“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold” – William Butler Yeats, the Irish poet wrote more than a century ago, in the aftermath of World War One. With wars on three fronts globally and a looming climate crisis, the words seem prescient of this day and age.
However, there is a luminescent centre, a mere blip on the global map, that remains a haven of peace and quietude, tucked away in the serene precincts of The Satsang Foundation, nestled among some of the oldest rock formations of the world, at Madanapalle, India.
Driving through ancient hills and undulating greenery, cutting across the bustling town of Madanapalle, the wayfarer turns into an archway that signals their arrival at The Satsang Foundation premises.
A gentle serenity radiates in the air as the green and ochre façade of Swaasthya Hospitals emerges beyond a tree-lined avenue on one side, while on the other, cheerful voices of young children drift from behind vibrant flower hedges bordering The Satsang Vidyalaya. The wellbeing of the mind and body are both of prime importance within this sacred space created by Sri M more than a quarter century ago.
A burst of flowers on a red Cassia tree stand sentinel to the entry of a charming new office building also equipped with a library of yoga texts. On the other side is an equally charming old office where visitors sign in and can ruminate through spiritual texts. Nestled behind a gated barricade on the same road is the simple and elegant “Snow White” – Sri M’s home. Though he is rarely in, the quiet radiance of his being permeates every nook and cranny of the hallowed precincts of the campus.
Walking straight ahead brings one to a wall with beautiful Warli paintings, opposite which fragrances tantalizing the taste buds waft in from the verandah lined kitchen fittingly named “Madhu Ki Rasoi” after Sri M’s given name by his Guru Maheshwarnath ji from the Nath Sampradaya. Annadanam of delicious though simply cooked vegetarian fare is offered to visitors and residents here every day.
A beautiful little cottage bedecked in purple cassia flowers and bright pink bougainvillea, with the heady scent of orange stemmed white parijat flowers strewn on the way, brings one to the meeting room where Sri M meets the teeming crowd of visitors who come to interact with him. Some wait inside the cottage, while others sit on the stone benches along the tree lined avenue or on the verandah of the Rangshala, the recording studio where Sri M’s videos are filmed.
A short left turn ahead leads one to the venerable Shivalaya, where the majestic Shivalinga is flanked by the Sri Yantra on one side and Lord Ganesha on the other. Neslted beneath the shade of mango trees and a red brick roof, the Shivalaya iexudes a quiet sanctity. Aarti is performed here in the morning and and it is a cherished space for silent prayer and reflection. On Shivaratri and Guru Purnima, Sri M personally consecrates the shrine before taking his place beneath the stately peepul tree nearby, where he holds satsangs on both occasions.
Behind the Shivalaya stands an exquisitely carved image of Jesus Christ with a benign and compassionate gaze, one hand on his heart and the other raised in blessing. Surrounded by flowering shrubs and the shade of trees, the serene grotto invites many to stop, bow their heads, and offer a silent prayer. Just beyond, a narrow path winds its way to the two guest houses that welcome visitors: Ashraya and Vasant Vihar.
Just beyond the peepul tree and two quaint resident cottages stands the red-brick Yogashala, its tranquil presence inviting. At its entrance, a serene Buddha sits in quiet contemplation amid blooming water lilies in a lively pond teeming with frogs, tadpoles, fish, and other aquatic life below—while dragonflies hover and dart above in a gentle buzz of movement.
The Yogashala is where Yoga Darshana is taught, under the divine presence of Patanjali Maharaj, depicted as part human, part serpent, and revered as the founding father of yoga. Flanked by intricately carved serpent forms, his image presides over the space with quiet strength. Students from around the world come here in pursuit of yoga—not just for physical well-being, but for a deeper union with the true essence of their being.
Stepping out of the Yogashala, in the morning or evening, one might catch the mellifluous notes of the flute or the sight of ten resident cows making their way towards the Gaushala. A small shrine of Lord Krishna in one corner and the serene pastoral atmosphere around the indigenously bred cows, provide a quiet space for rumination.
Facing the Gaushala is the glorious granite pillared façade of the temple, dedicated to Adinath Sri Guru Babaji, considered by many as the presiding deity of the current world cycle. He is seated inside a rough rock-hewn cave in a meditative pose, with a silver umbrella above him offering shade from the intense midday sun streaming through a skylight overhead.
A portrait of Sri Maheshwar Nath Babaji, Sri Guru Babaji’s chief disciple, is ensconced on one side while a Sri Yantra is placed before Babaji at the centre. Morning and evening aartis followed by the rhythmic playing of a damru, echoeing the sound of a beating heart, call the faithful to prayer.
In Sri M’s words, the temple, the largest in the world dedicated to Sri Guru Babaji, is open to all irrespective of caste, creed, religion or gender. “Babaji, who is in your heart, is the same whose Prana Pratishtha is done here today”, he said while consecrating the temple and directing the spiritual search towards the true essence hidden within each human heart.
Come and spend a few moments of bliss in these sacred spaces.
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