Present Swamiji
The present peethadhipathi of Courtallam, HH Sri Siddheswarananda Bharati is well known as Dr. Prasada Raya Kulapathi (Venkata Lakshmi Vara Prasad Rao) was born on January 23rd 1937, in the village of Elchur of Narsaraopet Taluk, Guntur District to the couple Sri Potharaju Purushotthama Rao, a great poet, and Smt. Swarajya Lakshmi. He ascended the throne of Sri Siddheswari Peetham of Courtallam on Datta Jayanthi day in 2002 (December 19th, 2002). Dr. Kulapathi’s great grandfather Sri Rama Kavi was the guru to famous Kopparapu poets. He had a very good and strong physique. Dr. Kulapathi inherited from his grandfather the wrestling techniques along with all the poetic talents. He rendered unique services to Telugu literature as Avadhani, Aasukavi, an orator, and organizer of literary dramas like Bhuvanavijayam and so on. He was bestowed many great titles such as Avadhana Saraswathi, Chakravarthi Sahithi Sarvabhauma, Saraswatahi Kanthaabharana, Rupaka Samrat, Kavitha Sudhakara by different literary societies. He contributed several poetic works like Siva Sahasri, Ambica Sahasri, Kavyas like Kavi Brahma, Kavya Kantha, and dramas like Ramani Priya Duothika, Vande Matharam, and novels like Bhagavatha Vimarsa, Tantric World, Vraja Bhagavatham, research books and hundreds of essays. He won the favor of committee members, staff and students of Hindu College, Guntur for his able administration as its principal.
From a wrestler in his childhood, he grew up to the tremendous heights of spirituality with his upasana and penance in sacred/holy places. Sri Kulapathi learnt yoga, pranayama and did Lambica Sadhana by cutting the lower part of his tongue. He used to take only cow milk and very little food when he was in penance. He was initiated by a great Dattatreya mantra Upaasaka Sti Pasumamula Subbaraya Sastry and obtained Naaga mantra siddhi. Then Sri Kulapathi started chanting Chinna Masta (Vajravairochani) mantra, when a crore was completed he was blessed with Prachandachandi’s darsan. Lord Shiva appeared and graced Sri Kulapathi with Pranava Panchaakshari. At this stage he came in to contact with Sri Radhika Prasad maharaj (Sri Raallabandi Veerabhadra Rao) who was a great yogi. By his influence Sri Kulapathi started Radha mantra Sadhana. Radha Devi, the goddess of Brindavan blessed Dr. Kulapathi with her Darshan and initiated him with her Astakshari mantra. As a result, he wrote “Vraja Bhagavatham”. He is always protected by a shield from bestowed on him by Chinna Masta (Vajra Virochani) in the form of Bhadra as a boon from the divine. On praise of this deity, he submitted at her feet “Aindri Sahasri” with thousand poems. During his meditation of Goddess Matangi-Syamala Devi, the goddess showered her mercy with her divine music. In the mantra deeksha of Hanuman, Tara, Tripura Sundari, Renuka etc., the concerned deities gave their darshan poured their grace on him.
600 years ago, blessing his tapas in Himalayas in the previous birth of Dr. Kulapathi, Mother Kali appeared before him and turned in an idol. In this birth, that idol came to him through the cosmos. Some devotees enjoyed this astonishing vision. Swayam Siddha Kali Peetham was established for this deity. This Kali idol which received the prayers and services of Trilinga Swamy, Bhairavi Brahmani, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swamy Visuddhananda, Baba Kalaleswara Kalidas etc., is now receiving traditional worships in accordance to her wish at Guntur. With the great divine powers as the gifts of god, Dr. Kulapathi is able to tell the past births of many and also cure many diseases. For some divine deeds Kaalidevi initiated Sri Kulapathi with Kaala Bhairava Mantra. He went to Kaasi and started chanting Bhairava mantra. There the Lord Kaala Bhairava along with Kaali devi apperaed and showered grace by which Sri Kulapathi became a powerful mystic. One day when Sri Kulapathi was meditating in front of the kaali idol, an immortal saint Swamy Sraddhananda brought a message from Siddhashrama yogis that Dr. Kulapathi should enter the order of sanyasi. On September 8th 2002, Dr. Kulapathi was given sanyasa deeksha by HH Sri Siva Chidananda Bharati of Courtallam and gave him a new name as Sri Siddheswarananda Bharati Swamy, and declared him as his successor. HH Sri Siddheswarananda Bharati ascended the throne of Courtallam Peetham on December 19th, 2002 on Datta Jayanthi day.
Now a new era started in the annals of Sri Siddheswari Peetham’s history. The ancient way of attaining anything and everything by yagna has come in to vogue. Thousands of people began to rush to Courtallam for doing Homas to solve their problems and to attain mantra. H.H Swamiji initiated lakhs of people with mantra Deeksha. Swamiji toured all over India and other countries like U.S.A and Sri Lanka and delivered lectures on philosophy, puranas, and mystic sciences.
To protect the Sanatana Hindu dharma H.H Swamiji started Hindu Dharma Rakshana Yagnas in India and abroad. It is visualized that deities are coming and bestowing the results. So many dhaya yogis, Avadhuthas revealed that a great siddha purusha from Siddhasramam descended as H.H Sri Siddheswaranada Bharathi Swamy (The Mystic Monk Of Courtallam) to do Divine deeds, to protect Sanatana Hindu dharma and mankind from evil forces.