Maladihalli Swamy - A Man of Difference

In a sleepy hamlet Malladihalli, resided a renowned person called Shri Raghavendra Swamiji, more popularly known as ‘Malladihalli Swamiji.

He was born in Kerala in 1890 and his original name was Kumaraswamy.
When he died he was 106 years old.
Due to intense pressure of his devotees, he wrote his autobiography “Jolige Pawada” in 1993, in which he has documented his life history from memory of the last over hundred years.
He was clean shaved person with a slight bent and he wore small grey shorts.
He walked so briskly, that many had to run to catch up with him.
He would start his day at 3 a.m.and needed just four hours of sleep everyday.

Swamiji says:
"Yoga is not doing a few postures.
I have seen some people who have a wonderful body, which can bend in so many ways, but they cannot bend so many vices in their life. They can hold their breath until eternity, but they cannot hold their greed, arrogance even to a small degree! If you can inculcate the good habits, even if you do not regularly practice Yoga, you are a winner in life after all. Keep smiling as you always do! "

Swamiji had done all his schooling in Kundapur.
His association with Dr. K. Shivaram Karanth, a Mangalorean, at Amba Prasaditha Nataka (Drama) Company at Tumkur (east of Mangalore)got him a clerical job in the Drama Company itself.
He was entrusted with the ticket sales and disbursement of salaries/wages to the Company’s staff.
As a school boy he participated and acted in many Dramas, Yakshagana and Thala Maddale.