ShikshaDaan 10th Anniversary @ Statue of Equality
On April 4th, ShikshaDaan celebrated its 10th anniversary. We had launched ShikshaDaan on April 4th because it happens to be my father-in-law’s birthday and he was certainly the inspiration for us. My father-in-law, Sri Govindachari dedicated his entire life to education ! Do read – ShikshaDaan.
Coincidentally on the 10th anniversary of ShikshaDaan we were in Hyderabad and could visit the recently inaugurated Statue of Equality at Srirama Nagar. Sri Ramanujacharya is the proponent of Vishishtadvaita and for the Tenkalai Iyengars, he is our primary Acharya or Guru. He was a social reformer and famously stood on the temple tower to give away the Thiru Mantra.
About Ramanujacharya
Ramanujacharya had to make 18 trips to Guru Goshtipurna, before the Thirumantra which offered Moksha was revealed to him. Guru Goshtipurna extracted a promise from Ramanujacharya that the Mantra would not be shared with anyone. When Ramanujacharya shouted out the Thirumantra from the temple tower, Goshtipurna was upset.
Ramanujacharya said to him that its ok if I go to hell, and everyone gets the chance to attain Moksha using the Thirumantra. Guru Goshtipurna was overwhelmed and named Ramanujacharya as “Emperumanar” (which means, “superior to all”).
Ramanujacharya also ensured that every single person irrespective of social status or profession was allowed inside the temple. All this happened a 1000 years back … when there was really no “caste” system but the Varna and Jati system of social classification.
Statue of Equality
The Statue of Equality is grand and the 108 Vaishnava Divya Desams are beautifully recreated. Its a boon to devotees who many times are unable to visit all 108 in one lifetime !! It was inaugurated on Feb 5th by Modiji.
We drove via the Nehru ORR which adds 15 odd kilometers additionally but driving without traffic is such a pleasure that we opted for it.
Do visit and learn about the great social reformer Ramanujacharya and visit the 108 Vaishnava Divya Desam easily in an hour !!
HH Trithandi Chinna Srimannarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamy deserves kudos for creating this amazing place. Its a gigantic project which not only got completed in time but is also spectacular. Something every Indian will be proud of to showcase.