T. N. Krishnaswami

Dr. T. N. Krishnaswami, known as Dr. TNK, took most of the photos in Sri Ramanasramam’s archives. In the 1930s when he was a medical student he came from Madras with friends to visit Sri Ramanasramam for the first time. He brought a camera and took this picture:

Sri Ramana Maharshi

People at the ashram liked the photo so much that they invited him back to take more. That’s how Dr. TNK became the official ashram photographer. According to John Maynard, who works on Sri Ramanasramam’s photo archives, Dr. T.N.K. took about 85 percent of the ashram’s photos (source, page 5).

V. Ganesan includes a chapter about Dr. TNK in his wonderful book Ramana Periya Puranam. He writes on page 365:

Dr. TNK, whom I interviewed in the 1960s, described the very first look of Bhagavan: “I thought I had successfully captured Bhagavan inside a metal camera. Very soon I realized it was Bhagavan who had captured me in his Heart from where I could never escape.” I continued, “How did you feel when you first saw Maharshi?” He answered, “The Maharshi did not seem to take notice of anything around him. He wore a calm and distant look. His eyes were shining and there was something divine about his countenance.”

Here’s Dr. TNK with Ramana:

Dr. TNK with Ramana (wp_08)

Dr. TNK wrote many articles for the ashram’s journal, The Mountain Path. Some of them are linked below.

Dr. TNK was a member of the board of trustees of Sri Ramana Asramam (source, page 117).

Articles by Dr. TNK (incomplete list)

‘Outside the Scriptures’ by Dr. TNK in The Mountain Path, Jan. 1964, page 22.

‘Jnana and Bhakti’ by Dr. TNK in The Mountain Path, October 1964, page 222.

‘The True Karma Yogi’ by Dr. TNK in The Mountain Path, Jan. 1965, page 194.

‘The Sat-Guru’ by Dr. TNK in The Mountain Path, July 1965, page 152.

‘The Maharshi and Healing’ by Dr. TNK in The Mountain Path, Jan. 1966, page 25.

‘Whose Will be Done’ by Dr. TNK in The Mountain Path, April 1966, page 138.

‘The Human Status of the Mahrshi’ by Dr. TNK in The Mountain Path, April 1967, page 150.

‘The Yoga Vasishta: Gospel of Self-Enquiry’ by Dr. TNK in The Mountain Path, Jan. 1968, page 21.

‘How I Came to the Maharshi’ by Dr. TNK in The Mountain Path, July 1968, page 194.

More reading

‘Dr. T.N. Krishnaswami’ in Ramana Periya Puranam by V. Ganesan, page 365.

‘Ramanasramam Photographic Archive’ in Saranagathi, Sept. 2009, pages 4–5.

One thought to “T. N. Krishnaswami”

  1. I am a grandson of Ramanada Brahmachari’s elder brother. Brahmachari was with the Bagavan till 1946. My parents used to say he was sent to Chennai by Bagavan and entrusted to our family by Dr. T.N. Krishnaswami of mylapore. I was only 7 then. Now two years back I visited the asramam at t’ malai. They asked me whether I could tell the exact date of Brahmachari’s demise. I do not have any records. My parents have died 25 yrs back. Is it possible for Dr tnk to have recorded it in any of his records. My parents have said that dr tnk visited our house on the date of death and handed over some money as given by Baghavan for Brahmachari’s last rites.
    Venkataraman K., CHENNAI.

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