Banking on manuscripts

IT'S A bank with a difference. Neither does any cash dealing take place nor are cheques encashed! Instead, what it accepts are deposits of manuscripts with the name of Sri Rama written over and over again.

Yes, the Sri Rama Bank's vaults contain thousands of such manuscripts handed over by devotees from all over the world. "It was the desire of Sri Krishna Premi, who preaches "Nama Siddhantham" to start such an institution. (Sri Bodhendra Swamigal of the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Sankara Mutt evolved "Nama Siddhantham"). The bank was started in 1995 with the blessings of the Kanchi Acharya Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati, and Sri Krishna Premi is the guiding force behind the endeavour," says Ekambaram, the founder of the bank.

The objective of the bank, situated in West Mambalam, is to conduct the Sahasra Koti, publish and propagate age-old Granthas pertaining to "Nama Siddhantham", and perform unchavriddhis and anna danam.

"About 1,400 crores of such Rama Namas have been collected and consecrated at the International Seetharama Bank in Valmiki Bhavan at Ayodhya in 28 years."

The bank in Chennai has published a series of notebooks, specially for devotees.

Also held are "Rama Nama" camps where devotees get together to chant bhajans, and unchavriddhis and anna danams are conducted. The notebooks containing the "Rama Nama" are stored in a plastic bag with `vasambu' powder, which is used as a pesticide. "These can now be preserved for more than 60 years," says Ekambaram, who is assisted by a band of devotees who collect the notebooks. The bundles are kept in steel vaults.

Of 1,200 crore "Rama Nama's" received so far, 588 crores have been consecrated and installed at Govindapuram, Paranur, Shencottah, Puliyarai (all in Tamil Nadu), Pandarpur (Maharashtra) and Bhadrachalam (Andhra Pradesh).

Often Paada Yatras are undertaken. The sixth Paada Yatra is scheduled for November 27 and will cover Chitrakut, Prayag (Allahabad), Varanasi, Ayodhya and Brindavan. The procession will start from West Mambalam and culminate at Brindavan on April 17, 2002.

Sri Bhagwan Nama Publications is a subsidiary of Sri Rama Nama Bank, which conducts a "yagna" to motivate people to write Rama Nama. The publications wing has brought out nearly 50 titles. Among them are the Srimad Bhagavatam, Srimad Bhagavata Rahasyam, Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam, Samkshepa Ramayanam (all in Tamil).

Also available are several bhajan books, life history of saints like Tyagaraja, Sadasiva Brahmendra, Bodhendra, Sridhara Ayyaval, Sadguru Swamigal, Bhaktha Meera, Yagna Valkyar, Bhadrachala Ramadas and others. Small booklets containing slokas have also been brought out. Branches of the bank function at Villupuram, Kumbakonam, Tiruvaiyaru, Thanjavur and Tiruchi.

The bank is now known as the Sri Rama Nama Bank Charitable Trust (Phone 4893736).

N.V.R. SWAMY

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : Smooth sail to success