Padayatra will be held from May 13 to 18 and Vardhanthotsava from May 22 to 31

Mysore/Mysuru: As a prelude to the ten-day 80th birthday celebrations of Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, the Founder Pontiff of Avadhoota Datta Peetham, a six-day ‘Vishwashanti Padayatra’ for world peace and harmony will be taken out from Mekedatu to Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Ashram on Nanjangud Road in city, starting from May 13.

Announcing this at a press meet at the Ashram premises here this morning, Junior Pontiff Sri Datta Vijayananda Theertha Swamiji, who will be leading the padayatra, said that the 80th birthday celebrations (Vardhanthotsava) of Sri Swamiji will be held in the Ashram premises from May 22 to 31. As part of it, the ‘Vishwashanti Padayatra’ will be taken out from Mekedatu in Kanakapura taluk along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, the birthplace of Sri Swamiji.

The padayatra, to be launched from Mekedatu where the holy River Cauvery flows, will pass through Dodda Alahalli, Sathanur, Halagur, Malavalli and Bannur, before reaching the Ashram in Mysuru on May 18.

The padayatra also marks the 101st birth anniversary of Ganapathy Swamiji’s mother late Jayalakshmi Maata, he said adding that the yatra will enroute also visit the famed Narasimhaswamy Temple near Malavalli marking Narasimha Jayanthi, which falls on a day during the padayatra.

The Junior Seer said that initially it was planned to take out the padayatra with 80 participants but this number had to be increased to over 200 because of the demands of devotees.

Noting that Cauvery River water collected at Mekedatu will be carried throughout the padayatra, he said after it reaches Mysuru on May 18, this water will be used for performing Abhisheka to the idol of Lord Dattatreya and Pada Puja of Ganapathy Swamiji in the Ashram.

He further said that the padayatra has five objectives — Health and safety of women and children, Cattle protection (Gou Samrakshane), Assistance to financially weaker schools and Veda Pathashalas, Concern for poor farmers and ‘Paryavarana’, meaning saving the environment and mother earth by planting saplings.

The padayatra also aims to send out a message to the population on the importance of walking and doing physical exercises, the Junior Swamiji said.

The Vardhanthotsava of Sri Ganapathy Swamiji features a host of social, spiritual and cultural programmes, which will be attended by numerous dignitaries and personalities from across the country. The Doddamma Thayi Temples built by the Ashram at Bannimantap and Vasanthanagar for Pourakarmikas and the newly-constructed ‘Vijaya Hanuma Gopura’ of Lord Dattatreya Temple in the Ashram premises will be inaugurated during the birthday celebrations.