Those who had the darshan of Baba Neem Karoli, the wandering yogi,
never knew that he would create a heaven for them at Shri
Vrindavandham, a sacred pilgrimage center. He had already prepared a
back- ground for it when Shri Ma had the first darshan of him in 1944.
Asking her to come near him 'he then told her "I will build a hut for
you in Vrindavan" Shri Ma did not grasp the meaning then, nor did she
pay any attention to it. The truth of the Master's utterance had to
come out. In due course of time, not only the huts for Shri Ma and
Maharaj, but Baba Neeb Karoli ashram and Hanuman temple and that of
'Vrindeshwari' (the goddess of Vrindavan) were built in a vast area of
land. A commemorative temple has also been built over the mortal
remains of Babaji Maharaj.
Babaji transformed the uneven land, full of thorny leafless shrubs and
gokharu (a thorny medicinal plant) located on the 'parikrama marg'
(circular road to go round Vrindavan), into good, even land by putting
his sacred feet.
He very often went there and sat on the platform of Hathiwale Baba's
hut and ruminated over his plan. Leaving behind his attendants in
different hospices in Vrindavan town, he occupied himself converting
that rough and rugged land on 'parikrama marg' into an ashram. When
Shri Ma saw that piece of land she asked, 'where have you taken this
piece of land? And who will come to this lonely, rough and rugged place
to have darshan?" Maharajji replied, "you will see, it will be
inhabited and will develop into a township one day." How his words
proved to be true, it may be ascertained by visiting the place now. A
small town has developed at the place where people were scared to go
after the twilight, as they were not sure of safety of their life and
belongings. Many temples, Ashrams and big buildings have been built and
are being built. A metal road has replaced once a dusty and gravelly
path especially, when this area lies outside the limit of the Vrindavan
Municipality. All of this has taken place within the span of twenty
years. Now the ashram is in the middle of the town.
First a hut was built for Maharaji. The other buildings were raised by
and by. A small Hanuman Murti was installed first. A grand, Hanuman
temple was later on built by Shri Jaipuria. When a grand Murti of
Hanumanji to be installed in this temple was brought, the devotees
found that the Murti had a crack and it was decided not to instal it.
Babaji was in Kanpur then. When the 'Trikal Darshi' Baba saw this
situation through his divine vision, he travelled all through night to
Vrindavan. In the morning, he sent for each and everyone and asked
where the crack in the murti was. Everyone observed and found that
there was no crack in the murti. Babaji had earlier made it flawless by
throwing a glance at it. The murti was then installed. This pretty
Hanuman Murti is a unique gift of Babaji to Vrindavan. Sitting by it,
the devotees of Hanuman go into a trance in no time. Thousands of
people have darshan of this unique Murti during a year and Hanumanji
fulfils the innermost desires of all. Thousands of people partake
prasad on the occasion of 'Hanuman Jayanti' that falls on 'Poormima'
(full moon night) in the month of 'Chaitra' (the first month according
to Hindu calendar).
Babaji came here from time to time and on such occasions, a large
number of devotees gathered there and witnessed Maharajji's wonderful
lila such as, making illiterate Bhagwan Singh recite Gita, to entertain
a large gathering to have prasad with insufficient food on the occasion
of bhandaras, to bless people with a son, to cure a disease and many
others, the details of which are given in this book and the other books
(Alokik Yathartha, Miracle Of Love, Smriti Sudha and others). Maharajji
paid more attention to the expansion of the ashram and its management
during the last ten years of his life. Today the devotees have expanded
it further and made it more charming than ever. The word once given to
Shri Ma in 1944 has proved true in such a big way today.
Babaji did not take samadhi (end his life) at his village Akbarpur, or
among the members of his family at Agra, or in Kainchi ashram or
Vrindavan ashrarn. However, by is will power he selected the courtyard
of Vrindavan ashram for the cremation of his mortal remains. Leaving
Kainchi on 9 September, he arrived at Agra on 10th September and on the
pretext of going back to Kainchi, he left his body in Ramakrishna
Mission hospital at Vrindavan the same night. On the advice of
Pagal-Baba, his physical body was cremated on the altar (havankunda)
there in the courtyard.
Babaji had mentally selected this spot in 'Chaitra-Navratra' in April
1973. Babaji asked his devotee Vishambhar to perform Navdurga yajna on
that place for the first time that year. After the conclusion of the
yajna, he said, " this place is now sanctified, encircle it". A
platforrn was raised at that place on I I th September, on which Baba's
physical body was cremated. Thereafter, his devotees built a
commemorative temple of Maharaj.
It took many years to build it. It was completed only when it was
constructed according to his liking. At first a platform was raised.
Various architectural designs were tried and demolished. Finally, it
took the shape as is seen today. Sometimes this temple gives an inkling
of a Pagoda or Church or Gurudwara or temple etc., the symbols of the
feelings of the followers of all religions.
Maharaj's vigrah was installed in this temple on 'Basant Panchami' in
1981. A bhandara is arranged on 'Ananta Chaturdashi' (his anniversary
day) every year and thousands of devotees, public, students and sadhus
come and have prasad. The celebration continues for three days;
Vishnu-Yag , nonstop recitation of Ramayana, chanting of devotional
songs and discourses (religious) are organized for three days as
closing function.
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