Pujya Sri Mahaswamy Divya Charitram Part#69

Visit to Kalahasti for MahaSivarathri

Swamigal wanted to visit the holy place of Kalahasthi for Mahasivarathri on March 5th, 1932. He left Kanchipuram and traveled via Thiruparkadal, Veppur, and Velur, reaching Chittur on February 28th. He left for Pakkala, stayed at Tirupathi for a day and finally reached Kalahasti. The sight of our Swamigal sitting under a big mango tree after taking a bath in the Swarnamukhi river reminded everyone of Dakshinamurthi taking an avatar in this world in the form of our Swamigal. The residents of Kalahasti came in crowds to have darshan of Swamigal and tried their best to make last minute
arrangements for his stay. They were pleasantly surprised at the sudden decision of our Swamigal to spend Mahasivarathri at Kalahasthi. The king of Kalahasthi ordered for a pandal to be fixed at the banks of the river Swarnamukhi where Swamigal had taken a holy bath. He gave a royal welcome to our Swamigal along with his ministers and Devasthana officials and took Swamigal in a long procession to the temple. Since that night was Sivarathri, thousands of people had gathered from across the country at Kalahasti for the occasion. The procession was taken around the main streets of the town.

Swamigal got down from his palanquin to have darshan of Sri Kalahasteeswarer and Sri Gnanakuchambika. Later the procession ended at the Karpaga Chatram where arrangements were made for Swamigal’s stay. The king of Kalahasti came along with the procession and took leave at the chatram. Swamigal stayed at Kalahastri for a week.

During his stay, he took bath at the holy waters of Bharadwaja Theertham, Mayura Theertham, Markandeya Theertham, Banasagona, and Sahasralingeswaragona. Swamigal wished to go around the nearby Kailasagiri hill on the new moon day of Sivarathri. The local people requested Swamigal not to go there because of the difficult forest terrain as well as the long distance of thirty miles. Whatever the difficulty may be, Swamigal was determined to climb and walk around this hill. Swamigal left in the morning around nine a.m. and walked through the extremely hot day. It was past midnight by the time he completed the walk and came back to the mutt. Around twenty people who had accompanied Swamigal became very tired. His feet were covered with boils from the strenuous trek. The next day, the king of Kalahasti invited Swamigal to his palace, performed Pada puja and offered other services. He requested Swamigal to sit in the ancient throne which was kept with reverence in the palace. Before this day, the 65th
Acharya of Sri Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Mahadevendra Saraswathi Swamigal had sat on
this throne in the year 1887. Everyone gathered there came to know of this information from the documents in the palace.