A Brief History of Sri Brahmachaitanya Sri Rama Mandir and its founder Poojya Ganjur Venkannaiah

13th of June being anniversary of the installation ceremony of the Divine idols , a narration briefly about Poojya Venkannaiah and Sri Brahmachaitaya Sri Rama Mandir.

Sri Rama Samartha

Poojya Ganjur Venkannaiah

A Brief History of Sri Brahmachaitanya Sri Rama Mandir at Chintamani

 

It is appropriate to write a few words about the Sadguru , with whose blessings Sri Mandir was built, and who prompted to propagate Sri Rama Naam, and who is virtually God himself, before we narrate the history of Sri Brahmachaitanya Sri Rama Mandir at Chintamani.

Sadguru Sri Brahmachaitanya Maharaj of Gondavale needs no introduction. He is a great saint of Maharashtra who lived between 1845 and 1913. He was born to Sri Raoji Panth and Smt Gita Bai, in Gondavale, and was named Ganapathi. Being desirous of realizing God, he went in search of his Sadguru leaving his parental home at the young age of thirteen. He went all over the country and met many saints and Yogis, but he was not satisfied until he met Sri Tukaram Chaitanya of Yehlegao. Sri Tukaram was called Tukamayi, meaning mother Tuka, by the villagers as he was showing motherly affection to the people he came across. Sri Tukaram tested the boy Ganapathi in many ways for nine months. On a Sri Rama navami day, he initiated Ganapathi with  the divine Taraka naama, Sri Rama Jaya Rama jaya jaya Rama .The initiation by a sadguru marks the start of a new life. Sri Tukamayi named Ganapathi as Brahmachaitanya.  After taking the blessings of his Sadguru , Ganapathi went to the forests of northern region and did penance there. He became enlightened by the age of twenty. After realizing God, on his way back to Gondavale, he met many people who became his disciples and built Rama Mandirs. He propagated Ramanam where ever he went. He became known as  Sri Brahmachaitanya Maharaj.  Finally, he returned to Gondavale and settled there. Gondavale soon became a Theertha Kshetra (pilgrimage center). It became the abode of God. He initiated Sri Ram Nam to many people from all over the country. Ram naam reverberated all over.  He had many disciples. To name only a few, Sadguru Brahmananda Maharaj, Sri Ananda sagara , Sri Maha Bhagavat, Sri Bahu Saheb Ketkar, Sri Tatya Saheb Ketkar Maharaj, Sri Bahu saheb Damle, and a host of others. Sri Maharaj with his charismatic personality and manners attracted large number of people; many of them came to get cured of one or the other of their ailments. He was considerable to all, poor or rich, and gave solace to all.  He preached Ram naam and advised everybody to chant Ram naam.

Sri Maharaj wandered and undertook many hardships in search of his Guru. But he was so kind to Sri Venkannaiah that he himself appeared and took him to his hold, at the fag-end of his life.  The story of how he made himself present here in Chintamani, for all the time to come, is divine.  A brief biography of his disciple Sri Venkannaiah, the founder of Sri Brahmachaitanya Sri Rama Mandir, is given here.

 

 

Sri G.Venkannaiah was the eldest son of a pious couple, Sri Thimmappaiah and Smt. Venkata Lakshmamma, of Ganjur village near Chintamani, born on chaitra bahula dwadashi, 4^th May 1883.

Sri Thimmappaiah was a school teacher. He sent his son to Mysore city, the capital of the kingdom of Mysore, to study civil engineering.  After two years, his younger brother Sri Adinarayana Shastry also joined the same college and stayed together in a rented house.

In the final examination Sri Venkannaiah was shocked to learn that he had failed in the result announced, even though he had done well in the examination. He was very upset.

An elderly lady, who was living in the Main house in the same compound, noticing that the boy seemed to be unhappy, gave him a book of Sundara Kanda of Ramayana and asked him to read it every day, for fifteen days. Sri Venkannaiah started to read the book. To his surprise and delight, within a week there was a gazette notification stating that two more candidates have passed in addition to those announced earlier. The very first name was that of Sri Venkannaiah.  This incident convinced Sri Venkannaiah , of the divine power, and increased the desire in him to realize God.

 

Sri G.Venkannaiah after finishing his Engineering Diploma was employed as Sub-overseer in the Department of Public works of Mysore Government. In the year 1913, he was working in Chikkanayakanahally, near Hasan. A tank was being constructed in Malligere village, near Chikkanayakana hally.  Sri Venkannaiah was posted to supervise the construction of the tank there.

He used to go to Malligere every morning and return to Chikkanayakanahally by evening. In the leisure time he was always thinking about God. He had practised chanting of Ram naam from his young age. He was hankering for his sadguru’s darshan and Grace.

 

One day, in the month of November 1913, during lunch interval he was sitting under a tree, meditating on Sri Ram. He suddenly heard a loud voice "Maha Purush, Maha Purush". He opened his eyes to see a saintly person standing in front of him with two disciples on either side of him. Thinking that it must be some holy person, he suddenly got up and prostrated with Deergha danda namaskar. While prostrating, he heard a voice " Gondavali yave". But when he got up after prostrating, the saint had vanished.

Sri Venkannaiah was astonished. It was an experience of only a few seconds, but he was mesmerized.

He did not understand what was told. So, he wrote down the word "Gondavalyave" in his diary. At the end of the day's work, he returned to his home at Chikkanayakana hally. A few of his friends used to meet every evening. One of them was a person whose mother-tongue was Marathi. He told the meaning of that word as   " Come to Gondavale". But, he did not know where  Gondavale was.

A few days later, Sri Venkannaiah  had a dream in which a Sri Vaishnava was reading "Bhagavad Gita", and another Sri Vaishnava pointed out to him and told Venkannaiah to go to him. He woke up wondering about the dream.

While returning from his early morning walk, he was again surprised when he met the very same Sri Vaishnava, who was reading the Bhagavadgita in his dream, coming in front him. His name was Sri Rangachar. Sri Rangachar took him to his house. There Sri Venkannaiah narrated to him about the saint who told "Gondavali yave" and the subsequent dream.

 

 

Sri Rangachar was a good Sadhaka, (Yogabhyasi) on the path of God.  He asked Sri Venkannaiah to sit in the hall, and went to the pooja room for meditation. After nearly an hour he came back and told Sri Venkannaiah that during meditation, he found out that one has to get down at the Koregaon station on the Bangalore-Poona railway route. From Koregaon, one has to go by walk or a cart to Gondavale. He told that the  Mahapurusha, Sri Venkannaiah had seen was Sri Brahmachaitanya Maharaj, who lives in the Rama Mandir at Gondavale.

 

Within a week, Sri G.Venkannaiah started for Gondavale, accompanied by Sri Rangachar.

While travelling, he was so happy that he was going to meet his Guru, he did not want anything else. He was donating liberally to the beggars who came in every station. Observing this, Sri Rangachar, telling him that, “If you are giving like this, we will not have money for our return journey”, snatched his purse and kept it for safe keeping. When they arrived at Gondavale, it seemed Sri Maharaja was waiting for them, after cancelling his program to go to some other place, stating that two devotees from a far-off place were expected that day.

At Gondavale, Sri Venkannaiah met Sri Maharaj, the very saint who had appeared before him at Malligere.  He was overjoyed. He realized that he had met his Sadguru..

An incident happened that night. After taking food, Sri Rangachar who had the room key with him, found it missing. They searched for the key, but could not find it. When Sri Maharaj came to know about it, he asked one of his disciples to look in the plate in which Sri Rangachar dined. But by then, the plates were all cleaned and stacked. But, it was Sri Maharaj’s order. So, they searched among the stacked plates, and found to their surprise, the key in one of the plates.

 The next morning, when Sri Venkannaiah went to see Sri Maharaj, he was sitting surrounded by many devotees.  Sri Venkannaiah stood behind the crowd looking at Sri Maharaj. Noticing Sri Venkannaiah, Sri Maharaj called him to the front, asked him to sit on his lap and initiated him "Tarak Nam".  And Sri Maharaj orderd him:                                        

1) Do Namasmarana without break.

2) Spread or propagate Rama- Nama

3) Construct a small Mandir for Sri Ram.

4) Carry on Upasana.

 

After doing upasana for a few days, Sri Venkannaiah returned to Chikkanayakana hally with a heavy heart. Sri Maharaj gave him his Padukas and a Rupee coin with his blessings. Sri Venkannaiah took his Guru Padukas to his house and continued Japanushthan.

While at Gondavale, Sri Maharaj had asked him to brush his bathing floor before taking bath. Following his Guru’s advice, Sri Venkannaiah, up to his end, always used to clean the bathing place before taking bath.

   About a month later, he received a telegram, stating that Sri Maharaj had left his body. Sri Venkannaiah felt very unhappy and went to Gondavale for the ceremonies.

He got his head shaved as he considered his Guru as his father.

When he returned to Chikkanayakanahally, he received an order of transfer on promotion to Gundlapet, Mysore District.

 

 

 

He did Upaasana wherever he was and celebrated Sri Rama navami inviting many people. He used to go to Gondavale for Sadguru Aradhana every year.

 

While at Gundlupet, he had to supervise the construction of roads in the forest area. He had to go cycling for his place of duty. One day, while returning from his duty, in the evening, he noticed a large tiger sitting near his path. He had come very close to it and he felt that there was no chance of going back. So, praying to Sri Maharaj, chanting “Guru Maharaj Guru Jai Jai Para Brahma Chaitanya Sadguru”, he cycled faster on his way, in front of the tiger and was soon out of danger.

 A similar incident happened to him, later, when he was serving in Shimoga district, where he had to ride a horse for his work. One day, while returning to the town, his horse, smelling some danger, began to retrace its steps. Sensing some danger, Sri Venkannaiah noticed that a tiger was sitting not far away from him. He could not go back, because, it was already dusk, and if he returned he had to spend the night in the forest which was more dangerous. So, he made up his mind, and tightening the harness he urged the horse to gallop fast, praying to Sri Maharaj all the time. By the Grace of Sri Maharaj nothing happened. He safely passed the tiger.

 

An incident happened during Sri Rama navami,( the very first one after the Anugraha of Sri Maharaj) in Gundlupet. He had invited many people for the pooja. After the ceremonious pooja, at noon,while distributing Kosambari ( a preparation made out of Greengramdahal, coconut, cucumber, which is usually taken as MahaPrasad, for lunch on Sri Rama Navami day), and panaka (juice prepared out of lemon or some other fruit, with Sugar or Jaggery), he noticed a madhwa brahmin, a stranger to him. He repeatedly served Kosumbari to everyone. Though the others were eating to their stomach full, the stranger was not eating. When Sri Venkannaiah asked him for the reason, he told that as his wife and children have no food since three days, he wanted to give them and eat later. Sri Venkannaiah forced him to eat there, and gave him sufficient quantity of Kosambari and panaka for his family. He asked him to come again in the evening.

When the Brahmin came back in the evening, on inquiry, he told that he was working as a Shaekedar (a government job in revenue department), and was suspended three years back, for some reason. Since then he was living on begging in one place or the other. Sri Venkannaiah gave him 2 saers (one saer weighs a little more than one Kilogram)of Rice, Toor Dhal (Arhar Dhal) and Two rupees and asked him to come again when he was in utter necessity.

 

Five -six days had passed. Early morning, at about 5 a.m. Sri Venkannaiah, after bath, and finishing the Pooja, was sitting doing Japa. During meditation, Sri Maharaj appeared and told him to give the Rupee coin he gave, to the Brahmin who visited him on Sri Rama Navami day.

After some time, he noticed the Brahmin waiting outside his house.  Enquiring about his welfare, Sri Venkannaiah asked him for the reason of his visit.  He told hesitantly, that he had a dream that morning in which a hefty Brahmin appeared and advised him to go to the house he had visited on Sri Rama navami day and all will be well.

He said, he does not know whether it was only his imagination and felt a little ashamed to tell him. Then Sri Venkannaiah told him, “You need not be ashamed. I have also an order from my Guru. It seems good times are approaching you”. Stating this, Sri Venkannaiah, gave him the Rupee coin, which he had kept for pooja and was given to him by Sri Maharaj during Anugraha, along with one more rupee as dakshina.

After this incident, within a month and a half, the Brahmin received the order from his office to re-join the duty.

 

One more incident happened at Gundlupet, which shows how Sri Maharaja’s Grace was always on him. :

He was a Sub-overseer, and as per the requirement, he sanctioned certain money to the contractor who constructed a traveler’s bungalow. The money was paid. But, later, it was found that a mistake was done and there was an excess payment of Rs.400/- to the contractor. This issue was taken up as a serious offence by his senior officer. He sent a complaint to his higher officer. Actually, when the measurement

 

was made, Sri Venkannaiah was at one end of the tape, and the contractor who was at the other end had given a wrong measurement. Sri Venkannaiah felt very bad and unhappy.

After a week, the higher officer asked him to send the measurement book to his office.

But the book which was with Sri Venkannaiah was nowhere to be found.  He and the other colleagues searched everywhere in the office, but the book was not found. This caused Sri Venkannaiah more worry and tension. Afternoon, during lunch hour, in the office, he was sitting tired of searching  the book, doing Jap of Rama naam, he was in a trance, suddenly Sri Maharaj appeared and patted him on his shoulder telling him not to worry.

About 10-15 minutes have gone by.  An old villager came near the window where one clerk Sri Puttu Rao was working.  He asked the clerk to give a post card and offered money for the card. Sri Puttu Rao told him that it was not Post-office, and told him to go to the next building.  Then the villager showed him a book and told him that he found that book on the way and enquired whether it can be given to his son to write on it.

 

To his amazement, Sri Puttu Rao realized that that book was the missing one, which they were searching for. He took the book and told the villager, that was a Government book, and if his son wrote on it, he would be put in jail. Then the villager asked Sri Puttu Rao, to keep the book, and went away.

Sri Puttu Rao gave the book to Sri Venkannaiah. Sri Venkannaiah felt very happy.

He took the book personally to the office at Mysore. The details were verified. And the excess amount paid was deducted from the bills due to be paid to the contractor.

And the issue was closed.

After this incident, Sri Venkannaiah was very unhappy. One day Sri Maharaj appeared in his dream and told him not to worry as  good things will happen within two months.

Within a month after this, he got a transfer to T.Narasipur and no problems occurred in future.

(The two incidents at Gundlupet are narrated in the Silver Jubilee souvenir of the Mandir by his colleague and good friend Sri A.P.Subba Rao of Mysore who lived with Sri Venkannaiah in the same house at Gundlupet and was a witness to the incidents. He became a staunch devotee of Sri Maharaj, and visited Chintamani Mandir on every occasion till his very old age).

 

Sadguru Sri  Brahmanand Maharaj invited Sri Venkannaiah to Beladhadhi to attend Sri Rama Navami Celebrations which was celebrated for nine days in a grand manner.

So, Sri Venkannaiah applied leave for ten days. The permission had to come from his head office, but he did not get any advice from his office. He thought  he did not have approval for the leave,  So, thinking that he could attend at least the first day, being Sunday, he went to Beladhadi on Saturday, thinking that he could return to his duty on Monday.

Sri Brahmanand Maharaj welcomed Sri Venkannaiah with affection and took care of his accommodation and other needs.  Sri Brahmanand Maharaj used to affectionately call him “Mysore Buva”. (A part of the present Karnataka was Mysore, a country ruled  by Maharajas of Mysore).

Next day, when Sri Venkannaiah met Sri Brahmanand Maharaj to take his blessings for departure, as he had no leave, Sri Brahmananda Maharaj just told him to stay. As it was a great saint’s order, Sri Venkannaiah, remained there. It was a very pleasant atmosphere of the company of saintly persons, divine Poojas, Bhajans, Japanushthan and Annadaan . But he had an inkling of fear that he had no permission from his office for absence. So, after two more days, he again went to Sri Brahmanand Maharaj and asked his permission to return. But, Sri Brahmanand Maharaj again pressed him to stay.  Sri Venkannaiah with all his fears about the office could not disobey Sri Brahmananda Maharaj. So, he stayed back.

 

 

Next day, he was surprised to receive a post forwarded to Beladhadi, from his office stating that he had been granted ten days leave. Sri Vnkannaiah was very happy and thanked Maharaj for his kindness. He would have missed the celebration, if he had not obeyed Shri Brahmanand Maharaj.

 

He was being transferred from one place to another. He could not construct a Rama Mandir, as per his Guru's instructions.  He even thought of resigning from his job to take initiative to construct the mandir.  But, he was dissuaded from resigning, as he had duties to perform. Meanwhile, his father died. Apart from his wife and children he had to look after his mother, and younger brother, who was about 25 years younger than him. The entire family lived in Ganjur village, which is near Chintamani.  His first wife died leaving two young daughters. So, he had to marry his wife's younger sister, Smt Lakshmi Devi. But, an unfortunate accident happened. His second wife had gone to the well to wash clothes. The younger daughter of her sister, aged 5 years had accompanied her. It was an open well. The daughter accidentally fell in to the well. Trying to save the child, the mother also fell into the well. The two lives left in a moment. The mother had left an eleven month old daughter at home. A Void hovered over the family. With all the pressures from his elders, he did not re-marry. Sri Venkannaiah’s another brother Sri Adinarayana Shastry was living in Pune with his family and the the youngest brother Sri Honnappa had a small business in Chintamani. He had to cycle every day to Chintamani and return in the night.

So, the family decided to leave their native village of Ganjur, and shifted to Chintamani, which was about 5 miles from there.

Sri Venkannaiah was 39 years old, when his second wife died. He did not remarry.

His wives belonged to Benakanakere, a village in Tumkur District. His in-laws were in Benakanakere. He arranged marriage of his eldest daughter Smt Sundaramma to Sri B.Suryanarayanappa of Benkanakere.

Later, he was transferred  to Chintamani. Now, his family consisted of  his Mother, youngest brother Sri Honnappa and his youngest daughter Smt Subbalakshmi . His other brother Sri Adinarayana Shastry  who was in Pune suddenly died in the year 1932   leaving his wife and three daughters, the eldest was 10  year old Savitramma, seven year old Sharadamma and one year old Padma.  Sri Venkannaiah went to Pune and brought the family to Chintamani and  took care of them.

 

From Chintamani, he had to cover different areas like Hindiganal,, Jangamakote, Sidlaghatta and other surrounding places. He was sub-overseer and had to look over the civil works of the government.  When he was transferred to Chintamani, he was provided with a horse and cart with a driver. When he went to places like Hindiganal he had to stay overnight.  Wherever he stayed he did his Anushthan and Bhajans. The people who came into contact with him in those places, became the devotees of Shri Maharaj.

To mention a few names: Sri H.V.Nanjappa, Sri Subrahmanya Iyer, Sri B.S.Ramaseshaiah, Sri Hindiganal Gundappa, Sri Bhaskara Rao, Sri Cheemasandra Subbarayappa, Sri Y.S.Gundappa and many others.  Sri Payyalur Narayana Iyer of Kerala  and Sri A.P.Subbarao of Mysore  who were with him in Chikkanayakana hally became staunch devotees of Sri Maharaj. They visited the Mandir frequently till their ripe old age.

 

 

In a new layout, called Narasimha Raja extension in Chintamani, he bought a big site for the Mandir.

 

In the year 1935 he was going to Gondavale accompanied by his mother and some other friends for the Punya thithi Utsav. They were waiting for the train in the railway station after buying tickets. Sri Venkannaiah had not observed the changed timings of the train. So, they were waiting on the platform though the train was ready to depart. Suddenly, Sri Maharaj appeared and shouted in kannada, “Simpletons, your train is ready to start. Do not be unhappy afterwards”. By the time Sri Venkannaiah uttered the word “Maharaj”, Sri Maharaj had vanished. No others saw Him.

 

Immediately they got into the train which moved soon after. This incident shows that Shri Maharaj was always guarding Sri Venkannaiah.

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In 1938, he still had two years of service. But, as he could not concentrate or work for constructing the mandir, he took  voluntary retirement.

In 1939 a small garbhagudi was built, and the poojas were conducted to the Padukas of Sri Maharaj, Photos of Sri Ram and Sri Maharaj. Japanushthan was maintained.

He appointed one of the devotees Sri Bhaskara Rao of Jangamakote as priest, and for other duties another devotee Sri Subbarayappa was appointed.

Meanwhile, Japanushtan was scheduled to be performed for ten years before installing the Murthys.

Sri Venkannaiah bought a revenue land, near the Mandir. He made a layout for residential buildings and called the area as Bhaktanagari. The sites were given to the devotees of the Mandir at a nominal rate. A part of the land was kept to grow flowers for the Mandir, but later on it was also sold as sites.

Sri Venkannaiah was planning to install beautiful marble idols. He did not know where to get them made. Finally, Sri Maharaj himself, through Sri Ketkar Maharaj, suggested to go to Jaipur. At Jaipur, he spent nearly  two months for the final and satisfactory design for the Murthies with his friend Sri .Subrahmanya Iyer, and his assistant Sri Subbarayappa and returned to Chintamani after the completion of most of the sculpture.

 

When the divine idols were finally ready, Sri G. Honnappa and Sri H.N. Subba Rao (son in law of Sri G.Venkannaiah) went to Jaipur and brought the beautiful Murthies, safely to Chintamani. Hundreds of devotees had gathered in the Mandir premises and rejoiced to receive the divine idols

 

Finally, the divine marble idols of  Sri Ram, Sita, Lakshman, Sri Maruthi  and Sri Brahmachaitanya Maharaj were installed on 13^th June 1949, in the holy presence of Shri Tatya Saheb Ketkar Maharaj, Shri Kundagol Narayanappa Maharaj  and thousands of devotees.

 When the question of the maintenance of the Mandir was raised, Shri Maharaj suggested to undertake Ramadasi Bhiksa. For that, Sri B.S.Ramasheshaiah of Bettahally volunteered. He went round the town doing Bhajan, Raghupathi Raghava Rajaram Patita Pavana Seeta Ram, every Thursday, collecting rice for the Mandir. He did this up to his ripe old age.

 

Sri Venkannaiah’s  youngest  brother Sri G.Honnappa was very supportive from the beginning. He and his wife Smt Nanjama were very concerned about the Mandir, and took care of Sri Venkannaiah just as a dutiful and loving son cares for his father. Mandir guests were their family guests. Sri Honnappa constructed two houses on his personal loan, behind the Mandir, to let out and the rent to be utilized for the Mandir.

Some poor students were provided food in the Mandir. For this, Archak Sri Bhaskara Rao’s  wife, Smt Pillamma helped in cooking. She also cooked for any guest who visited the Mandir from other places.

As  a big kitchen was  needed during functions, a kitchen and bath rooms were constructed in the site opposite to the Mandir.  Later, at the same place, Sri Honnappa constructed a Kalyana Mantap by selling off their ancestral land in Ganjur. The rent received from the Kalyana Mantap to be  utilized for the maintenance of the Mandir. In 1966  a  hostel for poor Brahmin students was started.

 

When Sri Venkannaiah became old, he received a letter from Sri Baba Belsare, a message from Sri Maharaj (received through Sri Tatya Saheb Ketkar Maharaj’s Vani), as follows:

1. You have done enough of Sadhana. Now leave the rest to me. Do as much Japam as you can very conveniently do.

2. Rama is great. He will get done what you want. You should have no sankalpa about anything.

3. Upasana  gives beauty to the Mandir. A faithful  Japam of Ramanam is Upasana. Try to keep upasana intact. Great souls will visit the Mandir.

4. Do not be afraid. If you call me, I am always at your bedside.

 

His eye sight was failing. Still, he visited the Mandir escorted by someone. Every year, after his 80^th birthday, his friends and some other devotees from Mysore, and Bengaluru participated on his birth -days. As every year, they had come to Chintamani for his birthday, Chaitra Bahula Dwadashi, in 1969. Akhanda japanushthan was arranged. That afternoon, after everybody took Maha Prasad and taking rest, Poojya Venkannaiah left his mortal coil to become one with Sri Maharaj on 13-4-1969.

Poojya Venkannaiah lived like a saint. By the Grace of Sri Maharaj, his younger brother Sri  Honnappa looked after the interest of the Mandir  and worked for its development..  He created a Trust and transferred all the assets of the Mandir, which were originally in his name, to the Trust of the Mandir.  Being fully absorbed in the divine name of Sri Ram he left his mortal body on 22^nd June 1978.

After him, his sons are taking keen interest in the service of the Mandir, and managing the Mandir affairs with the help of devotee friends.

 

Sadguru Sri Brahmachaitanya maharaja’s immense greatness cannot be explained or understood. With His  noble Grace and compassion  he showered his blessings on the people of our province  though stationed far away in Gondavali, by initiating  Sri Venkannaiah and making him  a tool to propagate the Holy Ram naam. He has promised to stay in the Mandir , and along with Sri Ram, He is blessing and guarding us all.

 

Sadguru Sri Brahmachaitanya Maharaj Ki Jai

Jai Jai Raghuveera Samartha