Gagangiri Math

Shri Gagangiri Maharaj was born as Shripad Patankar at Manadure Village in Patan district of Satara. At the age of seven, he was sent to a Matha of Nath sampradaya, which was located at relatively unknown place called Battis-Shirala. At a very early age, he took Sannyasa. After taking Sannyasa he started travelling with Mahants of Nath Sampradaya. During pilgrimages, he learnt

Yoga and several occult and religious practices. He travelled everywhere to places such as Nepal, Bhutan, Manas Sarovar, Gaurishankar, Gorakshdarbar, Gorakhpur, Pashupatinath and returned to Almora. Finally, he travelled through the Valley of Ganga, Himachal Pradesh and reached Badrika Ashram.

Gagangiri Maharaj was extremely tired because of his peregrinations and he decided to settle in a cave. When he was relaxing, a sage wearing saffron robes came there from the mountains. He sprinkled water from his kamandalu, on the face of Gagangiri Maharaj. He also gave him some kind of green grass to eat which resembled coriander leaves. For his penance, he had prepared mattresses of grass. He found his mattresses growing like living vegetation. This was considered as an experience, where Tantrik technique is perfected. He did a number of Kaya Kalpas. In this process, he invented several new concepts in Tantrik techniques and proved them true. He did penance at a number of places like Mauli Kund, Mauli Kada, Zanzu water, Mausame Kada, Kasarbari, Ginger water, Sat-barkund, Holi Kada, Margaj water, Jungledeo patti, Shirale etc.

During monsoon, he stayed in the cave at Garbhagiri, Gagangiri. He did penance in a pond near the river at Sangashi, Vazar, Vesraf, Palsambe, Ramling etc. Later he went to Vijaydurg, in the Konkan area from where he reached Mumbai by steamer. During 1945 to 1948, he did Kayakalpa at Angale, near Rajapur in Konkan. As more and more people benefited by his meditation, more and more people started

worshipping and respecting him and his reputation spread all around. In those days Ministers like Yeshvantrao Chavan, Balasaheb Desai, Rajarambapu Patil, Kapse and several respected officers used to worship him.