Pujya Sri Mahaswamy Divya Charitram Part#85

 

Interview to Harijan Politicians

Go puja (Puja to Cows) was held on the day of Mattu Pongal in January, 1933 at A.K.Ranganatha Iyer’s slate factory situated at Thirumangalam, near Chennai. Go puja was performed in the mutt daily, before sunrise. On the day of Mattu Pongal, special Go puja is performed in the evening to cows and buffaloes.

Harijan leader Rao Bahadur

M.C.Raja came to Thirumangalam with his family, to obtain darshan of our Swamigal on the occasion of Mattu Pongal. This was the time when the movement to let Harijans enter the temples was being spear headed by Gandhiji and Sanathanis were opposed to that idea. Swamigal had publicly stated that it was a sin to do so. It was during such a situation that M.C.Raja came to see our Swamigal. It was not his intention to argue with our Swamigal, but to have his darshan and obtain his blessings. Raja was attracted by Swamigal’s pure aura and compassionate words. He had worked hard for the benefit of his community when he was the secretary of the All India Adi Dravidar Sabha. He had also participated in the first Round Table conference held at London in the year 1929.

Swamigal welcomed Raja with his usual bright smile, enquired about the political conditions of the day, the conditions of the Adi Dravida community and the country’s political situation. M.C. Raja was amazed at our Swamigal’s political ingenuity and brilliance. Swamigal conveyed his concerns that he voiced everyday in his speeches:
“Our country should be rid of its poverty; All the people should attain happiness; the public should not let go of their dharma; mental peace can be attained only with belief in God; if there is no peace, it generates greed; greed is the basis for misery and wars in the world.”

M.C.Raja was impressed by Swamigal’s broad minded opinions and promised to keep these in mind while performing service to the country. When they were about to take leave, Raja’s wife who was standing next to him, quickly scraped the sand from the place where Swamigal was standing and tied it in her sari. Her eyes were filled with tears of joy, having obtained something she considered pure and sacred. Her gesture surprised her husband and others gathered there. Raja was sad that he did not get the idea and felt
his wife’s devotion exceeded his own.

Once, Harijan leader Diwan Bahadur Srinivasan, who was also the grandfather of the religious endowment minister Parameswar , came to have darshan of Swamigal and discuss the state of Harijans in the country. Swamigal made a few suggestions to Srinivasan to elevate the economic state of the downtrodden. He also donated five
hundred rupees towards the building of a temple in a Harijan resident area.