Karunakar Supkar-Sadharana Purusha: 2013

Sunday, 1 December 2013

Dr Kasinath Singh : He came from Uttarpradesh, stayed at Samblpur till expiry. Contributed entire property to Sambaplur public

Dr Kashinath Singh

( This article is based on the book written by Eminent historian Shankar Prasad Padhi ‘Danabira Dr Kasinath Singh’)

The political agent Captain Hignis was unable to suppress the revolution against the East India Company , raised by Vir Surendra Sai . On request , Captain Wikins came with the soldiers from Hazaribag. Along with the soldiers came Dr Kashinath Singh to Sambalpur . Dr Kasinath Singh treated the members of royal family , when Narayan Singh was the king of Sambalpur . He treated royal princes Ashakumari Devi, when she became serious . The King was pleased with Dr Kasinath Singh, and gifted him with a lot of land.

In 1853, Col. Emerson joined as District Magistrate. During his incumbency, there occurred rampant cholera in Sambalpur town and its adjacent places . The clerks and other office staff absented themselves, due to cholera . The District Magistrate himself was bed ridden due to cholera, and could not attend the office. As such, all offices were closed in 1853.

The District Magistrate Col. Emerson proposed a dispensary and a guest house (dharmasala) at Sambalpur . Prior to it, the public were used to the aurvedic medicine . It was approved by higher authorities with the condition that when public of Sambalpur contribute Rs 2000, then the administration would contribute Rs 100. On 1854 August 7^th, the then Commissioner W.J.Elen wrote to the then Dewan of Sambalpur Rai Rup Singh Babu to raise funds for the dispensary and dharmashala. Due to sincere efforts of Rup Singh Babu , first dispensary and one dharmasala were established at Sambalpur. In reply to proposal sent by vide letter dated January 30^th 1855, the Commissioner sanctioned for the same , vide letter dated February 21^st 1855 ,along with the details of payment to the native doctor and other staff.

Dr Kashinath Singh served the public of Sambalpur , when cholera broke out in Sambalpur, in 1853. He got commendation for his service from the Commissioner ,vide letter dated August 14^th 1854 . Dr Kashinath Singh was appointed as the doctor of the first dispensary of Sambalpur .

Dr Kasinath Singh hailed from the village Baisotyara in Kanpur district , Uttarpradesh. Medical profession dragged him to Sambalpur . He was the son of Gurudayal Singh. He earned a lot of properties at Sambalpur . He remained a bachelor. He had none to succeed him. Before his expiry. Through a deed, he dedicated all his properties to the public of Sambalpur. The deed was signed on 23^rdDecember 1874 in presence of witnesses Padmalochan Sahani, Maharagu Mahapatra, Govinda Mishra, Chandra Mishra , and Jagannath Panda.

Kashinath Trust presently functions at Sambalpur, with Sri Madhab Chandra Panda,Advocate as the President and Sri Panigrahi, Advocate as Secretary of the trust. Dr Kasinath Singh contributed about 250 Acres of land mostly located at villages Jander , Chichinda , near Bargarh , and some in another village near Sason . Kasinath High School is being managed by the Kasinath Trust . Timni Gudi (temple) and some market complex (constructed recently near Sambalpur Municipality Office) are also being managed by the Trust . One Kalyan Mandap also has been constructed by Government of Odisha over the land of Kasinath Trust a decade back, near Jail Chowk and lot of vacant land still available nearby . It is proposed to install a statue of Kasinath Singh in a suitable place to show respect to a great soul like him.

Tuesday, 11 June 2013

Swami Gyanananda Sarwasati ( Gudia Baba ) 1876-1952

( Birabara Dash , a poet, wrote the Biography of Swami Gyanananda Saraswati by collecting true facts about swamiji from persons who had come in contact with swamiji . He has referred to Dr Janardan Pujari’s “Kailash Pathe “(Odiya) and visited many places while writing the book. A brief sketch of life history of Swamiji has been reproduced here from the aforesaid book ‘ Swami Gyanananda Saraswati ( Gudia Baba )’(Odiya). Forward for the said book has been written by Dr Nabin Kumar Sahu , Ex Vice Chancellor, Sambalpur University ).

Swami Gyanananda Sarswati 1876-1952
by artiste Tulsi Gadtiya

Gobardhan was born on 1876 Kartik , sukla , pratipada ( Girigobardhan Puja day ) at Bargarh town . Gobardhan belonged to a poor family of madhubashya caste . He was the third son of Dinamani Sahu and Jaikadhi . The swami passed away on Baisakh sukla dashami in 1952 at Atmaram ashram , Raigarh . Swami Atmaram (who had become a sanyasi ) was third brother of Swami Gyanananda Saraswati.
Swamiji was physically very strong . His height was 7 feet 2 “, fair complexioned and well built . He had a unique feature. He had to undergo child marriage at the age of 11/12 years, and his wife was of 9/10 years old of village Turum . Unfortunately, she died before coming to father-in-law’s house . After her expiry, swamiji never got married , remained a bachelor till expiry .
Swamiji achieved ‘astanga joga’ and ‘astadasha siddhi ‘ from his master Swami Basudevananda . Due to delay in achieving siddhi, his master advised Gudia Baba to undergo punishment for the sin done in the past. To learn and achieve ‘astadasha siddhi’ , Gudia Baba purified his body by undergoing self punishment for the sin ,earlier at a young age . Therefore , to purify himself, he had to undergo a jail term for 21 days   at Sambalpur Central Jail . Gudia Baba came back to Bargarh from Haridwar , requested the Deputy Commissioner , Sambalpur and the then visiting Commisioner Mr Woodburn to punish him for theft done from Mohan ‘s shop. Mohan was very rich person at that time, residing at Barpali. Under compulsion , the D.C. had to issue order for 21 days imprisionment to Gudia Baba. After the jail term, he again visited Haridwar and achieved astadash siddhi. Gobardhan ( Gudia Baba ) was then transformed to Swami Gyanananda Saraswati.
Swami Gyanananda took the responsibility of Baghambari Ashram at Allahbad (UttarPradesh) . He became Mahanta of the famous Matha at Allahabad , after Swami Basudebananda Saraswati Rothaji handed over the charges of Matha . Pandit Motilal Nehru , Madan Mohan Malabya were visiting the Ashram on saturday evenings and meeting swamiji during discourse on religious matter . After seven years , swamiji did not like to continue there after his master ( Guru ) expired . He handed over the Math to one of his trained disciple, who at a later date became Mahanta , on recommendation of Gudia Baba.
After he left Baghambari Math, swamiji went to Kapurtala of Hosiarpur district in Punjab. Mahant Dibyananda of Kapurtala Math was intimately known to swamiji. Dibyananda wanted to leave his body within a week , and requested Gyanananda to take over Kapurtala Ashram. Under compulsion , Gyanananda became Mathadhish of Kapurtala Math, which had great wealth. Swamiji stayed for 7 years at Kapurtala as Mathadhish. But wealth of the Math could not attract him. He left Kapurtala Math and started moving aimlessly. Then he visited Afganisthan, Iran, Turkey,Tibbet etc., and preached on Sanatan Dharma. Then swamiji came to village Kamgan near Bargarh and established “ Basudevananda Bedanta Sanskrit Pathasala” , a Sanskrit school , with hostel fascility, where about 40 /50 students read . Prahalad Pradhan was a student of this school. Prahalad Pradhan at a later date, established the Sanskrit University in Puri , Odisha. Swamiji stayed at village Kamgan from 1920 to 1930.
Swamiji stayed with Sushil Kumar Sarkar, Gouranga Charan Behera , Durgaprasad Mishra, Omkarmal Poddar and many others at Sambalpur . He stayed at Sambalpur from 1930 to 1946. He came in contact with Chandra Sekhar Behera , Dr Ramachandra Mishra, Mahendranath Varma, Durgaprasad Mishra, Gokul Chandra Babu , Shyamsundar Behera, Benudhar Pujari , Labanidhar Sunari , Sitaram Tripathy , and many others during his stay at Sambalpur. Dr Janardan Pujari , Chandrasekhar Behera had great respect for Gudia Baba .During his stay at Sambalpur swamiji established a satsang ashram on the bank of river Mahanadi , with the help from above mentioned people, specially Chandrasekhar Behera and Dr Ramchandra Mishra. Now it is known as Gita Gudi . In 1936, Dr Pujari accompanied swamiji to Kailash and Manasarobar. Swamiji had earlier visited those places .In 1946 , swamiji went to Raigarh, stayed there in Atmaram Ashram with his middle brother Swami Atmaram till his expiry(1952).
Three Odiya and four Hindi books written by Swamiji were published . Those books are not available now . He was regular writer of articles in ‘Kalyan’ (Hindi) magazine .
After Swamiji left for Raigarh Atmaram Ashram , Dr Janardan Pujari once requested him in 1947 to visit Sambalpur again, but swamiji declined and did not come to Sambalpur . So also , in 1948 , Brajmohan Panda had gone to Raigarh and requested swamiji to visit Sambalpur , but swamiji declined to come to Sambalpur.
Swami Gyanananda passed away on Baishakh sukla dashami in 1952 at Atmaram Ashram , Raigarh.