Memories and Photos with Swamiji (1948 to 1975)

         

Sri Avadhutendra Saraswati Swamiji

Sri Prabhudatta Brahmachari Ji (Sadguru of Swamiji)

I, Shyam Prasad Tiwari S/o Late Pandit Parashuram Tiwari from Khammam, retired Manager of State Bank of Hyderabad presenting sweet memories and experiences with Sri Avadhutendra Saraswati Swamiji (Raghuvardas ji) alongwith my father during the period 1954-1975. Presently I am residing at L.B. Nagar, Hyderabad near Aware Global Hospital.

My father was follower of Swamiji since 1948 when he stayed for some period at Sri Kanakadurga hills in Vijayawada. He has attended Harenama sankirtan  saptaha at Ramanama Kshetram, Guntur, Tenali, Eluru, Bhimavaram, Karamchedu, Khammam, Dornakal, Warangal, Bhadrachalam, Hyderabad and several places. Swamiji several times visited Khammam for Ekahams and Saptahams and he use to invite my father to attend his programmes across country by writing letters. My father was very spiritual and in his life time, he did not get into business or service. Instead he has spent his life in complete devotion and has accompanied Swamiji, Sri Prabhudatta Brahmachariji and several saints. Once during 1962 Swamiji visited our residence in Khammam and blessed me with a small book of Hanuman Chalisa  and asked me to read it regularly, when I was an eight year old boy. I started reading Hanuman chalisa everyday and later in life got inclined towards spirituality and became a devotee of Swamiji. I have attended Saptahams at Khammam, Dornakal and Hyderabad with my father. I was there with my parents in a programme of Swamiji at Shapoorwadi, Hyderabad organised by Divine Life Society. Swamiji use to greet with 'Hare Ram' and use to say it loud during his programme to draw attention in 1960's. Later he started to call 'VASDEVA' during 1970's.

I have met other devotees like Sri Bheemprasad ji, Sri Siram Krishna Murty, Sri K. Chandrasekhar Gupta (Khammam), Sri Ramji Maharaj, Sri Harkishen Ladda (Dornakal), Sri Satyanarayanji, Sri Chandrasekharji (Hyderabad) Sri Venkatratnam ji, Sri Neelji (Sri Ramana Maharshi devtotees at Arunachalam) and Mastanamma  from Guntur with Swamiji alongwith my father Pandit Parashuramji.

During the period 1970 - 1975, when Swamiji was sick, our family had met him several times at Osmania Hospital and in Himayatnagar, where Swamiji took rest during his last days. Prior to that in 1974, when I went to Tirupati and Chennai my father asked me to visit Arunachalam (Thiruvannamalai) where Swamiji was in the Ashram and took Mandala Deeksha. He use to have daily pradakshinam of Arunagiri in the night along with devotees by chanting bhajans for forty days and I was the very very lucky to join Swamiji in one of those days.

I have attended satsang for one hour, alongwith my parents at Himayatnagar on 9th June 1975, just two days before Swamiji's demise and it was the last Darshan.  On that day Swamiji chanted his last bhajan 'Sri Krishna Saranammama'.  After knowing the news of Swamiji's death, my father and myself rushed to Vijayawada but we failed to have darshan. Here I am presenting some of the photos of Swamiji available with me.............VASUDEVA.................Om Shanti.

(Left to Right) Sri Parashuram Ji, Swami Ji, Venkataratnam Ji, Bheem Prasad ji

Sankeerthan by Swamiji at Balaji Temple in Dornakal

Sankeertan at Sri Harikishan Ji's Residence Dornakal

Swamiji with Jillellamudi Amma