Mantralayam pontiff on Tungabadhra flood fury

U Sudhakar Reddy/Mantralayam

The pontiff of Sri Madhvacharya Moola Mahasamsthana Raghavendra Swamy Mutt at Mantralayam Sri Suyateendra Teertha Swamy was initially reluctant to be airlifted from the mutt and agreed to board the chopper only after 17 hours of persuasion by his disciples and Karnataka government including Chief Minister Yeduirappa on the day on which the temple town was ravaged by Tungabadra floods.Sri Suyateendra Teertha Swamy spoke exclusively to this newspaper and shared his experience..

Sri Suyateendra Swamy said ,”It was all quiet till October first evening and we conducted all pujas and radhotsavams without interruption.. As the water levels rose on October 1st midnight along with Moola Rama diety box and 35 sishyas moved to the first floor. On October 2nd morning the water level was almost 16 to 18 feet in the main temple. I performed Pooja to Moola Rama diety at 9.00 am on October 2nd in the first floor itself. I prayed to Lord Rama and Sri Guru Raghavenda Swamy to see that there is no loss of life due to floods

He added ,” within a very short time the river water levels rose. .The banyan trees from the garden were uprooted and came floating to form like a cushion to the wall of the pooja mandir building of the mutt where I was stationed to prevent the damage due the gushing water By watching this from the top of the building I recalled sage Markandeya Purana Pralaya incident. The flood was the sample I witnessed how the pralayam could be as explained by Markandeya. I have asked my disciples to make arrangements to rescue and ferry the students in vidyapeet and residents and piligrims in the town to safety.,”One of the staunch devotees of Sri Guru Raghavendra Swami Mr Subanna called Karnataka MP Anantha Kumar and informed about the dangerous flood situation at the mutt and discussed on importance of airlifting of of Swamiji on an emergency basis,”Initially swamiji made all discplies and archakas in the temple premises to board the chopper and he took the last trip of the chopper at 5.15 pm on October 2nd.Swamiji was airlifted along with Moola Rama Deities to nearest Raichur at the distance of 40 km and landed at 5.45 pm.

At Raichur Swamy coducted pooja for Moola Rama dieties on October 3rd, 4th and he also monitored on phone the relief and rescue operations.Swamiji who returned to the mutt on October 5th visited the colonies and villages in and around Mantralayam and participated in distribution the relief material including food grains and all provisons and a cash of Rs 1000 to each victim“Swamiji assured the flood affected people of mantralayam to have food Annnapurna dinring centre inthemutt priemises. After the temple complex the cleaning of vidyapeet and cottages will be taken up on priority,” said Mr Vittal Joshi poorvasrhama son in law of Swamiji.