RADHE KRISHNA
Swami Namananda Giri
Swami Namananda Giri was born in the early part of the twentieth century in Thanjavur (Nagapatnam) to Shri Shankar Iyer and Smt.Chellamal in the month of Aadi (15th July to 15th Aug), Mrigashirsha star. He was named Dandapani. The family moved to Chennai. Dandapani did his schooling in Chennai in the Ramakrishna Mission School and began his career in the Public Water Works Department of Tamil Nadu government. After working during the day in his office, he would go to the Ramakrishna Mission and do seva (service).
One evening, Sri Nott Annaji Rao, who was a renowned Bhagavathar and a proponent of Namasankirtan, came to the Ramakrishna mission along with his son Hari to perform a Bhajan. After the Bhajan, Hari met Dandapani for the first time and thus began a long association. They started meeting regularly and Dandapani would often visit Hari’s home. Sri Nott Annaji Rao encouraged Dandapani to learn Bhajans. Dandapani started accompanying Sri Nott Annaji Rao and Hari for conducting Bhajans at various places. Sri Nott Annaji Rao would often go to Thapovanam to see the great saint Swami Gnanananda Giri and perform Bhajans. On one such occasion Swami Gnanananda asked Sri Nott Annaji Rao to start a Bhajan Mandali (group). On the auspicious occasion of Guru Poornima, in 1959, Sri Nott Annaji Rao founded the Sri Gnanananda Namasankirtana Mandali. The other three founding members were Hari, Dandapani and Tukaram Ramamurthy Shastrigal. Swami Gnanananda also asked Sri Nott Annaji Rao if he could take his son Hari as his disciple, to which Sri Nott Annaji Rao immediately agreed.
Hari and Dandapani traversed the length and breadth of India to spread the spirit of Namasankirtan. Whenever there was a program out of Chennai, Dandapani would apply for leave and accompany Hari to places including Jabalpur, Nagpur , Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Mathura and Brindavan.
Their visits to Thapovanam also became frequent. Dandapani approached Swami Gnanananda and asked him if he can take up Sanyasa. Swami Gnanananda replied that he would have to wait. Following Swami’s instructions, Dandapani married Smt. Sulochana; a teacher in Chennai in 1969.They had a daughter.
In 1973, in the month of Thai (Jan 15 to Feb 15), Krittika Star day, Swami Gnanananda gave Gnana Deeksha to Hari and he became Swami Haridhos Giri.Swami Gnanananda Giri attained Maha Samadhi on Jan 7, 1974 in Thapaovanam.
Swami Haridhos Giri and Dandapani continued the mission to spread Namasankirtan. When Swami Haridhos Giri started going on international tours beginning in 1975, Dandapani started looking after all the programmes in Chennai. The Sri Gnanananda Namasankirtana Mandali in Chennai grew into a large institution and chapters were established in Mumbai, Pune and New Delhi.
Dandapani continued to work tirelessly for the growth of the Mandali and dedicated his life to Namasankirtan. He would be chanting through the day and would be attending Bhajans regularly. He would never refer a book and soon became an authority in Namasankirtan.
In the Mada Veedhi Bhajans in Mylapore during the month of Margazhi (Dec 15-Jan 15), Bhajan groups traverse streets singing Bhajans accompanied by harmonium, mridangam and other instruments.
Swami Haridhos Giri and Dandapani joined the Veedhi Bhajans and soon Dandapani became the torch bearer for the Veedhi Bhajans. The Sri Gnanananda Namasankirtana Mandali conducts the Veedhi Bhajans even today and they are attended with fervour.
To encourage Bhagvathars from all over India, Swami Haridhos Giri instituted the Bhagavatha Sammelana Samajam. Under the aegis of the Samajam, Bhagavathars of various Bhajan groups would come together and assemble at the Narada Gana Sabha hall in Chennai, on the Second Sunday of every month for participating in the Bhajan. The whole program would be put together by Dandapani. A salient feature of the Bhajans was the recital of Ashtapadi of Sri Jaydeva (spiritual poet from Orissa who authored the Geeta Govinda).
After the rendition of 24 Ashtapadis spread over 24 months, Guruji, accompanied by Dandapani would take all the Bhagavathars on a pilgrimage to Tirupati, Mathura and other holy places. In 1987, when Swami Haridhos Giri decided to construct an ashram in Thennangur, Dandapani would accompany him every week to oversee the construction.
On September 9, 1993, Dandapani took Sanyasashram from Swami Haridhos Giri on the banks of the Ganga in Haridwar. Since he was always chanting the divine name, Guruji named him Swami Namananda Giri and devotees affectionately called him Namaji.
In 1994, Swami Haridhos Giri attained Jala Samadhi in the banks of the Alaknanda River in Koteshwar, Rudra Prayag in the Himalayas.
In 1994 the construction work of the ashram in Thennangur was only partially completed. Namaji continued to oversee the construction work and work of the 4 temples was completed by 1995. On February 9, 1996 the Maha Kumbhabhishekam of the four temples took place in a grand manner. Namaji also established the pooja vidhis (pooja procedure) in the temples.
Namaji started going on tours to various parts of India and the world, continuing the mission to spread Namasankirtan. His easy and friendly approach attracted the youth and lot of them took the path of Namasankirtan. He inaugurated Sri Gnanananda Namasankirtana Mandalis in Bangalore and Madurai. His devotees grew by the day in UAE, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, USA, Australia and New Zealand.
In 2008 the second Kumbhabhishekam was successfully conducted in Thennangur under his leadership.
On September 24, 2009, after six decades of service to Namasankirtan,Namaji attained Samadhi in New Delhi. He was brought to Thennangur where a Samadhi Adhisthanam was lovingly built by his devotees.
The impact of Namaji was such that the youth trained by him are leading various Bhajan groups all over the world.
