RamTekri Tapovan, RamTekri, Guna, M.P.

There are many temples of Lord Hanuman in India. One such scenic place of pilgrimage is Shree Ramtekri, Tapovan in Madhya Pradesh.

As such the area of Chambal in Madhya Pradesh is infamous in history for dacoits and crimes. But something good always comes out of every adverse situation. It fills one's heart with hope, peace and contentment. Something similar must have happened in this place too. The area in the vicinity of national highway no. 03, i.e. near A.B. road in Madhya Pradesh's Guna district's Kumbhraj and Binaganj nagar, is largely a tribal area. Shree Ramtekri, the abode of Shree Mansaapuran Hanumanji Maharaj is located in the picturesque village of Dedla. It is 03 km walk towards west after reaching Ramdi Chowk bus stand bypassing Binaganj (county Chanchowda). Today this Tapovan has become a symbol of faith and devotion, and an attractive place of pilgrimage.

Nearly five decades ago this place was a dry and deserted area. In 1971 revered Shree Abhiramdasji Tyagi arrived at Dedla while travelling to different places. Villagers went for Swamiji's darshan. After sometime when Swamiji proceeded to leave, the villagers urged Swamiji to continue dwelling in the village. Swamiji replied that once a sage takes off his aasan from one place he doesn't re-place it. At this a villager appealed to Swamiji to dwell on the hillock on the opposite side. Thus Swamiji agreed to make this place his abode which was named as Shree Ramtekri. There was an idol of an unknown deity on this hillock. It is still there. But there is no information available about how and when it came to be there. There is something written at the foot of the idol in some ancient language. It could be a subject of research for philosophers.

In those days there was no greenery around Shree Ramtekri. It was a deserted place. The villages near Shree Ramtekri were mainly dominated by illiterate tribal people. There was complete lack of education here. Even their farms and fields did not have modern tools of irrigation. Farming was dependent on Nature. The standard of living of these villagers was also very low due to all this.

But revered Swamiji experienced very pure and holy vibrations at Shree Ramtekri. Swamiji felt great compassion for the simple natives living in miserable conditions. So Swamiji decided to stay on for some months in the same place for the material as well as spiritual growth of the people here. Since then Swamiji has been visiting this place and dwelling here for some months every year. Slowly people from nearby villages also started visiting Shree Ramtekri for Swamiji's darshan. They acquired new energy while having regular spiritual discourse with Swamiji. As a result many of them gave up alcohol and non-vegetarian food also.

In 1972 Swamiji performed Shreeram Mahayagya for the first time at Shree Ramtekri. There was no electricity supply, so an electricity generator was used for the supply of power. During the yagya a naughty tribal boy played a mischief and broke a tube light. A lot of them were unaware of the importance of yagya then. Once during a spiritual discourse, Swamiji said that if someone helps in godly work, he is blessed with manifold virtues, and if someone impedes such work he has to bear the fruits of this sin. The boy who had broken the tube light, his father heard this and got frightened. He resolved to put up an idol of Lord Hanuman at Shree Ramtekri as an act of repentance and asked for Swamiji's forgiveness.

In 1974 when Swamiji visited Haridwar during Mahakumbh (religious fair), on the day of poornima (full moon day) the boy's father got the idol of Lord Hanuman placed at Shree Ramtekri following the ritual of pranpratishtha (ceremony believed to infuse life into the idol).

After attending Haridwar kumbh Swamiji proceeded for Shree Kedranath. Later when the portal of Shree Kedarnath closed in the month of November, Swamiji returned to Shree Ramtekri. At that time a small temple of Lord Hanuman was built here. It is called chhatari in local dialect.

In 1975, for the second time Shreeram yagya was organised here. By now pranpratishthit (believed to have life) Hanumanji who fulfilled everyone's wishes was seated there. Even signs of the fruits of two mahayagya became visible in the stretch. Vibrations of the loud chanting of mantra during the yagya spread far and wide in the region. The sacred smoke emanating from the yagyafire because of offerings of various herbs and cow ghee purifies the atmosphere of the whole region.

After the second yagya a small pond was constructed near the river under Swamiji's guidance. This helped many farms and fields to avail the facility of irrigation through small canals. A vast stretch of barren land around Shree Ramtekri started developing farming. Financial conditions of the farmers started improving.

Shree Ramtekri which was a small hillock became a holy place of pilgrimage. The initial tree plantation grew into huge green trees transforming the whole region into a vast green zone. Shree Ramtekri became famous as Shree Ramtekri Tapovan, a place of pilgrimage. People from far-off areas started coming for Swamiji's darshan. Whenever someone came with some problem, Swamiji blessed him and asked him to perform parikramma of Shree Ramtekri. With Swamiji's blessings many people were cured of various diseases and the wishes of many devotees were also fulfilled.

Thereafter, four times Shreeram mahayagya was performed here. Swamiji's blessings completely transformed the entire landscape. Today, the farmers of Shree Ramtekri are the most prosperous in the whole of Guna district. The produce of coriander seeds of this region is of the best quality in India. All the farmers now own modern tools of farming and irrigation.

In 1999, with Swamiji's inspiration, a grand impressive temple of Lord Hanuman was built at Shree Ramtekri. Then the seventh mahayagya was performed between 04th April and 08th April 2001 on the occasion of mounting Lord Hanuman's idol in the new temple performing the ceremony of pranpratishtha.

Shree Ramanand Sant Ashram is built 10-12 km from this place on National Highway no. 03 bypassing Binaganj. Shree Swami Munishwardasji Maharaj offers traditional services to saints and also works towards spread of devotion towards Shreeram. There is a temple of Lord Hanuman here also.

Shree Swami Ramanand Cow Service Centre is started in Khatakiya near Shree Ramtekri temple which was inaugurated by Shree Swamiji on 09th April 2001. The sole aim of this cow service centre is to protect and serve those old cows which are either abandoned by their owners or bought at a cheap rate and sent to slaughter houses.

Nestling amid hillocks and panoramic beauty of nature, Shree Ramtekri Tapovan instinctively grants peace to one's mind. It gives a feeling of entering a divine place. That is why, citing the importance of devotion towards Shreeram and spiritual discourse, Shree Goswami Tulsidas says:

Blissful is the society of saints,
Considered a place of pilgrimage,
Where devotion to Shreeram prevails,
Promulgates the absolute knowledge.