BY: GAURIDASA PANDITA DASA
I have been to India ten times for a total of three and a half years. During this time I was fortunate enough to travel to some of the Holy places, which are everywhere and seem to be unlimited like our unlimited Lord. My favorite Holy Places are Vrindavan, Hrishikesh and Ahobelum.
Ahobelum is the place in South India where Lord Nasringadeva appeared. I went there with an entourage of about 16 devotees headed by Achutyananda Swami and Yasodanandan Swami. We traveled all around India putting on public pandal programs.
We traveled mostly in South India doing big Kirtan events sometimes getting crowds of thousands. The Indians love to see western devotees taking to the Vedic culture with our enthusiastic chanting and dancing. It was so nice seeing so many Holy Places.
Ahobelum is not reachable by public transportation as it is way out in a remote area. We traveled in a nice Mercedes bus and thus were able to go places where public transportation didn’t go.
We arrived in the Ahobelum in the hot summer. At first the hotel keeper said we could not stay, because generally westerners were not allowed in some Temples, but was persuaded by Achutyananda Swami who had a letter from the Governor of Madras giving us permission.
Once situated we were treated like royalty by the head pujari and his good family with quite a few kids. They served us excellent prasadam on silver plates and even fanned us while we honored Lord Nasringadeva’s prasadam although we kept asking them not to.
There are eight temples in a circle situated north, south, east, west and the directions in between. There is also a main temple in the middle. It was over 100 degrees when we started up a mountain trail to reach one of the temples that Lord Chaitanya Himself is said to have visited.
On the way we could see the cliff where Sri Prahlada was thrown off and caught by Krishna. I was weak from the heat etc. and was even thinking of staying back that day. I was glad I decided to go!
After a beautiful hike up the mountain trail we arrived at the temple in a cave. Achutyananda Swami told us all to wash ourselves in the creek that flowed by the temple before taking darshan of the self-manifested Deity of Lord Sri Nasringadeva.
The water was reddish so I didn’t want to wash up there thinking that someone must of sacrificed an animal up stream or something. Then Achutyananda told us that it was red because that’s where Lord Nasringadeva washed his nails after killing Hiranyakasipu.
It’s called Rakta Kunda and the water has remained reddish for thousands of years! Such is the potency of our all-powerful Lord. After putting some of the water on my head I felt like a newborn baby as all of my fatigue disappeared. It was amazingly energizing.
We entered the temple which is situated in a cave. The pujari opened gate after gate to let us in to the end of the cave where Lord Nasringadeva is situated. A couple of ghee lamps light the cave and even though it was cool in the Temple Cave there were waves of spiritual energy were coming from the Deity.
Lord Chaitanya Himself went into this Cave on His South Indian tour and passed out in ecstasy there. Can you imagine being right there where Lord Chaitanya fainted in the ecstasy of love of God and the self-manifested Deity of Lord Nasringadeva is effulgent! Being there was so ecstatic that I didn’t want to leave.
Another one of the temples is situated in a desert area. The temple is one of the only self-manifested temples. It’s a big round blackish rock that is hollow with a hat like top. Lord Nasringadeva is also self-manifested. The Lord Nasringadeva has a big beautiful body with a big chest and small waist sitting nicely in a yoga posture.
He is called Yogananda Nasringa because he is teaching Prahlada some yoga asanas. He is blackish and about seven feet high, seated! You can circumambulate the awesome Deity of Lord Sri Nasringadeva and Sri Prahlada Maharaja.
I highly recommend to any devotee that can, to go to Ahobelum and experience the awesome atmosphere and kind Vaisnava hospitality that we experienced there. These are the treasures of the Earth; the Holy places of pilgrimage. Sri Nasringa Jai Nasringa Jai Jai Nasringa!!!
Hoping this meets you well and Happy in Krishna Consciousness
Your eternal friend and servant
Gauridasa Pandita Dasa
\o/ HariboL \o/
Chant and be Happy!
BHAKTI SHAKTI
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