Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad   

Walking with a message

Girish S. Pattanashetti

His journey on foot will end in 2009

DETERMINED: Vinayak Maharaj

HUBLI: He has already travelled 700 km on foot and still has to walk 15,300 km if he has to realise his dream. And that will take him approximately around 1,000 days - in other words, three years.

Meet Vinayak Maharaj of Dattatreya Kshetra at Magadi near Bangalore, who has set out on a tour of the nation on foot. The objective of his "Bharat Darshan" is to know the "real India", meet great personalities and understand the cultural heritage and history of the nation. And above all, to disseminate the message of national integration across the country.

Follower of Vivekananda

Vinayak Maharaj, who took a vow of celibacy nine years ago, has visited various places of religious importance in the North India including Himayalas. This 29-year-old is now a staunch follower of Swami Vivekananda.

Born in Laxmeshwar in Shirahatti taluk of Gadag district, Vinayak Maharaj says he had a religious bent of mind since childhood. And after completing SSLC, he helped his family members look after agriculture and business for a few years before he realised that he did not belong there. He then came to Dharwad to join Ramakrishna Vivekananda Ashram from where he moved to Tumkur and Bangalore. He then went on a yatra to the Himalayan range where he practised yoga and studied spiritual volumes.

After his return, Vinayak Maharaj set up an ashram named Dattatreya Kshetra at Magadi. He also conducts personality development camps for the youth.

Vinayak Maharaj covers approximately 20 km to 25 km daily. Starting early in the morning, he will reach the designated place by afternoon, where he will spend the rest of the day lecturing on Swami Vivekananda.

Starting his journey from Magadi on February 12, 2006, and after covering Bangalore, Mysore, Madikeri, Mangalore, Udupi, Kundapur and Kumata, Vinayak Maharaj was in Hubli on Friday. He reached Hebasur near Hubli on Saturday.

His Bharat Darshan will culminate at the Guruvayoor temple in 2009. Arya Samaj, Vidyabharati and Prani Daya Sangh are the three main organisations which are helping Vinayak Maharaj during his "Bharat Darshan". They take care of Vinayak Maharaj's food and accommodation during his journey.

After the completion of "Bharat Darshan", he will take "Sanyasa Deeksha" and has plans to document his experiences in a book form.

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