Rishi from the Himalayas Meditates in Bengaluru Tea Shop
S. Rajam
a. The footsteps of the hundreds of disciples of the disciples of Tirumular have been lost in the shifting sands of time, and we have neither names nor biographies for the many gurus (pictured above) who lived in the centuries between 200 bce and 1700 ce, when Rishi from the Himalayas appeared in Bengaluru (aka. Bangalore) b. Like Starbucks today, tea shops were gathering places back in the 1800s, the travelers place of respite and rejuvenation. Here a shopkeeper prepares hot tea, deftly pouring the boiling brew back and forth between two cups held a meter apart to cool it to the perfect temperature. c. Rishi from the Himalayas became a legend when he sat for seven years in a tea shop without moving. People came from far and near to witness this miracle, so many that a brass railing was installed to keep the crowds from touching him and disturbing his meditation. d. The tea shop eventually became a shrine, as people came to see a spiritual giant of remarkable yogic powers. Those powers were nowhere more evident than in the magical way that prayers were answered in his presence. Sometimes answers fell from above on small pieces of paper. e. Walking the 2,200 kilometers from the Himalayas to Bangalore was not merely arduous, it could be life- threatening. It required enormous stamina, and it called forth a simplicity few could sustain. Here Rishi from the Himalayasmakes the journey carrying only a water pot and yoga danda for meditation.