Ramakrishna Keralam
(The
Story of How Sri Ramakrishna made Kerala His Own)
His
Master’s Tool
Trivandrum (1)
From
time before Time,
there was this God, doing this same play.
God has
been at it and is at it,
this game of pulling strings;
Strings
unseen to which are attached puppets,
me, you and all who are here with us.
Do I have a say in my own affairs,
as I very often think I have,
But sometimes doubt?
What about others?
Do they have a say in their own affairs?
Are we all playing to a script?
Maybe we all have some freedom,
to do a little improvisation
for good or for bad...
Well, God is surely always up to
something.
Once upon a time, not too far back, sometime in
1904-05, there was an honest officer of the Travancore Kingdom,
by name Padmanabhan Tampi.
He had an equally good brother who was a doctor
too, Dr Raman Tampi.
In their midst came one Kalipada Ghosh, an able
executive of M/s. Dickinson’s & Co. of Calcutta. Perhaps they talked business
first and then Tampi mentioned to Ghosh that
he had heard a lot about one good man in Calcutta, by name Keshab
Chandra Sen. This touched a deep chord in
Kalipada’s heart.
Kalipada had been a deeply drenched drunkard
who had been made into a saintly man by the touch of Sri
Ramakrishna. He burst forth into a moving
description of his Great Guru, from whom Keshab
Sen himself, had derived inspiration. His passion and fervour moved deep strings in the hearts of his listeners.
Remember the string-puller above?
Kalipada Ghosh then informed them that a
disciple of Ramakrishna, by
name Swami Ramakrishnananda, was residing in South
India at Madras.
His
Master’s Tool
Trivandrum (2)
Little Padmanabhan, it is obvious, learnt Truthfulness
and about the value of honest labour at his mother’s knee and under
his father’s gaze.
The Tampi brothers were well educated too and
the elder one was in a responsible position in Travancore when a
potential social conflagration was
forming as Sri Narayana Guru set up a Shiva temple at Aruvipuram, telling belligerent orthodox Nambudiris
not to bother since he was worshipping a
lower caste, Ezhava Shiva and not their Nambudiri
Shiva. From reliable accounts, we come to know that Padmanabhan played quite a significant role in keeping
the situation in check. This shows
his courage of conviction as well as ability.
This sincere soul was in a state of readiness
to catch any living spark. Kalipada Ghosh’s fervent talk about Sri
Ramakrishna lit this enthusiasm. Ghosh
and Tampi wasted no time in inviting Swami Ramakrishnananda
to Trivandrum.
The Swami came, stayed for about a month
in 1904 and held classes, which kindled the fire and spread it around. Padmanabhan Tampi went to Madras sometimes and when
he asked to be initiated by Swami
Ramakrishnananda, he was advised to go to
Puri and get initiated by Swami Brahmananda. Sri K. Padmanabhan Tampi is held to be the first person from Kerala to be
initiated by Swami Brahmananda. More were
to follow.
The Spiritual counsel
of Swami Ramakrishnananda and Swami Brahmananda and proximity with them
kept the Tampi brothers and a group of people around them aflame with spiritual fervour and devotion. And it was not
an idle devotion. They formed societies in different
places. Today we know only about three
places. Trivandrum,
Tiruvalla and Haripad
.
His Master’s Tool
…. In Waiting for 1911 (3)
Now some quiet times come. Not much seems to have
happened till 1911, when Haripad sprang forth in exuberance with graceful and
grand sounds and light.
But, was there really a vacuum? Did 1911
spring up from a void? No. Many things were happening. Padmanabhan Tampi was
the livewire in every place. There were enthusiastic and enterprising people in
Trivandrum,
Tiruvalla and Haripad but things moved where Padmanabhan was. He was the
President of Trivandrum Society (of Devotees of Ramakrishna Mission). He was
the prime mover in bringing Swami Ramakrishnananda to Trivandrum. We may take it that the Swami had
left clear instructions to the devotees as to how to meet often and keep up
their devotion. That the instructions were followed with fervour is also clear
from the formation of Societies in various places in Travancore.
But Padmanabhan Tampi had to go away from Trivandrum on transfer
Order from the Government. He became the sub-magistrate in Haripad. Now Haripad
became the place where things were happening more. Trivandrum did not lag behind much, though.
The younger Tampi, the Doctor, became the President and he did what he could.
In between we see Swami Ramakrishnananda visiting Alleppey near Haripad and
starting a school. Padmanabhan Tampi might have played some role in this visit.
Devotees started to gather in Haripad and Tiruvalla. We mention some, Seshadri
Iyer, Venkita Subrahmanya Iyer, Subbaraya Iyer, Neelakantan Namboodri, etc.
During these years Padmanabhan Tampi visited
Puri and had initiation from Swami Brahmananda. He spread the message to others
about Swami Brahmananda and Swami Ramakrishnananda.
Sri
Ramakrishna was just sitting content in His devotees’ hearts, savouring their
great love.
(will be continued, God Willing ..)
(I am thankful to many unknown good souls who have put these pics. out in the World wide Web. I propose to give their links and say a few words of appreciation about them later)
