Belthangady: Atmandasaraswathi Swamiji of Kanyadi passes away
Pic: Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network- Belthangady(RS)
Belthangady, Jul 18: Kulaguru of Billava and other 24 castes Atmananda Saraswathi Swamiji, founder of Kanyadi Rama Kshetra temple near Dharmastala, passed away on Saturday, July 18. He was 84.
The Swamiji was not keeping well for many days and was in the state of `nirahara’ (without taking food) for some days. He breathed his last at about 3.30 pm at Gurudeva Ashrama at Devara Gudde in Kalmaja village, this evening.
The Billava community, the Ediga Commuity and leaders of 24 other castes and sub castes had accepted the Swamiji as their Kulaguru.
The funeral functions will be on Sunday, July 19 that includes a funeral march from Ashrama to Rama Mandira. In addition to the beautiful Ram Kshetra temple, the Swamiji is also the founder of Gurudeva Ananthashrama and Admananda Saraswathi English Medium School. The Swamiji had got the Deekshe in the 1960’s from Jnananda Swami, who is the disciple of Nithyananda Swami.
Impressed by the personality of Nityananda Swami in 1947, Atmananda Swamiji had joined as his disciple a and served with him for 15 long years. In 1989 he came to Kanyadi and established Niityananda Mandira. The temple Rama kshetra was inaugurated in 2003.
Harikrishna Bantwal, Spokesperson, Billava Mahamandala described his death as a big loss to the community as well as to the devotees of Rama Ksetra in Kanyadi. “His achievements just like his simplicity are manifold and remarkable and calls for emulation by others”, she retorted.