to the 7^th century. Some of the temples are believed to have been built by Pulekeshi.

As the name implies, there are nine temples dedicated to Brahma, Hence, the name Nava Brahma. The temples are on the banks of the Tungabhadra. It is at Alampur that the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers meet. Hence, it is also known as Dakshina Kashi.

Alampur is located 200 km from Hyderabad, 88 kms from Mantralaya, 78 kms from Bellary and 381 kms from Bangalore. Kurnool is the nearest railhead and it is 28 kms from Alampur.

It is considered to be the western gateway of Srisailam which houses one of the sacred Jyotirlingas.The southern, eastern, and northern gateways are Siddhavattam, Tripurantakam and Umamaheswaram respectively.

The Nava Brahma temples are Taraka, Swarga, Padma, Bala,  Garuda,Kumara, Arka, Vira  and Vishwa. All the temples are located within a courtyard on the left bank of the Tungabhadra.

You enter the courtyard through a narrow gate.On the left is the Taraka Brahma and on the right is the Swarga Brahma. The Padma Brahma is to the west of the Swarga Brahma. The Garuda Brahma is to the Southeast of the Padma Brahma temple. The main shrine,  Bala Brahma, is in the compound to the north. Towards another end is the Kumara Brahma. In one Compound are the Shrines dedicated to Arka Brahma, Vira Brahma and Vishwa Brahma

Of the nine temples, the Bala Brahma temple is considered to be the most important shrine of worship. This temple dates back to  702 AD. It is the main shrine of worship during Shivaratri. The temple also has the disfigured idols of Jogulamba and her consorts.

The Taraka Brahma temple is partly in ruins, and it has no idol. It is built on a raised platform with a square sanctum.  
There are Telugu epigraphs dating from the 6th-7th century AD.  The Swarga Brahma temple has a beautiful Gopura-Rekhanagara Vimana- which is awe inspiring. It contains several sculptures in bas relief. This temple  was built between 681-696 AD by Lokaditya Ela Arasa in honour of the queen of  Emperor Vinayaditya (680-696).

The Padma Brahma temple is also in ruins. However, unlike the Taraka temple, this has a Linga with a beautiful finish. You can see your reflection on the Linga. This temple has the biggest sanctum sanctorum.

The Vishwa Brahma temple is considered the most artistic of the temples. The walls depict scenes from the epics. It has a reference to Vishwakarma or the Lord of the Universe.

The Arka Brahma is the smallest of all temples. The gopuram and kalasa are missing in this structure, presumably vandalised.
The Kumara Brahma temple is near the main shrine. It is one of the oldest temples.

The Garuda Brahma has a carving of Garuda carrying Vishnu. The Veera Brahma temple is a partially damaged structure.
There is also a temple dedicated to Suryanarayana in the courtyard. Images of Vishnu and his avatars are carved on the temple walls.  the 9th century.  There is also a Narasimha temple with inscriptions from the period of Krishna Deva Raya of the Vijayanagar Empire.

Another tourist spot near Alampur is Papanasam which has nearly two dozen temples. The most important of these temples is dedicated to Papanaseswara (Shiva). They belong to the 11^th century AD.

Alampur, in ancient times,  was known as Halampuram, Hamalapuram and Alampuram. Another of its name, Hatampura, is mentioned in an inscription dated 1101 AD.

All the temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva and each of structure has a long rectangular mantapa with a Nandi in front.

Legend has it that Brahma meditated here for a very long time and Shiva conferred the powers of creation to him. Therefore, the Bala Brahma is also called Brahmeswara and his consort Yogini or Jogulamba (Parvathi).

Would you believe  it that this site would have been submerged by the backwaters of the Srisailam project. However, it was saved after a barrage was constructed downstream to contain the water flow.

Madhwa seers who entered Brindavana alive

In the Madhwa parampare or line of succession, there are only four saints or seers from South India who have entered  Brindavana alive. The rest of the saints, barring a few, have entered Brindavana only after they left the mortal body.

The first to enter Brindavana Swjeeva or alive is the redoubtable Vadiraja Theertha. This saint, who belonged to the Sode matha Parampare, lived for 120 years. He was born in 1480 AD and lived upto 1600 AD. He saw the rise and fall of the Vijayanagar dynasty and he was a shishya of  Vyasa Theertha.

Vadiraja was given Sanyasa at the age of eight by Vageesha Theertha, who had succeeded the Dwaitha Matha after Kavindra Theertha. Born in Hoovinakere near Kumbasi in Kundapur taluk of Udupi district, Vadiraja was known as Bhuvaraha. A Shivalli Brahmin. he is considered to be the second highest saint in the Madhwa hierarchy after our Acharya, Madhwacharya.

An incarnation of Lord Latavya, he reformed the matha system of Udupi Sri Matha and wrote several beautiful krutis. An unmatched scholar, he was the Paryaya in charge of Udupi Temple for a record number of times.

His favourite god was Hayagriva, a form of Vishnu. His devotion was so total that he would hold the Hayagriva in a vessel over his head and a horse (Vishnu) would come and place its legs on his shoulder and eat the prasada every day.  

He entered his Brindavana alive at Sode near Sirsi. The Sode matha where his Brindavana is located has a small pond called Dhaula Gange. Pilgrims are allowed at only two corners. One corner is where Bhutaraja even today comes, tales bath and performs pooje.

Some of his works of Vadiraja include, Rukminisha Vijaya, Theertha Prabhanda, Swapna Vrundavanakyanam, Sarasa Bharathi Vilasa, Kavi Kadamba Kanta bhushana, Mahabharatha Lakshalankara Teeke, Talavakaropanishad  Bhashya Teeke, Taittareeyopanishad Bhashya Teeke, Kathakopanishad Bhashya Teeke, Atharvanopanishad Bhashya Teeke, Mandookopanishad Bhashya Teeke, Tantra Saara Teeke, Mahabhaaratha Prasthana, Shatprashnopanishad Bhashya Teeke Tippani, Mahabharatha Tatparya Nirnaya Bhavaprakashika, Tatvaprakashika Guruvartha Deepika, Ishavasyopanishad Bhashya Teeke Prakashana, Geethabhashya Tippani, Nyaya sudha Guruvartha Deepika and Bhagavatha Anukramanika.

He has 44 Strotras to his credit and eleven works in Kannada.

Vadiraja has performed hundreds of miracles. You can perform Kai (coconut) Seve here. The pontiff of the Sode Matha, Vishwa Vallabha Theertha, is the Paryaya seer this time around.

Vadiraja Theertha entered Brindavana at Sode in 1600. Accomodation is available at the matha itself.

I will relate a miracle of Vadiraja that was experienced by my relative in my next article.   

Raghavendra Swamy

The second seer to enter Brindavana alive is  Raghavendra Swamy of Mantralaya. He was born in 1595 as Venkatanatha in Bhuvanagiri in present day Tamil Nadu. (Bhuvanagiri is near Chidambaram)

Well, what can I write about this great man. Anything written about him, his works, his miracles, falls flat as his greatness is immeasurable.  His works are Vedatraya Vivriti, Mantrartha Manjari,  Commentary of Pancha Suktas, Dashopanishat Kandartha, Geetartha Sangraha,

Prameya Deepika Vyakhya,  Geeta Tatparya Teeke Vivaranam,  Tantra Deepika, Nyaya Muktavali,  Tatwa Manjari,  Tatwa Prakasika Bhava Deepa, Parimala, Dasa Prakarana Teeke Vyakhya, Rama Charitra Manjari, Krishna Charitra Manjari,  Tatparya Nirnaya Bhava Sangraha, Vaadavali Vyakhya, Chandrika Prakasa, Tarka Tandava Vyakhya, Pramana Paddhati Vyakhya, Anu Madhwa Vijaya Vakhya, Prathah Sankalpa Gadya,  Bhatta Sangraha and Prameya Sangraha.

Can anyone forget his composition Indu Yennage Govinda.

A Kalpavriksha Kamadhenu, Rayaru as he is better known, has been giving solace hundreds of years even after he entered Brindavana.

This bard of Mantralaya is such a person that if you weep, he is on hand to wipe away your tears. He entered Brindavana in 1671. He has continued to perform miracles from within the Brindavana. There are thousands of stories about him and his miracles.

Accommodation is available in plenty. After the flooding, Mantralaya is a changed place today.   

Raghuttama Theertha

He was the third Madhwa saint to enter Brindavana alive. He was the son of the Purvasharama sister of Madhwacharya. Need anything more to be said about him.

He was the head of the Uttaradhi Matha just after the demise of the Vijayanagar Empire. He was the pontiff when the Madhwa Sidhantha and even Hinduism was undergoing a turmoil in the south. The Muslim kings of the Deccan had almost overrun the entire south India and the Mughals in the north were ruling the roost.

It was Raghuttama who settled the Madhwa Siddhantha on a sound footing in those troubled times. He guided the Madhwas for more than 38 years as head of the Uttaradhi Matha.

He is the author of five Bhavabodhas. These works bring out the many meanings of Madhwacharya’s writings. The five Bhavabodhas are: Brihadaranya Bhavabhoda,  Nyaya Vivarana Bhavabhoda,  Gitabhashya Bhavabhoda (Prameya Dipika Bhavabhoda),  Vishnutatvanirnaya Bhavabhoda and Tattvaprakashika Bhavabhoda.

Two other works are Vivaranoddhara and  Nyayaratnasambanda Deepika

 His Brindavana is at Manampoodi near Tirukoilur. Manampoondi is between Tiruvvanamalai and Tirukoilur. It is 237 kms from Bangalore.

He belonged to the Surya Vamsha. Therefore, there is no covering or roof on his Brindavana. People with ailments related to eyes, limbs go to the Brindavana and perform seve. Accommodation is available a the Uttaradhi Matha which looks after the Brindavana.

     

Satyavrata Theertha

He is the last of the four saints to entre the Brindavana alive.

In his Poorvashrama he was known as Ranganathacharya.

He succeeded Vedanidhi Theertha as the pontiff of the Uttaradhi Matha. His contribution to the Matha is so immense, that all succeeding seers of the matha have taken the prefix Sathya. The present pontiff is the venerable Satyatma Theertha.

He was the head of the Uttaradhi Matah for three years. Once he visited Golconda. The then ruler of Golconda, Abdullah Qutab Shah, wanted to test Satyavrata Theertha’s powers.

He sent vessels containing meat to the seer, saying that it is his offering to Moola Rama.

Satyavrata Theertha sprinkled theertha on the plates and lo and behold , the meat turned to fruits and flowers. The King apologised and and prostrated himself before the seer and offered royal gifts.

He is the author of Sudha Vivrruti.

He gave Sanyasa to Sathyadharma Theertha and entered Brindavana at Sangli on the banks of river Krishna in Maharashtra. The Uttaradhi Matha looks after the Brindavana. Accommodation is available at the matha.

Please do not confuse this saint with Satyavara Theertha who also headed the Uttaradhi Matha. Satyavrata Theertha was the disciple of  Vedanidhi Theertha and he is the 18^th head of the Uttaradhi Matha from the lineage of Madhwacharya.

Satyavara Theertha was one of the four disciples of  the redoubtable Satyabodha Theertha. Satyavara Theertha was the 27^th head of the Uttaradhi Matha and his Brindavana is at Santebennur near Gauribidanur in Karnataka. His Guru was Satyasandha Theertha.   

Apart from the above mentioned four saints, there are some who have disappeared never to have returned. The first saint to disappear was Madhwacharya. He disappeared from his seat in the Anantheshwara Temple in Udupi and went to Badari.

The next saint to disappear was Madhwacharya’s brother, Vishnu Theertha who is the founder of Sode Matha and Subramanya Matha. He disappeared in the forests close to Kukke Subramanya.

The guru of  Bramanya Theertha of  Abbur or Kundapura Vyasaraja Matha was Purushottama Theertha. He too disappeared in a cave near Abbur in Chennapatna taluk of Ramanagar district. The cave can still be seen today.

Jitamitra Theertha of Raghavendra Swamu Matha disappeared when he was teaching students beneath a tree at Jitamitra Gadde in Raichur. 
In West India, Madhavendra Theertha, the 7th pontiff  of the Kashi Matha, entered Brindavana alive at Walkeshwar in Mumbai in the 18th century.        

The Madhwa Seer who showed the Sun at midnight, drank poison

There are hundreds of seers and saints in India and many of them have played a vital role in shaping the religious, philosophical and even social flow of the country and its people.

Many saints have been blessing people by performing miracles from their Brindavana.  If Raghavendra Swamy, Vadiraja Theertha, Sripadaraja and Raghuttama Theertha continue to inspire millions of people across the globe with their miracles, there is another saint who is equally known for his miracles and prowess. He was such a great Gyani or scholar and devotee of Moola Rama that he once showed the bright Sun to his disciples well after midnight.

This saint also prolonged the life of his Shishya by ten years. He was also called the Trikalajnani of He is none other than Satyabodha Theertha who belongs to the Uttaradhi Matha parampare.

A contemporary and close friend of  Dhirendra Theerta of Raghavendra Swamy Matha, Satyabodha Theertha was an unparalleled scholar and mystic. He was the Guru whom Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan of Mysore, the Nawab of Savanur and even the British regarded very highly.

Though he was an orthodox Brahmin, he counted thousands of Muslims and Christians and even people from other religions as his followers and disciples.

Just as Sir Thomas Munroe has given us a graphic account of his meeting with Raghavendra Swamy, another British official, James Campbell, has left behind an extensive write up on Satyabodha Theertha.

The write up by Campbell is even today available in the Bombay Gazeteer, Karnataka Dharwad district Chapter III, Page Nos 58-59 edited and published by James M. Campbell.   

Satyabodha Theertha was the 15^th pontiff after Ramachandra Theertha to occupy the seat of the Uttaradhi Matha. He was born as Ramacharya in Raichur and he was initiated into the religious order by Sri Satyapriya Theertha, his Guru and Peetadhipathi of the Uttaradhi Matha.

Ramacharya spent his childhood in the Matha and Satyapriya Theertha took great interest in teaching him the Shastras. Once, he was worshipping the saligrama and shanka, when Lord Shvetavarha gave darshan to him in a miniature form.

Satyapriya Theertha soon entered Brindavana and left Satyabodha Theertha to guide the Matha.

Satyabodha then began on a long and extensive tour of India. He defeated all his adversaries (in philosophy and religion) and popularized Dwaitha Siddhantha.  Several Kings and Emperors showered him with letters of appreciation and Tamra Patras (copper plates).

The fame of  the seer spread far and wide and the Nawabs of Savanaur and Ramnad apart from Tipu Sultan honored him. The British too wrote that the seer radiated a hypnotic and divine presence. One British official swore that the seer had telepathic powers.

When the seer’s fame increased, some people felt jealous and decided to do away with the seer. They poisoned his food (Paramanna) which he would eat after performing Naivaidya to Moola Rama and Digvijaya Rama.

When Satyabodha Theertha offered naivaidya to the gods, the face of Moola Rama turn dark. The seer came to know what had happened but he kept quite.

The seer then proceeded to eat the poisoned food even though his Shishyas urged him to desist. His contention was what is good for Moola Rama is good enough for me. All the while, he sought pardon from Moola Rama for having him offered poison.

The poison had no effect and the Seer continued with his normal activities.

Another time, a man claiming to be a Shishya of Satyabodha Theertha had accumulated a lot of wealth by performing some magic. The Shishya claimed that he was doing all activities as per the wishes of Srinivasa. When Satyabodha heard of this, he went to the Shishya and the man could not perform any miracle. Humiliated and chastened, he surrender all his wealth and went away from the matha. He also promised Satyabodha Theertha that he would never resort to trickery to hoodwink people.

During one of his tours to north, Satyabodha Theertha came to Gaya in Bihar where he found that local priests called Pandas had completely taken over the management and daily activities of the Vishnu Pada temple.

The seer found that the Pandas were demanding money for everything and were harassing people in the name of religion. He then set up an exclusive shelter for pilgrims near the temple and named it Rama Gaya. The Pandas were completely isolated and begged the seer for forgiveness.

The seer then proceeded to Kashi and set up a matha at Durga Ghatta to provide facilities for pilgrims.

After his tour, he came to Savanur which then was under the rule of the Nawabs. By then he had ruled the Madhwa pontificate for more than 39 years. He decided to hand over the reigns of the matha to Satyasandha Theertha.

A little later, Satyabodha Theertha found that his successor had only a short time to live. He prayed to Lord Moola Rama with Raksha Stotram and ensure that the life of Satyasandha Theertha was extended by ten more years.

Once he was having food in the night. Several shishyas and others commented about it. They said this was not the first time that Sathyabodha Theertha had violated tradition by eating after daylight. They said it is wrong and not according to scriptures.

Satyabodha Theertha overheard them and asked them to come near him. He asked them to look up at the sky. When the Shishyas saw it first, it was dark and the moon was shining. When they saw it again they saw the Sun shining brightly.

While almost all the disciples were convinced about the prowess and greatness of the Seer, one person disdainfully claimed it was only magic. He immediately lost his eyesight.

The seer realised that his end was near, He wanted to go to the north and bathe in the Ganga. When he went to sleep, Lord  Badarinarayana came in his dreams and asked him to stay back in the Ashrama as Bhagirathi herself would come.

The next day, the Bhagirathi came flowing down to the matha and the seer and his devotees had a bathe in the holy waters.

Satyabodha Theertha left his mortal body at Savanur on March 9, 1783. His Brindavana is in the Uttaradhi Matha at Savanur. Such is his greatness that even today the matha is known as Satyabodha Matha.

Many details of the life and times of the seer can be found in Shri Satyabodha Vijaya written by Kanchi Acharya, his disciple. The kavya is a verse written in 21 saragas and it describes Satyabodha’s life in detail.

Satyabodha Theertha accepted ashrama in 1744 and he entered the brindavana in 1783. Naivedyagavisham in his charamashloka. This is in honour of the poison he took.

Satyabodha Theertha had four main disciples and all of them headed the Uttaradhi Matha. They are Satya Sandha Theertha, Satyavara Theerta, Satya Dharma Theertha and Satya Sankalpa Theertha.

Even today, Satyabodha Theertha continues to perform miracles from his Brindavana. There are hundreds of instances when he has helped devotees in distress. Visit his Brindavana at Savanur to get a feel of his greatness.  The matha has arrangements for staying.  

The oldest Raghavendra Swamy Brindavana in the fort of ashes

It is a mound of ashes in the land of Gold. Today, it stands forgone and almost forgotten by the masses. Once a thriving town, it soon lost its lustre and relapsed into a small village after 1800 AD.

This place is also home to India’s first cable community radio station. It has been operational since 2002 under the Namma Dhwani project. Yes, I am talking of Budhikote, which is a small village in Bangarpet taluk of Kolar district.

Raghavendra Swamy Matha

   

Budhikote  is also home to one of the oldest Raghavendra Swamy Temples outside Mantralaya and Bichale or Bhikshalaya. I am not very sure but locals tell me that this is the third temple in India built in honour of Raghavendra Swamy. I feel this is the fourth temple and not third built in honour of Rayaru.

The first Raghavendra Swamy temple. As we all know is in Mantralaya. This is where Raghavendra Swamy entered Brindavana alive.

The second Brindavana was at Bichale which was consecrated by Raghavendra Swamy’s close friend Appanacharya. It is an Ekashila Brindavana and its period of construction was just after the Brindavana at Mantralaya.

The Raghavendra Temple here was the third, so say locals. I am yet to verify this aspect, but I would go with the views of the local people and the priest of the Matha.

The Matha or rather the Brindavana is dated 1681. This means the Brindavana was constructed here ten years after Rayaru or Raghavendra Swamy entered Brindavana in Mantralaya i.e., 1671.

The Prathistapana of the Brindavana was done by the Kallyavi family which is even now in charge of the temple. This makes it the oldest Mrithika Brindavana of Raghavendra Swamy in Karnataka.

Namma Dhwani

Getting back to the Namma Dhwani project, it has an interesting beginning.

Initially, 36 self help groups of women decided to join hands and set up a combined cable radio network, covering 750 households.

The programmes for the network were produced at the Community Multimedia Centre in Budhikote.

The broadcast is in chaste Kannada. Teachers and students of the school nearby the community centre take an active part in the programmes to be broadcast.

The Namma Dhwani project has earned world-wide recognition and it has been adopted by UNESCO.

Attractions in Budhikote

Budhikote is just more than an hour’s drive from Bangalore. Though it is has a history dating back to the 8^th century BC, Budhikote, which is just 15 kms from Bangarpet in Kolar district is a yet to be explored tourist destination.

The first mention of Budhikote is in an 8^th century inscription belonging to the Bana dynasty which ruled over areas around this village. The inscription says Budhikote was part of the Tekal province.

Better known as the birth place of Hyder Ali, the father of Tipu Sultan, Budhikote is about 88 kms from Bangalore. It is worth a visit either for its own beauty and historic importance or part of a tour of places in Kolar district.

There is a huge mound of ashes in Budhikote and it has an ancient tale to it.  The ashes were collected after a mammoth yagna was conducted here, says a local legend. By the way. Budhi in Kannada means ashes and Kote is fort. So, if you translate Budhikote into Kannada, it means the “Fort of Ashes.”  The ashes are remnants of the Poornahutis of yagnas performed in ancient times. The locals, therefore, called it Vibuthipura (Vibhuti is ash in Kannada). 

There are two routes to reach Budhikote from Bangalore. You can drive down to Bangarpet via Kolar on the old Madras Road (NH 4) or go to Malur directly from there take a deviation to Budhikote.

If you take the Malur road, keep going towards the Tamil Nadu border and you come up to Budhikote set amidst picturesque surroundings.

The first thing that catches your eye is the fort. The fort is in ruins and much of the structure has crumbled. However. A few of the surviving circular bastions are worth exploring.

The fort was built by Hyder Ali who is believed to have spent his childhood here. The fort was once the bone of contention between the British and Hyder.

Hyder’s father, Fateh Mohammad, came here from Gulbarga and was given shelter by a local Palegar or Nayaka. Fateh Mohammad’s family originally hailed from Punjab.

There are two temples when you enter the fort. The temple on the left has a carved figure of Hanuman. There is a big boulder behind this temple.

The temples to Sugreva and Venugopala are in ruins. The Kalyani in both the temples needs cleaning.

Within the fort is a small enclosure with a stone tablet saying that this is the birthplace of Hyder Ali. Locals ay a chain was tied to a nearby boulder to anchor the cradle. As can be expected the chain is missing. This is where the cradle of Hyder was rocked by his mother. There are several boulders with holes. The chain was passed through the holes and tied to the cradle. The memorial here says Hyder was born in 1720, while historical texts and other sources say he was born in 1717.

There are several inscriptions referring to Hyder Ali in the fort.

Budhikote has a few temples which is a must see for visitors and pilgrims. If you leave Bangalore early, you can reach Budhikote by 8-30 a.m., and also visit the temples of Kodandarama, Somaeshwara and Venkatesha.

The Someshwara and Venkatesha temples were built by the Vijayanagar Emperors.

A few kms down Budhikote (4 kms away) is a big lake or reservoir called Markendeya reservoir with a Nilgiri groove adjoining it.  The Markendaya river flows into the tank. The lake is rarely visited and you can enjoy calm and quiet here. It is called the KRS of Kolar.

The reservoir was constructed between 1936 and 1940 and it then cost Rs. 4 lakhs. Take in the sunset here and it is breathtaking.
Check out the Government fish farm which is nearby. This is the place where a majority of the fish breeders and sellers of aquarium source their fishes. There are about 50 ponds here where a variety of “ornamental” fishes are bred.

Budhikote is not for people who enjoy crowds. There are many places of interest in and around Budhikote which are unexplored. The huge rocks, boulders and hillocks in and around Malur, Budhikote make for an interesting day for a rock climber. Watch out for snakes and lizards. It is better to carry water and food. Otherwise, you have to eat at Kolar or Mulabagal which is some distance away.

There are buses from Bangalore to Budhikote. Kolar, Malur and Mulabagal are well connected to Budhikote by buses. In case you prefer to come by train, you can alight either at Kolar or Bangarpet and then catch a bus to Budhikote. It is eleven kms from Bangarpet.

If you are in Bangalore, this can be a day’s trip.

For those interested in literature, here is a small anecdote. The English writer E M James came to Bangalore in 1927. He visited Budhikote during his travels to KGF and  wrote about it. He has immortalized Budhikote in his verse called “Poems of South India, .” Two others works of his which have reference to Budhikote are the Old Fort of Budhikote and Indian Landscape.

The other Venkateshwara

Billions of people across the globe are familiar with the Srinivasa, Venkatashwara or Balaji Temple in Tirupathi. The temple and the deity is so famous that it needs no introduction or write up.

However, there is another temple of Venkatesha that is not as famous as the one at Tirupathi. But the idol here closely resembles the one at Tirupathi.

This temple of  Venkateshwara is located at Nandalur which is on the Tirupathi –Cuddapah Road. The temple is dedicated to Venkatesha and Maha Lakshmi. There are shrines to a few other gods too. The temple is in Cadappa district which is part of the Dandakaranya forests that Rama, Lakshmana and Sita travelled during their exile.

It might take you an hour and half to the temple from Tirupathi and believe me it is worth a visit. The Venkateshwara here is called Soumyanatha Swamy and it is believed that it was installed by sage Narada several thousands years ago.

Unlike the idol at Tirupathi, the Venkateshwara here is visible from morning to night without any artificial lighting or source of light.

The temple has 108 pillars and it is spread over a vast area (10 acres to be precise). Another unique feature here is that the deity can be seen from a distance of 10 feet from the sanctum sanctorum. The rays of the Sun touch the feet of the deity once an year.

Another unique feature which you can see for yourself  on a full moon day is seeing the idol in a vessel filled with water. The vessel can be placed at a distance of 100 feet and you can see the full reflection of Venkatesha in the water.

I was just left wondering at this magnificent piece of  construction.

As you walk towards the sanctum, the temple and the deity begins to grow on you. The first thing you notice is that the structure is built of red sandstone. There are several inscriptions on the temple walls in Tamil. Many, and I counted about a dozen, of these inscriptions belong to the Telugu Cholas. These rulers are also known as Cholas of Pottapi. At least there of the inscriptions are dated in the 12th century and belong to the period of Vikrama Chola.

There is also an inscription of the Kakatiya ruler Pratapa Rudra Deva. One of the greatest kings of the kakatiya dynasty.

There are several symbols of animals on the temple walls. There is also a carving of  the Sun and the Moon and those of fishes. There is a huge fish engraved on the ceiling of the temple. Locals tell you that the fish will one day come to life and swim into the ocean.

The pillars of the Mantapa here are different from pillars of other temples. The pillars are standing on head of lions, while in other temples it is the other way around. When asked about this, locals say there is another hidden or underground temple beneath this structure.

The temple has four gopuras facing the four directions. The idol faces East-towards Tirupathi. The idol here has Abhaya Hasta while in Tirupathi, the idol has Kati Hasta. Apart from this, there is no other difference between the two Venkateshwaras.   

The temple was constructed by the Malti kings of Cuddapaha and is in Chola style The Pandyas, Kakatiyas and the Vijayanagar rulers have enriched the temple over the centuries. I could trace the construction of the temple to the 10th century. The style is very similar to the beautiful temple of Arunachala in Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu.        

The State Government sends pearls to this temple every year during July when the Kalyanotsava of  Ventakesha takes place. Another temple nearby where the State sends pearls is to the Ramaswamy Temple at Vontimitta, which is 7 kms from Nandalur.  
There is a shrine of  Yoga Narasimha Swamy near the entrance to  the sanctorum.

Nandalur is 42 kilometers from Cuddapa. It is on the banks of river Cheyyeru. It is archaeologically important as several Buddhist relics were recovered from here This temple is 10 kms from Rajampet. There are plenty of buses plying from Tirupathi, Cuddapa and Rajampet.

The temple is 10 minutes from Rajampet and it is on the right side of the highway while travelling towards Cuddapa.

Vontimitta, nearby, is famous for the Kodandarama or Ramaswamy Temple. The images of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita are carved on a single rock. Legend  has it that Rama, Lakshmana and Sita spent some time here during their Vanavasa.

There are buses and trains from Tirupathi to Nandalur. However, it is better to hire a shared taxi as you can see many other places on the way.

Purandara and his sons

Though much is known about Purandara Dasa, particularly his compositions, his personal life after he became a Dasa, is shrouded in mystery.

This is perhaps due to the fact that he gave up his wealth completely and he became a wandering mendicant. He sang the praises of Purandara Vittala and wandered the streets of Hampi. Collecting alms and living on them. His wife was an ardent companion and she followed her husband live a faithful shadow.

The little that we know of Purandara can be gleaned from some contemporary accounts and the Dasa who followed Purandara Dasa.

A little of the life of  Purandara Dasa can be gleaned from his compositions itself. In one of his songs, he himself says he was to write 5,0000 compositions but he could only achieves 4,75,000. In another, he sings mournfully about the loss of a son.

Purandara was born in the later part of the 15th century. Some scholars say he was born in 1480, while others say the date is 1484. His father Varada Nayaka was a money lender and trader. His mother Leelawathi, a housewife. Purandara continued the family business which flourished under him.

At the age of 16, he married Lakshmibai and four years later his parents died.

Purandara Dasa had four sons and a daughter. After his life transformed and he became a devotee of Purandara Vittala, he settled down at Hampi where his wife and sons joined him.

The family lived a simple and frugal life, a far comparison from the days when wealth flowed into their house almost every day.

Vyasa Raja took Purandara Dasa as his disciple and gave him the much needed literary push. Purandara Dasa constantly thought about Hari and ceased to worry about daily life. His wife and sons did not complain about the changed circumstances.

His daily routine in Hampi was simple. He tied bells around his ankle and with a tambouri in hand went around the streets of Hampi singing Devara namas. People followed him and admired his compositions. Purandara accepted alms and went back home where his wife cooked for him and their three sons.

He regularly met with and discussed several academic issues with Vyasa Raja, both at the Vyasaraja Matha and at the Vijayaagar University of which Vyasa Raja was the Chancellor.

A Shasana or inscription found in Tirthalli says Hebanna was Purandara Dasa’s son. Another  Shasana found in Sagar in Shimga district says Purandara is associated with Kshemapura.

These Shanasas and other records roughly indicate that Purandara Dasa was perhaps born in 1480. But there is still controversy on whether he was born at Pandrapur or near Sagar in Shimoga district. However, his date of death can be exactly pinpointed to 1564 as one of his sons composed a nama (song) on the day Purandara died.

A few years before Vyasa Raja entered Brindavana, he gave Deeksha to three of the four sons of Purandara. One of the sons had passed away earlier. Thus, Purandara Dasa’s sons also followed their father in the Dasa tradition.

A copper plate found in Kamalapura and dated 1526 says that Vyasa Raja gifted villages to the three surviving sons of Purandara-Lakshmana Dasa, Hebbana Dasa and Madhwapathi Dasa. The Shasana also says that Purandara belonged to Vasistha Gotra and that his sons were empowered or eligible to receive gifts.

The villages were once gifted to Vyasa Raja by Krishna Deve Raya. However, Vyasa Raja gifted the villages to Purandara’s sons considering the latter’s precarious financial position.

Whether or not Vyasa Raja gave Ankita Nama to Purandara Dasa is debatable. But what is sure is that he accepted Purandara Dasa as his disciple and encouraged him to compose songs and spread the message of Hari.

Purandara Dasa foresaw the gradual decline of the Vijayanagar empire after the death of Krishna Deve Raya in 1509. The later rulers like Achuta Deve Raya, Sadashiva Raya and Rama Raya could not match the military prowess and ability of Krishna Deve Raya. Nor could they impose their will as Krishna Deve Raya did on their neighbouring Kingdom.

A few years before he passed away in 1564, Purandara Dasa warned the people of Vijayanagar about the danger of vices and falling into the trap of wealth and improper conduct. He sang, “Neechadhiree Bhagya” but the Emperor and the masses remained oblivious. Retribution was swift and the Vijayanagar forces lost in 1565 and Hampi was plundered and thousands of people put to the sword.
But what about Purandara Dasa’s sons. An year after the death of their father, Vijayanagar was in shambles and all the Dasas, including Purandara’s sons, dispersed from Vijayanagar.
Hebbanna (called Lakshma in another record), Madhwapati and Abhinava all composed songs, each with their own and distinct Anikta Nama. Some scholars believe that the Pillari geete – paduma naabha  paramapurusha – is not by Purandara but by his son Abhinava Purandara Dasa.

Purandara Dasa’s sons too composed several songs and they also sang their father’s compositions. Unfortunately, no written records of their contribution exists and even if they did compose, we can only credit it to Purandara Dasa.

One of his sons-Madhwapati Dasa- gives the day and date of death of Purandara Dasa in a composition.

The first line of the composition (Pallavi) and the second line (Anu Pallavi) says the verse was composed on the day Purandara passed away. It further mentions that day and date as Amavyasa. Pushya and Ravi Vara (Sunday). The other lines of the composition clearly states that Purandara died at Virupaksh Kshetra (Hampi where the Virupaksha Temple exists even today). We can also infer from the composition that Purandara passed away in a place adjacent to the Virupaksha Temple.
Madhwapati was reborn as Vijaya Dasa and he composed 25,000 songs.

Interestingly, the Purandara Mantapa, is very near to the Virupaksha temple. The University of Vijayanagar was also somewhere here. There is not even a stone tablet or structure indicating that the University existed. This was the extent of the destruction that the Deccan Sultans wrought on Hampi or Vijayanagar.

My research tells me that almost all the Dasas, including the sons of Purandara Dasa, fled Vijayanagar when the Deccan Sultans began destroying Vijayanagar. When Aliya Rama Raya was killed in the Battle of  Talikota in 1565, Tirumala Raya carried away the wealth of Vijayanagar to Penu Konda in Andhra Pradesh, leaving Hampi defenceless.

Though there is no exact account of the migration of Dasas from Hampi, contemporary accounts detail the manner in which people left for safer destinations and the plunder that Hampi was subjected to.

Some of the Dasas migrated towards Mysore area where Wodeyars were ruling over Srirangapatna and Mysore. The keladi kings over Bidanur and Shimoga,  Nayakas at Chitradurga and Tanjore.

After the end of the Vijayanagar dynasty, Dasa sahitya flourished in and around Mantralaya as Jagannatha Dasa and others like Prasanna Venkata Dasa, Mahipathi Dasa  made places away from Hampi popular seats of Dasa Sahitya.

Purandara, in his last few days, accepted Sanyasa. But the moot question is from whom and when did he accept Sanyasa.Not much is known about his sons and his daughter. I will deal with this aspect separately in my coming article.    

  

The Royal perceptor and a wandering ministrel

If one was a religious preceptor and the Raja Guru of kings, the other was a singer and composer of extraordinary calibre. If the preceptor was proficient in prose, the singer-composer was a master of verse. Both were considered the best in their fields and both adorned the Vijayanagar court for several decades.

If the preceptor was to leave an everlasting impression on the Madhwa religion and philosophy, the singer-composer refashioned the world of music and set it to a genre of lilting tunes that today is known as Carnatic music. Both shared a close bond with each other and each respected the other’s genius.

They both were incomparable companions and when the preceptor shed his mortal body, the singer-composer with tears streaming down from his eyes composed a beautiful song even as the reigning Vijayanagar monarch Achuta Deve Raya stood watching his Raj Guru entering Brindavan in agony and pain.

Yes, this is the story of an endearing and enduring friendship between two contemporaries who lived in the Vijayanagar court-the great Dwaitha saint-philosopher and writer Vyasa Raja and Purandara Dasa, the Bheeshma Pitha of Carnatic music and Dasa Sahitya.

Haridasa Sahitya can be broadly divided into two main categories-Vyasa Koota and Dasa Koota. If  Vyasa Raja can be termed as the man who laid the foundations of Vyasa Koota, Purandara can be conferred the right of initiating, nurturing and popularising the Dasa Koota.

Both these two schools of Sahitya met at Vijayanagar. If Vyasa held daily courts and darbars, Purandara went around the magnificent city of Hampi-a wandering minstrel singing the glory of Purandara Vittala and other Gods.

Whenever Vyasa Raja wanted him, Purandara was at hand. When Vyasa taught at the Vijayanagar University of which he was the Chancellor, Purandara sometime sat and marvelled at the mastery and scholastic ability of Vyasa Raja. On his part, Vyasa Raja appreciated the songs and compositions of Purandara and placed the as the first of equals.

Vyasa Raja often started a composition by picking up on a subject and asked Purandara to complete it. To the amazement of the 11,000 students of Vijayanagar University, Purandara completed the rest of the compositions extempore.

Vyasa Raja , in one of his compositions, said “Dasarendare Purandara Dasariah”, and Purandara reciprocated it several times over by praising Vyasa Raja in several of his compositions. In one of his compositions, he speaks of how Vyasa Raja sat on the throne of  Vijayanagar and ensured that the reigning Emperor Krishna Deve Raya would not die of Kuhu Roga.  

The Smartha poet, Somanatha, who is believed to have been born at Kanchi, has written a biography of Vyasa Raja. Apart from him, Vyasa Raja’s immediate successor, Srinivasa Theertha, has also written about Vyasa Raja.

These two books give us a fair idea of the lives of some of the personalities in the court of Krishna Deve Raya (1509-1530) and his successor Achuta Deve Raya. The accounts of Portuguese travelers Dominque Paes and Nuniz specifically mentions Vyasa Raja. They too paid obeisance to Vyasa Raja in his court after earlier meeting and presenting their credentials to Krishna Deve Raya.

The Ambassadors of the Kingdoms of Adil Shah and Golconda have also written about Vyasa Raja and the power he wielded. Krishna Deve Raya himself acknowledged Vyasa Raja as his Raja Guru and went by what his Guru told him. There is a small and simple inscription on the Vijaya Vittala temple in Hampi where Krishna Deve Raya mentions Vyasa Raja as his Raja Guru.

Purandara was among the galaxy of Shishyas or disciples that Vyasa Raja had. Some of the others are Vadiraja Theertha, Sreenivasa Theertha, Sudhindra Theertha (the Guru of  Raghavendra Swamy), Kanaka Dasa and to an extent Vaikunta Dasa.

The Dasas of the period revered Vyasa Raja and each one of them were inspired by the Raj Guru and his works. On his part, Vyasa Raja took everyone under his wings and gave them the shelter that only an umbrella can do on a hot summer or rainy day.

Vyasa Raja was so impressed by the depth of Purandara dasa’s songs and his devotion that he labeled them as “Purandaropanishath.”

Both the Guru and the Dasa often travelled together to cities and provinces away from Vijayanagar (Hampi). When both once came to Chennapatna near Bangalore, Purandara was overcome by the sheer magnificence of the idol of Srinivasa (even today this temple is located in Chennapatna) that he stayed on here and sang his Dasara Padagalu.

Vyasa Raja had built this temple after he came back from Tirupathi. Purandara began singing every day and hundreds of people gathered to listen. When Purandara donated all the money to the temple, Vyasa Raja ensured that a Mantapa was built in Purandara’s honour. Even to this day, this mantapa is called Purandara Mantapa.

There is also a Purandara Mantapa in front of the Apremaya Temple in Dodda Malur which is just a few kms from Chennapatna. It was built when Purandara sang Jaggadodharana on seeing the Ambegalu Krishna at the temple. This structure too exists.         

Thus we can see that Prahalada and Bahlika Raja in both his subsequent avatars as Vyasa Raja and Raghavendra Swamy had close companions. As Vyasa he had the redoubtable Purandara and as Raghavendra he had the matchless Appanacharya as his close companions.

Vyasa Raja died in 1539, a decade after Krishna Deve Raya died. He entered Brindavana at Nava Brindavana in Hampi and this event was watched by hundreds of people, including a sobbing Purandara Dasa, Srinvasa Theertha (the next in line to Vyasa Raja of the Vyasa Raja matha) and the Emperor Achuta Deve Raya.

Purandara Dasa lived for twenty five years more and he died n 1564, an year before the catastrophic Battle of Talikota (Rakasa and Tangadi) in which the Vijayanagar forces were defeated.

After Vyasa Raja entered Brindavana,  Purandara could not bear himself to be at Hampi as every stone and every moment reminded him of his Guru. He often went to Nava Brindavana to pay his respects to Vyasa Raja. He then went around the country side singing the praises of Vittala.  

 Alas, today there is not even a trace of the University. The marauding forces of the Deccan Sultans set fire to buildings and razed it to the ground. The seat of Vyasa Raja also vanished without a trace. Similarly, the streets of Hampi where Purandara went around losing himself in his Vittala and singing his praises were destroyed. Today, all that is left of the streets is the Raja Beedhi. The other streets have vanished.

What endures is the works of Vyasa Raja and the compositions of Purandara Dasa. And of course the Brindavana of  Vyasa Raja at Nava Brindavana and the Purandara Mantapa amidst the Tungabhadra in Hampi where Purandara composed many songs.

What happened to the Emperors who patronised these two great personalities. Krishna Deve Raya died and a 64-pillared hall exists even today at Anegundi to mark the place where he was cremated. There is no trace of the burial site of Achuta Deve Raya.

A Gandhi who studied in Mysore

A few days ago, I read with interest a news item in several news papers about Dr. Shanti Gandhi, a descendent of Mahatma Gandhi , contesting and winning a seat in an Assembly district in the United States.

Dr. Shanti Gandhi, the son if Kantilal and Saraswathi Gandhi had stood election on a Republican ticket and he defeated his Democratic rival, Theodore Ensley in election held in Kansa’s State.

Dr Shanti Gandhi, a cardio vascular surgeon, had contested for the 52nd Assembly district. He arrived in the United States in 1967 as a medical graduate from Bombay.

This news item immediately triggered my memory and I soon realized that Mr. Shanti Gandhi’s father, Kantilal Gandhi, had studied medicine in Mysore.

Both Kantilal and his wife Saraswathi had spent several years in Mysore when Kantilal was studying medicine. They had stayed on in separate houses but would meet both during the day and in the evenings and spend time together and join their neighbours in participating in Gandhian activities, including singing Ram bhajans, debates and discussions.

Kantilal Gandhi’s father was Harilal Gandhi, the eldest son of  Mahatma Gandhi. Harilal had always dreamt of making Kantilal a doctor. Kantilal passed matriculate when he was 20 years of age and despite disapproval from the Mahatma-his grandfather-he decided to study medicine in Mysore.

The credit for ensuing that Kantilal chose Mysore to study goes to Sir Mirza Ismail, the then Dewan of Mysore State. Mysore was under the Wodeyars and it was steadily making progress in all the fields. It was also one of the most progressive Princely states in India and Gandhi had a fairly good acquaintance with the then Maharaja and Dewan.

Kantilal settled down in Mysore with his wife and grandson. They spent several years in Mysore before Harilal came to see them. Harilal stayed with them for several weeks and enjoyed the company of his family. Mahatma Gandhi too was pleased that Harilal had settled down with his family and wrote to Saraswathi about it.

Mahatma Gandhi also addressed several letters to Kantilal, affectionately calling him Kanti. He also affectionately called Saraswathi “Saru”. In one of his letters, he says Mysore is a good choice for him to study as it has produced some brilliant people.

Kanti called his wife Saru. By accounts, Kantilal and Saraswathi led a happy life in Mysore. While Harilal (born in 1888) died in 1948, Kantilal died in 1983. His wife Saraswathi died in Tiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on December 15, 2008.

Dr. Shanti Gandhi happens to be son of this illustrious couple.

A book, Mahatma versus Gandhi by Dinakara Joshi and letters by Gandhi to Harilal Gandhi and Kantilal Gandhi will give you more details on these aspects.    

The Maharaja and his Master

The then Maharaja of Mysore, Krishna Raja Wodeyar 4, was on a State visit to Germany. During his tour, he visited a German University.

When the Vice-Chancellor of a University in Germany, was introduced to the Maharaja, he exclaimed, “Are you from the Mysore of Shama Shastry ?”  The Maharaja was taken aback but being the scholar and gentleman that he was, he acknowledged the fact.

On his return to Mysore, the Maharaja summoned Rudrapatnam Shama Shastry, a librarian at the Oriental Research Institute in Mysore. The Institute was started in 1891 by Chamarajendra Wodeyar.

Shama Shastry had joined service in the Mysore Government as librarian. His mastery over Sanskrit had deeply impressed the then Dewan Sir Seshadri Iyer.

When Shastry met the Maharaja at the palace in Mysore, the King remarked,  “In Mysore I am  the Maharaja and you are my subject, but in Germany, you are the master and people there recognize us (King and Mysoreans) by your name and fame.”

There was a reason for this. It was Shama Shastry who had discovered the ancient manuscript of Arthashastra written by Kautilya.

The manuscripts were written by Kautilya or Chanakya more than 2000 years ago. They were in Granthi script. Till the discovery of these manuscripts, no scholar or person had been able to lay hands on Arthashastra. The book had been only heard and referred to by several Indian and foreign writers like Dandin, Bana, Vishnu Sharma and Megesthanes.  

Shama Shastry began translating the Arthashastra from Granthi to Sanskrit. The Sanskrit version was published in 1909 and it was received with awe and great respect. This publication was perhaps the first authentic written version of the Arthashastra and it created a mini revolution in the literary world. 

The Arthashastra and of course Shama Shastry were hailed by one and all. Shama Shastry then himself took upon the task of translating the book into English. The English version was universally eugolised and writers across the world heaped praise on Arthashastra and of course Shana Shastry.

As Max Muller and other German writers had popularised Indian literature and culture in Germany, Arthashastra had a large following in that country. And when the Mysore Maharaja visited Germany, interest in India had peaked.

Born in Rudrapatna, a small village in Karnataka in 1868, Shama Shastry had his initial schooling in Rudrapatna. When he was 13 years, he walked all the way to Mysore for higher studies and     joined the Sanskrit Vedapatshala. In 1889, Madras University awarded him BA degree.

When Shama Shastry returned to Mysore, he had mastered Sanskrit, Vedas, English and several pother languages. Impressed by is talents, Sir Seshadri Iyer asked him to join the Oriental Research Institute as a Librarian.

The Institute had received thousands of  Sanskrit palm-leaf manuscripts. It was the duty of Shama Shastry to examine, classify  and catalogue them.

When Shama Shastry published the Arthashastra in Sanskrit and English, writers such as Rabindranath Tagore, Asutosh Mukherjee and orientalists and Indologists could not contain their excitement.

The Oriental University in Washington, US, awarded Shama Shastry a doctorate in 1919. The Calcutta University followed suit in 1921. The Royal Asiatic Society honoured him with a fellowship. The Maharaja of Mysore conferred the title,

“Arthashastra Visharada” during the Dasara celebrations of 1926. The Government of India also honoured him. 

Shama Shastry met Mahatma Gandhi in 1927 at Nandi Hills where Gandhi had come to recuperate. He presented Gandhi with a copy of the Arthashastra. Gandhi was suitably impressed and commended him.

Shama Shastry continued his research work in the Institute. He published several books on Vedas. He later became its curator. He retired as Director of Archeological Researches in Mysore.

As Director of Archaeological researches in Mysore, he discovered many inscriptions on stone and copper plates.

He had a house in Chamundipuram named Asutosh.

He died in 1944.