Rajamahendravaram: A 100-yr-old shelter for Sanyasins

Rajamahendravaram: Among the number of historical landmarks in the historical City of Grand Culture, there is an exclusive matham for Sanyasins (nuns) and child widows which is popularly known as 'Sadhu Streela Matham' (Convent for Nuns) located in Veerabhadrapuram in the city. The matham, which came into existence in the year 1920, has completed 100 years and recently organised its centenary celebrations.

The present number of inmRajamahendravaram: A 100-yr-old shelter for Sanyasinsates in the matham is only seven as against of 80 in earlier days. Cutting across the caste, creed and religion anyone can get admitted in the nuns' matham. Many inmates left it and now no one is coming forward to join the matham because of its strict rules and traditions which should be followed by the inmates without any exception.

Every inmate should tonsure her head and wear saffron robes.

They need to attend Pooja and other devotional discourses in the matham everyday in the morning and evening compulsorily. The matham management will celebrate all festivals including nine-day Srirama Navami, Geeta Jayanthi, Sankara Jayanthi and Hanuman Jayanthi among others.

All the inmates will get breakfast, lunch and snacks in the night. A cook is exclusively appointed to prepare the food items for the inmates both morning and evening. The matham is being run with donations from philanthropists and with the annual interest of Rs 40,000 from the fixed deposits. The matham is maintaining a Ram Mandir adjacent to the main building. The municipal corporation exempted the matham from paying water tax, property tax and others.

Mata Rama Lakshmi of Kotipalli in East Godavari district started the matham in the year 1920 to provide shelter to the women who took Sanayasi Deeksha and also for child widows. Since nobody would take care of the child widows and they are looked down by the society, a separate shelter for them was necessary in those days.

All the successive heads of the matham called as matas (mothers). The matham also has two other buildings along with the main old building and once in a week a Homeo doctor visits the matham to take care of the health of Sanyasins.

The founder of the matham Mata Rama Lakshmi was called Sadhu Mataji. After the first pontiff of the matham, Sadhu Muktha Mataji succeeded her as the second pontiff is Sadhu Pranav Mataji and the third and present pontiff is Sadhu Santhi Mataji (95).

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The matham pontiff Sadhu Santh Mataji

Sadhu streelu and others offering prayers in Sadhu Streela Matham in Rajamendravaram

The present pontiff of the matham belongs to the city and original name is Ramam who was born in the year 1925.

At the age of 10, she was married and in a short time her husband died. Later, she visited Vyasasramam in Erpedu and became disciple of asramam pontiff Malayala Swamy. After the demise of Malayala Swamy she returned to Rajamahendravaram and joined the matham to head it as its pontiff.

Matham's supervisor Gayatri Mata said due to rigid rules and traditions many are now not showing interest to join the matham, but we want to follow a strict regimen and adhere to the traditions. The matham is running successfully because many are extending their assistance.