“HARE RAMA! HARE RAMA! RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE!”

Prologue: 19th January 2002

"I am going on a Pãdayãtra to Tirupathi", I said.
"Oh! That’s good, I used to go on Pãdayatra to Tirumala every year", said he.
"That's really incredible! Anyway, I wouldn't be seeing you for 4 days", said I.
"All you need is 2 days, 4 hours for Pãdayãtra and may be half day each for journey either way!'
"You must be kidding! We can't possible walk 135 kilometers in 4 hours! Right?"
Hearing this his jaw dropped! Slowly the truth dawned on him.
"You mean you are planning a walk from Chennai! Hey! You have never walked for more than 5 kilometers at a stretch! Will you ever make it?"

That was the exact question on most of our minds. We had greater faith in the words of Sri Swamiji than in the muscular ability of our limbs!

20th January 2002

Sri Swamiji summoned all the devotees who had volunteered for the yatra. Youths from nearby villages of the Ashram came in with hearts fluttering with excitement. At about 3.00 pm Sri Swamiji came to the Bhagavata Bhavanam and sat on the raised wooden ‘ãsana’. He asked the group to chant "Hare Rama". Inspired by the presence of Sri Swamiji , the group chanted in unison vociferously, yet gently. After about half an hour, Sri Swamiji enquired after their welfare and told them about his plans of spiritual upliftment of people from all walks of life. On request from some of them, Sri Swamiji blessed them all with a sweet, simple, short speech on spirituality, especially on the path of Bhakthi and Nãma Kirtana.

Click here for the entire lecture

The youth listened to Sri Swamiji with rapt attention and were greatly inspired by the nectarine words of Sri Swamiji . Sri Swamiji also framed the ground rules for the yatra and instructed Sri Jagadish and Sri Kesavan to take lead in organising the Pãdayãtra. Sri Ganesh was blessed with the responsibility of ‘catering’ to the party. He was ably assisted by Sri Venkatesh. The group dispersed rather reluctantly late that evening with an impatient desire to undertake the journey.

Friday - 25th January 2002

As ordained by Sri Swamiji , a party of about 90 undertook the Pãdayãtra to Tirumala. Sri Jagadish (Leader), Sri Kesavan (Leader), Sri Ramanujam, Sri Balakrishnan, Sri ‘Pammal’ Balaji, Sri Kãsi Kannan, Sri Venkatesh, Sri Ganesh and Sri Murugesan of the Satsang undertook the Pãdayãtra along with the village youths and men of Amarambedu, Poonthandalam, Kolathur, Vellarai and Gunduperumbedu. The villagers were very enthusiastic and undertook the Pãdayãtra with utmost religious fervour.

The Pãdayãtra started from our Mathurapuri Ashram at 6.30 p.m. on the evening of Friday, the 25th January, with the blessings of Sri Swamiji . The party walked all the night and reached Tiruvallur at 3.00 a.m on 26th morning. After a late meal the party rested here until 9.30 a.m., when the yatra continued.

The party performed Nãmakirtan on the streets of Tiruvallur. ‘Hare Rama’ was chanted by the padayatriis while passing villages, enroute to Tirumala. After walking all day, they reached Tirutanni where they spent the night.

On 27th morning at 5.30 a.m they started walking again. They went through many villages all day long and rested at Shridi Sai Baba temple near Puthur in Andhra Pradesh. Here, the party had their dinner. While on the desolate stretch of the highway leading to Puthur, at about 10 p.m, three padayatriis had a wonderful ‘experience’, bringing to light the Compassion and Love of our Lord!

Leaving Puthur in the early hours of 28th, the party moved towards Tiruchanoor. Sri Swamiji met the padayatriis while they were on their way to Tiruchanoor. Reaching Tiruchanoor on 28th afternoon the party had darshan of Goddess Alamelumanga Thãyar and chanted ‘Hare Rama’ Maha Mantra for about an hour. The group then proceeded towards the foothills of Tirumala. The party rested the night here.

On 29th morning at around 8.00 a.m, the climb up the Holy Hill of Tirumala began. Irrespective of the long walk from Malaipattu, the Party climbed the Holy Hill with much zeal. They reached the abode of Lord Srinivasa in Tirumala at around 1.00 p.m. After having a holy dip at Swami Pushkarani here, they went to have a darshan of Lord Srinivasa. Sri Swamiji joined the Pãdayãtriis at Tirumala. At Tirumala the Pãdayãtriis chanted ‘Hare Rama’ with deep devotion. On having darshan of Lord Srinivasa and Sri Swamiji in Tirumala, the hardships of the long walk were all immediately forgotten, forever….

The Pãdayãtriis left Tirumala on 29th evening on their return journey to Mathurapuri Ashram by bus and a couple of Sumo vans.

It was a great experience for the participants in the Pãdayãtra and without an exception everyone was back home with happy memories and utmost satisfaction. Some were even ready for the next!

Epilogue - January 31st 2002

"So you made it afterall!" said he.
"Yes. I did. It was only possible due to the Grace of Sri Swamiji and Lord Srinivasa."
"Did you suffer any physical pain or fatigue?"
"Yes, most of us had experienced some pain on our legs and feet, but wonder of all wonders, the moment we saw Lord Srinivasa and Sri Swamiji at Tirumala, the pain and fatigue was gone! None even remembered the pain and fatigue! It is my fervent wish that this becomes a regular feature. You bet that I am going to participate every year. After all, it is only a 11 month wait from now on!"
“I would never forgive you if you miss to invite me for the Pãdayãtra next year!” said he.
“Aha!” Thought I, “So, it is going to be a bigger gang next time!! It is all His Wish!”

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