View source for Sri Krishna Dhyana Kendra, Mudipu Gudde

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[[Category:India |K ]]
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=Introduction=
[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/article-share?article=23_04_2023_017_019_cap_TOI  Deepthi Sanjiv, April 23, 2023: ''The Times of India'']

Even as a child almost 80 years ago, Dr Madan Mohan Naik dreamt of building a structure over the sprawling Mudipu Gudde (hillock) that he saw from his house in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district. Today, people from across India are visiting Sri Krishna Dhyana Kendra, the 180-foot-tall meditation centre he has built on the lush green hill, about 25km from Mangaluru city. Set 650 feet above sea level, the centre offers a good view of the hill ranges and the Arabian Sea. 
 It’s been two years since the centre opened in 2021, but Dr Naik says, “Even now I find it difficult to believe how this dream project took shape. ” The centre, whose architecture is inspired by Bhubaneswar’s Lingaraja Temple, occupies 2. 25 acres of ground and its tall spire covers the space meant for meditation.  
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“Sri Krishna Dhyana Kendra is aimed at creating a universal civilisation through its meditation and yogic discourse,” says the 85-year-old doctor. 
“The building is designed with steel and glass to be in harmony with nature and blend with its surroundings at the same time. Its tall tower highlights its objectives of binding all the religions together to safeguard universal peace. ” 
 There’s a marble idol of Lord Krishna inside the centre. There’s also a 150kg lamp. Outside, there are busts of spiritual leaders from four religions, including Swami Vivekananda and Gautam Buddha. 
 Picturesque surroundings and the breeze make the centre an ideal place to meditate, relax, and forget the bustle of life. “You can literally feel at the top of the world and savour the beauty of nature with all the elements touching your soul,” says Dr Naik.  The centre attempts to showcase India’s culture to the world, and a 600-seater open-air theatre behind it is used for staging cultural programmes. It also has a conference hall and well-maintained rooms for visitors.

A plaque at the entrance announces: “The whole world is my motherland, the Earth is my mother, all are my brothers, there is none superior and none inferior by birth. ” Numerous shlokas from the Bhagavad Gita and quotes by renowned personalities, including Mother Teresa, Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, etc, dot the campus. 

''' Treat For History Buffs '''

The centre is a must-visit for history buffs. Dr Naik’s ‘Museum of Tulunadu’ is located on the ground floor in an adjacent building and has a wide range of antiques from across the world, but Tulunadu in particular. There is a 150kg bell, statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Sri Narayana Guru, paintings of freedom fighters and vast collections related to Yakshagana, Kambala and the architecture of Tulunadu (part of Karnataka where the Tulu language is spoken). 

Among the exhibits are photographs of former PM Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit to Mangaluru in 1951 annotated with details, such as the Rs 230 expenditure on the public function held that day. There is also a chess table that belonged to freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu. Then there are different kinds of cash boxes, a Chinese pot, old kitchen items, mementos, weights and measures, a chariot presented by Rani Chennamma to Polali Shri Rajarajeshwari temple, old wedding cards, telephones, sari boxes, cradles, charts on the history of cars, Austin car wheels, old weapons and beekeeping boxes, etc. “The museum has something for everyone. There are projectors, a printing press, lamps, a statue of the sleeping Buddha from Thailand, stamps, coin collection from 600 BCE, sewing machines, ice boxes, rice boxes, and information on the global spread of Homo sapiens,” says Dr Naik. 

One corner of the museum is the Hall of Fame, displaying photographs of Justice K S Hegde, U Srinivas Mallya and other prominent persons from Tulunadu, including car racer Ashwin Naik. Dr Naik says, “From art to science, entertainment to education, culture, and literature, the museum is a treasure trove with a rare collection that has left several VIPs spellbound. Recently, Karnataka governor Thawar Chand Gehlot visited the Dhyana Kendra and the museum, and appreciated the wide collection. ”

While Dr Naik is content with building an important landmark for the coastal city, he is concerned about its maintenance as age catches up with him. A trust has been formed to look after and make good use of the centre, and Dr Naik hopes it will find more supporters and continue educating future generations about the history of India and the rest of the world.