Renovation yielded redemption

[Guest guest]

Namami Sankaraachaaryam, sarvalokaika Poojitham

 

With permission blessings and grace from HH Swamy Vijeyendra

Saraswathi garu of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Paramacharya and

miracles

 

Renovation yielded redemption

Capt. N. Rengaraj, M.A., D.P.Edn.

My association with Kanchi Math and Maha Periyaval dates back to

1970's. Of the multifarious projects carried out under the guidance

of His Holiness, temple clean stands part as the unique one. The

reasons are many. First of all, the clean place is the place of God.

In order to have a pure and peaceful mental state for prayer, a pure

atmosphere is indispensable.

In this regard I would like to recall an incident that took place in

1976. During that time, I used to meet Maha Periyaval His Holiness

Chandrasekharendra Sarasvathi Swamigal daily. Being an N.C.C officer

myself, I would talk to Him about the services rendered by N.C.C.

students. One day he suddenly asked me, " Why should not we use the

same N.C.C. cadets to clean Sri Ekambaranatha Swami Temple here? " I

immediately realised the need behind that. At the same time I thought

of the difficulties involved. But, however, on his advice, the

renovation was taken up by the cadets of Pachaiyappa's College,

Kanchipuram, under my leadership. Because the enclosure behind the

Nataraja shrine was so thick with giant trees and shrubs that they

simply concealed from view the ruined mandapam. We also suspected

that there would be poisonous snakes and other harmful creatures.

Moreover, to undertake such a mammoth project we needed special

equipment. But all these difficulties vanished by the divine grace of

Mahaperiaval. After getting the blessings form Him we started

working. Dr. Nagaswai, then the State Director of Archaeology,

inaugurated the project. More than 200 N.C.C. cadets under my

supervision worked hard for more than two months on shift basis with

the assistance of the District Collector and Five Service personnel.

And it was done. I could not believe my eyes. The task was

accomplished. What we saw there was not only the Mandapam but the

model of historical Chalukya architecture.

The brief memoir of mine will show that care and interest shown by

the Maha Periyaval in renovating the places of worship, which, in

fact, have been the beacon-light of Hinduism. I am happy even now to

think that I was one of the many who worked for the remarkable and

successful projects.