Radheshwari: Swami Parvatikarji Maharaj

Thursday, August 02, 2012

Swami Parvatikar - ANCIENT INDIAN STRINGS

GREAT BEENKARS-Swami Parvatikar-raag pilu pahadi.

Badrinath ~ Dattatreya Rama Rao Parvatikarji Maharaj

Swami Parvatikarji Maharaj in Badrinath

Vina Maharajji

Vina Maharajji Badrinath Dham

                      Swami Parvatikarji Maharaj and Baba Sripadji Sri Badrinathji c. 1975

Swami Dattatreya Rama Rao Parvatikarji (1916-1990), is seen here
playing his 'Brahma Veena', as he called it, at the Badrinath Temple.
    He said it was the only one left in existence and that he had to help in the
making of it himself, getting several strings added to the lower side (like a
harp). It had a truly mystical sound. Swamiji would be here during the entire
season that the presiding deity resided in Badri Nath Dham. Because of an
introduction letter from Babaji, I was able to stay as a guest with a family
of Swamiji's dear desciples, who succeeded in persuading me to stay on
one month instead of three days! He would daily sit in the temple compound
and would teach me the swaras, and when others would come we would all
sing kirtana lead by him. "Sriman Narayan, Narayan". Interesting was his
morning practice of first having bath in Tapt Kund, a natural hot mineral
spring, and then immediately having an ice cold bath in the grace-filled
river of Alakananda. And after this he would do yogasanas in the sunshine
beside the river, ending them with Shishasana, headstand, and that alone for at
least 15 mins.

   Although Swamiji spent all his Spring and Summer days in Sri Badrinath
Dham, we were surprised to see that his own 'Ishtadev', form of worship
was Sri Narsinghji Bhagavan! That amazing image could be held in one
hand, and he was seated on a throne with the child Prahladji on one knee
and Sri Laxmi Devi on the other.
   Whenever I set with Swamiji in inside the temple area we would sing
and he would tell us amazing stories of the grace of Sri Badri Narayana,
and His devotees. Only once did I see him in Sri Vrindavan, when there
was the special music festival there in Niddhi Van of Swami Hari Dasji
Samaro.
         Several times He has been on TV, the 'Door Darshan featured
him playing his unique 'Brahma Veena' and singing beautiful bhajans.
          He is one of the very beautiful saints of India whose grace and
blessings I will always treasure.