Ramana’s mother, Alagammal, after her return to Manamadurai, lost her eldest son. Two years later, her youngest son, Nagasundaram paid a brief visit to Tiruvannamalai. She herself went there once on her return from a pilgrimage to Varanasi, and again during a visit to Tirupati. On this occasion she fell ill and suffered for several weeks with symptoms of typhoid. Ramana showed great solicitude in nursing her and restoring her to health. He even composed a hymn in Tamil beseeching Lord Arunachala to cure her of her disease. The first verse of the hymn runs as follows: “Oh Medicine in the form of a Hill that arose to cure the disease of all the births that come in succession like waves! Oh Lord! It is Thy duty to save my mother who regards Thy feet alone as her refuge, by curing her fever.” He also prayed that his mother should be granted the vision divine and be weaned from worldliness. It is needless to say that both the prayers were answered. Alagammal recovered and went back to Manamadurai. But not long after she returned to Tiruvannamalai; a little later her youngest son, Nagasundaram, who had meanwhile lost his wife leaving behind a son, followed her. It was in the beginning of 1916 that the mother came, resolved to spend the rest of her life with Ramana. Soon after his mother’s arrival, Ramana moved from Virupaksha to Skandasramam, a little higher up the hill. Here the mother received intense training in spiritual life. She donned the ochre robe and took charge of the Ashram kitchen. Nagasundaram too became a sannyasin, assuming the name Niranjanananda. Among Ramana’s devotees he came to   be   popularly known as

Chinnaswami (the Younger Swami). In 1920 the mother grew weak in health and ailments incidental to old age came to her. Ramana tended her with care and affection, and even spent sleepless nights sitting up with her. The end came on May l9, 1922, which was the Bahulanavami day, in the month of Vaisakha. The mother’s body was taken down the hill to be interred.

The spot chosen was at the southernmost point, between Palitirtham Tank and the Daksinamurti Mantapam. While the ceremonies were being performed, Ramana himself stood silently looking on. Niranjanananda Swami took his residence near the tomb. Ramana, who continued to remain Skandasramam, visited the tomb every day. After about six months he came to stay there, as he said later on, not out of his own volition but in obedience to the Divine Will. This was the genesis of Sri Ramanasramam. A temple, called Matrubhuteswara Mandiram was raised over the Mother’s Samadhi (tomb) and was consecrated in 1949. As the years rolled by the Ashram grew steadily, and people not only from India but from every continent of the world came to see the sage and receive help from him in their spiritual pursuits.