Sir,
This has reference to the write-up ‘Nagdandi Ashram – Spiritual Centre’ published in Sunday Magazine of DE dated 11 October 2015. While Sh. Jai Krishan Raina, the author, has given a detailed account of the Ashram and its current activities, he reveals inadequate and biased research on the subject which he attempts to handle. Sufism was never integral to the land of Kashap Rishi. He needs to refresh his learning of Kashmir history to know that Sufis were a band of people who accompanied so called Muslim missionaries to Kashmir.
To set the record straight, Swami Ashokanand Ji first stayed at Kathleshwar Temple and not at Sh. Hari Nath Tarozdar’s residence. Swami Ji then moved to Nandkeshwar Bairav, Sumbal, and stayed there for three long years. While at Sumbal, Swami Ji warned the Zaildar there not to indulge in undesirable acts but latter did not listen to his sane advice. Thereafter, Swami Ji left for an unknown destination only to reappear, after two years, at Achhabal and not at Nagdandi as claimed by the author.
The spiritual personality at that time in Achhabal was Grata Maut with whom Swamiji did interact . Pt. Mukund Ram, an affluent person of Achhabal, would take care of Swamji at Achhabal. It is author’s sheer flight of fantasy which compels him to conclude that Swami Ji’s stay at Nagdandi was unknown to world around until revealed by a woodcutter. Even the claim of Sh. Raina that the location of the present Ashram was selected by Hari Nath Tarozdar is erroneous. It was Swami Ji who himself selected the place and initially a plot of land was donated by Pt. Mukund Ram. Later, more people donated land and some more was purchased. Swami Ji was often visited at Achhabal/Nagdandi by his disciples from Srinagar and Sumbal.
One wonders on what basis does Sh. Raina conclude that Lord Vishnu’s Murti was found in Nagdandi or that Swam Ji never performed miracles? It is true that some Murtis were recovered from the spring in Nagdandi but those did not include that of Lord Vishnu.. Swami Ji never advertised his miracles and was outwardly given to spirituality and simple living. Further, the then Maharaja Hari Singh often visited Nagdandi forest for hunting. He tried to come close to Swami Ji but that never matured. It is true that Dr. Karan Singh would visit Swami Ji but that was in pursuit of research for former’s doctorate.
Contrary to the assertion of the author, the temple and a two storeyed building inside the Ashram came up in 1951 under the architectural supervision of late Pt.. Gopi Nath Dhar. After 1959, during winters Swami Ji mostly stayed in the house of Dr. Jia Lal Ogra, his closest disciple, and he even attained Nirvana there. While defining the relationship between Nagdandi Ashram and Vivekananda Kendra, author’s interpretation of Swami Ji’s WILL is erroneous. This matter is under active consideration in court of law.
Sh. Raina would have done justice to his write-up had he refrained from an immature approach to the subject and consulted contemporaries of Swami Ji for an authentic account. Lot of people who have been blessed by Swami Ji and his guru Maharaj Sri Swami Satchitananda Ji Maharaj are living as on date. Distorting history serves no one.
Yours etc….
Yoginder Kandhari
Secretary
Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna Mahasammelan Ashram Trust (Regd.) Nagdandi.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel