The Arrival

of

Bhagavan Nityananda

in

Ganeshpuri

Bhagavan Nityananda the Living Shiva in Ganeshpuri

Shree Bhimeshwar, the presiding deity and eternal guardian (Kshetrapal) of Ganeshpuri, bore silent witness to the unfolding of Bhagavan Nityananda’s divine Leelas under the watchful gaze of Mandakini Parvat.

Bhagavan Nityananda in Mumbai

Bhagavan Nityananda arrived in Ganeshpuri in the 1920s. Around the same period, a mysterious Yogi also came to reside in the village. Though little was known of him, the villagers held him in deep reverence and cared for his needs. At that time, Captain Kotawala and the Gandhi family were also living in Ganeshpuri, although they were not natives.

One day, the Yogi made an unusual request of the Gandhi family—he asked them to provide large iron bolts. At dawn, he began a solemn and enigmatic ritual, driving these bolts into the ground at different points across Ganeshpuri. With each strike, he declared that a Mahayogi would soon arrive, and that these spots would be sanctified by his presence.

When his mysterious task was complete, the Yogi departed for the Himalayas, never to return.

Within a year, Bhagavan Nityananda entered Ganeshpuri, fulfilling the prophecy embodied in the Yogi’s act. In time, the places where the bolts were driven indeed became sacred grounds—sites where Bhagavan either lived or spent long periods. These included the precincts of Shree Bhimeshwar temple, the present site of Kailash Bhuvan, the Bangalorewalla building, and the Panch Amba orchard, later known as Vishrantisthan.

It is said that Shree Bhimeshwar himself, as the guardian deity of the land, had prepared the way for Bhagavan’s arrival, ensuring that Ganeshpuri was consecrated for his divine play. The Yogi’s act was not merely ritual but prophecy—an announcement, as though Bhimeshwar had summoned the Mahayogi to his own sacred kshetra.

Thus, every spot touched by Bhagavan Nityananda remains not only a testament to the Yogi’s foresight but also to the divine will of Shree Bhimeshwar, who watched over the village and welcomed the advent of the Eternal One.

Bhagavan Nityananda came to Vajreshwari with Shree Sitaram Shenoy. Both visited Shree Vajreshwari Temple. On reaching the entrance, where the lion statue stood, Bhagavan gently patted its back, saying, “Get up now. Soon, many devotees will be visiting.” He then asked Shree Sitaram to return. Bhagavan was found mostly in Akroli, near the Shree Rameshwar Mandir, the hot springs, opposite the Shree Vajreshwari temple, where there were many Samadhis. He got the place cleaned, and devotees often found Him there.

When Bhagavan Nityananda left Akroli/Vagreshwari and arrived in Ganeshpuri, a small hut was constructed for Him near a pond, opposite the present-day Kailash Bhuvan. Bhagavan resided there for some time. Soon, devotees sought a location closer to the Shree Bhimeshwar temple and approached Gangubai’s husband for assistance. Gangubai’s family, being original residents of Ganeshpuri and caretakers of the temple, graciously agreed. They built a hut for Bhagavan near the temple, where He subsequently moved. As the number of devotees swelled, an Ashram was built next to the temple. A few rooms were made opposite to Kunds for visiting devotees.

Note:

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