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| Maha Avatar Babaji (Picture Courtesy: Maha Avatar Babaji Temple) |
Maha Avatar Babaji - a saint born in the year 203 AD and experienced to be alive in the Himalayas still became a household name after Superstar Rajinikanth made a movie on him and the spiritual experiences through him.
Paramahansa Yogananda, another reputed spiritual writer, has written about the conversations he had with Maha Avatar Babaji, in his book "The Autobiography of a Yogi". The name Maha Avatar Babaji was given by Shyamacharan Lahiri and other disciples of the saint who met him between 1861 and 1935.
SAA Ramaiah who co-founded the Kriya Babaji Sangah to propogate the Kriya Yoga teachings of Babaji has had the privilege of building a temple for him at his birth place.
Where was Maha Avatar Babaji born?
The erstwhile South Arcot District has had the privilege of being the birth place of several saints like Thirunavukkarasar (Appar), Thirugnanasambandar, Sundaramurthy Nayanar, Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy, Arutprakasa Vallalar Ramalinga Swamigal, Kanchi Maha Swami Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi and Maha Avatar Babaji.
Born in Parangipettai (Porto Novo) near Cuddalore, as Nagarajan, to Swethanatha Ayyar and Gnanambal on 30 November 203, in the tamil month of Karthigai on Rohini Star, Babaji had a normal childhood like any other child. In fact there is a painting of Babaji as a child in the meditation hall of the temple, narrating an incident as revealed by him to his disciples.
When Nagarajan was four years old, his mother had put away a jackfruit for a family religious function and not knowing this, the little boy had eaten up the pieces before they could be offered to God. Angered by his act, his mother had punished him by gagging him with a cloth in his mouth.
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| Babaji's mother chiding him for eating the jackfruit |
With great difficulty, the 11 year old Nagarajan reached Kataragama where he met Saint Bhoghar and became his disciple. Bhoghar taught him Vasi Yogam and with his grace, he was also able to get a vision of Lord Muruga.
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| A sculpture of Lord Muruga appearing before Babaji at Kadaragama |
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| Entrance to the Maha Avatar Babaji Temple, Parangipettai (Porto Novo) |
On either side of the sanctum sanctorum, there are sculptures of Lord Ganesha and Lord Muruga as he appeared before Babaji in Kadaragama. There is a Yaga Gundam in front of the shrine called Gowri Shankar Peetam. Babaji Padham used to be installed here but has been moved into the shrine owing to the construction that is currently happening. Every Thursday, abhishekam is performed for Maha Avatar Babaji and special pujas are held on his birthday.
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| Maha Avatar Babaji at the temple in Parangipettai |
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| Babaji with his disciples |
How to reach here:
Google maps link to Babaji Temple
The temple is located on Rave Main Road, Parangipettai - 608 502, Chidambaram, Cuddalore District.
Temple Timings:
Morning : 6-9.30 am Evening 6-9 pm
Since construction is going, the gate is generally open during the day and Babaji can be worshipped even though the priest will not be around in timings other than mentioned above.
Contact Details:
Mr Karthikeyan - 9994197935
