BY RAVI R PONANGI

Tridandi Chinna Srimannarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji, popularly known as Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji will be in Atlanta from July 24 to 27 and give benediction to devotees. The Hindu Temple of Atlanta, Riverdale is organizing a series of lectures of the Swamiji daily in the temple complex. Swamiji also visits individual homes of devotees. Jeeyar Swamiji may likely visit Shiv mandir located in Global Mall and perform abhishekam to Lord Venkateswara there.

A crusader of peace, Jeeyar Swamiji was born on Diwali day, the Festival of Lights, on 3rd November 1956 at Arthamur Village near Rajahmundry in the State of Andhra Pradesh, India. Born to pious parents Sri Venkatacharyulu and Srimathi Alivelumanga Thayaru, he had his early education in the Oriental School, Gowthama Vidya Peetam Rajahmundry. It was the call of the Divine that made the young Srimannarayana Ramanujacharyulu to take up the ascetic order of JEEYAR (Lion) at a very young age of 23 years. Today he is reckoned very high among the monks of India and abroad as the pioneer and crusader of peace.

Sri Swamiji, a profound Sanskrit scholar, started the JET (Jeeyar Educational Trust) in 1982 at Sithanagaram, Guntur Dist. India, with units in Hyderabad (1983) India, Narayankund, Nepal (1985), Rajahmundry India (1991), Madras India (1993) and JET USA Inc. USA (1995).

Sri Swamiji was one of the youngest acharyas in India, to master different branches of the Vedic Dharma. In 1980, He took over the spiritual lineage from H.H. Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji after the latter attained Siddhi In 1981; Swamiji became the full-fledged head and acharya of the Srimad Ubhaya Vedantha Acharya Peetam, Nadigaddapalem. He went to Badarinath, the abode of Lord Narayana and did penance, reciting the all-powerful Ashtakshari Maha Manthra. Since then, Sri Swamiji has developed spiritual activities in a manifold way.