Padagacheri is a beautiful village on the banks of river Vettar situated in south of Kumbakonam (Tamil Nadu) between Valangaiman and Needamangalam. One has to walk 2 kms from the main road as there is no bus facility. The road is narrow and gets sandwiched between river(vettaru-cut from Amaravathi) and lillyponds. This is the place where Padagacheri Ramalinga Swamigal had stayed and meditated. Swamigal had come from Coimbatore and spend most of his time in Padagacheri serving people and doing different kind of penance there. His gurus are believed to be from the Himalayas and Arut prakasa Vallalar. The place is extremely serene and ideal for one who wants to detach himself for few days from these rushy places.
A
little on the history of this guru is as follows. After meeting Eridada
swamigal PRSwamigal was roaming as a digambara (nirvanam) near
kumbakonnam in the earlier days. Near nachiar temple seeing his
appearance many of the public had disturbed and irritated him. Once in
the muncip office he locked himself and was under deep trance. An
adhikari had opened the office and saw his body into parts. Assuming the
public had killed him he wanted to run and file a case. However at the
same time PRswamigal came back to normal which shocked him (This kind of
meditation is refered to as navakandam). After that he had worked as a
shepherd near padagacheri. However people after some time came to know
his diviness and gave him a seperate place to dwell. It is also believed
from that place he has done Parpam (including gold) ,chenduram and
other herbal medicines to cure people. Many people who needed cure
started visiting him. It is belived that a person named adhapa chettiar
got his leprosy cured and also had his fingers regrown due to PR
Swamigal treatment.
Sammanna from Bangalore was given up by many doctors and was waiting for his death. Swami suddenly came to sammanna's house and gently rubbed the body with his hands. From then on Sammanna became normal and followed PRSwamigal till the time of his samadhi.
Swamiji use to do Bhairava penance heavily. One after meditation he asked to cook for 2000 people. After cooking was done he ordered to have 108 leaves first separately. From all directions 108 dogs came finished and people couldn't recognize how they vanished. After that for rest of the food people from various directions came and had the food. The stick he had has the holding part like Bhairavar. Outside the sanctum on the river bank stands a Rudraksham tree (beeds). The river is so tempting to stay away from.
PRswamigal had a reputation of being spotted at more than one place at the same time. In 1920 for a case swamiji was suppose to attend the court in Chennai. However swami at that day was in Kumbakonnam in Natesan's house. He locked himself into the room and said to open until he says so. At the same time he was spotted in Chennai court recieving the copies for the case.
He had done a lot of temple renovation work including the temple near Guindy railway station. The agathiar statue inside the guindy temple was installed by him.
During the recent visits I had a chance to meet people who lived during his time and where close to him. So the following details are as heard from them. PRSwamigal had once told his disciple saying there is a saint who is sitting near the chennai high court. Please go and get him to Thiruvottriyur. The court swami was a tough one and no one dared to talk him. He had first refused the order. Next time they had taken a car to get court sami to thiruvottriyur. The sami jumped like an animal on the mud guard (I guess it was a car like morris during those times). From morning they had travelled till evening just to reach Thiruvottriyur. This swami is known as appadu and is said to have been a tough swami where no one dares to talk to him. He was given food and cleaned up by the people there. One day PRSwamigal "dai avan samadhi aaaga poran poi nalla pathukonga"
PRSwamigal has also told his disciples that he was a disciple of Arut prakasa Ramalinga swamigal. Amazingly there are some strange things to note. Both had their names as Ramalinga swamigal. Arut prakasa vallar lived in thiruvottriyur and travelled vadalur toward ends for his samadhi. PR swamigal lived in vadalur and other place is south and travelled back to thiruvottriyur to take his samadhi. In thiruvottriyur on aadi pooram (29-7-1949) padagacheri ramalinga swami had taken jeeva samadhi.
For people who like to visit Ramalinga swamigal samadhi and Appudu swamigal samadhi following is the way to reach the place. On the Thiruvottriyur main road toward Ajax there is a place called theradi. There is a wall clock on to the left is the road that takes you to Thiruvottryur temple and left is the road that takes to seashore and pattinathar samadhi. Without taking left or right walk further you will find on the right a thiruvalluar temple. Take the abutting road and walk for 2 mins and towards the left you can find the sanctums.
Other way is take the market road and this place is opposite to vallalar sabhai. Walk into the campus where there are companies and towards the end you will find the sanctum.
பாடகச்சேரி படங்கள் கீழே
Sammanna from Bangalore was given up by many doctors and was waiting for his death. Swami suddenly came to sammanna's house and gently rubbed the body with his hands. From then on Sammanna became normal and followed PRSwamigal till the time of his samadhi.
Swamiji use to do Bhairava penance heavily. One after meditation he asked to cook for 2000 people. After cooking was done he ordered to have 108 leaves first separately. From all directions 108 dogs came finished and people couldn't recognize how they vanished. After that for rest of the food people from various directions came and had the food. The stick he had has the holding part like Bhairavar. Outside the sanctum on the river bank stands a Rudraksham tree (beeds). The river is so tempting to stay away from.
PRswamigal had a reputation of being spotted at more than one place at the same time. In 1920 for a case swamiji was suppose to attend the court in Chennai. However swami at that day was in Kumbakonnam in Natesan's house. He locked himself into the room and said to open until he says so. At the same time he was spotted in Chennai court recieving the copies for the case.
He had done a lot of temple renovation work including the temple near Guindy railway station. The agathiar statue inside the guindy temple was installed by him.
During the recent visits I had a chance to meet people who lived during his time and where close to him. So the following details are as heard from them. PRSwamigal had once told his disciple saying there is a saint who is sitting near the chennai high court. Please go and get him to Thiruvottriyur. The court swami was a tough one and no one dared to talk him. He had first refused the order. Next time they had taken a car to get court sami to thiruvottriyur. The sami jumped like an animal on the mud guard (I guess it was a car like morris during those times). From morning they had travelled till evening just to reach Thiruvottriyur. This swami is known as appadu and is said to have been a tough swami where no one dares to talk to him. He was given food and cleaned up by the people there. One day PRSwamigal "dai avan samadhi aaaga poran poi nalla pathukonga"
PRSwamigal has also told his disciples that he was a disciple of Arut prakasa Ramalinga swamigal. Amazingly there are some strange things to note. Both had their names as Ramalinga swamigal. Arut prakasa vallar lived in thiruvottriyur and travelled vadalur toward ends for his samadhi. PR swamigal lived in vadalur and other place is south and travelled back to thiruvottriyur to take his samadhi. In thiruvottriyur on aadi pooram (29-7-1949) padagacheri ramalinga swami had taken jeeva samadhi.
For people who like to visit Ramalinga swamigal samadhi and Appudu swamigal samadhi following is the way to reach the place. On the Thiruvottriyur main road toward Ajax there is a place called theradi. There is a wall clock on to the left is the road that takes you to Thiruvottryur temple and left is the road that takes to seashore and pattinathar samadhi. Without taking left or right walk further you will find on the right a thiruvalluar temple. Take the abutting road and walk for 2 mins and towards the left you can find the sanctums.
Other way is take the market road and this place is opposite to vallalar sabhai. Walk into the campus where there are companies and towards the end you will find the sanctum.
பாடகச்சேரி படங்கள் கீழே
(பாடகச்சேரி நுழை வாயில் அருகே அழகிய கேணி)
(சுவாமிகள் வைத்திருந்த கமண்டலம்)
(பைரவர் தலை பொருந்திய கோல்)
(கேணி அருகே உள்ளே ருத்ராச்ச மரம்)
(எதிரே வெட்டாறு )
