VANA PRASTHA ASHRAM

BHARADWAJAR VANA PRASTHA ASHRAMAM AT VELAMUR

Velamur, a little known hamlet to the rest of the world, has a hallowed place in the history of Sri Vaishnavism. Velamur is the birth place of Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan, whose importance to Sri Vaishnavites is next only to Yethirajar and Sri Vedanta Desikar. Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan is also revered as the second Ramanuja. His commentaries on ten important Upanishads are hailed as his greatest contribution to Hindu philosophy in general and Sri Vaishnavism in particular. He has therefore come to be known as “DASOPANISHAD BASHYAKARAR”

After the collapse of Vijayanagar empire, whose kings were esteemed patrons of Vaishnavism, there was a great threat to Vaishnavism and it is the undaunted efforts of saints like Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan that helped Vaishnavism to flourish again with great aplomb.
There is a grand temple dedicated to Sundara Varadar and Lakshmi Narayanan in Velamur with a separate shrine for Dasopanishad Bashyakarar, the second one after Sri Rangam.

With the grace and blessings of the present Andavan Swami His Holiness Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan, works for the Raja Gopuram and Vasantha Mandapam in Velamur are in progress.

To keep up with the spiritual tempo generated in the village by HH Andavan, descendents of Rishi Bharadwajar and people of Velamur origin have formed a Trust in the name of the presiding deity of Velamur temple known as SUNDARAVARADHAR CHARITABLE TRUST (Regd No.50/2007).

One of the main objectives of the Trust is to run a Vana Prastha Ashramam in honour of Rishi Bharadwajar. It is NOT yet another Home for the aged to be run on commercial lines nor an orphanage. It is designed to be a centre for those devout individuals who would like to pursue spiritual life after they had fulfilled all their family/parental responsibilities and ripe enough to enter the third Ashram (Vana Prastham) as ordained by our scriptures.

Velamur village with its spiritual history and the presence of a grand temple nearby provide the right ambience who long for solitude and serene atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle of highly polluted Metros.

The Ashram has a capacity for 14 sadhaks at present and there are plans for expansion. It has only a dormitory –type accommodation and a spacious kitchen with the necessary modern kitchenware. The inmates have to have respect and belief in the concept of “self-help” and they will be encouraged to keep themselves busy with some activity like watering flower plants, preparing garlands for the temple, singing bhajans, dhyanams, yoga etc.

Accommodation and food will be free to the inmates. However, inmates are expected to offer a nominal sum for the hygienic upkeep of the Ashram and to organise events every month like Sudarshana homam, Laksha Deepam, Laksharchana, Go Rakshana, Grama Seva etc, so that the village reverberates with spiritual fervour.

We appeal to all the Sri Vaishnavites to help us find the right people for the Ashram by spreading this message.

Issued by:

TRUSTEES OF SUNDARA VARADHAR CHARITABLE TRUST

Contact: Ranga Ramanujan
Tel: 09848023289
Email: srramanujan@gmail.com
S_ramanujan9@yahoo.co.in