More than a century after the jeeva samadhi of Thataiya, his teachings and philosophy continue to live on through his devotees and through the work of the Mutt.
Over the years, the Trust has put in place several initiatives that have helped it disseminate Thataiya’s message and spread awareness about his philosophy.
Mass Marriages
Thataiya strongly condemned the ritualistic marriage of idols and believed that greater good lay in funding the marriage of the underprivileged. The Mutt has carried forward this belief by conducting thousands of marriages every year, at a highly subsidised rate. The Mutt also conducts over 100 free mass marriages for the underprivileged, annually.
The sheer number of marriages facilitated by the Mutt every year have led to Kaiwara getting the moniker of ‘Kalyana Nagari,’ or ‘The Town of Marriages.’
Restoration of Temples
Under the able guidance of Dr M R Jayaram, the Mutt has undertaken the restoration and renovation of several temples, including Kaiwara’s Sri Amara Naraeyana Temple, Sri Bheemalingeshwar Temple and Sri Vaikuntam Temple. The Sri Lakshmi Venkataramana Temple in Alambagiri, the Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple and the Sri Venugopala Temple in Srinivaspur Taluk, and the Sri Ennanguru Eshwara Temple near Vijayapura have also been renovated by the Mutt.
Religious Discourse
To take forward Thataiya’s mission to end ignorance and illiteracy, the Mutt conducts regular lectures and seminars (pravachana ghostis) as well as weekly sankeerthanas (musical discourses).
In addition to this, the Mutt also distributes robes and sarees to sanyasi saints, and conducts special poojas once a year, to commemorate the anniversary of Thataiya’s jeeva samadhi.
Eco-Friendly Initiatives
The Mutt runs a ‘kalpavriksha yojana,’ under which it offers devotees saplings of fruit-bearing plants. Additionally, in collaboration with the Karnataka Forest Department, the Mutt has created 922 acres of forest area (tapovana), in what was once barren land on the hills of Kaiwara.
Annadanam
The sage’s strong desire to ensure the upliftment of the poor has led to the Mutt offering free food to all visitors. Nutritious meals, prepared in the clean kitchen, are served in the large dining hall on the Mutt premises. Called ‘Annadanam,’ this initiative feeds over 2000 people, every day.
Yagashala
The Mutt has the proud and unique distinction of building the biggest yagashala of India in Kaiwara. The yagashala, a place where yagnas, rituals and poojas are conducted, has also been highly appreciated by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD). The TTD has even conducted chaturveda yagnas, in this yagashala.
Support to Spandana Centre for Intellectually Challenged
Set up by the Ramaiah Group, Spandana is a school that caters to intellectually challenged children in Kaiwara. The Sri Yogi Naraeyana Mutt offers students of the school a free, nutritious lunch and also provides them with learning material such as books and bags.
Goshala (Cow Shelter)
Cows are revered in Hinduism and a goshala, or a shelter for cows, is believed to be an auspicious part of any temple. The goshala at the Sri Yogi Naraeyana Mutt houses 30 cows. The well looked after cows provide milk for various poojas, including the Abhishekam. Their milk is also used in the Annadanam and is even distributed to the nearby temples.
Other Work
A literary craftsman, Thataiya has penned several books on his teachings, his philosophy as well as on devotion. These writings contain spiritual truths and moral tenets that are universal, and applicable to individuals everywhere.
In order to make these teachings accessible to the common man, the Mutt has undertaken the translation of his various works. Additionally, it has also established the Sri Yogi Naraeyana Indology Centre, a research institute in Bangalore. A special monthly magazine, called ‘Mallara’ has also been started to disseminate the timeless teachings of the learned sage.