PILGRIMAGE SATHYAGALAM – TO ENJOY BLISS, PEACE AND POWER OF DIVINE VIBRATION!

Let’s face it. We people living in Metropolitan cities live a life of hectic running behind the clock. We have our life’s daily commitments and earn our living. We live in concrete jungle, which is suffocating to the core with noise pollution, air pollution and all sorts of environmental pollution. The monotonous cycle goes on and on endlessly.Yet in our inner-most mind, each one of us has the craving to get liberated from this monotony, throw-out everything and run away towards some escape route. If you are one feeling like that, here is Good News for you!You can take recluse in an ideal place – Sathyagalam – a typical village in Karnataka, which has many plusses to its credit to give you that solace, that kind of liberated feeling and rejuvenation from the suffocation. You can spend peaceful days in a totally relieving village atmosphere, “talk” to the Lord Varadharaja Perumal and Perundevi Thayar, Nikamaantha Maha Desikan Swamy in complete silence, breathe pollution-free air, bathe in River Cauvery and enjoy your stay in pleasant weather throughout all seasons, and keep you charged for at least next one year.What is Special in Sathyagalam?

Karnataka is very popular for tourist flow owing to its excellent climate round the year. Sathyagalam is a tiny village located between Bangaluru and Mysuru on the banks of River Cauvery in

Kollegal District. By road, it is nearly 125 KMs from Bangaluru and about 60 KMs from Mysuru. Pilgrims can reach by road, rail or air to Bangaluru Airport and from there by car, bus or taxi. Modern Smart-Phone devices have made it easier to reach Sathyagalam through GPS maps, very famous for its Kote Vardharaja Perumal Temple.

Enchanted by the divine surroundings, Srimath Nikamaantha Maha Desikan Swamy of Thoopul, the Acharyan for Vaishanavites stayed at Sathyagalam for more than 12 years. Swamy Desikan is still pulling devote Vaishnadvites in crowds every year, during his

Thiru Nakshthram (Birth Star) falling in the first week of November.The specialty of Sathyagalam is you get the chance to worship Lord Vardhaeraja Perumal, Perundevi Thayar and Swami Desikan, all at one place and make your stay memorable in life, by the Nature’s gifts of the village.

(Photo courtesy Sathyagalam Temple info site)

The Temple authorities have provided a big hall where even 50 persons can sleep comfortably. Modern facilities of flush-out toilets and commodes have been thoughtfully provided. The Guest House is adjacent to the compound wall of the temple, surrounded by lush-greenery with paddy-fields and plantain farms. With prior intimation, your food-supply will be taken care of and served (in orthodox Vaishnavite style of course) at the Guest House.Rise in the early morning waking up by the sweet humming of birds. Walk to the Cauvery River some 300 meters or so away; take bath happily which will be entirely a pleasured-contrast one, for those using a bucket of water for bathing daily. Take dips in the flowing river water and feel your body immersed in the jubilant chillness and mixed warmth of the water. You will never be satisfied to stop and reach ashore, once you experience this blissful bathing.

Returning from the river, you enter the sanctum-sanctorum of the Lord, feeling so clean and pure with dried-up clothes. You can sit before the deities silently, and observe the Pooja rituals performed by the Butter-Swamy with whole-hearted devotion. No crowds, no jostling, no pushing or “Jarugandi” “Jarugandi” as is the case with popular temples.Only you and the deity are left alone to “converse” with Him; and express your heart-felt prayers one-to-one. While sitting calmly and looking at the smiling face of the Lord, you get dwarfed by the omnipresence of this “Akilaandakodi Brahmmaanda Nayakan”. You feel very humble before him. Your ego and self-

pride melts like snow. Your identity vanishes. You virtually realize you are just a microscopic-molecule of the trillions, scattered all over this universe. With such a realization, your soul-searching ends and your mind and spirit get filled with eternal bliss and happiness.Remember this Lord Varadharajan is blessing His devotees for more than 700 years now, and none other than the exponent Acharyan in Visishatdwaitam Swami Desikan was sitting like you in that same place, and worshipped the Lord. The memory will send electrifying effects of divine vibration into your body and you can feel it for sure.Swami Desikan in Sathyagalam:

It is relevant here to know more about Swami Desikan. One ardent devotee (Sri) of Sathyagalam Kote Varadharaja Perumal and Perundevi Thayar has elaborately described exhaustive details about Swami Desikan and Kote Varadharaja Perumal’s honors, in an informative website namely - http://www.sathyagalamtemple.info/index.htm . You ought to visit this site to know full well the magnitude of fame of this temple, its importance and Swami Desikan’s popularity among Vaishnavite Acharyans.Yet for the information and ready reference of those not conversant with the history of Swami Desikan – here is an intro:Swami Desikan was born in Thoopul, a village near Kancheepuram in Tamilnadu in the year 1268 AD. His birth star was Thiruvonam – Sukla Paksha thithi in Tamil Month Purattasi. He is believed to be the incarnation of (Amsam) Lord Vishnu’s “Thirumani” (bell).His parents – the blessed couple – Ananthasuri and Thotharammal named him as Venkatanathan. His maternal uncle, Kidambi Appullar was his mentor. One day he took him to the musical

discourse of the Vaishnavaite Acharyan Srimath Nadaathur Ammal; and the Guru instantly learnt the true birth secret of Venkatanathan as “Avathara Purusha” on seeing him.The Acharyan blessed Venkatanathan to spread and preach the glory of Vaishnava Siddhanta all over the country. Kidambi Appullar taught him all sorts of Vaishnavite education. With the completion of study, Venkatanathan travelled to many places and went to Thiruvahindipuram.There he sung “Mangalaasaasanam” on Lord Deivanayagan and his consort. He then went to Oushadagiri, sat under a “Ashwaththa” tree and recited Garuda Mantram. Pleased with this, Garuda presented his divya darshan and the Vigraham of Lord Hayavathana. Venkatanathan worhsipped Hayavadhana and got his divine darshan and blessings of “divya amudham”.Venkatanathan became a blessed poet and scholar of all subjects. By his proficiency in elaborating the Lord Ramanuja Siddhaantam, he earned the laurel of “Kavitharkikasimham”. He was considered next to Ramanuja in spreading Vasishtadwaitha Philosophy.At Srirangam, the Thoopul saint won the debate over his opponents, and compiled the entire debate into a book “Sathadushini”. Srirangam Lord Namperumal was very much pleased and conferred him the title “Vedantha Desikan”. The divine mother, Ranganayaki Thayar was also very much pleased and conferred him with another title “Sarva Tantra Swathantrar”.With the blessings of the Lord Vishnu, Swami Desikan performed many wonders in his life with his spiritual power. All of them can be seen in “Sri’s website” and you can go on a virtual tour of Sathyagalam Temple in that site. Swami Desikan during the invasion of enemies at Srirangam, selected a calm and quiet place for penance.

Very much attracted by the temple and peaceful atmosphere, Swami Desikan settled at Satyagalam and performed his “Nithya Aaradhanam”, meditation, writing and delivering Kalakshepams etc. He spent more than 12 years here before returning to Srirangam to reach his heavenly abode, at the age of 102 years.At Sathyagalam you can joyfully view a very special Desikar Idol in “Nindra Thirukolam” which is a rare-feat you cannot see anywhere else.If you can spend more time for visiting Sathyagalam, you can enjoy with kids and family the whole trip as picnic and sight-seeing, by visiting nearby Gaganachukki Falls, Madyarangam Temple and Talakad temple etc. While returning back it is sure thing you will carry pleasant memories of Sathyagalam, along with the divine blessings of Lord Varadharaja Perumal and Perundevi Thayar!

ALL DETAILS FOR CONTACT ARE MADE AVAILABLE FOR SATHYAGALAM VISIT AT http://www.sathyagalamtemple.info/index.htm

Author Bio: The author, R. Sundaram, is a resident of Mysore and Freelance writer online. Experiencing the bliss at Sathyagalam, he wants to share that happiness with fellow devotees of the Lord Varadharajar (who as the name itself denotes will shower all the boons (Varam) to anyone who worships Him)…contact phone: 07204204777….mail…sulosundar03@gmail.com