In the picturesque valley of Manipur, in a village known as Toubul, a beautiful child was
born on Thursday, December 9th, 1937, to Sri Yogendra Singh and Srimati Keinahanbi
Devi. Being Vaishnavas, they named their child Damodara, one of the holy names of Lord
Sri Krishna. Sri Yogendra Singh was a devotional singer in the Nata Sankirtan tradition.
From the very moment of Damodara’s appearance in this world, his father, Sri Yogendra filled
his ears with the devotional sounds of the holy names and pastimes of the Supreme Lord.
Srimati Keinahanbi Devi, Sri Yogendra’s faithful wife and Damodara’s loving mother, also
provided her son with a spiritual atmosphere of remembrance of and reverence for Lord Sri
Krishna.
The Second World War greatly affected the quiet and peaceful valley of Manipur. It created
many difficulties for the people of Manipur and forced Damodara to face a series of unfortunate
incidents. In the early summer of 1945, the concluding phase of World War II wreaked its havoc
on the villages of Manipur. Damodara was a mere child of seven years when circumstances
compelled his family to uproot from their humble and peaceful valley home. Damodara’s father
A Brief Sketch of Maharaja’s
Childhood and Student Life
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