ऊर्ध्वमूलमध:शाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्
छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्
Shreemadbhagvadgeeta 15.1
Our History
The First Guruji
Around 450 years ago, the story of the chhawni began with the birth of Shri Ragunath Das Ji in Paintepur. He was a Ramanandi ascetic since childhood, involved in Bhakti Marg. His parents worried he would become a sanyasi and attempted to marry him off forcefully. He was unwilling, and in response, Guruji left for Ayodhya on the night before Ram Navmi. While bathing in the Ghagra river, the British impressed by his physique, forced him to join their army (something that was a norm at that time). Babaji became in-charge of cannon firing. One day, he was swayed in Prabhu Shri Ram Chandra's bhakti and went into a trance in the nearby river. Meanwhile, the opposing army attacked and almost defeated the Englishmen. Guruji returned in the evening and apologized for his absence. The senior officer thanked him for his valor in winning the battle. It turns out that Prabhu Shri Ram Chandra Ji himself took the duty of his devotee and even signed the attendance register. Moved by Prabhuji's grace, Guruji resigned. Due to divine circumstances, the resignation was accepted, and Baba Ragunath Das Ji moved to Ayodhya to serve his lord with devotion.
How the name came to be?
Initially, Babaji was not accepted by the sages in Ayodhya. They taunted him because of the artillery incident and frequently asked him to perform miracles to prove his divinity. One day, the other sanyasis convinced Babaji to bring life back to a dead Peepal tree. Babaji took some water in a kalash and while chanting the gurumantra, watered the tree. The tree sprung to life and Babaji made it his shelter. Babaji's popularity reached the ears of a sage who came to Ayodhya for Chaumasa and was searching for a shelter with hundreds of his disciples. The sage was refused shelter at every other place, and so he came to Babaji. Being kind and generous, Guruij was happy to host them. Food was scarce at that time, but due to the blessings of Maa Saryu, Babaji and his companions never went hungry. In fact, after the Chaumasa, when the sage expressed his desire to leave, Guruji asked him to stay for longer. The disciples were flabbergasted and used to ask for random things at random times, failing to provide which they would leave. Once they asked for muskmelons out of season, and a boatman magically appeared with boats full of them. The sage exclaimed that this is the only place in Ayodhya where thousands of sages can feed without worry. With Guruji's request, the sages stayed for over an year. The place then came to be known as "badi," meaning a big place, and "chhawni," meaning a place where people live with discipline.
The Upasana of Chhawni
The place became siddh and once the saints asked Babaji what his upasana (prayer) was. He gently replied that his upasana was that no one who enters the chhawni, goes upasa (with empty stomach). It is said that the prasad distribution used to happen 24 × 7. Once, there was a shortage of ghee during the bhandara. Due to the divinity of the place, Saryu river's water itself came to the ashram doors and the pooris were made in it. When Gurudev became old, he prayed to Prabhu Shri Ram Chandra Ji that he could not walk to his temple everyday. Prabhuji asked him to take a dip in Saryu river and when he came out he had a statue of Sanatan Bhagwan with him. Babaji served Sanatan Bhagwan everyday until he took samadhi. That pratima is still established in the chhawni and siddh in itself. To take care of the devotees and to serve bhagwan, it is a rule that the mahant cannot leave the premises of the chhawni.
The Current Guruji
The current peethadheesh and mahant is Shri Jagdeesh Das Ji Maharaj. He renounced the materialistic world at the age of seventeen and took mantra-deeksha at Badi Chhawni. Learning the ways of the sadhu and thoroughly studying the holy scriptures in Vrindavan, Maharaj ji was invited to assume the position of mahant and he moved back to Ayodhya in 1994. Gurudev was blessed by Maa Saryu in his dream, and the river even came to the doors of the chhawni to grace his tenure. Maharaj ji worshipped her as per tradition, and she retreated after blessing the chhawni to be prosperous. His capable leadership breathed new life into the chhawni, and the lamp of seva was lit in the hearts of countless devotees. Gurudev believes in simplicity and service, continuing the legacy of the exalted saints.
Inspired by the history, looking to the future
Carrying the divine traditions of the chhawni and inspired by its blessed history, we are motivated to serve our Prabhuji with even more intensity and fervour. Jai Sitaram!