On The Footsteps of Adi Shankaracharya

Cover Story: On The Footsteps of Adi Shankaracharya

Intro: The temple stands at the geographical rendezvous point of Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and India. It is the seat of Lord Ganesh. Now, Suryan Subhramanian Bhattathirippad believes that the union government in general and defence ministry in particular will realise the significance of the temple and its location and will do the needful to make it a pilgrimage centre.

Not only Hindu believers but also all history-lovers across the continents are aware of the temple consecrated by Adi Shankaracharaya at Badarinath, the holy place in Himalayas. It was a conspicuous effort for national integration under a unique theme which we call ‘cultural nationalism’ these days. Hundreds of thousands of worshippers visiting the temple about 10,279 feet above the sea level, on pilgrimage spree, are knowingly or unknowingly the carriers of cultural unity of the country. Not much similar efforts are recorded in our country’s history thereafter.
But, Brahmashri Suryan Subrahmanian Bhattathirippad, the head of the Suryakaladi Mana near Kottayam, Kerala, has recently accomplished a unique mission. He has installed the idol of Lord Ganesh for a new temple to be constructed at Khardung La at a height of 18,380 feet above sea level. Suryan’s idea is to make the whole world peaceful and keep our country off all harms and misfortunes. He calls his mission ‘Atma Desa Raksha Sindhu.’ Khardung La is the highest motorable pass in the world. Khardung La is higher than Dolma pass, the highest in the Mount Kailas circle.
Suryan Bhattathirippad believes that this is a strategic step to protect the integrity of the nation in a spiritual manner and to bring a harmonious environment around the borders. He says, “The Khardung La pass is situated close to the Siachen Glacier, which is a sensitive border area.” Obviously he is referring to the presence of Chinese army across the borders. He adds that the pass is strategic for the Indian Army. A temple at the top of the valley would encourage harmony among people. When it comes under the spiritual shield, as per Tantric rules, its power would be elevated, which would in turn lessen the possibilities of conflicts between nations.”
He points out that another objective behind the consecration of the temple is to pray for the protection of our soldiers who are stationed there fighting against the odds. It also aims at ensuring peace in that region by the grace of Lord Ganesh. He says that Lord Ganesh gained more power by bathing in holy Sindhu following Vedic rites and rituals. Once this Lord Ganesh temple is completed it is going to be the highest worship place in the whole world. At the moment the area is dominated by the army. Of course some families of local population are there. Almost unaware of other parts of India, their mobile phones get Chinese mobile tower signals better than those of India!

Bhattathirippad went on revealing the spiritual characteristics of the mission. He stated, Lord Ganesh enters his six-month long yoga nidra (mystic sleep) immersed in snow. He wakes up to shower blessings on his devotees for the next six-months. The whole nation is considered as a human body. When Lord Ganesh rises, the mooladhara (prime centre) of India is placed at the Sahasrara Padmam (top centre) position, which is considered as its head. As Ganapathi emerges as Sakthi, the prime cause turns the flow of life, giving waters into a shower of blessings for all.
The temple enjoys a strategic importance: It stands at the geographical rendezvous point of Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and India. It is the seat of Lord Ganesh. Now, Suryan believes that the union government in general and defence ministry in particular will realise the significance of the temple and its location and will do the needful to make it a pilgrimage centre.
Bhattathirippad is a heterodox personality among Kerala’s Namboodiris; he took the unprecedented step of permitting people belonging to all castes to participate in poojas conducted at his home, Suryakaladi Mana (Mana means house of Namboodiris). About two years ago, due to bad omen supported by an evil zodiac position, Bhattathirippad conducted the Kartyaveeryarjuna Yajnam at Chappath near Mullapperiyar Dam, Idukki. It was for seeking divine blessings to protect the dam and was a significant ritual, attended by priests from various parts of South India. Those were the days with panic stricken people losing their sleep due to the rumours doing the rounds that dam would break soon and about seven million people of Ernakulam-Alappuzha-Kottayam districts and a portion of Thrissur district would be drowned in the water, thanks to the propaganda spread by the politicians. Every year Suryan leads a group of worshippers to the Himalayas for poojas and brings holy water drawn from seven rivers as well as Manasarovar lake. He mixes those waters with Kerala’s 44 rivers. The idea is to purify the waters of those rivers.
Sooryakalati Mana is one of the most authentic Namboodiri families in Kerala with respect to the practice of manthras. Ganesh is their family deity. They have got an ancient Ganesh temple attached to their home. Suryan recently renovated the temple. It adds to the grandeur of the Mana situated on the banks of the Meenachil River.
Bhattathirippad has set few goals as his life’s mission. To make Shree Chakrapooja accessible to the ordinary people is one among them. Once upon a time it was significant in the realm of the dance and music. He plans to revive the hereditary thanthrika schemes like “Gopala Sundari” which even the veteran thanthriks are not considering much these days. Another plan is to revive the thanthrika yaga schemes.
In contemporary times there are not many thanthriks who is well versed in yagas. He intends to achieve this based on basic books. Bhattathirippad believes that Swarg. P. Madhavji, veteran RSS pracharak, scholar and master par excellence in thanthra vidya, was the source of inspiration for his mission. Suryan is the founder and chairman of Mahajyothis Astro & Vedic Foundation aiming at the promotion and propagation of Vedas, Upanishads, Geetha, epics, astrology, vasthu science, Ayurveda, etc. Foundation’s round-the-clock portal is in the process.
Suryan Subramanian Bhattathri-ppad is one of the five children of Suryan Suryan Bhattathirippad and Smt. Umadevi Bhattathirippad. He is the eldest among the boys. He has completed CA and LLB courses, but could not appear for all examinations. By that time he had completely immersed in the thanthrik life. His wife Ajitha S Bhattathirippad, with Masters in law, teaches law at Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. The couple has got two daughters and a son. He got the significant “adhi deeksha” during his B.Com days. Since then Suryan’s life turned thanthrik.
T Satisan (The writer is a correspondent from Kerala)