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An Overview of Sri Ramanuja Mission’s (SRI) Glorious Past

All of us are extremely fortunate and blessed to witness one of the most joyous moments in the history of Sri

Ramanuja Mission, Inc. of Srirangam Srimad Andavan Periashramam (SRI) – the inauguration of the initial

temple (the balalayam) and Prana Prathishtai of archa moorthies at SRI New Jersey Ashramam. Indeed, this is

SRI’s first step in fulfilling the great vision of our reverential Acharyan, HH Sri Ranga Ramanuja Mahadesikan.

I am privileged and honored to summarize SRI’s glorious activities from inception in March 1998 to inauguration

of the balalayam on May 27, 2016 with great pride and humility.

Emergence of SRI and its Objectives

In the 1992-93 timeframe, Sri Kannan mama (F/O of Sri Kesavan Kannan) was proactively reaching out to

families in Maryland and Virginia (after his retirement in India) with a desire to impart Vedic knowledge and

provide guidance in sustaining rich Vedic traditions. I was fortunate to meet him at a Pooja function in Virginia.

Kannan mama was a devout sishya of Srimad Andavan Ashramam and had performed numerous Kalakshepams

at the lotus feet of HH Thirukudandai Andavan. Smt. Janaki Kannan, Sri Kesavan Kannan, Smt. Mythili Kannan,

Sri Bharadwaj Jagannathan, Sri Varadharajan and I used to attend mama’s Kalakshepams on Sri Rahasya Traya

Saram at his Maryland home. During 1996-97, Kannan mama was serving as a priest at Sri Ranganatha Temple

in New York where we met Sri Poondi Vijayaraghavan mama along with Srimans Shyamsundar Sreenivasan and

Venkat Sreenivasan.

Poondi mama recalled that when he went to Chennai several years ago in 1994 for his son’s poonal ceremony he

visited Andavan Ashramam to pay his respects to HH Srimushnam Andavan. HH asked Poondi mama to come

after one week and when he went back HH blessed Poondi mama with a complete set of 11 Purvacharya’s

padukas! Poondi mama never expected this and just brought them to New Jersey. It was Sri Parathasarathy

Sreenivasan mama of Besant Nagar (F/O Shyam and Venkat) who trained New Jersey bhagavathas in performing

Paduka and Perumal Thiruvaradhanam, as and when he visited New Jersey from Chennai. Padukas started gracing

bhagavatha’s homes in and around New Jersey on the weekends. Sreenivasan mama’s handwritten Acharya

Thanians were laminated and used for many years while performing Paduka Thiruvaradhanam.

Time and again, Sri Kannan mama used to share with us his desire to start a branch of Srimad Andavan Ashramam

in the U.S. and he was passionate about naming it Sri Ramanuja Mission. In April 1997, Kannan mama reached

out to HH Sri Mushnam Andavan and sought his blessings to start an official branch of the Ashramam and name

it Sri Ramanuja Mission [HH Sri Mukham 1]. An Executive Committee (Sri Kannan mama as President, Sri

Poondi Vijaya Raghavan as Vice President, Sri Kesavan Kannan as Treasurer and me as Secretary) was formed

and the organization was registered as a non-profit organization in the state of Maryland on March 2, 1998. The

committee after due diligence drafted the charter and the bylaws of the organization.

According to the charter, SRI has four stated objectives. It is important to restate these objectives here verbatim,

as rest of this article will focus on how these objectives have been comprehensively and meticulously followed

and implemented throughout the organization’s history.

1. In furtherance of the mission of the Acharyas (spiritual leaders) Sri Ramanuja (1017-1137 CE), Sri

Vedanta Desika (1268-1369 CE) and Srirangam Srimad Andavan Periashramam (India) of the Sri

Vaishnavite religious tradition, to promote the awareness and understanding of Sri Vishistadvaitha or Sri

Ramanuja philosophy in the USA, India, and around the world.

2. To serve the community at large, in a unified way, by disseminating knowledge about the several aspects

of Sri Vaishnavism through discourses, training, and other means.

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3. To translate, publish, and distribute the ancient scriptures and holy literature that form the spiritual basis

of Sri Vishistadvaitha or Sri Ramanuja philosophy.

4. To encourage and maintain, in USA, India and around the world, for the members of this organization and

society at large, holy places of worship temples dedicated to the Supreme Lord Sri Lakshmi Narayana

(Lord Sri Vishnu).

SRI’s timeline interwoven with these objectives, people, places and events is summarized in the following

sections. These historical events are deeply connected with various bhagavathas who were the initial building

blocks of SRI’s expanding activities throughout the U.S.

1997-2000

In the initial years of its formation, SRI focused on bringing Acharya sookthis for wider distribution and in a

better format. In association with Sri Ahobila Muth, USA, SRI pioneered the effort of compiling, editing and

providing brief Tamil commentaries for each of the 19 Tamil Prabandhams (Sri Desikaprabandham) of Sri Swami

Desikan rendered by Sevillimedu Srinivasachariar. Three 90-minute cassettes were produced with high quality

recording instruments and the tapes were released on the auspicious occasion of Sri Desikar Thirunakshatram on

October 23, 1997. Over 250 sets were distributed throughout the U.S.

SRI’s second project involved creating recordings of Sri Chatusloki, Sthothrarathnam, and Gadyatrayam. SRI

took up the primary responsibility for the recording which was done in Virginia. Sri Saranatha Bhattar chanted

the slokas and appropriate English commentaries were added. A 90-minute tape was released on the auspicious

occasion of Sri Ramanuja Jayanthi on May 1, 1998. Sri Ahobila Muth donated the proceeds of this sale for the

construction of Sri Ranganatha Temple in New York.

SRI’s crown jewel project was recording the entire Sri Desika Sthothramala (28 titles and over 800 slokas) with

English commentaries using local talents Sri Shyamsundar and Sri Venkat Sreenivasan, which was started in

October 1997. Six volumes of CDs were released in two sets: the first 3 volumes in August 1999 and the second

3 volumes in April 2001. Over 500 copies of the 6-volume CD sets were distributed across the U.S.

HH Sri Ranga Ramanuja Mahadesikan upanyasams via tele-bridge commenced in 1998. The New Jersey

sathsangam grew in numbers and Srimans Shyamsundar Sreenivasan, Venkat Sreenivasan, Murali Thirumalai,

and Narayanan Veeraraghavan volunteered in conducting Prabandha and Desika Sthothramala classes through

tele-bridge. A similar sathsangam grew in the Virginia where Veda, Prabandha and Sri Desika Sthothrams were

taught to local bhagavathas on the weekends. Veda classes were taught by Sri Rajeeve Karamchedu, and Sri

Desika Sthotrams by Sri Ananad Iyengar. The sathsangam sustained little over five years (2001-2006) with more

than 20 bhagavathas attending classes in person.

SRI also took active part in sathsangams organized by other associations (such as NAMA and Sri Ahobila Muth)

and SRI’s members presented papers and extended support to these associations serving the cause of Sri

Vaishnavism.

It was very unfortunate and a great loss to SRI as Sri Kannan mama attained Acharya thiruvadi in March 1999.

As my mentor and teacher in the U.S., he was one of the founding members of SRI with a clear vision to build a

temple in the U.S. He personally engraved this thought in SRI’s charter as objective #4. While discussing this

objective with us he said, “It may be difficult and too ambitious to include such a goal in our charter” and added

after a pause, “but with bhagavath sankalpam it may happen.” 18 years later, as we are inaugurating the balalayam,

Kannan mama’s vision has come true through his Acharya bhakthi and unconditional faith.

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The first official Paduka Thiruvaradhanam was conducted in April 1999 when the Virginia and Maryland

committee members along with Sri Balaji Ramanujam made a trip to Smt Shyamala and Murali Thirumalai’s

home in New Jersey to celebrate HH Thirukudandai Andavan’s TN [Photos 1-3]. This grand event was followed

by the arrival of Sri Ramanujar archa moorthy in June 1999. This archa moorthy of Sri Ramanujar came from

Velamur (the birth place of HH) and was worshipped by HH Srimushnam Andavan in his purvashrama days. At

the directions of HH, the archa moorthy was handed over to SRI by HH purvashrama thirukumarars (Sri Sriman

Narayanan and Sri Yamunachar) at Sri Velamur Temple and the Prana Prathishtai was performed in the U.S. in

May 2000 [Photos 4-5]. This great aradhana moorthy was initially brought to the U.S. for establishment in an

existing temple. However, Sri Ramanujar chose to stay with SRI to bless the organization and its devotees in the

years to come. No wonder abhimanies in the U.S. refer to this archa moorthy of Sri Ramanujar as “Than Nigar

Illa Thirumeni” (meaning second to none), following the three traditional archa thirumeni of Sri Ramanujar in

South India.

SRI’s two major events outside New Jersey happened during the summer of 2000 when HH Srimushnam Andavan

Thirunakshathra celebration was conducted in Boston through many volunteers, including Sri Sumanth Kaushik,

Sri Sunder Kidambi, Sri A.S. Rajagopalan, Sri Muralidhar Rangaswamy and Sri Kannapiran. This was followed

by another celebration in Maryland in June 2000 when HH Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar

offered his mangalasasanam [Photo 6].

SRI also spearheaded efforts in celebrating Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan & Sri Manavala Maamunigal

Thirunakshatram at Aurora Temple in Chicago, Illinois through the efforts of Vaikuntavasi Sri Krishnamachari

and Smt Kalyani Krishnamachari. Krishnamachari’s reverberating chanting of Sri Paduka Sahasram during

Paduka Thiruvaradhanam is still ringing in my ears!

2001-2005

Sri Ramanuja Jayanthi celebrations in 2001 at Bridgewater temple in New Jersey marked yet another milestone

for SRI in terms of expanding the sathsangam. The celebration was organized in association with Jeeyar

Educational Trust (JET) of HH Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar and Sri Ahobila Muth. Many

Srivaishnava organizations like NAMA, VEDICS, Sri Vedantha Desika Sabha and Sri Desika Darsana Sabha

participated in the celebrations. The social and cultural programs included a scintillating upanyasam by U. Ve.

Sri Velukkudi Krishnan swami on Ramanuja Vaibhavam. The final set of Desika Sthothramala CDs (volumes 4-

6) was released during the celebrations.

2001 also marked another expansion of Sri Ramanuja sancharam to Cincinnati, Ohio (in May) through

coordination from Smt Radha and Sri Poondi Ramanujam and family (Sri Sriram, Smt Preethi, Sri Balaji and Smt

Rohini). Since then, Udayavar has been on sancharam to this city year after year over 15 years. This is one of the

states that Sri Ramanujar has most frequently visited in recent years. In the same year, SRI’s coordination and

sancharam activities expanded to Hindu Cultural Society in Buffalo, New York.

In July 2002, for the first time, Sri Ramanujar and Padukas took their longest sancharam to the Midwest in Iowa

City, Iowa. Sri Aravamudhan, Sri Ganesh Rajagopalan and Sri Mukund Nadipuram coordinated the sancharam

and Sri Kesavan Kannan participated in the whole trip. Incidentally, the Bhoomi Pooja of the IOWA Hindu

temple was blessed by and performed in the holy presence of Sri Ramanujar [Photos 7-8].

2004 marks the arrival of Sri Rukmini Sathyabhama Sametha Sri Venugopala Perumal in a beautiful silver dolai

that was specially designed by HH for ease of transportation, assembly, and operations within the U.S. It was a

blissful coincidence for SRI that Perumal chose to arrive here in the U.S. on July 21, 2004, the day of Andal

Thirunakshathram (thiruvadipuram). We were enthralled to imagine how Sri Ramanujar (Thiruppavai Jeeyar and

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elder brother of Andal) would have cherished the coincidence of Perumal’s arrival on Andal’s thirunakshatra day!

SRI held a 10-day Veda and Prabandha parayanam and performed a grand Prana Prathishtapana on September

11, 2004 in New Jersey in the holy presence of Sri Ramanujar. 108 Kalyana Utsavams were performed on this

day and attendance was overwhelming as hall capacity was exceeded and bhagavathas stood in line to enter and

have darshan of Perumal and Udayavar [Photos 9-11].

It was Perumal and Udayavar’s presence that gave us the courage and strength to start a traditional 21-day

adyayana utsavam in Virginia that was tailored for practice in the U.S. during weekends (3 to 5 pm) and weekdays

(7:30 to 9 pm). This adyayana utsavam format was initially developed by Kannan mama in 1997 (to include Sri

Desika Prabandha Parayana Kramam) and implemented in 2004 with help, guidance, and participation from the

Ramanujam family, Sri Srinivasa Gopalan (Upilli) and Sri A.M.R. Kannan. Since 2004, the adyayana utsavam

is part of SRI’s routine annual activity with overwhelming bhagavathas participation both in person and via tele-

bridge.

2006-2010

As HH was constantly thinking about an ashramam outside India, he gifted an archa moorthy of Dwadasa Nama

Chakrathalwar and Nrusimhar to SRI. HH blessed SRI that Chakrathalwar would speed up the Ashramam

establishment activities. Sri Madhu Rangarajan was fortunate in bringing this archa moorthy from Chennai to the

U.S. Following a grand 10-day Veda and Prabandha parayana in Virginia, the Prana Prathishtapana was

completed in New Jersey on September 4, 2006 [Photos 12-13].

In May 2006, HH Thirukudandai Andavan's Upanyasam Golden Collection CDs were released by U. Ve. Sri H.

R. Krishnaswamy Iyengar, Bangalore (son-in-law of Dr. N.S. Anantharangachar).

In May 2007, SRI added Detroit to its annual sancharam list when Detroit, Michigan bhagavathas requested

sancharam during Memorial Day weekends through Sri Raman Ranganathan’s efforts and coordination. In

addition to Dolai, special Kalyana Utsavam at bhagavathas’ residences were introduced for Sri Venugopala

Perumal.

In September of 2007, Atlanta, Georgia joined SRI’s annual sancharam list due to the efforts and coordination of

Sri Padmanabhan Raman during Labor Day weekends. Atlanta bhagavathas have made this a special “Krishna

Utsav” (since 2009) with a variety of annual themes, including Kalyana Utsavam, Garuda Vahanam, Deepa

Alankaram, Kannadi Sevai, and Kalpa Vruksham.

Following HH instructions and blessings to start an Ashramam in the U.S., SRI started an ctive fundraising

campaign through bhoomi dhanam and began looking for suitable land in New Jersey [HH Sri Mukham 2].

During 2008-2010, SRI focused its efforts on finding property in South Brunswick, New Jersey.

2011-2016

By the end of 2010, SRI’s sancharam and outreach activities expanded to many other places including North

Carolina (Theppothsavam through Sri Thiruvenkatachari Rajagopalan and Sri Melpaakkam Srinivasan),

Indianapolis (Sri Vijay Pattangi), Texas (Sri Veeraraghavan), Philadelphia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York

(Sri Srini Rajagopalan), Akron, Ohio (Sri A.S. Rajagopalan), and Vermont (Sri Jagannathan), Arkansas (Sri

Rajesh Veliyanallore), Oklahoma (Sri Sundar), St. Louis, Tennessee (Sri Jagan Yamuna), Minnesota (Sri

Lakshmikumar Vadula) and Kansas (Sri Aravind Sairam).

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During his tenure as President of SRI, Sri Raman Ranganathan signed the contract for the purchase of the current

6-acre property for SRI NJ Ashramam on August 16, 2012.

On March 18, 2013, the purchase was completed. HH was presented with a copy of the sale deed in May 2014

(Vaikasi, Thiruvadirai) month and the beginning of the Sathabhisheka Thirunakshathram (80th birthday)

celebration of HH Sri Mushnam Andavan. This coincidence brought so much joy to all the sishyas and

abhimanies that it was decided that SRI should celebrate HH Sathabhisheka Mahotsavam in a grand manner

across the U.S. Since Udayavar and HH Thirunakshathrams are just one month apart with the same birth star

(Chithirai/Vaikasi Thiruvadirai), a great garland yatra was planned and coordinated by Sri Aravind Sairam to take

Udayavar and HH Srimushnam Andavan Padukai across the U.S. in the following year. It is a great joy for us to

note that this Udayavar sancharam would become a prelude to the Millennial Thirunakshathram celebrations

planned for 2017!

On April 14, 2013 gruhapravesam was celebrated for the balalayam in a grand manner. SRI was fortunate to get

the voluntary services of Sri Vijay Krishna as a priest. He is the grandson of our Ashramam Aradhakar Sri

Krishnamurthy mama who performs the daily nithyapadi at the Chennai Ashramam. Vijay works fulltime in the

IT sector and his knowledge, love and devotion (not to mention his beautiful alankarams for Sri Venugopalan) is

a gift to SRI from our beloved Acharyan. Again, none of us had met him until he walked in to the SRI NJ

Ashramam!

On June 4, 2013, SRI received all archa moorthies for the balalayam - Sri Srinivasar, Sri Devi, Sri Bhoo Devi,

Sri Padmavathy Thayar, Sri Andal and Sri Sathyanarayana Sanchara Perumal. Sathyanarayana Perumal Prana

Prathishtai was done in 2013.

On May 2014, with HH anugraham, the previously-planned great garland tour started from NJ Ashramam and

continued for one full year before returning to New Jersey in time for the balalayam. With this tour, perumal

sancharam covered the entire U.S. and extended to many places not covered earlier - Denver (through Sri Chatari

Ramesh), Phoenix (Smt Vasumathi and Narayanan Ramabadhran), Idaho and Utah (Sri Arun), Las Vegas (Sri

Srinivasan), Oregon and Washington (Sri Krishnakumar Parthasarathy), and California (Sri Balaji Kannan and

Sri Srinivasan Rajagopalan).

In October 2014, Bhoomi Pooja for the balalayam was performed and in May 2015 Sri Balaji moolavar from the

hills of Thirupathi arrived in New Jersey. SRI NJ Ashramam balalayam was open to the public on March 5, 2016

by completing Phase 1 of the construction. The grand inauguration and Prana Prathishtapana Mahothsavam is

scheduled to take place on May 27, 2016. A list of each of the primordial deities of SRI is included in Table 1.

None of the above would have been possible without the devotion and effort of all of our bhagavathas across each

of these states, as well as the SRI officers who showed unwavering commitment to fulfilling HH’s vision. A list

of all SRI officers over the years is included in Table 2.

Other Activities

SRI has established a tradition of honoring bhagavathas for their contributions in sustaining Sri Ramanuja

Philosophy outside India. One category honored lifetime achievements (Kaimkarya Rathnam) and the other

category honored significant contributions (Kaimkarya Thilakam). A citation plaque with blessings from HH

were presented to the following individuals:

Kaimkarya Rathnam Awards:

2005 Sri Anbil Ramaswamy

2006 Sri Oppiliappan Koil Varadhachari Sadagopan

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2007 Sri Venkat Kanumalla

Kaimkarya Thilakam Awards:

2000 Sri Shyamsundar Sreenivasan, Sri Venkatanathan Sreenivasan

2001 Sri Narayanan Veeraraghavan, Sri Srikanth Raghavan, SVT Solutions, NJ, Swagath, NJ

2002 Sri Sunder Kidambi, Smt. & Sri Deepak Raghavan

2005 Sri Venkat Ramanuja Dasan, Dubai

2006 Sri Srinivasa Gopalan (Uppili)

2007 Sri Madhava Kannan, Singapore, Sri Muralidhar Rangaswamy

SRI also closely coordinates with Chennai Ashramam in facilitating the submission of Acharya Sambhavana,

support for Veda Pada Sala, Science and Arts College and overseas subscriptions for Sri Ranganatha Paduka

through the help and support from Sri Natteri Rajagopalan, Eyetex Sri R. Rajagopalan, Sri Vasudevachari, and

Sri Srinivasan Rangaswamy.

In 2010, HH clarified that women with reverential interest can also perform daily Thiruvaradhanam (Sri

Ranganatha Paduka November issue). Accordingly, Smt. Kalyani Krishnamachari coordinated with Chennai

Ashramam in the publication of women Lagu Thiruvaradhana Kramam (Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashramam

2014).

Looking to the Future

As I was trying to summarize SRI’s activities over the years, it was overwhelming to realize that HH had the thiru

ullam to bless us with a complete set of 11 padukas as early as 1994, four years ahead of the actual incorporation

of SRI in 1998! Sri Ramanujar, Padukas, Sri Venugopalan, and Sri Chakrathalwar have travelled throughout the

U.S. gracing the homes of thousands of devout bhagavathas of Sri Ramanuja. None of us could envision such

outreach in the U.S. in the 1990s and it is now a reality! And though Vaikuntavasi Sri Kannan mama was skeptical

when he included an objective in the SRI charter to build a temple, his dreams have now come true by the grace

of the HH. As SRI is taking its first step in establishing the balalayam, Sri Ramanujar is starting another great

garland yatra across the U.S. to commemorate his Millennial Thirunakshathram celebrations! HH in his Sri

Mukham has indicated that it is a primary responsibility of SRI to facilitate this garland yatra for our beloved

Udayavar [HH Sri Mukham 3].

We have enjoyed overwhelming participation and growth over these years and will continue to cherish the bliss

of HH, Padukas, Udayavar, and Perumal. The next generation in the U.S. will have an authentic place of worship

in New Jersey that truly reflects the deep Vedic roots established by purvacharyas and munithraya sampradhaya

pravarthakars (Sriman Natha Muni, Sri Yamuna Muni and Sri Ramanuja Muni) reestablished by Sri Srinivasa

Mahadesikan (Periandavan) of Srirangam Srimad Andavan Ashramam. As a branch of Andavan Ashramam, SRI

will continue to sustain these traditions with full reverence, devotion and sincerity.

Srimathe Ranga Ramanuja Mahadesikaya Namaha

Poliga! Poliga! Poliga!

Sarvam Sri Krishnarpanamasthu!!

Sri Ranga Ramanuja Muni Adipodi

Nadadur Mathavan

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Table 1: The Primordial Deities of SRI Table 2: List of SRI Officers

Year Archa

Moorthies/Padukas

Remarks

1994 Purvacharya

Padukas (11)

1999 to present – SRI Paduka

Thiruvaradhanam and Sancharam

1999 Sri Ramanujar June 1999 – Archa moorthy from

Velamur Temple where HH in

his purvashrama days performed

aradhanams to this deity, aka

Than Nigar Illa Thirumeni

May 2000 – Prana Prathishtai

2004 Sri Rukmini

Sathya Bhama

Sametha Sri

Venugopalan with

dolai

July 21, 2004 – Arrival in the

U.S. on Thiruvadi Pooram

Sept. 11, 2004 – Prana

Prathishtapana Mahostsavam of

Rukmini Sathyabhama Sametha

Sri Venugopala Perumal with

108 Kalyana Utsavams

2006 Dwadasa Nama

Sudharshana

Chakrathalwar and

Sri Yoga

Nrusimhar

Sept. 4, 2006 – Prana

Prathishtapana of Sri Dwadasa

Nama Chakrathalwar and Yoga

Nrusimhar in New Jersey, 10 day

pre-Utsavam in Virginia

2013 Utsava moorthies

for the Balalayam:

Sri Srinivasar, Sri

Devi, Bhoo Devi,

Padmavathy

Thayar and Andal.

June 4, 2013 – Arrival of all

archa moorthies for the

balalayam

May 27, 2016 – Prana Prathishtai

with balalayam inauguration

2014 Sri Sathyanarayana

Perumal

May 2014 – Prana Prathishtai

2016 Nammalwar,

Kaliyan and

Swami Sri

Nigamantha

Desikan

May 27, 2016 – Prana Prathishtai

with balalayam inauguration

Anantha Krishna

Aravind Sairam

Arun Kumar Sridharan

Badri Ramaswamy

Balaji Ramanujam

Jagannathan

Jaghan Yamuna

Kesavan Kannan

Kesavan Kidambi

Kesavan Krishnamachari

K.P. Sridharan

Krishnakumar Parthasarathy

Mukund Nadipuram

Murali Kidambi

Murali Thirumalai

Nadadur Mathavan

R Padmanabhan

R. Ranganathan

Raghu Chakravarthy

Ram Ramesh

Raman Aravamudhan

Sesha Iyengar

Shyam Sreenivasan

Srinivasan Rajagopalan

Sriram Ramanujam

Sumanth Kaushik

Sunder Kidambi

Sunder Kodiyalam

Venkat Sreenivasan

Vijayaraghavan Poondi

Nagu Satyan (honorary)

M.G. Prasad (honorary)

V. Sadagopan (honorary)

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Photos 1-3

Photo 4-5

Photo 6

Photos 7-8

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Photos 9-11

Photos 12-13

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HH Sri Mukham 1

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HH Sri Mukham 2

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HH Sri Mukham 3