My Grand father - My first Guru

 -a tribute to Kalpathy Shri.CV.Srinivasa Iyer (Chaami Anna)

This year, March 19 is Pankuni Uthram, which reminded me of my Great Grand Father and Iam posting this article as a tribute to this noble soul.. (this is an article which I wrote for my next book "Nothing But Ayyappan" )

A small request.... I have a desire to write his Life history in detail... so any reader who have had the acquaintance with Shri. CV.Srinivasa Iyer / CV Krishna Iyer and  have any small piece of information / photographs or anything to share.. please write to me(aravindsastha@gmail.com) or call me (09994641801)

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My Grand father - My first Guru 

-a tribute to Kalpathy Shri.CV.Srinivasa Iyer (Chaami Anna)

In the holy land of Bharat it is said that during every century, there would be atleast a single Jivan muktha born to accomplish a divine mission and to re-establish a divine faith.

True to this saying this Mahaan, Shri CV Srinivasa Iyer was born to re establish the supremacy of Lord Ayyappa, at a time when - the divine will wanted to spread the glory of Ayyappa Bhatki.

As per the wishes of Lord Ayyappa, during the right juncture- at his middle age - he was particularly attracted to the Sabarimala Yatra, because of his younger brother Shri.CV.Krishna Iyer, who was undertaking the yatra for years.

He reached the Sannidhanam for the first time - thereafter the spiritual progress of Chaami Anna was on the fast track and he

came into contact with great people and the truth of the vedantas were getting clearer to him..

Though he was a gruhastha, he was living a saint’s life working very hard for the spiritual upliftment of the ordinary souls. As a Guruswamy he took several hundreds of devotees to Sabarimala. True to the “Ayyappa thathwaam” - his clan of disciples comprised of lay men to Vedhic scholars. Many veteran Guruswamys we see today were his disciples. He was fondly known as “Chaami Anna” with respect and love from his sishyas.

For several decades for some reasons, the Pankuni Uthra Puja was not being done at the Sabarimala Ayyappan temple. Though it was an auspicious day for Sastha, the temple was not even opened on that particular day. As per the divine directions, Chaami Anna took the initative and this puja commenced to be done by him. A spectacular Lakhsharchana and Vedhic homams to Lord Sastha on the Pankuni Uthram day was performed judiciously and magnificently at Sabarimala for years by him. The puja grew in popularity and at one point of time his party included nearly 500 devotees and 70-80 Vedhic Scholars, 6-7 special busses and fleet of Cars and Lorries to carry the necessary items for the magnificent ritual. The festival attained the new heights with Purusha Sooktha Homam, Rudrabishekam and even to Maha Rudram and Athi Rudram.

He was not only an ardent and sincere devotee – but was a realized and elevated soul. Many have had the opportunity of getting his blessings and have come up in their life. I have heard from many of his associates that all what he says is the total Satyam and no one dared to defy his instructions. A simple namaskaram would bring forth from him an abundance of blessings and love and one could feel the depth and warmth of the same.

He was an embodiment of devotion and compassion and nobody would return empty handed after seeing him. Even today whenever I go for pujas or lectures anywhere in India, I would definitely see atlesat 2 or 3 disciples of Chaami Anna. Many many stalwarts and seniors exclaim that they have had the privilege of meeting him, eating saddhi(food) along with him, and getting prasadam from him.

The pilgrimage to the Sabarimalai is very symbolic of the journey of the individual ‘atma’ and it’s joining with the ‘Paramatma’ During the Pankuni Uthram festival of 1989, Chaami Anna, made a very significant remark that, he will cease to live beyond the Pankuni Uthram festival that year and it was an intuition from his side and that Lord Ayyappa wanted it that way. Events, have proved that he attained Lord Ayyappa’s world during the same date and in doing so, left all of us, his devotees orphans to be guided by his spirit of selflessness and love and compassion to all.

My tryst with a phenomenon called “Ayyappa” started right from the day I took birth in this earth- because of my Great grand father Shri CV Srinivasa Iyer. (Chaami Anna) whom I consider my first Guru to Sastha.

I was a small boy when he ceased his earthly connections, but even at that early age I had the rare privilege of getting blessings directly from him. And I am very sure that he is blessing all of us even today and this perhaps, is the guiding force and the inner drive which is operating us till date.