I arrived at Siddhabari in 1981, driven by a strong yearning to go to this solitary haven of tranquility in the Himalayas. A few modest cottages made up this Chinmaya Mission retreat, which was situated on a hillside surrounded by a thick pine forest on three sides and a quietly murmuring brook at its base. The mound was devoid of any vegetation although commanding a breathtakingly vast vista of the Dhauladhar mountain ranges. According to the inhabitants, the valley was a powerful wind tunnel where nothing could grow since it could not withstand the heat of the violent winds that swept the valley.
Swami Chinmayananda Ji came to this place as a blessing. The Mahatma planted a lot of floral shrubs and tree saplings. There were plans for an entire garden. The almighty Guru continued, “And now, we will worship Hanuman ji here. He is in charge of managing the winds. The plural is used because there are 49 various types of wind that the ancient Rishis recorded.
Shri Kashinath, a highly accomplished Shimoga-based sculptor and temple architect, was tasked with creating the idol. It took him roughly a year to transform the dream into an absolutely stunning outdoor reality. We witnessed the exceptional and unforgettable prana pratishthan of the enormous statue in October 1982. The devotees’ kalashas (sacred pots) sparkled in the sunlight.
When the Pavan Putra Hanuman (son of the wind) statue was unveiled, it was a breathtaking wonder that stood in the wind’s arms. Our rock-solid Lord Hanuman is seated in Veer Asana on an octagonal pedestal made of black granite that is eight feet high (posture of the brave). It is a yoga posture that represents the “ready to spring into action” pose. The statue measures 23 feet tall when it is seated. You feel more small and humble as you draw closer to him, both physically and spiritually. Until one raises himself to earn this with considerable self-effort, even his exalted toes are out of grasp.
It reminded me of how my teacher had explained the sixth chapter’s fifth verse.The spellbinding idol has a soft benign look in the eyes bestowing grace and compassion on the devotees, yet each muscle in his body unmistakably declares his tornado-like physical strength.
To the surprise of the villagers around as well as the residents of the sadhanalaya, the winds henceforth controlled their might to adopt softer stances. Beautiful trees and flowering gardens came up all around. Surprisingly, even when the winds raged, nothing was uprooted.
