“Revival and Renovation of

Traditional Water Bodies”

By
Vivekananda Kendra - Nardep

Swami Sankaracharya Visit to Green Rameswaram

His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakodi Peetham visited Green
Rameswaram office on 25th February 2021. He was welcomed with the Poorna Kumbha.

Swamiji entering Green Rameswaram building

Visit to Prayer room and offering flowers to Varuna pooja

Jagadguru Shankaracharyaji visited prayer room and then blessed the varuna pooja where
Teerthams from 36 renovated water bodies were kept.

Blessing the 36 Teerthams water - renovated by Green Rameswaram

Blessing the Green Rameswaram Staff members and well wishers
Swamiji blessed the Teertha Mitras (Friends of Water bodies) and other well wishers during
his visit by blessing them in Tamil.

நமசிவாயவா க! நாததா வா க!
இைமெபா எெநசி நீகாதா
தா வா க!

இதியாவிைடய பல நகரகளி
பிரசி திெப!ற நகரமாக, தீவாக விள#வ
ராேம%வர தீ&. இத ப#தியிேலேய
இ()க)*+ய தீ, தகைள - தமாக
பராமாி)க ேவ./. ம!0 அத தீ, தகைள உ 3, ெபாம)க4, ெவளி5ாி
இ( வர)*+ய யா ாீக,க4 சாியான 6ைறயிேல, 6ைமயாக உபேயாகப/ தி
பய அைடயேவ./ எகிற நல ேநா)க ேதா/ “ப-ைம இராேம%வர” எகிற
இத தி7டமான ம.ணி ைமத, ஏ.பி.ேஜ.அகலா அவ,க ம!0 பிரதம
மதிாி அவ,க4ைடய ஊ)க6ட, அரசாக தி ைண;ட, பேவ0 ெபாேசைவ
அைம<க உைடய உதவி;ட, இத நலெதா( ேசைவ தி7டகைள ெசயப/ தி,
நல பணிகைள ெச=வ(கிற.

இ 11 தீ, தக <னரைம)க ேவ.+ய நிைலயிேலேய இ()கிறன. ம!0

இ க./பி+)க ேவ.+ய தீ, தக4 இ()கிறன எபதாக இவ,க
ெதாிவி தா,க . உ 3, ெபாம)க4ைடய ஆதர& அத!# ேதைவப/கிற.
ாிேமா7 ?லமாக சிலவ!ைற ெச=ய6+;. ாிேமா7 ஏாியாவிேலேய ேவைலெச=வத!#
அ# ள ம)க4ைடய ஒ ைழ< ேதைவ. அ #ைப எலா அத தீ, த திேல
இலாம நலெதா( -காதாரமான 6ைறயி நீக எேலா( பராமாி தா அத
நீ, ெகடாம இ()#. ஊ!0 நீ, இனிபாக& இ()#. நீ, ப!றா)#ைற;
இ()கா. வர)*+ய ப)த,க4 உபேயாகப/ வா,க . அதனா ெமயிடன%
(பராமாி<) எபைத உ 3, ம)க நல6ைறயிேலேய ேம!ெகா./, அத?ல

உ 3ாிேல த.ணீ, பிரசைனக இலாம தவி,)க6+;. ேவைலவா=<க

ெப()க6+;. சி0ெதாழி ேம!ெகா./ வளர6+;. ஆகேவ ேவைலவா=ைப
அளி)க) *+யதாக&, -காதார ைத அளி)க) *+யதாக& விள#கிற.

இத தீ&)# ெபயேர தீ, த தினாதா. தீ, தகளி நீராடேவ./ எபத!காக

பேவ0 மாகாணகளி இ( பேவ0 நா/களி இ( இ#வ ப)த,க
தாிசன ெச=கிறன,. ஆகேவ அத தீ, தகைள நல6ைறயி நீக அைனவ(
பராமாி  பயப/ தி உலக திைடய ப)த,க4ைடய பயபா7+!# உதவிகரமாக
இ()க ேவ./. இத ஒ( பழைமயான, பாரபாியமி)க இத க7+ட ைத அரசாக
விேசஷ அமதி அளி  இத ெபாேசைவ)காக அளி  இ()கிறா,க . தீ, தகைள

பராமாி)க)*+ய நலெதா( வா=ைப இத க7+ட ெப!றி()கிற. தீ, தயா திைர

வ( ப)த,க தகிய க7+ட ஆன, த!ேபா தீ, தகைள பராமாி)க)*+ய,
பாகா)க)*+ய அைமபி வச ஒபைட)கப7/ ள. ஆகேவ பேவ0
தி7டகைள நல6ைறயி ெசயப/ தி, பராமாி)க*+ய வா=ைப இத அைம<
ஏ!ப/ தி உ ள. ெபாம)க அைனவ( ‘சி0ளி ெப(ெவ ள’ எ0
ெசாவா,கேள அேபால, உக ஒ ைழ<ட பயபா7+ இ()க ேவ./.

இத ராேம%வர தீ& பாகாபாக, அேதசமய பாரபாியமாக ந6ைடய ப)திைய

வள,)க*+ய நலெதா( சிறைபெப!ற தீவாக அைமவத!#, இைறவைடய அ(4,
ெபாம)க4ைடய ஒ ைழ< அைம , நல6ைறயிேலேய இத தீ, த தி
ெப(ைம உலக எலா ெதாி; வித தி நம 6ய!சிக இ()கேவ./.

ஹரஹர சகர ெஜயெஜய சகர!

Gist of Jagadguru Shankaracharya’s Speech
Namashivaya Vaazhga! Naathanthaazh Vaazhga!
Rameswaram Island is one of the
popular heritage cities in India.
Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari
took up the work of “Green
Rameswaram” project with the
intention to revive the older and
glorious Teerthams for public utility
and pilgrims benefits. This project
was inaugurated by the son of the
soil Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and was
recognized and encouraged by the
Prime Minister of India and is
supported by Government and
fellow NGOs.
Green Rameswaram project has done many notable good works in Rameswaram. It has
revived the 36 Teerthams and 11 are yet to be revived and many more Teerthams are to be
identified. They need local stakeholders support. If Teerthams are maintained without
garbages in a healthy way, the water will not be contaminated and will have the following
benefits: (i) Natural springs will have a regular flow (ii) The water will be sweet in taste
(iii) Water scarcity will be reduced due to recharging of water (iv) Pilgrims will also utilize
the water. In addition, because of improved flow of pilgrims to the renovated Teerthams, it
will help livelihood for the local community.
Rameswaram is known as a Teertha sthalam. Pilgrims from different states and countries
are visiting here for having a dip in the Teerthams. Hence all the Teerthams to be preserved
and maintained properly for the visiting pilgrims. Government has given this beautiful
heritage building for carrying out the work of ‘Green Resilient Rameswaram’. In a way, it
is a recognition for the good work carried out by the team of Green Rameswaram project.
It seems, earlier this building was a Choultry for the yatris and was in a highly dilapidated
condition. The organization has renovated it in a traditional method without changing
original architecture. This organization is running several programmes and is giving good
service to the general public and pilgrims. At present the work may look like “Drop in a
Ocean”. However, in the coming days, hope this drop will become a big well which will
help the local community as well as outside pilgrims.
Our Efforts should be to make Rameswaram Island a spiritual center with the cooperation
of all the stakeholders including locals, pilgrims, state and central government.
Jaya Jaya Sankara! Hara Hara Sankara!

Rangoli Competition in Rameswaram

Hand in Hand India and Green Rameswaram conducted a Rangoli competition for creating
awareness on “Water Security”. 32 women participated in the programme on 2nd February
2021. All were given prizes.

Joint commissioner, HR & CE, Rameswaram Smt.Kalyani giving the prizes to the winners