On the Divine Mission…the Holy Mother’s child
By Radhika Nagrath
Haridwar, 29 Dec: Come January and the Ashram on the banks of Neeldhara, a mile away from Chandi Bridge on the Chilla Road, bustles with activities and mantra chantings. The occasion will be the 47th Birthday of Shri Shri 1008 Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Kailashanand Giri, where the government officials, spiritual masters, erudite scholars, singers from across the country will conglomerate. The programme will be presided by Governor of Uttarakhand Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd).
Swami Kailashanand Giri has exhorted the visitors to light earthen lamps on 22 January on the occasion of the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya
Service to humanity
There is no ‘Ann Kshetra’ (free food facility) for the pilgrims going on the other side of the river Ganga along the Neeldhara stretch except for the Dakshin Kali Temple, unlike the thousands of ashrams which abound in the holy city. Even local buses do not ply on this route. A few years ago, people dreaded to visit this forest area past Chandi Ghat bridge leading to the Chilla Forest Range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve but thanks to this ardent devotee of Goddess Kali, Kailashanand Brahmchari, who has revived the sanctity of the historic temple Dakshin Kali Peeth and has enlivened the place with the divine feminine power, the place has now become a must visit for the pilgrims of the holy city who go to the legendary temples of Chandi Devi and Mansa Devi. The Navratras and Shravan month (monsoon season) are the special occasions when the mystic saint engages himself in special worship of the Deity and fasting, observing complete silence. He does Rudrabhishek for 19 hours at a stretch.
Dateline Swami Kailashanand Giri:
1976: Born in Jamui, Bihar, near Deoghar.
2004: Bapu Gopal Nand made him Secretary, Agni Akhara.
2006: Made Head of Dakshin Kali Peeth, Chandi Ghat, Neeldhara.
2007: Running Swami Gopalanand Sanskrit Ved Vidyalaya since 2007.
2013: Appointed as Mahamandleshwar of Niranjani Akhara during Kumbh Mela, Prayagraj.
2021: Pattabhishek of Mahamandaleshwar Kailashanand Giri as Acharya of Niranjani Akhara.
He heads all the ashrams of the Agni Akhara in Haridwar and is presently Nianjan Peethadheeshwar.
Quote Unquote
Sri Mahant Ravindra Puri, President Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad says, “Mahamandaleshwar Kailashanand Giri is a very learned scholar and has in-depth knowledge of Vedas and Upanishads. His coronation as Acharya Mahamandaleshwar on Makar Sankranti in the year 2021 was witnessed by great leaders of the world. From then on, he has served humanity in all possible ways of charity in letter and spirit.”
Historicity of Niranjani Akhara
The name of Panchayati Akhada Niranjani, Shaiva tradition, is known as one of the biggest Akharas with 19 lakh Naga saints. It is a matter of interest that most saints of this Akhara are highly educated. The Niranjani Akhada is very much popular amongst all the Akharas. The Presiding Deity is Lord Kartikeya, who is Commander of the Gods. The Niranjani Akhada was established in 904 AC, Vikram Samvat 960, Kartik Krishna Paksha as per lunar calendar in Mandvi, Gujarat. Mahant Aji Giri, Mauni Sarjoo Nath Giri, Purushottam Giri, Harishankar Giri, Ranachhor Bharat, Jagjivan Bharati, Arjun Bharti, Jaagannath Puri, Swabhav Puri, Kailash Puri, Khadga Narayan Puri, Swabhav Puri had jointly established this Akhara. The headquarters of the Akhara is situated in Prayagraj. The monasteries of the Akhara are situated in Ujjain, Haridwar, Trayambakeshawar and Udaipur.
The Great Spiritual Master
Swami Kailashanand Giri, an enlightened Acharya and master of Shruti Granthas and holy scriptures, aims at spreading the Sanatan culture through religious discourses. He is bringing spiritual renaissance through his talks and discourses, guiding humanity and creating the values for the spiritual elevation of soul and spirituality.
Even a casual talk with Swami Kailashanand Giri showcases his love for Goddess Kali.
My first encounter with the seer
Clad in a loose unstitched saffron cloth draped around his body and knotted at the back of his neck, this young seer in his 40’s seated on a sofa in a small room in Dakshin Kali Peeth gets lost in ecstatic mood while talking to the visitors and reciting shlokas from Indian scriptures. His childlike simplicity and intermittent chuckles remind one of the 18th century Ramkrishna Paramhansa of Dakshineshwar, whose life moved around the Goddess Kali. When asked about his goal of life or the people under his tutelage, his answer is just the same, “Meri maiyee jaisa chahegi. Mein to uska sewak hun.” (I am in service of the Divine Mother-Kali). My earthly mother wanted to hear religious discourse from me so after spending years in Varanasi studying scriptures, I made myself capable and recited Brahm Vidya to her in 2005 and thus carried the wish of my mother to be in the service of the Divine Mother by becoming a monk.”
Near death experiences of the Daredevil Acharya
Interestingly, thrice the seer was declared dead by the medical practitioners during his Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage when he was observing sadhna (religious practices) in the ice-cold waters of the Mansarovar Lake. With his yogic kriyas – khechri mudra (tongue swallowing technique) and Vajrauli technique during Jal Samadhi, he has been able to spend almost an hour where one is not allowed to stay for more than 2 minutes. “During one of my pilgrimages to Kailash Mansarovar, I faced a near death experience. Some of my senior administrative and police officials from Moradabad had joined our group. After 40 minutes of my stay in water with temperatures of -8 degrees celsius telling mantras and ‘Devi stuti’ on rosary beads, the DGP asked to bring my ‘dead body’ out. A team of doctors was called and I was declared dead after examination. Since I had been fasting for a long, a lot of acid had accumulated in my stomach which came out in a blur, to the astonishment of the doctors that I was alive,” quips Kailashanand. The DGP and his 20 commandos had bowed down at his feet after the incident, according to witnesses. The seer has visited the lake nine times intends to make 21 pilgrimages to the sacred mount.
Notably, a total of 70 students have passed out from the school of Vedic tradition run by him and many of these are renowned scholars engaged in disseminating ancient Indian knowledge. Students from across the country come to learn the scriptures – Devi Bhagwatam, Ramayana and Bhagawad Gita.
To the logical minds, he seems to be an ordinary seer engaged in practicing austerity and religious rituals, but to the emotionally sensitive beings, he is a living god with many mystical powers who has revived the tradition of Das Mahavidya Yajna (sacrificial fire) after 500 years. “During Shravan month, when he is observing silence and no one is allowed to touch him, a pair of snakes comes to the ashram. Once a big python was seen hanging from the door top. It stayed for a while where the student brahmchari was resting and later went away without even hissing,” says one of the visitors, Priyanshu Sharma, from Haryana.
