Ramakrishna Keralam - His Master's Tool - Swami Parananda

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)