Swami Swami (; ; sometimes abbreviated sw.) in Hinduism is an honorific title given to an Asceticism#Hinduism, ascetic who has chosen the Sannyasa, path of renunciation (''sanyāsa''), or has been initiated into a religious monastic order of Vaishnavas ...

Haridhos Giri (also Haridas Giri), affectionately called Guruji, was born in the month of Margazhi (December-January) in the

Tamil calendar The Tamil calendar (தமிழ் நாட்காட்டி) is a Sidereal time, sidereal solar calendar used by the Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It is also used in Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry, and by the Tamil ...

with the birth star of Utharattathi. Giri was born in the village of Thennangur,

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

, South India. Thennangur Panduranga temple panorama

Biography

Swami Haridhos Giri was instrumental in spreading Dakshina Sampradaya Namasankeertanam in India. Giri had traveled to many countries; giving many speeches and singing

bhajan Bhajan is an Indian term for any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Dharmic religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root w ...

s of Dakshina Bharatha Sampradaya. He is the Chief Disciple of Swami Gnanananda Giri. He devoted his entire life to serve his guru, Swami Gnanananda Giri. During his time, he established spiritual haven in Thennangur- Dakshina Halasyam in South India. Swami Haridhos Giri built the Panduranga Temple, dedicated to

Vitthala Vithoba (IAST: ''Viṭhobā''), also known as Vitthala (IAST: ''Viṭṭhala''), and Panduranga (IAST: ''Pāṇḍuraṅga''), is a Hindu deity predominantly worshipped in the Indian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He is a form of the Hindu ...

, a manifestation of the deity

Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...

, shrine of his beloved guru Swami Gnanananda Giri and also has built cottages for devotees to stay, temples, and canteens. Swami Haridhos Giri built the place within 14 years. He traveled all over the world including Singapore, Malaysia and other countries to spread Namasankeerthanam, as he was instructed by his guru Swami Gnanananda Giri. He has thousands of devotees all over the world.

Death/"Disappearance"

On September 4, 1994, in

Koteswar Koteshwar, located in the Uttarakhand state of India, is the site of a Hindu temple dedicated to Koteswar Mahadev. It's around 3 km north of Rudraprayag. Every year, a fair is held in Koteswar on the day of Makar Sankranti Makar(a) Sankr ...

, Haridhos Giri took to Jalasamadhi (religious death in water) in the

Alaknanda The Alaknanda is a Himalayan river in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and one of the two headstreams of the Ganges, the major river of Northern India and a river considered holy in Hinduism. In hydrology, the Alaknanda is considered the headstr ...

river in full consciousness in front of his devotees, He was later swept away by the currents of the river and was not found. There is a Hindu temple dedicated to

Mahadev in

. Swami Naamananda Giri, Principal Disciple of Swami Haridhos Giri built a ''bhajan'' platform in memory of Swami Haridhos Giri.Swami Haridhos Giri disappeared on September 4, 1994 and has not been seen since.

References

External links

Haridhos Giri, the chief disciple of Swami Gnanananda GiriSri Gnanananda Nama Sankirtana Mandali of Malaysia
The message Sri Haridhos Giri/ Chief Disciple of Swami Gnanananda Giri got from the Swamji Gnananada Giri is: "When people praise you many do not become egoistic, but ignore them in all humility. And do not be worried about the insults thrown at you likewise. Then you will settle down well". This is equally a message to us all to see such a Great Guru is to know Him: "To know Him is to know God, for God and Guru are one and the same".

"After many years, he got off his Samadhi, came back to the mutt and made Sri Gnanananda Giri Swami as the “Peedathipathi”. After that the great saint renounced the world and became one with god." said Swamji Nama Nanda Giri/Chief Disciple of Sri Haridhos Giri

Photo gallery

File:Thennangur_Panduranga_temple_panorama.jpg, File:Thennangur_Panduranga_temple_panorama2.jpg, {{DEFAULTSORT:Giri, Haridhos 1990s missing person cases 20th-century Hindu philosophers and theologians 20th-century Indian philosophers Advaitin philosophers Indian Hindu monks Missing person cases in India Ontologists Sanskrit writers Year of birth missing