I Was Beaten, Abused My Media Mobs and was stopped to Serve Free🔗

Meals to 6000 People

In 2012, I went to Madurai Aadheenam to serve and take care of spiritual activities and temple rituals there, along with other monks; after Swamiji was coronated as the 293rd Pontiff of Madurai Aadheenam. I was excited to visit the ancient temple monastery and serve there, being the sacred place of such extraordinary history of temple traditions and culture. I was so inspired seeing the dedication of Swamiji to bring the temple alive and serve the community, day and night there.

But, little did I know - it was a war-field created by mafia! Every day we were attacked by extremist Hindu groups; violent mob attacks, life threats surrounded us at the most peaceful temple monastery of ageless spiritual glory, where we silently serving the community and offering temple services.

The media kept printing false news about Swamiji. Media mobs in the guise of reporters entered the temple and beat us up. We had no support from the police. I was guard at the Aadheenam gate. There, I was the main target for the media and cameraman as well as for the extremist Hindu militant terrorist groups. Many days I faced the physically assault and abusal from 30 reporters.

As a male monk, I tried to protect my sanyas sisters. We fed over 6,000 people in the area. And it hurt deeply in my heart when the abuse became so brutal that we had to stop the anna daan (free food) distribution. There was just too much media pressure and abuse each day and no help of the police, so we could no longer guarantee the safety of the people. The weekly magazine called Reporter was printing the fake news that we were hitting the people who were coming for food. The local people were confused by these reportings but felt helpless to do anything about it.

With a broken heart, I was forced to turn away the people in need and hunger. We couldn't keep them safe from these extremist Hindu Militant groups. Our strong teachings from Swamiji is - whoever comes is to be fed and served; it was excruciating for me to be forced not to serve people. My only strength was that I knew that Swamiji would guide us through this and truth will prevail.

Photo inlay: Sri Yogamayananda (seated on right side) seen serving the temple performing rituals for the well-being of the community along with other Sanyasis (monks)

In Thiruvarur 2015, I was assaulted and tortured In Thiruvarur, South India temple. I was serving and guarding the aadheenam and doing temple activities. There were so many planned attacks where even women would show up to enter the temple area and hit us. When I would stop them from entering the temple, they would bluntly beat me and I couldn't do anything to save me. One time the mob, one of the women’s son came, he brutally hit me so hard on the ear that I was in excruciating pain for months and I still suffer with hearing problems in that ear.

10 armed men attacked and battered me with sticks ... till my whole body was beaten and left bleeding helpless.