Anantha Koti Namaskarams to Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji

[Guest guest]

Anantha Koti Jai Srimannarayanas to Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji!

 

Covalam – the fisherman village: A seashore fishing village, 50 Kms from

Chennai, Covalam is a fisherman's village. A 1000 fishermen families live here.

Ravaged by the Tsunami, it has quickly limped back to life.

 

The Matsyavatar Mandir: While the Kannikaparameshwari Devi was worshipped by

these fishermen as their Ishta Devata, the Matsyavatar Perumal (Bhagawan Vishnu

in Matsya Avatar) remained their Kula Devata. The fishermen firmly believe

that Bhagawan Veda Vyas is their ancestor. And Bhagawan Vishnu in His Matsya

Avatar is their Kula Deva. The vigraha of this tin-roofed Mandir, remained

crude and the structure survived the Tsunami, standing barely 500 meters from

the ravaging sea. I had the honor of taking Smt Ananda Kumari ji to this

village a few years ago, before the Tsunami. Smt Ananda Kumari ji is an ardent

devotee of Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji and is

actively involved in all the welfare activities of the Swamiji. She organized a

medicalcamp courtesy: Sri Rama Chandra Medical College, Chennai and doctors from

every conceivable department were there to do a day long medical and dental

camp. She noticed the need for completion of the Matsya Avatar Mandir.

 

With the Blessings of Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Jeeyar Swamiji, this Kula Devatha

Mandir of the fishermen was completed and consecrated in 2006. Sri Tridandi

Jeeyar Swamiji made two visits to this fishermen's village, once in 2005 and

the second time in 2006 after the Kumbabishekam of this Mandir. Covalam

Narayanan continues to tell me how thrilled the entire community was at the

sight of His Holiness amidst them. And how they keep recollecting every minute

of His presence amidst them. He told me that how every member stayed away from

going to sea on the day He was there to Bless them. Swamiji has made an

indelible mark on these simple people.

 

The Dargah and the deliberate mischief

Adjoining these two Mandirs stands the Dargah. They deliberately tried to bury

their dead in the Covalam's Pasupathinath Mandir's tank. It is with the help of

these fisherfolk some years ago that, under the guidance of Shri Rajesh of

Besant Nagar (a great worker in this field and I had the opportunity to learn by

working closely with him on some good projects), the fishermen laid siege to

the tank through the night and refused to budge. The, then Collector of the

District, Shri Rajaram instantly came early in the morning and within hours,

work on defining the boundaries of the tank, based on the village records took

place.

 

Once, the boundaries were marked, he granted funds that became the seed money

to complete the magnificent boundary wall of the tank and protect it from the

encroachment of the dead.

 

The inmates of the Dargah started resorting to defecating on the premises of the

Matsyavatar Mandir. For, it had no compound wall and a gate to secure it from

the miscreants.

 

It is with the blessings of Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji that His

Holiness's team came forward to take up this enormous task.

 

Work on constructing the compound wall has commenced. And within a fortnight

the Mandir will be rendered secure from the miscreants. Recently, with HH's

blessings Smt Ananda Kumari took two Homeopaths, who held a day long camp in

the village.

 

I join the 1000 fishermen family members to offer our Anantha Koti Namaskarams

and Sashtanga Pranamams to Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana

Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji.

 

S V Badri

Camp: Chennai