US 'sanyasi' to light Kashi Vishwanath temple

Varanasi, Feb 6: The world famous Kashi Vishwanath temple here will be illuminated with solar lamps this Mahashivratri, put in place by a US 'sanyasi' who prefers being called a 'Non-resident Hindu' (NRH).

''This service is my way of thanking mother India, 'gurus' from where I have redefined my life,'' maintained Swami Mahadevanand Saraswati (50), who attained 'sanyas' with 'diksha' from Swami Atmanand Giri in Varanasi in 1997 after 24 years of self-less 'tapasya' (service) to humanity.

During the ancient period, the temples were lit by sunlight reflected through polished metals, but now in this modern era when the conventional energy resources were becoming scarce, ''this is my way of bringing back the Sun god to where he belongs,'' added the saffron clad 'sanyasi' who greets one and all with the spiritually soothing 'Mahadev'.'' The 'sanyasi' who has been practising 'huth yoga' since the age of 13 has started work on installing 'Made in Mexico' solar lamps inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple which houses one of the 12 'Jyotirlingas.' A total of 15 solar lamps powered by Indian made nickle-cadmium batteries will be put in place at the temple and the entry points to the highly sensitive Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanwapi complex, which also houses the Gyanwapi mosque. Besides, three solar lamps will also be installed at the 'garbha griha' of the Goddess Annapurna temple, also located in the same complex.

The solar lamps at the Kashi Vishwanath will be turned on by office bearers of Sangharsh -- a Delhi based NGO run by Supreme Court counsels, who are a partner to Swami Mahadevanand in his ''self-less service to mother India.'' The 'sanyasi' who only wears a saffron dress made from khadi will not stop his 'sewa' at the Kashi Vishwanath temple complex, but will follow it up by installing the same 'soft lights' at the Jangambadi Mutt, also in this religious city.

''For me, 'sewa' is the greatest Yoga and this is why I am harnessing the power of sun to illuminate the temple of Shiva,'' said Swami Mahadevanand, who has successfully rendered similar service in the famous shrine of Kedarnath-Badrinath, Gangotri in 2004 and Neelkanth Mahadev temple at Pauri Garhwal (Uttarakhand) in 2005.

Besides, he has also illuminated with solar power hutments in many villages of Uttaranchal. ''Conventional energy resources are scarce and also polluting the atmosphere. They should better be diverted to be used for the economic prosperity of the nation and the power of sun be used to light up our religious hotspots,'' maintained Swami Mahadevanand.

The entire equipment to be installed at the temples and 'mutt' in in the holy city will cost Rs 20,000, which has been generated by the US 'sanyasi' from the funds donated by his friends in acknowledgment of his humane works. ''I do not take bhiksha, but only accept donations for the work done and the entire equipment has been purchased out of the funds meant to provide succour to me.'' The solar lamps when charged for eight hours with sunlight give uninterrupted illumination for equal number of hours. The batteries are chargeable even in the slightest of sunlight during monsoon and winters.

Praising Swami Mahadevanand's efforts, Additional Police Superintendent (Gyanwapi Security) Jugal Kishore Tiwari said ''this service will not only bring back the power of sun to the temple, but also provide illumination to the entry points of the highly sensitive complex in an event of power failure. If the experiment succeeds we may replicate the entire service in other parts of the complex also.'' But from where did this US 'sanyasi' learn the art of solar lighting. ''Well from a Swedish gentleman who carried these lights in Uttarakhand. I swapped his possession with my halogen lights and then researched the entire technology for illuminating temples in India. I now dream of illuminating all temples in the country with these lights, which is not difficult, if I get the support from some more people who work on Sewa is greatest Yoga,'' he said.

Swami Mahadevanand plunged into the pool of 'Sanatan Dharma' way back in 1971 when he met in California, Swami Muktanand Saraswati from Ganesh Puri (Maharashtra). The next year he came to India and lived with Swami Muktanand for six years in different parts of world.

In line with his guru's teachings ''Sewa is the greatest Yoga,'' Swami Mahadevanand worked in refugee camps in Mexico as volunteer medico for Red Cross for ten years nursing the festering wounds of victims of America-Guatemala war.

In 1997, he attained 'sanyas' in Kashi with 'diksha' from Swami Atmanand Giri and claims to have travelled across the globe for rendering self-less service 22 times.

But does the US 'sanyasi' want to share anything about his past.

''I am a sanyasi who has no family, but for whom the entire world is his parivar.''

UNI