SRI SESHADRI SWAMIGAL was born in Kancheepuram in the Kamakoti family to the couple Vardarajan and Margathammal. The kamakoti families, about 30 in number, were specially brought to Kancheepuram by Adi Shankara, from Central India, to spread the Sri Vidhya Cult.
Seshadri as a boy of four, following his mother to the temple, took an idol of Sri Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu) in his hand, from a shop, saying he will do pooja to the idol. The shop keeper, appreciating the child's interest, gave the idol free to little Seshadri.
Next day, as Maragathammal and Seshadri were going to the temple, the shop keeper prostrated, placed child Seshadri's hand on his eyes and cried "golden hand! golden hand!". He explained that the sale was extraordinarily high after the child touched the idols. From that day onwards, till his maha siddhi, he was popularly known as `Thangakkai Seshadri' (Seshadri of golden hand), for whatever he touched turned into gold (flourished).
He renounced material life at the age of 19, left Kancheepuram and came to Tiruvannamalai. He never left Tiruvannamalai till his nirvana in 1929. He was a great upasaka (worshiper) of Shakthi.
He roamed the streets of Tiruvannamalai like a mad man, entering a shop and dumping the cash from cash box on the floor or throwing the flour kept for making dough into the water and so on. However, his strange behavior was known to the town people and they never minded. On the contrary, they eagerly awaited his visit, for his visit meant that their business would flourish.
Sri Seshadri Swamigal, as mentioned earlier, was a worshiper of Shakthi. Recital of Mantrams, that is, sacred syllables (mantra japa), was his path. He was a contemporary of Sri Ramana Maharshi.
In fact it was Seshadri Swamigal who rescued the young Ramana when the latter was immersed in penance in the underground vault called Patala Lingam located in the Thousand-pillared Hall of the Arunachaleshwarar temple, while ants and other insects were gnawing away at his body.
It was Sri Seshadri Swamigal as well, that brought Sri Ramana to the notice of the world and that a great soul resided in him. Ramana, younger in age used to be called Chinna-Seshadri (Little Seshadri). Sri Seshadri was called Mother Parvathi and Sri Ramana as Skanda (Lord Subramanya). There were instances when devotees have experienced that Seshadri was Ramana and Ramana was Seshadri. They were contemporaries and each knew the greatness of the other. When Sri Seshadri's body was interred, Sri Ramana's personal approval of the script and reading of Seshadri's biography showed Ramana's reverence for this great Mahan. Many were his beneficiaries. Sri Vallimalai Swamigal, Ganapathi Muni, and Bhanu Kavi are to cite a few. Even men of ordinary walk of life had their several ills-mental and physical cured. Several had initiation in mantras according to their eligibility. Sri Ramana was moved from Patala Lingam to Gurumurtam following the suggestion of various people expressing concern with his overall well being. When Palaniswami stepped forward to become Ramana's personal attendant, Sri Seshadri stepped aside basically without comment.
The paths of Sri Seshadri and Sri Ramana were different. There used to be friendly arguments between them. Sri Seshadri Swamigal possessed many Siddhis and performed many miracles like curing chronic diseases etc., openly. However, Sri Ramana Maharishi, though he performed miracles sometimes such as the bilocation experiences described by Ramana himself as well as Ganapathi Muni and Paul Brunton, he never officially acknowledged them or attached importance. He always advised seekers to focus on the ultimate goal of Self Realization and not to be distracted by minor achievements like siddhis or miraculous powers.
Seshadri Swamigal ashram is next to Sri Ramanashramam between the second and third Lingam on the circumabulation route. Regular pujas are performed at the samadhi of Sri Seshadri Swamigal. There are a few platforms for meditation in the open, in a beautiful garden, under the cool shade of trees. One can do meditation facing the holy hill Arunachala, from this garden. A book stall in the ashram sells photographs and books. Accommodation is available and food is served by a canteen inside the ashram.
