Year 1982 Leela Of Devotion

Photos

His Divine Holiness Bhagavan Nithyananda Paramashivam (HDH) has come to planet earth to revive and restore the Enlightenment Science of Santana Hindu Dharma and re-establish Kailasa - the worldwide enlightenment ecosystem. He started the work from day 1 of landing on the planet. His only passion, past time and entertainment was performing pūjā. and making others part of all His activities. By 4 years of age, HDH had put together His first pūjā set comprising deities and pūjā items mostly picked from His mother's marriage trousseau she was gifted by her parents. The following are some photographs of the deities and pūjā items HDH had collected by age 4.

Deities and Puja Items used by HDH at age 4

HDH is seen here at age 4, dressed as a Sanyasi (Hindu monk) cognizing His Sanyas (monkhood) in His very depth, at that young age. Behind Him is the sacred Arunachala, ParamaShiva (The primordial Hindu Divinity) Himself in hill-form, in Tiruvannamalai, The Avatar's place of incarnation.

This base on which the deities are seated is called Pillayar manai (in Tamil, meaning base on Ganesha sits). The deities have been collected over the years from age 4 by The Avatar.

A brass Kumkum (vermillion) box personally used by The young Avatar while offering puja (worship) to His deities. This is part of the first ever puja set formed by The Avatar at age 4, and remains part of His personal puja set till date.

Ganesha deity made of stone, that The Avatār personally offered pūjā (worship) to since age 4. The cloth around the deity is what He adorned the deity with as a child, preserved till date. This deity He picked from His mother's marriage trousseau she was gifted by her parents. It was customary to give deities for pūjā alongwith personal household items to the daughter when giving her away in marriage.

Metal Ganesha deity, a part of The young Avatār's collection of deities that He worshipped as a child

A set of five deities that The Avatār has worshipped the longest time till date. Even today, these deities travel with Him worldwide and receive personal pūjā offering from His own hands.

This set comprises (from left to right): Shiva Linga - the first ever linga that The Avatār possessed, that He worships as Annamalayar, the presiding deity of Tiruvannamalai, His birthplace, Kumkum (vermillion) box, Devi Meenakshi, Devi Bhuvaneshwari, Ganesha and Nandi.

Of these, Meenakshi and Annamalayar are His ishta devatās (favourite deities) from young age. All these deities are just an inch or two tall, enough to fit in His hands even when He was four years of age.

Nandi (sacred bull of Lord Shiva), worshipped by The Avatar at age 4.

The very first Shiva Linga that The Avatar owned (with the snake hood). He worshipped this as Annamalayar, the presiding deity of Tiruvannamalai, His birthplace.

Meenakshi deity (made of metal) that receives puja (worship) personally by The Avatar from age 4 till date. This is part of the first set of deities The Avatar had and worshipped from age 4. He picked it from his mother's marriage trousseau gifted to her by her parents. It was customary to gift deities and puja (worship) items as well, when giving away the daughter in marriage.

Ganesha deity (made of metal) that receives puja (worship) personally by The Avatar from age 4 till date. This is part of the first set of deities The Avatar had and worshipped from age 4. He picked it from his mother's marriage trousseau gifted to her by her parents. It was customary to gift deities and puja (worship) items as well, when giving away the daughter in marriage.

Ganesha deity (made of metal) that received puja (worship) personally by The Avatar at age 4.

This brass bell, The Avatār picked from His mother's marriage trousseau she was gifted by her parents. It was customary to give deities and pūjā offering items along with personal household items to the daughter when giving her away in marriage.

This is part of the first ever pūjā (worship) set The Avatār had.

The design of this bell is used as a model while making bells for the temples of ShriKailasa today.

Brass naivedyam (food) offering bowl for The young Avatār to offer food to His deities. This bowl, He picked from His mother's marriage trousseau she was gifted by her parents when they gave her away in marriage. It was customary to include worship items also in the marriage trousseau.

Stone Nandi (sacred bull of Paramaśiva) that The Avatār picked from His mother's marriage trousseau that her parents gifted her. This is the first ever Nandi possessed by The Avatār.

Devi deity worshipped by The Avatār from age 4. Devi is the embodiment of the Universal Divine Feminine Consciousness, worshipped as the Universal Mother energy.

Metal waterpot - a pūjā (worship) offering item, that The Avatār picked from His mother's marriage trousseau gifted to her by her parents. This He used, to store and offer water while performing pūjā.

This arati offering (camphor offering) stand, The Avatār picked from His mother's marriage trousseau she was gifted by her parents. It was customary to give deities and pūjā offering item alongwith personal household items to the daughter when giving her away in marriage.

This is part of the first ever pūjā (worship) set The Avatār had.

Devi Bhuvaneshwari (embodiment of the Universal Mother energy), a small metal deity that receives worship from the Avatar since age 4 till date.

Kanniga Parameshwari School where HDH studied from 1982 June to 1987 April

Entrance to Shree Kanniga Parameshwari school where The Avatar was admitted for 1st grade and studied till 5th grade. The school is on Kanni Kovil street in Tiruvannamalai, where His maternal grandfather's house still is. His grandfather Raju Mudaliar was well known in the school for his philanthropic ways.

Office room, Shree Kanniga Parameshwari School, Tiruvannamalai, where The Avatar studied from 1st grade to 5th grade.

Admission register (In Tamil) at Kanniga Parameshwari school in Tiruvannamalai, showing (circled) The Avatar's entry into the school for 1st grade.

It was common especially in rural India during the 1970s to furnish an earlier birthdate, for the practical purpose of putting the child in school as early as possible without him missing a whole year (in His case the birth month and year being January 1978) In such cases, the child successfully completes the education ahead of his age while the birth date furnished for education purposes remains for any documentation purposes for the child thereafter.