(Kuradi Chandrasekhar Kalkura)
History of India is a history of great travelers. The founders of Indus Valley Civilisation or the great Rhushis of the Vedic Culture and Civilisation or the Buddha or Sankaracharya Srikrishnadevaraya or Vivekananda or Mahatma Gandhi or Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi or Sri Viswesha Tirtha Swamiji of Udupi Pejavara Math @ Pejavara Swamiji were all great travellers. Now, Pejawara Swamiji (88) finished his earthly travel by about 8.30 a.m. on 29th Dec. 2019.
Born as Venkataramana in Rmakunja Village in South Kanara District in Karnataka on 27-4-1031 Shri Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji had been criss-crossing the country for more than eight decades ever since he was ordained into Sanyasa at the age of 8, in 1938.
It may not be an exaggeration to say that there is not a town or city in India which he had not visited. He left His footprints on the soil of every place he visited and an indelible mark in the hearts of all those who came across Him.
He had a special affection for Kurnool. Founder of Hotel Shobha, Nandyal, K.Ananantakrishnachar and his brother K,Gangadharachar were His blood relations in his previous life, Poorvaashrama. Immediately after His Padayatra in Dalitwadas in some towns in Karnataka, when there was opposition from some conservative quarters, in 1963 He was taken in a huge procession all along the town in Kurnool.
It was a memorable event in the history of Kurnool too. As the patron of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, in 1985 he laid the foundation for the Bharatmata Temple in Kurnool.
In 1989, when there was difference of opinion among the two sections of the Dalits of Budavarpeta, Kurnool, regarding the Ganesh Immersion Procession, along with the then Municipal Chairman, K. Nagi reddy, he sat through the night among the Harijans and amicably settled the issue.
Since then there has been a cordial atmosphere in the colony. As late as on 19th Jan, 2018, he was travelling by road from Manthralayam to Hyderabad via Kurnool. The Car jerked at the speed breaker. Due to shaking of the body , he suffered a severe sprain in the spinal chord. On receiving the information at about 10.00 p.m. I sounded Dr,P.Chandrasekhar, the then Superintendent of the Govt General Hospital, Kurnool. He offered services in Heart and Multi-specialty Hospital, a private Nursing Home. Within half hour after all preliminary clinical tests, it was diagnosed as sprain and Dr Raghunandan, Prof of Orthopedics joined him for further advice. Weighing 35 kg. Swamiji was 87. His heart could withstand, without any life support any surgery for full five hours.
After first aid He recovered and with a disarming smile, asked the Doctors: “Your fees?.” The doctors and the para Medical staff prostrated before him for the God sent opportunity to serve one of the greatest living Saint of our country.