Selection of Places for Samadhi Temples

Selection of Places for Samadhi Temples Before His Final Journey

Maharaj's samadhi temples have been constructed at five places - Kainchi, Vrindavan, Neeb Karori, Veerapurum (madras) and Lucknow. Sarkar Babaji) had selected all these places on His own. The incidents related to them are captivating and are the living examples of His will-power

Samadhi Temple at Vrindavan Dham
Babaji Maharaj has already fixed the date of His leaving this mortal body. He had to choose a place for the cremation of His body and to prepare back-ground for His devotees to build a commemorative temple. Babaji had already got a yajna performed for nine days in the premises of the temple by His devotee Vishambhar from Aligarh on the occasion of Chaitra Navratra in March-April, 1973.

 The place situated between the dharamshala on the northern side of the courtyard and the boundary wall of the temple on the south side leaving one third of the area of the courtyard on either side. Thus the place was sanctified by adoration of the goddess Durga. Babaji ordered that this small area be blockaded and its sanctity should be maintained.

Babaji left His mortal body in Ramafrishna Mission hospital at night 10 September 1973. Inspired by Babaji's mystic power, Pagal Baba advised His devotees that His physical body be merged with elements inside the ashram. The devotees, accordingly, made a platform of sandal-wood and cremated Baba's physical body on the sacred festival of Ananta Chaturdashi, on 11 September.

A commemorative temple to preserve Baba's mortal remains was built by His devotees on that very spot. The perculiarity of this temple is that it merges the architecture of all, a temple, a mosque, church, Gurudwara and Pagoda. After all Babaji belongs to all.

Kainchi Dham Samadhi Temple
During His stay in Kainchi Dham, Babaji Maharaj generally stayed in Ram Kuti. He also held durbars there and gave audience to groups as well as individuals. He gave darshan from the meshed windo opening on the south side. Whenever He did not want a crowd in the kuti, He used to close the entrance to the kuti and gave darshan from the window. Then durbar was held outside the window.

Maharajji sitting alone in Ramkuti would gaze at a particluar spot through the window about one or one and a half year before His final journey. During this period, besides the Indian devotees, a large number of foreign devotees (English, German, French, Greek and others) used to come for Maharajji's darshan. These devotees recited Hanuman chalisa and sang Krishna's name (kirtan of Hare-Krishna) for Babaji in deep and melodious voice. Babaji also heard the kirtan emotionally or in a trance. These foreign devotees did not know Hindi, nor could they make out what Babaji said (unless someone translated it to them), but their devotion and love for Him was such that they laughed when Babaji laughed and when Babaji shed tears in His super-conscious state, they also wept. Those moments were very spiritual.

It was the Janmashtami of 1973. Following the Indian tradition these foreigners were also on fast. The Janmashtami festival is traditionally celebrated in Kainchi at night. Aarti of God Krishna and Babaji is performed at midnight. As the night fell, these foreigners along with the other devotees arranged candles on the Aarti-plate, started chanting kirtan and singing devotional songs. Babaji opened the window a little before 12AM. These devotees frantically sang Kirtan - "Gopala, Gopala, Jai Devaki-nandan Gopala" in a deep voice. The Aarti was being performed from outside the window. It was a unique sight permeated with spirituality. Overwhelmed with emotions they were not conscious of their mind or body and their Krishna was born in the form of Maharajji.

Maharajji selected the very spot for His commemorative temple. He left Kainchidham on 9 September 1973 saying, he would be back within four days. True to His word, he did come back on the fourth day not physically, but in the form of Kalash containing his ashes.

By Baba's mystic inspiration, Shri Siddhi Ma got the Kalash placed on the very place Babaji looked at so intently and where the Hanuman Chalisa was recited and the grand Kirtan of "Devaki-nandan Gopala" was sung. Babaji Maharaj's temple has been built and His Vigrah has been installed therein. Many people come there to take a pledge of offering and have their desire fulfilled. The seekers get answers to their most difficult questions. The devotees complete their sadhana by getting their spiritual complexities solved.

Selection at Neeb Karori
Babaji had left the village Neeb Karori in about 1934-35. But He could not disassociate Himself from the place of His sadhna. He went their without anyone being aware of it.

Many years ago, once He quietly went there, without telling anyone, to have darshan on Hanumanji with Virendra Singh of Mainpuri (he was an adolescent then). Virendra saw that there was a temple like structure besides the temple. There was no god or goddess installed there. Curiously, he asked Babaji, "Who will sit there?" Babaji straightaway replied, "I will sit here".

Babaji did sit in that temple, but in the form of a murti on 15 February 1984. The Kalash containing His ashed, collected by Shro Venod Joshi in 1973, is placed under the vigrha.

Veerapuram Dham (Madras)
It has been mentioned earlier and it is also evident from the instances that how, when, where, and in what form Baba's wishes would materialize was known to Him only and He Himself and through any other medium inspired by Him got them fulfilled.

In January 1973, Babaji Maharaj travelled through South with Shri Siddhi Ma, Shri Jeewanti Ma and some other devotees. They had a plan to have darshan of Vaishnavi-devi at a certain place and left by car. Formerly, Baba's car used to lead but on that day he knowingly (the mystery of which was revealed later) let other cars go ahead and He Himself drove behind them. When they reached Veerapuram, at about 31 km from Madras, He suddenly said, "Oh! We have come far away, let's go back". It was an ordinary thing. Babaji walked round the place and the cars returned. The matter was over.

But the mystery of this incident came to light when Mukamchand built Maharajji's Samadhi temple at the place and Maharajji's vigrah was installed therein on 19 January 1984. Seeing the place where the temple of Kartikeya also exists, Shri Siddhi Ma remembered the 11 year old incident - how Maharajji Himself sanctified the place by viditing it and walking around it.

The construction of Babaji Maharaj's temple in a place like Madras was beyond imagination. But who can analyse Babaji's will-power and the words uttered by Him? While leaving Kainchi on 20th June 1973 Hukamchand requested Babaji to come to Madras and in reply He said, "I will come to Madras and shall stay there". Babaji's 18 inches Murti sculptured in black stone, with the same lively facial features, was installed there. On Shri Siddhi Ma's instructions, the kalash containing Babaji's mortal remains, collected by Sri Mukunda Joshi in 1973, is kept under His vigrah.

Selection for Samadhi Temple at Lucknow
Many years before leaving His physical body, Maharajji has asked the Trustees to build a kuti for Him near Hanuman temple, Lucknow. He also said that He would come to Lucknow when the kuti would be ready. But the trustees did not get it constructed as in the opinion of the architects; it would spoil the grandeur of the Hanuman temple. (Babaji had stopped going to Lucknow since then). When the Kalash containing Babaji's mortal remains was brought to Lucknow it was not placed at the venue where Babaji wanted His kuti to be built. It was buried at a distance from that place and a room was erected on it. Only his close devotees went there to offer their pranaams to Him and nobody else.

But it was Babaji wish. After 15-16 years, a grand and magnificent temple of Maharajji was erected at the place where He wanted His kuti to be made. The kalash was also moved into itfrom its old place and Babaji Maharaj's grand murti was installed over the Kalash. Now all who come to have Hanumanji's darshan also go to have His darshan.

This is how Babaji Himself not only selected five places for His temples, butalso through His mental vibrations motivated His devotees also to build temples. The devotees bowing their head to Him get their wishes fulfilled even today as they did when He was physically present.

From Prema Vatar