As we all continue to pray to Periyava to save people in Chennai from the disastrous flood situation, it is emotionally moving to hear an incident where MahaPeriyava sent  hundreds of “Rice Grain”  (நெல் மூட்டை) bags to Rameswaram since the beginning of 1964 foreseeing the disastrous cyclone that devastated Rameswaram at that time.

Gudalur Ramachandran Sastrigal was in Rameswaram during those times. Mama narrates this particular incident and confirms the authenticity of the incident in the small video snippet below:

Talking about MahaPeriyava , mama from the bottom of his heart refers to HIM in one word  – “Amaanushyam” …

Mama further attributes the Slokam 45, from Chapter 6 in Bhagavad Gita to MahaPeriyava:

Aneka janma samsiddhatah  tatah yati param gatim || 

One who attained the perfections of many many lifetimes!

The full video of Sastrigal mama can be viewed below. Due to mama’s age, he was not able to talk cohesively. Thanks to his son who has assisted him in sharing mama’s experience with MahaPeriyava.

Rameswaram Cyclone Incident:

Since the beginning of 1964, Paramacharya asked the rice donors to send the rice grain (நெல் மூட்டை) bags to the Rameswaram branch of SriMatam. This seemed rather strange and the manager Sri Vishwanatha Iyer took exception to the excessive collection of rice bags at their Rameswaram branch.

There were even occasions that suggested that the manager was not at all happy with the decision and might have had an argument with the sage. Paramacharya, however, was adamant, and ensured that 250 bags of rice were stocked in their Rameswaram branch.

During the month of December 1964, Rameswaram was hit by a severe cyclone. The Pamban bridge was uprooted and Dhanushkoti town sank in the ocean. It became impossible to send food supplies to the Rameswaram island, overcoming the rage of the ocean.

The 250 bags of rice that were stocked by Paramacharya in the Rameswaram branch of SriMatam helped to fill the stomach of thousands of people who suffered from the nature’s fury.