It was 24th May 2013. Few days before, Swami decided to visit Goddess Chamundi hill at Mysore and Srikanteswara temple in Nanjangud (which is on the banks of river Kapila(Kabini)). Few of selected sevadal members and Additional Chief Secretary to Govt of Karnataka, Mr Suranjan and his family, accompanied Swami. We started around 7am in the morning. It was a pleasant and sunny day. On the way to Mysore we halted for few minutes for breakfast at Kadambam and moved to Aashram. After these two short breaks, we proceeded directly to Chamundi hill at Mysore(search ‘Chamundi Hills’ in google for more information). We reached around 10:30am and Swami car allowed near to Gopuram entrance. Temple authorities were given ‘Poornakumbha Swagatam(welcome)’ with temple honors to Swami from Gopuram entrance till main shrine. We had a magnificent darshan of Goddess Chamundi, in a closed distance. (I am sure we will never get such darshan once again in our life. Just because we accompanied Swami, we got such a wonderful darshan). After spending few minutes with in the Chamundi temple premises, we proceeded towards Nanjangud, which is around 20km from Mysore.
Reached Nanjangud in the afternoon. Swami was welcomed with the temple honors. We again got a excellent darshan of Srikanteswara (lord Shiva in the form of Linga). After Aarathi we all moved from main shrine and visited other small temples in the same premises. Swami stayed back alone in a small room (close the Gharbha gudi) and paid special prayers to lord Shiva. Before leaving the temple, temple authorities requested to have a group photo with Swami. We all took a group photo with Swami . Temple authorities arranged lunch for all of us in ‘Annadana Bhawan’, opposite to the temple, where they provide free food for all devotees. We all had our lunch(prasadam) along with Swamy. Swami and ourselves took few minutes of rest at temple guest house. Around 3pm we stared our journey back to Soma Sai Skanda Ashram. We reached around 5pm to ashram.
In the evening, very few of us stayed back with Swami and rest left to Bangalore. In the evening Swami wanted to visit ‘Ugra Narasimha Swamy temple’ locally. We reached temple around 7pm. One of the priests of the temple was Swami’s devotee. Again we had an excellent dharshan. Swami visited priest’s house and accepted their hospitality.
We were fortunate being accompanied with Swami.
Sairam
(on behalf of sevadal members)