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Prasanthi sends tankers with Elixir Divine!
Sri Sathya Sai Water Supply
The image of hapless villagers carrying pitcher full of water covering
long distances will remain to be an old dismal memory for the folks of
Puttaparthi. The most privileged and blessed village in the history of
mankind had its toll of abject misery almost till a century ago, until she
was blessed with the rare great good fortune of His Divine Advent…and ever
since she has been growing slowly and steadily to become a role model
under the apple-of-the-eye care and grooming of none other than God
walking on two feet! The picture of this village dates back to several
decades portraying a hapless underdeveloped hamlet, that was aptly
described by famous western author of Hollywood fame, Arnold Schulman, who
had visited the village in the late sixties as “ten minutes past the Stone
Age” has had dramatic turnaround, recording tremendous progress, presently
holding the status of a pilgrim centre of International repute, where
millions after millions throng every year to have the rarest boon of the
sight of God walking on Earth.
Sun God’s extra graciousness that beats down heavily
during the summer months has not spared even this God’s own village,
Puttaparthi. It is simmering summer during the months of March, April and
May and there comes along with acute drinking water shortage. Bhagawan’s
Divine Discourse on Ugadi was an eye-opener to expand the service
activities to interior villages and with relevance to the drinking water
problem, He posed a question: “The rich get water in tankers for
themselves. What about the poor?” Answer to this came in kind…in
action…and water tankers rolled into villages in and around
Puttaparthi…with Elixir Divine as Divine Succour…as Gift from God.
Initiating the proceedings under the Divine guidance, a survey was
conducted to identify villages that were facing drinking water crisis. In
four days time a comprehensive list of villages and households was ready;
each house was given identification cards to receive two pots full of
drinking water. In the meantime a big tanker of 10,000 litre capacity was
procured. Blessing and pressing the same into service, Bhagawan commanded
that pure drinking water be filled into it from Prasanthi Nilayam and be
supplied to the needy villages as Gift from God (prasadam).
Pressing into service from 2nd April, the water tanker rolled into the
villages distributing drinking water at ‘every doorstep’, of course, with
the enthusiastic participation of scores of sevadals who adorned the role
with utmost punctuality and discipline. The first phase covered,
approximately 1800 households in 15 villages including Vengalammacheruvu,
Patalakunta, Bandlapalli, Kotlapalli and other hamlets of Puttaparthi and
Kothacheruvu Mandals. The supply would start at 6:00 a.m. in the morning
and would go on uninterrupted till 6:00 p.m. in the evening. In between
when tanker got emptied, it would rush back to Prasanthi to get refilled
and returned sans any break.
Bukkapatanam, the adjoining mandal to Puttaparthi, does claim a special
status in the history of Sathya Sai Avatar. It was in this village the
Avatar had His primary education as a little boy by name Sathya. And whom
would one expect these villagers turn to when it came to meeting their
primary requirement…scarcity of drinking water? This time it was the turn
of these villagers to plead Bhagawan for Divine succour…and in answer to
their prayers came another huge water tanker with a capacity of 24,000
litres. …And on 2nd May the same was pushed ahead into action marking the
second phase of the Project. This phase covered 24 villages delivering
water to 4,500 households at the rate of 2 pots-full on every alternate
day.
The local folks from the cluster of villages around Puttaparthi, who are
mostly ‘daily bread winners’ may not be regular in their attendance in Sai
Kulwant Hall paying obeisance to Bhagawan. But, that should not take away
anything from them discounting their gratitude and devotion to Bhagawan.
These local villagers neighbouring this God’s Own Village have in their
hearts Sai embossed and the way they conducted and fared while receiving
the ‘Gift of God’ from Prasanthi Nilayam stands testimony to it. Mr.
Ramana Rao, a long-time devotee of Bhagawan, formerly State President of
Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Andhra Pradesh from 1990 to 1995 and
ever since has been the National co-ordinator for Sevadals, who was
privileged to spearhead this service activity, chronicled interesting
anecdotes that they have had once they trudge past into the village
interiors with the Divinely ordained Mission.
Each morning the village women would clean-up the designated spot for
water supply, decorate with flowers and various hues before awaiting the
arrival of the tanker. They would form a queue some 50 ft. away and all in
the queue would be carrying two pots alongwith identity cards supplied to
every eligible household. The moment the tanker reached the place, the
same would be garlanded and worshipped applying turmeric, lighting incense
sticks and breaking coconut, followed by chanting of Om, Sai Gayathri and
Shanti Mantra. This would be followed by an offering of Arathi by the
village head and loud shouting of ‘jaikars’ (victory), hailing ‘victory’
to Bhagawan. Following this water would be filled with the help of sevadal
volunteers observing highest discipline.
The KING OF THE FRUITS, Mango, weighing at least 1 kilo each, was given to
each and every one as the KING OF THE UNIVERSE watched all of us. Swami
then blessed the birthday boys by sprinkling holy rice (akshintalu) on
their heads..
The big tanker has
18 taps and the small 12 and it takes about 30 seconds to fill a pot with
water. So, in a minute 60 pots are filled with water and in maximum cases
pots can hold 15 litres of water with the exception of a meagre 10% with
bigger pots of 20 litres. Piety and reverence of these village women could
be seen when they sprinkle a few drops of water on their head before
carrying the same away to their homes.
Bhagawan always insists that service should be delivered at the doorsteps
with utmost humility and love…and the Grama Seva by students of Sathya Sai
Institutions every year is a living testimony to this act of service. The
water tankers once rolled into the villages, would stop at number of
places along the interior streets and the houses close by would be served
avoiding maximum strain for this hapless village folk already reeling
under the simmering sun; one would be pained at the sight of some young
children carrying water as some families would be left without any
alternative than relying on these tiny tots as elders in the family would
go to earn their daily bread during day time.
Sathya Sai Grama Seva in the villages should make the villagers
self-sufficient in terms of ‘management’ so that the village leadership
would be able to continue the show independently; and here came an
opportunity for the rural leadership to come forward and organise the
villagers at various distribution points. Their co-operation was specially
sought to ensure that pregnant women, old and disabled persons receive
their share with first preference. Village elders would educate the
village folk about the precious nature of the water and thus to avoid mis-utilisation,
urging them to use it for drinking purpose alone. …And barring any
religious, caste or any other status whatsoever, the village folk would
unite with one purpose…indeed a miniscule model of Unity in Diversity,
atypical Prasanthi Model.
Apart from the village household two to four pots of water were given to
all community places or offices such as temples, mosques, schools,
panchayat centre, railway level crossing etc. In case of any special
celebration or function or festival, prior intimation would be received
and accordingly their needs would be met.
On one occasion, addressing the Sevadal, Bhagawan exhorted: In the name of
village service, you may be renovating a village temple, cleaning a mosque
or feeding the poor in a village. That is not all what you should do. You
must take up activities that help all-round development of the village.
Taking a cue from this spirited clarion call, volunteers on ‘water-seva’
would avail the brief intermission they get while the tankers roll back to
Prasanthi for refilling, to enlighten the villagers about His Teachings
and Mission.
From all that one could observe, the highest discipline and devotion
exemplified by the villagers, with a rare touch of innocence that came
from grateful hearts, it was a not a mere water tanker that they were
receiving everyday into the interiors; but all the respect and reverence
given to could well be equated to that to a temple, and it was undoubtedly
a moving temple that these villagers visualised came from the Lord with
Divine Succour, and the succour was as sacred as the waters of the holy
Chitravathi or Ganges …Elixir Divine in quintessence! For these hapless
villagers fighting ruthless summer woefully made horrible by the dried up
wells and reservoirs, nothing else could have been more heavenly than this
sacred water sent by Baba quenching thousands of thirsty souls.
Chitravathi might be dried up for the time being with its sand beds
becoming play ground for the local children, but Bhagawan’s grace could
never get dried up as IT has been the perennial source of everything and
would continue to be the same for eternity.
My Life is My Message, says Bhagawan. He practises what He preaches…By
posing the question as to who would get water to the poor, Bhagawan was
hinting at another realm of His Divine Mission, a Mission in its essence
coming from the roots, watering the roots of society, thus humanity at
large. During His recent Divine Discourse on the occasion of Vishu and
Tamil New Year, while talking about the Chennai Water Project, Bhagawan
declared: “Water is God’s Property” and it was that property Bhagawan
wanted to send to neighbouring villagers as a Gift from Him….Indeed, in
essence it is really the ‘Gift from God’. Every service project,
everything that initiates in Prasanthi Nilayam does have a far reaching
implication…supported by the Divine Vision…be it Medicare, Educare or
Sociocare…Prasanthi initiates the archetype service projects, educating
and encouraging the world to emulate, to make our lives His Message…Many
would follow…
JAI SAIRAM
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