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Sundram Ati Rudra Maha Yajna At Chennai
- Year 2007
“After my delivery of twin-boys I
did not go straight home. I wanted to get Swami's blessings for our new
family first. So I, along with my husband, took our children to Sundaram
because we feel Swami’s presence is always there. Instead of going to
Parthi, we can just sit and talk to Swami in Sundaram and He blesses us.
Though the doctors advised us not to take the children out, we
took them to Sundaram because we felt that it is the holiest place for
our new-borns to visit before taking them home.” This is what Mrs. Mona Duseja, a
decade-old resident of Chennai and an ardent devotee of Baba, says with a
beatific smile on her face. Yes, Sundaram, the beautiful adobe of
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in the city of Chennai, the capital of the
state of Tamil Nadu, India, is truly a ‘Prashanthi Nilayam away from
Prashanthi Nilayam’ for thousands of Sai devotees. “Sundaram fills us with
peace and strength,” says another devotee, Sri A K Kumar. “Once I started coming to
Sundaram,” he continues, “my life has totally changed! It’s a
university, a temple, a rehabilitation center - it’s everything! Once
you are inside Sundaram, you evolve, you forget everything! You are in
total bliss, it’s so refreshing! You are filled with so much strength.” This is the experience of every Mona and
every Kumar who has stepped into the holy precincts of this hallowed abode
of their Lord Sai in Chennai. Thousands throng into this heavenly abode on
every Thursday and Sunday and if you are around after the evening bhajan
session in Sundaram you can see that by the time they leave the holy
precincts of this ‘heaven-in-Chennai’, their faces are red with emotion
and radiating a rare kind of serenity and joy…it is as if they had had an
audience with their Lord and all the travails and trials of life have just
melted away… they are revitalized and invigorated with the power of the
divine! They have been touched by His presence. Why is Sundaram Special? Sundaram, the magnificent edifice, which
literally means “Divine Beauty” is special, indeed very special. But what
is it that makes it so special? Why is it that all - from slum dwellers to
sitting judges of the Madras High Courts, from street hawkers to top
industrialists - make a beeline to Sundaram for the Sunday bhajans? Why do
Sai devotees from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, etc. make it a
point to visit Sundaram when they stopover in Chennai en route to
Puttaparthi? Why is it that it is often hailed as “heaven in Chennai” and
“a beacon of light” by social workers and statesmen as well as by
agnostics? It is to unravel and reveal the glory of
Sundaram to our readers and also equally important, to celebrate the
completion of 25 years of its existence, that we have this cover story.
Sundaram is special simply because it is an indelible part of Swami’s
glorious mission. It has not only housed the Lord whenever Swami visited
the city after its existence, but also provided comfort and care to
thousands of troubled hearts and mangled minds over the last two and a
half decades. Miracles have happened at Sundaram. Minds have been moulded
and the Lord’s presence felt every moment. We will tell you stories of all
this and more as you journey along with us on this spiritual voyage of
experiencing the sublimity that is Sundaram. Let’s start with the very
beginning - how did it actually come about? THE SUNDARAM STORY The Beginning - Swami
First Came To Chennai in 1945! Not many will know that Swami’s physical
association with Chennai dates back more than six decades now! Swami first
stepped in Chennai, then known as Madras, as a nineteen year old young
charismatic boy in 1945. Since then He has blessed the city of Chennai
with any number of visits, sometimes staying for months together - as in
1950 when He stayed from January to March, or in 1954 when He was there
from January to April. Between 1945 and 1997, Swami blessed Chennai with
more than sixty-five visits, touched the lives of thousands and gave the
opportunity of being His host to many ardent devotees like Mr. Hanumantha
Rao, the Raja of Venkatagiri and Sri Venkatamuni, in whose residences Baba
stayed in 1950’s. In fact, Chennai had become His temporary
headquarters while visiting other places. Be it His visit to Rishikesh and
Hardwar in July 1957, or to Tirupati in March 1960 or to Badrinath in June
1961, Chennai was the take off and return station. Even the first All
India Conference of Sai Organizations was held in Chennai on 20 th and 21
st April 1967. While all this was happening, Swami
inaugurated “Sathyadeep” – His abode in Mumbai in 1968 and this was
followed by the unveiling of “Shivam” in Hyderabad in April 1973. The Longing of the
Devotees for Sundaram The devotees in Tamil Nadu longed for
Swami’s blessings to complete the trilogy [of Sathyam, Shivam,
Sundaram – the title of Baba’s biography] by having “Sundaram” in
Chennai. This fervent desire to build an abode for their Lord was there
actually even before Shivam was inaugurated. In 1970 itself, a little over
six grounds of site became available, but the devotees felt it was not
enough to erect an imposing structure. In 1971, by divine design, another
six grounds of the very adjacent site along with a building became part of
the ‘Sundaram site’. But no construction actually began. Years rolled by. Though there was clear
indication from Baba that “Sundaram” was certain to come, nobody knew
when. In 1976, during Summer School in Ooty, when Swami materialized a
medallion marking all the future Sai Centres, devotees could easily spot
Chennai. Their happiness was tinged with sadness - happiness that it was
sure to happen, but sadness over it not yet getting started. The impatience of the devotees got the
better of them and they renovated an existing building in April 1976 and
even did a “Gruhapravesham” (house warming ceremony). This became
the centre of the organization’s work but the building was not to be
Swami’s abode during His visits. “Sundaram” had not yet arrived.
Swami even remarked, “It is not Sundaram” with gentle irony! But after
that Bhagavan took over. The Blossoming of Sundaram Those who were fortunate enough to be
present in those days know how Swami’s involvement with the design and
construction of the new edifice was comprehensive and complete. As the old
timers say, “Swami shaped Sundaram brick by brick. He was in fact
the architect, the engineer and the builder. Every detail – be it the
doors, the imposing gopurams, the frescoes, the statue of Shiva-Parvati at
the entrance, the lotus shaped Darshan balcony or even the gates and the
visitors’ lounges – are all what He fashioned.” And Sundaram,
true to its name, blossomed with beauty and splendour! And why should it
not, with the Loving Lord blessing it with His constant loving gaze and
caring touch! The much awaited day finally dawned. On
the 18th of Jan 1981, the “Kalasha Puja” (preliminary worship
before inauguration) was done. Inauguration of Sundaram On the 19th Jan morning, there was a
grand welcome for Swami. Devotees had gathered since early morning and
Sundaram was all decked up for the occasion.
Sweets were distributed, clothes were
given away, all the workers were handsomely felicitated and there was joy
all around. On the 55th year of His advent, the 55ft “Sundaram” paid her
obeisance to her Lord with gratitude and reverence. The divine rays emanating from Sundaram
since then have attracted many spiritual seekers to this holy abode. If we
have to describe Sundaram in one phrase, it is ‘Beauty with Sublimity’.
Literally ‘Sundaram’ –
Every Detail is Beautiful What was once a sprawling area of 30,700
square feet is now a trifle too small to hold the overwhelming crowd that
throng on special festival days like Baba’s Birthday, Shivarathri, New
Year, Christmas, etc. or during everyday Darshan sessions when Swami is
physically present in Sundaram.
Sundaram is ‘vibrant’, yet ‘still’ and
‘silent’ in the serene peace that pervades. "We Know Swami Is Always
There in Sundaram" - Mrs. Mona Desuja Anyone who has entered the
rectangular-shaped main Darshan Hall, knows why it is compared to the
mythological “Vaikunta” - the serene abode of Lord Vishnu. As one devotee
says, “A sense of peace engulfs you
and you can feel the mysterious hand waiting to come to your rescue as
you enter the Hall. One look at the breathtaking photo of Swami standing
in a background of greenery with a gentle smile on His face and a fully
blossomed rose clasped in His hands …combined with the stage décor
becomes such an overwhelming experience! It is as is if Swami is
beckoning you! It provides immediate relief.” “Even though I am tied up with
3 children and take care of home needs, still I find time to go to
Sundaram. Because I know my problems are solved in Sundaram,” says
Mrs. Mona Desuja. “My Swami is always there in
Sundaram”, she continues and says, “And when I sit there and
start chanting His 108 Names, I can feel that He responds
immediately. I will know instantaneously that my problems would get
solved as I see Swami smiling at me. We see to it that any good
thing we do or any property or car we buy, we go to Sundaram first,
even if it is very late in the night. If anything adverse
happens then too we rush to Sundaram, be it related to our business,
or our children’s health. We know Swami is there to help us.
Sundaram has given me so many things in life.” [On the left you see Mrs. Mona
with the pictue of her twin-boys who were born with Swami's
blessings] It is not uncommon to find devotees’
cheeks wet with tears of joy and bliss during Bhajan sessions in Sundaram
which happen every Thursday and Sunday evenings and also on special
festival days. More than the quality of bhajans per se it is the sublime
ambience of Sundaram radiating positive energy which touches the core of
every devotee’s heart. “It’s Like Stepping into a
Temple of Peace.” – Dr. Mohan As Dr. V Mohan, a diabetologist by
profession, who has been visiting Sundaram for more than a decade and a
half now, says, “Many times when I have gone to
Sundaram with a disturbed state of mind, the moment I enter
Sundaram, it is like going into a temple of peace. In fact to be
honest, I prefer Sundaram and Puttaparthi to regular temples (even
though I may be biased in my opinion being a devotee of Swami)
because I think the way things are conducted here is so unique!
Everything happens smoothly without much noise, without much
paraphernalia, without much fuss in doings things. You go
there and sit in meditation and observe the rules and discipline and
take part in the Bhajans and read the Thought for the Day and peace
comes to you automatically! You are filled with positive vibrations.
You feel like doing something more, your feel recharged completely
after listening to bhajans and satsang. This has been a great source
of inspiration to me. In fact, when we were deciding to move our
house, we chose a house which was relatively near to Sundaram.”
SUNDARAM – ITS BEAUTY
WITH SUBLIMITY The Blessed Darshan Hall
On the stage, apart from Swami’s picture
in the centre, there is a beautiful statue of Lord Ganesha in the front as
is in most Sai temples and also on either side of the dais are arched
decorations of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu on glass with beautiful wall
inscriptions of Dasavatar (the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu) on either
side of Swami's picture.
Incidentally, these glass panels serve as
a door when Swami comes to the stage for giving Darshan in the evening
during His stay in Chennai. The stage also has the Lord’s ‘Padukas’
(Sacred Sandals) embedded in gold inside a golden lotus in the forefront
and the usual cushioned chair with a foot rest - all dedicated for Baba. “The arathi at the end of bhajan
or other spiritual sessions in Sundaram is an electrifying experience”,
says a regular visitor to Sundaram. “With the majestic chandelier being
lit during arathi, the huge bell (made specially in Kumbhakonam)
resonating with “Aum”, and nearly two thousand devotees joining in with
great gusto and devotional fervor, the arathi is an indulgence of
mysticism.” Apart from the Main Darshan Hall there is
also a small prayer hall with a beautiful picture of Swami in
“Abhayahasta” (blessing with a raised hand) and an impressive wooden
carved statue of Dakshinamoorthy (Lord Shiva) and also other matching
architecture of Lord Ganesha, Lord Muruga and other deities. It is here
that Bhajans are conducted on all days other than Thursdays and Sundays by
groups from Sai Centres across the length and breadth of Chennai.
Another significant structure in the
Sundaram compound which deserves a special mention is the “Shirdi Temple”
located at the northern end of the campus. They say that the peace that
pervades the atmosphere here is to be experienced to be believed. It is special because Swami has blessed
and spiritually charged this temple profusely by materializing a
nine-gemmed flower-shaped jewel which He pressed on the forehead of the
marvelous sparkling white Shirdi Baba idol. Besides this idol, there is
also a miniature idol made of panchaloha (five metals) for the
purpose of abhishekam (doing worship with flowers, milk, etc.)
which is performed every Thursday and on all festival days. There is also
a beautiful ‘shaligram’ (a lingam), again manifested by Baba, which is
placed before the silver padukas (sandals) in front of the idol
with a metal-snake hood over it. No one can be untouched by the soothing
divine vibrations emanating from this place.
With a beautiful sculpture of
Garuda (vehicle of Lord Vishnu) holding the platform from below and
its pillars decorated with symbols of all religions, this picturesque
venue is where Swami has spent hours speaking to the devotees, seeing the
performances of Bal Vikas children, distributing food and clothes to the
poor and guiding the Sevadals during His numerous visits to Chennai. SAI DEVOTEES AND
SUNDARAM “Sundaram is Like My Home”
– Sri A K Kumar Many longtime devotees now joyfully
narrate how Sundaram actually brought them close to Swami. Sri A K Kumar
who has been a devotee for more than two and a half decades now and
regularly sings during the bhajan sessions says, “My journey to Sai began in Sundaram in
1980. One of my close associates in my school asked me if I would
like to sing in Sundaram. Then I thought, ‘what is so great about
this place but maybe I will try to make it once a month, that too
just for listening’ - but now Sundaram is almost like my home. You
will not believe it, but one day I had to go to hospital for some
registration and quite unknowingly I landed in Sundaram and went
inside and only then I realised I was supposed to be heading
somewhere else! That is the affinity I have for Sundaram.”
And this special relationship with Sundaram is
because as already mentioned it is at Sundaram that many people have
basked in His love and grace, as Kumar recalls, “Whenever Swami comes to Sundaram,
the first thing He does is He steps inside, comes near us, enquires about
us and only then He proceeds. How can we ever forget the golden moments we
have had with Swami…He used to spend so much of His time with us, almost
play with us!” “We Associate Swami with
Sundaram” – Dr. Mohan Speaking about His association with
Sundaram, another longtime devotee, Dr. Mohan says, “Several times when Swami has come
to Chennai we had the good fortune to have the Darshan of Swami in
Sundaram. So next to Puttaparthi, which we visit several times year, our
association with Swami is at Sundaram. We associate Sundaram with Swami
and all the good things, all the teachings which Swami stands for, and
to us it is a great source of mental peace, inspiration and above all
sets to us the right ideal.” IN SUNDARAM - WORSHIP
TRANSFORMS INTO SERVICE So, Sundaram is not all about serenity,
peace and beauty alone. It is a bridge between the devotee and the Lord.
What is more noteworthy is how all this devotion to the Lord gets
translated here into concrete action. To quote from Dr. Hiramalini
Seshadri’s article “Sundaram – A Haven of Love and Peace” which appeared
in the Hindu, on Jan 8th, 2006, a few days prior to its
Anniversary day, “The first Chennai organization to rush with food
for those affected on that fateful Boxing Day, 2004; the silent
hub through which a crore worth of relief materials were disbursed
to the tsunami affected of Tamil Nadu; the on-the-spot agency that
coordinated efforts to get water to parched Chennai through the
Sathya Sai Ganga Canal; the venue for over 200 marriages of people
of all faiths conducted totally free of cost with clothes and
gifts to set up home for the newly weds; the chapel that puts up the finest Christmas
tree and manger in town; the Masjid from which men sally forth
laden with eats and drinks to greet their Muslim brothers as they
walk up from the Marina sands after the daylong Ramzan fast and
prayers; the temple where upanayanams (Hindu thread
ceremony) are done free for all, irrespective of caste and creed;
the Veda Patashala (vedic school) where women are taught
to recite the Vedas; the divine 'hospital' that has been
conducting free weekly clinics for 25 years; the centre where since 2002, at
Baba's behest, Disaster Management Teams have been trained so that during
calamities trained youth can plunge into disaster management rather than
just hand out some relief (the tsunami saw exemplary disaster management
by these teams at Nagapattinam and Colachal); the hallowed grounds where
divine all-faith bhajans resound every Thursday and Sunday ; "Sundaram" is
all this and more." Sundaram – The
Nodal Point of Sai Organisation Activities Yes, Sundaram is much more. Sundaram is a synthesis
of peace, love and more importantly, service. And it is this
service, done with great discipline and dedication, which has made
Sundaram a very unique spiritual centre. It has inspired thousands
to feel for their fellowmen and extend their loving hand selflessly
to other thousands who have no shelter, no basic education or
healthcare facilities. Every activity is done strictly according to the
guidelines laid down by Swami from time to time. It is this
disciplined approach to service and spirituality which has caught
the attention of many. As one devotee says, “The moment we started attending
the bhajans there and got to see some of the activities taking place at
Sundaram, a great transformation came in our lives because we realised
not only the spirituality which pervades this place, but also the
strength of the Organisation, its discipline and its character and the
way things are done within the Sai Organisation really made a deep
impression on us.” With the Sai Organization spread in every
district of Tamil Nadu, there are more than 700 Sri Sathya Sai Centers in
the state and Sundaram is the nerve centre of this entire network. The
concept of service was enumerated and emphasized by Swami by practice and
precept in Chennai more than four decades ago. In fact, the first All
India Conference of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations was held in
Chennai in April 1967. And since then, service has been a continuous
activity by the Sai Organization in Chennai, receiving added impetus in
the form of better infrastructure and resources after Sundaram came into
being in 1981. “Liquid Love” – A 24/7
Supreme Service
The way this service operates is this -
the moment there is a request for a blood donor from any of the city
hospitals, the enlisted blood donors are immediately contacted who readily
volunteer to donate at the respective hospitals/blood bank with fervent
zeal. Thanks to frequent interaction with the hospitals, there is
excellent coordination and the needy are served at the required moment. A
number of shields, trophies, and citations awarded by the Madras Voluntary
Blood Bureau stand as testimony to the yeoman service being rendered by
this set up in Sundaram. In fact, this service is there even in the
Railway Station in Chennai. Christened as Sri Sathya Sai Public Utility
Services, this counter in the railway platform provides a host of
voluntary services to people landing in Chennai from all parts of the
world including first-aid, city info, etc. Many people visibly moved with
this service say, ‘it is such a comforting feeling to know that there is
always a “Sai Brother or Sister” in Chennai ready to help you in your
times of need including arranging for blood, if required. The Amazing Sai Krupa –
Heaven for the Poor and The Sick Another regular free medical service which
is run every Sunday is at a place adjacent to Sundaram called “Sai Krupa.”
With doctors from all disciplines of medicine treating several hundred
poor patients every week here, this is a godsend for the underprivileged
and the sick. And this was going on as early as 1977, that is, much before
Sundaram came into being. Dr. Prabhu, Director, Advanced Nuclear Medicine
Research Institute, Puraswalkkam, Chennai, who has been serving at Sai
Krupa for many years now, recalling his first experience at the centre
says, “The Patients Come Here
For Love” – Dr. Prabhu “The very first experience was very
encouraging and all the paramedical and the volunteers were so
friendly with me. Motivated by the will
to serve and through their love and affection I decided to come
every week. I even shifted my residence to T. Nagar which is
nearer to Sundaram, so that I will not miss any Sunday…. I came
across a lot of patients, about 300 to 400, most of them suffering
from various degrees of illness. One may get the impression that
these patients are being cured by the medicines which we give. But
actually this is not true. The patients who come here are not
coming for the medicines that are being dispensed here, but for
the love. It is really the love of our beloved Swami that heals
them. Slowly we started getting higher medical specialists like
cardiac thoracic surgeons, plastic surgeons, vascular surgeons,
who started coming regularly. And this kept us motivated further
and we kept improving our care to these people.” Even If Out Of Station, I
Do Not Miss Sai Krupa On Sunday ”– Dr. Kumari Menon “Even if I am out of station I make it a
point to come to Chennai on Sunday so as not to miss the Sunday at
Sai Krupa,” says another doctor, Dr.
Kumari Menon, a pediatrician in Vijaya Hospital, Chennai who has
also been associated with Sai Krupa for decades now. “I remember” she continues, “once there was
a child who had obstruction in sebro spinal fluid in the brain. We
had done a shunt (bypass) for the child. The child used to come to
Sai Krupa every Sunday for regular check up and by Swami’s grace
was cured without any complications. On one of the occasions, I
remember, we had lunch with Swami. While interacting with us, He
said, ‘it is better to go and serve in the door steps rather than
waiting for the patients to come.’ And so, we started Grama Seva
(serving in the villages). We not only were attending the patients
there but also were giving them much-needed health education.”
The commitment of the doctors and their
dedication to Sai and the service camps is exemplary, to say the least.
How Is Sai Krupa
Different? How is it different serving in Sai Krupa
than in their regular hospitals? “Sai Krupa is more like a
family,” says Dr. Prabhu. “Here, doctors not only give the required
medical help but also patiently listen to all the difficulties of the
poor patient. The very act of listening to their problems and pain cures
90 % of their illness.” In Sai Krupa a concerned effort is made by
all the doctors to understand the patient first before prescribing
anything. Keeping their sensibilities, rural conditions and other factors
in mind, a lot of thinking is done as to how the medicines are to be
dispensed, how rural camps should be organized and how to better
understand the pains and suffering of this often neglected and poor
section of the society. And all this has resulted in better care to the
patients and their numbers keep increasing every Sunday. This Is How Sai Krupa
Grows… In fact, impressed with the purity
of the cause, many more doctors have joined Sai Krupa lately. Dr.
Prabhu mentions about three of his friends. One is Dr. Jayavel Rajkumar, a
plastic surgeon at the Madras Medical College (who in his younger days
somehow was not influenced by Swami though he saw Him a couple of times,
but is now a regular at Sundaram).
The third on Dr. Prabhu’s list is Dr.
Raghunath, a vascular surgeon with 13 years experience in UK , who is a
consultant at Apollo Hospital. Like Dr. Sundar, Dr. Raghunath too was
looking for something like Sai Krupa and after coming to know of it,
visits regularly to see the patients. In fact, Sai Krupa, as somebody
remarked, is now almost a super specialty centre! Striving continuously to improve their
services, the doctors at Sundaram have also recently started a “Young
Adults Health Care Programme” to guide the youth in the villages who
suffer from alcohol abuse, drug abuse, anemia and improper health
education. The idea is to make the youth physically, mentally and
spiritually strong so that they can be socially productive. All media –
from charts to audio-video CDs – are being used to effectively communicate
health education to the youth. The Doctors serving in Sai Krupa also voluntarily
participate in the Public Utility Services at the Central Railway
Station. “This gives an opportunity to interact with passengers with
varying difficulties. We were able to guide them as to where to seek
medical attention, apart from rendering first aid services,” one
devotee-doctor says. Years ago when Dr. Rama Devi, now retired
Director and Superintendent of the Government Children’s Hospital,
showed her stethoscope to Swami to bless it after she completed her
medical education, Swami said “Praja Seva Chei Bangaru”
meaning “Serve the people, dear one”. And this is precisely what Dr. Rama Devi and all the
doctors at Sundaram are engaged in - unmindful of their personal
comforts and heedless of luxury.
Seva in Sundaram is not restricted to
blood donation and a medical centre at Sai Krupa alone. There are a lot of
other health camps being conducted at regular intervals like the screening
camp for Auto-rickshaw drivers, Geriatric camps, Eye camps, Pediatric
camps, etc. Special Medical Camps For
Auto Rickshaw Drivers Recalling his first experience at the
auto-rickshaw driver’s camp, Dr. V Mohan who screens the drivers for
diabetes says, “I was a bit surprised initially,
because I thought that these young auto rickshaw drivers are young and
poor, but not obese. They also seemed physically active and so I thought
that it would be a waste of time to screen these people for diabetes,
even though the rest of the camp would be very useful since their blood
group was being tested and they were also given a small pass book
containing information about their blood group and blood pressure. But
we were greatly surprised to find that in the first camp we conducted,
we found that out of all the drivers screened, 7% of the drivers
screened had diabetes! And then, the then President of the Tamil unit of
the Organisation, appealed to us as to whether we could take on these
drivers for further free treatment and we agreed. And drivers screened
at the camp, who have been identified having diabetes, are welcome to
our centre and we offer life long free treatment.” Such lifelong treatment is now
offered to several hundred drivers who have been diagnosed with the
disease out of nearly 10,000 auto-rickshaw drivers who have been
screened so far in such camps conducted at regular intervals.
“I am happy to say that we are offering them free lifelong treatment and
they come to our centre. Even though their follow up is not regular,
quite a large number of them have been retained for follow up and they
continue to receive good diabetic control,” continues Dr. Mohan and
adds, “before this, their sugar levels were not controlled and used to
be at 400 to 450 levels and the worse part of it was they were totally
unaware of it! This not only posed a danger to themselves but also to
the passengers of the auto-rickshaw they everyday ferried in the busy
streets of Chennai.” How Have The Auto-Rickshaw
Drivers Responded? How has this service affected the lives
and mindset of auto-rickshaw drivers? “The transformation that has come
about in them is very encouraging,” says Dr. P Rama Devi, “Many drivers
who used to drink water from any street corner now carry boiled water,
thanks to the pep talk on health in the screening camp.” Dr. Hiramalini Seshadiri, a Rheumatologist and
writer, has another interesting incident to narrate - “I had to dash down from hospital to Sundaram
once. I took an auto-rickshaw which true to Chennai tradition had
no working meter. I was hoping the driver wouldn't fleece me.
To my amazement he charged me most nominally. The surprise
must have shown on my face for the driver said with a shy smile, "Amma,
you ‘Sundaram’ doctors arranged for my mother's free eye operation
and I myself had a complete free check up here." Needless to say, Dr. Seshadiri was moved and
silently thanked Bhagavan for giving her the opportunity to be part
of Sundaram. One may ask why only auto rickshaw drivers
and not others? Dr. Mohan, who leads the diabetic screening camps, answers
this doubt, “Unlike train drivers, bus conductors
and so on, who have ESI (Employee State Insurance) and other benefits,
auto rickshaw drivers are one group of people who do not have any
benefits. And when this project was presented to Bhagavan, the
All-knowing-One had not only directed us to go ahead with the project
but also said that it was a very good project. And no wonder,” says Dr.
Mohan, “ - it has been a very satisfactory experience for all of us.”
The Importance of Health
Screening – One Youth’s Tale But having stated that, the Sai
Organisation in Sundaram does not restrict itself to auto-rickshaw drivers
alone. They also conduct a number of other camps for various other
categories of people which includes even the Sevadal Volunteers of the
Organisation. Recalling a particular case of a youth who was screened at
Sundaram, Dr. Mohan says, “I still remember at one of
the camps organised at Sundaram, a young man of 22 years had his
blood tested for sugar for the first time, and we discovered that he
had a blood sugar level of 350. He was shocked and angry. He
complained that the instrument was wrong. He could not believe he
could be diabetic. We checked him again and showed him that his
blood sugar was really very high. Then we went on to check his blood
pressure and that too at around 170 by 110 was very high. Of course,
this could also be because he was very excited, apart from the fact
that he had a history of blood pressure. But, this only upset him further and
he just broke down and blurted out, ‘I walked in as young man of 24,
and now you tell me I have blood pressure and blood sugar’. He was
inconsolable. It took a lot of patience and kind
words on our part to explain to him what would have happened if he had
not come to the camp? He would have been walking around with the very
high blood pressure and blood sugar and probably would have had a stroke
or a heart attack. Slowly, the message did go home and he
started visiting our centre regularly and by His grace soon we were able
to bring his blood sugar down and his blood pressure was also brought
under control. And this is just one example of the numerous instances of
how Sundaram, serving as a nodal unit to reach out to society, has
benefited hundreds of people with diabetes, blood pressure and similar
ailments.” The Vision Restoration
Project And as just mentioned it is not only
diabetes or blood pressure, there have also been many eye care camps and
notable among those is the ‘Vision Restoration Project 2000’ which was
undertaken during Baba’s 75th Birthday to conduct 75,000 cataract
surgeries in the state of Tamil Nadu. However, sensing the great
need for it among the poorer sections of society, this project is being
continued even now and in the last three years more than 7,000 surgeries
have been performed in the city of Chennai itself! Sai volunteers go to each and every slum
in the city, identify the patients and convince the uneducated about the
need for the surgery and personally bring them to the Voluntary Service
Camps. Then, apart from the collective prayer that they do for their
speedy recovery after their surgery, they also provide instructions and
medicines for post operative recovery and even carry out the necessary
follow up by visiting the patients frequently at their living areas. Dr.
(Mrs.) Mohan, an ophthalmologist who is very much involved in all camps
connected with eye care says, “This has been a very satisfactory
experience for all us.” And Dr. Mohan, on his part, minces no
words when expressing his deep interest in the service camps in Sundaram.
Expressing his gratitude to Swami for the opportunity, he says, “We have been very fortunate to be
blessed and be involved in Bhagavan’s movement and we also have been
very happy that Sundaram has been the nodal point for us - Sai brothers
and sisters in the medical fraternity - to come together and contribute
that little bit to society, though lots more needs to be done.” Responding Timely to
Disasters, Such as the Tsunami Is it not heartening to see so many
distinguished doctors taking to selfless social service inspired by Swami?
And that was only a glimpse of the Medical Seva being rendered by doctors
operating from Sundaram. But service in Sundaram has much more to it. For
example, the service done during natural disasters. The moving saga of
service done by Tamil Nadu sevadals during Tsunami in December 2004, is
another grand and inspiring tale by itself and we have already done a
special issue entirely on this in March 2005. [Please go
here to download the Tsunami issue]. Sundaram was the central hub in the mega
operations that were undertaken on that occasion to disburse food, clothes
and other basic necessities worth over a crore of rupees. Procuring all
the materials, properly packaging and finally shipping 5,000 boxes of
relief material to the affected location in Nagapattinam – every activity
was coordinated from Sundaram and done with meticulous planning in record
time. There were hundreds of Sai volunteers who worked in the open
sands of Sundaram forsaking food and sleep for days to see to it that the
work was completed at a swift pace. Dr. Prabhu who was a witness
to the stirring service that was done by the youth during Tsunami,
recollects that, “On December 26th which happened
to be Sunday on 2004, when we came to our regular service at Sai Krupa,
we found that the Young volunteers were very active and running around
busy with numerous tasks. Our Sundaram volunteers were, in fact,
the first people to jump to rescue the affected people in the Tsunami.
They quickly organised the food and other relief materials and
systematically distributed them to the affected, long before the other
agencies could step in. And all this was done very quietly,
without publicity. The intention was only to serve and nothing else.” Continuing further on how he became
involved in the Seva, he says, “When I was reading the newspapers I was
thinking whether I would get an opportunity to see how people have been
affected at Nagapattinam. And just then there was a call from Sundaram,
that I should go and take care of the volunteers who were serving at
Nagapattinam. This was an enlightening experience. I was able to see in
person how, well-to-do people were rendered homeless in a matter of a
few minutes and how our Seva dals were active at the ground level. Our job was primarily to take care of
the Seva dals, especially the young boys who have not been exposed to
any sort of difficulties during their career and now they were doing an
immense amount of distribution of relief materials to the public. The
relief material was very neatly packed at Sundaram, transported and the
distribution at the end point was organised in such a way that there was
not a single untoward incident. There was no requirement of any police
or security personnel help and the way our volunteers conducted
themselves is a really educational experience for any organisation.” Like they say - success begets success -
and in Sundaram selfless service propels you to do more and more service
for the needy and grief-stricken. And now there are regular
Disaster Management Training programmes conducted in all 23 districts of
Tamil Nadu for the Sevadal youth and ‘Disaster Awareness’ programmes being
planned for college students. Thus, Sundaram has been the divine ground
which has inspired hundreds and thousands to practise “Love in action”
just like Baba does and more importantly, has sustained and augmented
their passion and devotional fervor every passing year. No doubt, it has
brought fulfillment in the lives of many and as Dr. Rama Devi says,
“Sundaram is a Beacon of Light to people who have really lost their way.
People who cannot afford to go to Puttaparthi, or do not have the
capacity, physical health and opportunity, come to Sundaram to reinforce
themselves.” Sundaram is truly a spiritual garage-cum-citadel.
Dr. Rama Devi, incidentally was the first sevadal to be selected by Swami
way back in 1970s. SUNDARAM’S PRIDE -
THE SUNDARAM SAI BHAJAN GROUP Sundaram Bhajans –
Indelible Part of Sai Devotees’ Lives It is not only the continuous selfless
service aspect which is appealing about Sundaram. There is also
another very fascinating facet of Sundaram, an aspect which has made
Sundaram a household name the world over, where ever there are Sai
devotees and that is the Sundaram Sai Bhajans. Known for their
quality, purity and melody, the Bhajans of Sundaram have literally
taken the spiritual practice of chanting the Lord’s Name with music
and feeling to a new level. If today, thousands of devotees are
able to learn and sing Sai bhajans in their Sai Centres, it is because
of the dedicated work of a group of trained men and women often known
as the “Sundaram Bhajan group” who have been picked, nurtured and
guided by Swami Himself during His numerous visits to Sundaram. It is
this group which apart from singing in the holy Darshan hall of
Sundaram on all Thursdays and Sundays, also has been regularly
releasing bhajan cassettes and CDs since 1985. Till date, 56 volumes
of Sundaram Sai Bhajans in Audio cassettes and 19 volumes in Audio CD
have been released. It will not be an overstatement to say
that Sundaram Bhajans are an indelible part of the lives of Sai devotees.
To get a real feel of it let us read what Dr. Mohan has to say. “Sundaram has always been a place which
has fascinated me because of all the bhajans that I attend; I think the
Sundaram Bhajans are very dear to me and somehow it appeals to the
heart,” says Dr. Mohan who has a large collection of Sundaram cassettes
and never misses to pick up every Sundaram cassette or CD that is
released. “The only music I listen to now ever
since I stopped listening to any music eight or ten years ago,” he
continues, “are these bhajans and they go on almost throughout the day.
In the morning when I get up I hear the bhajans and whenever I am in the
car it is this which is put on; and again I hear it in the evening and
even in my office I have some instrumental Sai Bhajans going on!
So virtually throughout the day it is Sai Bhajans which rule my day and
mostly these are the cassettes bought from Sundaram. And I am deeply
grateful to Sundaram for these lovely bhajans,” Dr. Mohan
concludes. Why are Sundaram Bhajans
Special? To have a live experience of how these bhajans are
influencing hearts and transforming minds, all one has to do is to
visit Sundaram on a Sunday or Thursday. The number of people lined
up to go inside Sundaram on these days is astounding! As Dr. Hiramalini Sheshadri says, “From top industrialists to locals and
nearby slum dwellers, doctors, lawyers, businessmen…all make a
beeline for “Sundaram” for Sunday bhajans. Parking is a real
problem on Sundays and when asked what draws them to Sundaram, the
near unanimous answer is – they get ‘peace of mind’.” And why not? ‘Love as feeling is peace’
Swami says and Sundaram is suffused with divine love coupled with genuine
concern and discipline. Swami has visited Sundaram at least ten times
after its inauguration and five of them in consecutive years. In every
January from 1981 to 1986, Swami was in Sundaram and in each of these
visits He spent a lot of time with the members of the Sundaram Bhajan
Group. In fact, it is He who has literally composed the group and all the
artists in the group are ordinary people who have blossomed into divine
instruments, touched by His constant love and care. “Bhajan Singing is Part of
One’s Life” – Dr. Devanathan Take for instance, the case of Dr.
Devanathan, a very senior member of the Bhajan group who has been
associated with Sundaram Bhajans almost since its inception. Recalling his
first tryst with singing, this Ph. D from IIT, Madras , says, “I have had no formal training
in music except that I had inherited a genetic characteristic of an
affinity for music from my parents. But then, thanks to His grace, I
did get a chance to get myself tested at Brindavan during the Summer
Course Programme in May 1978. I was surprised and also a little
nervous when I was asked to sit on the stage of the huge auditorium
that was just inaugurated by Swami in the Brindavan campus. There
were a lot of judges sitting and I was asked to sing. I was really
nervous. It was a pleasant surprise for me when I heard that I was
the only person who was selected in the very first round and was
even given a clean chit to go and sing in Swami’s presence every
evening during bhajans!” But the story does not end there. Another
beautiful thing which happened as a sequel to this, in Dr. Devanathan’s
words, is this: “In the year 1979 when Swami was
talking to a group of people, He waved his Hand and materialized
Vibuthi. While He was giving Vibhuti to everybody present, when He came
near me He took a small quantity and rubbed it on my throat. I was
thrilled! I feel that was the beginning of a long stint in bhajans.
Bhajan singing is not a special talent or career. It’s part of one’s
life.” “You Sing, I Will
Listen” – Swami Truly, for the Bhajan singers and
other artists of Sundaram, Swami is their life and Sai bhajans their
life-breadth. Every member of the Bhajan group has moving anecdotes of
how Swami has touched their lives and motivated them to dedicate their
lives for this noble endeavour. “I remember the first bhajan session
when I sang in front of Swami,” says Mr. A K Kumar, “Actually, I was
frustrated. I was waiting for the bhajans to start but everything
else was happening except bhajans. There was a lot of activity going
on and I was thinking my coming here has become totally pointless. A
waste of time. And just then Swami came in. I did not know that. I
realised it only when I turned around after feeling a tap on my back
and saw Swami there! And most wonderfully, like a small
child, He said in Tamil, “Yenna innum bhajan aaramikkalaya”
meaning, “You have not started bhajan yet?” At that very instant I knew he
knows what is going on in everybody’s heart. The merciful Lord, then
came near and very sweetly said, “Ni paadu na kekkaren”, that
is, “You sing, I will listen”. I was obviously overjoyed. And
after I finished singing Swami refused to move. I did not know what to
do! Swami’s plan, I guess, was to stay only for 5 minutes. But He was
there for about 40 minutes! Later, people came and thanked me for making
Swami stay for so long. But we know it was all His divine plan and
play!” Singing Under His Loving
Care And Guidance Swami has not only encouraged the singers
at every step, but also corrected, guided and given very clear
instructions on the procedure and conduct of the bhajans to the members on
numerous occasions. “There are several instances that I can recall with
nostalgia” says, Dr. Devanathan, “when Swami spent a lot of time with the
bhajan group at Sundaram. There were occasions when He made corrections to
our singing and perfected the way we rendered a particular bhajan. To
quote an instance, “It was the year 1985. Swami was
seated on the chair in Shanti Vedika and it so happened that I had
commenced singing the bhajan Brahmanda Nayaka Baba. It is a
Hindi bhajan and one of the lines in this bhajan goes “Ayodhya
nagari tumne banaye, dwaraka nagari tumne banaye, shirdi parti tumne
banaye”. This apparently was not the correct version of the song. I
had sung it as “banaye” in every phrase. Swami took
cognizance of this and while I was singing He was making gestures to me,
nodding His head and pointing out a finger and trying to tell me
something. I just could not get what He was trying to tell me. That
night after making a visit to one of His devotee’s residences, on his
way back, Swami drove into Sundaram. Swami got out of the car and came
straight to me. In fact, He was looking for me in the crowd. He then
called me and said, “Can you sing the song again?” I started singing the whole bhajan and
He said, “It is not that way, it is ‘Ayodhya nagari tumne banaye,
dwaraka nagari tumne baithaye, Shirdi parti tumne basaye.” It is
banaye, baithaye and basaye.’ When we look at
the meaning of this line, there is a very strong message in this –
‘Ayodhya was made by Him and Dwaraka was spoken of by Him while Shirdi
and Parti were established by Him.’ Just to demonstrate how much interest
Swami used to take in His earlier visits in correcting and guiding the
singers, Dr. Devanathan recalls another experience and says, “It was in the year 1990. I was
rendering the bhajan, “Sai Hamara Hum Sai ke, yisa prem hamara”
in Abbortsbury, Chennai. Swami was moving among the huge crowds that had
gathered that morning and I thought the bhajan was really getting lost
in the din. But at the end of the bhajan, after Swami took the arathi
while He was walking down, He again beckoned the bhajan group to come.
When we went near, He asked me to render the whole bhajan again.
He listened to it very patiently and then said ‘You are cutting of the
hamara too quickly. It should be “Sai hamara hum sai ke
yisa prem hamaraaaaa’. ‘We are yours, we belong to you’,
that was the meaning of the line and Swami wanted the stress at the
appropriate place. But the whole exercise did not stop at that. The next morning when Swami came out and
He was about to leave for Bangalore, bhajans had just begun. Swami came
straight to me and asked me to begin the bhajan once again! He stood
beside me again, watched me sing the entire song and finally said ‘Yes,
correct’ and only then He walked away with a gentle smile on His face.” So that is the kind of involvement that
Swami has with the Bhajans and Bhajan group of Sundaram. From time to time
in numerous interviews that He has given to the group, He has spelt out
very clearly a number of directions regarding the conduct of bhajans like
– There was also an interesting interview
when Swami taught the members of the group what effective communication is
and how should the singers and other musicians communicate with each other
during bhajans. Dr. Chandrasekhar, a tabla player in the group who was
present in that interview goes down memory lane and says, “I think it was the year 1993. The whole
Sundaram Bhajan Group was called in for an interview. In
the interview room Swami was talking to us on various topics, but
suddenly He asked, ‘What is communication?’ and then looking at me
He said, ‘Tabla, tell me what is communication?’
I just didn’t know what it is because He was
talking about various other subjects and I was wondering why is
Swami suddenly talking about communication. I could not really
understand. So I did not know what to say. Then Swami again asked
me, ‘Do you think what you do is communication?’ I had absolutely
no clue what to answer. Then He came to the crux of the matter and
said, ‘Look, while singing you show your hands. What is it for?’
and mind you, we do that at Sundaram during the Thursday and
Sunday bhajans in front of Swami’s photograph and Throne. But
Swami was asking us in Brindavan about it. In fact, I have been doing that from
1984. And in 1993 Swami asks, ‘what you do by showing hands?’ Well,
while playing tabla you show hands. I told Him that we try to tell the
Shruthi or the pitch. Then He said, ‘Is that the way to
communicate? See communication is this. When an ant bites you at the
feet, immediately the nerves take information to the brain. The brain
sends some commands to the hand and the hand removes the ant. Now this
sort of communication takes places from the feet to the brain and from
the brain to the hand. Does anyone other than you know about it?’ I said
‘No’. Then He said ‘Communication
should be like that. When you communicate to someone the other devotees
should not know what it is. When people sit for bhajan they look at you
and see how you make faces. How you show your hands. When you assemble
for practice before the bhajan, at that time itself write down on a slip
of paper who is going to sing what and at what Shruti and then pass it
around.’ This was a revelation to all of us in the group, not
only because He was telling us how to communicate with each other in the
group during the bhajan session, but also indirectly revealing to us
that He is there at every bhajan session that happens at Sundaram.” SUNDARAM IS A PLACE
OF MIRACLES TOO!
No Surgery Needed For
Mariappan When 10-year old Mariappan was diagnosed
with having a hole in his heart which needed immediate surgery, he and his
mother who lead a hand-to-mouth existence, were devastated, to say the
least. They knew that they could never afford the surgery. Their only
refuge was Sai and so they came to Sundaram to surrender themselves to
their Lord through prayer and devotion. In the meantime, the Sai devotee
doctors at Sai Krupa advised them to get the surgery done at Swami’s
Hospital in Whitefield and even sent him to a city Cardiac Diagnostic
Laboratory for preliminary tests and scans. What the tests
revealed startled everyone! There was no hole there! Mariappan’s heart was
found normal and there was no surgery needed! Glaucoma Gone! And this is no isolated incident.
There is the incident of the devotee whose scheduled glaucoma surgery was
called off after he prayed at Sundaram the day before the surgery; the eye
simply turned normal! The patient had in fact, deposited the
amount in the hospital for the surgery the previous day, only to ask for a
refund the next day! And now coming to what happened very recently, Mrs.
Hyma Ramakrishna narrates how her sister-in-law’s cancer was cancelled
after she sent her Swami’s blessings from Sundaram. Here is the
interesting story in Mrs. Hyma’s own words, And Now Cancer Cancelled! “At 6.00 AM on September 29th
2005, I attended the 81-day continuous Homam (sacrifice)
being performed in Sundaram to mark Bhagavan’s 80th Birthday. But I
was there with a very special request to Bhagavan – to help out my
sister-in-law Gita who was in the midst of very intense treatment
for a very rare type of cancer. And that day was Gita’s Birthday and
I committed Gita to Bhagavan’s Divine Care and prayed for His Mercy
to ‘Cancel her Cancer’ as He has done for several devotees in the
past. As the Homam was
going on, the vibrations were so intense and as I sat there with
eyes closed, I felt Bhagavan’s presence right there. After the
Homam was completed I was given vibhuthi to be sent to Gita,
who lives in New York. The next morning I sent the vibhuthi by post
to New York and it reached Gita in a week’s time. Gita applied the
vibhuthi everyday and she called me to say, she felt immense
strength. I was happy but it did not end there. Gita was scheduled to take 12
courses of chemotherapy spread over a period of 6 months. After
every course, her energy level would go down tremendously. The 11th
course took a toll on her and she started feeling very low. As I
prayed to Bhagavan beseeching Him to grant Gita energy, I felt a
strong message coming through, that Gita need not go in for the 12th
course. I called Gita and my brother Ramaswamy and conveyed this to
them. But the doctor advised Gita to complete the 12th course. When
the 12th course commenced, Gita developed high fever and the doctor
had to stop the course immediately. Gita and Ramaswamy too at that
time were convinced that it was not God’s will to go through the
12th session. In the first week of February 2006, Gita
had a complete Cat Scan and colonoscopy done. And you will not
believe it, there were no traces of cancer in both the investigations! I
thank the Lord for His immense grace.” CONSTANT SPIRITUAL
ACTIVITY AT SUNDARAM Stories of grace and divine love flowing
out to devotees from Sundaram like this are many. The purifying divine
energy prevalent in Sundaram is an experience shared by everyone. Apart
from the bhajans there are always a number of spiritual activities that
devotees in Sundaram are always engaged in like chanting the 1008 Names of
the Lord; conventions on Vedic Literature and Learning; Akhanda Bhajans
(Continuous bhajans for 12 hours, 24 hours, etc.) on special occasions;
regular study circle meetings conducted by and for the legal fraternity
comprising of Supreme Court and High Court judges; there is another
meeting held for High Ranking officials and bureaucrats (you will be
surprised to know that more than 50 to 60 IAS officers regularly attend
this study circle); while a third is for doctors from various disciplines. In addition there are also Mass Marriages
conducted for poor couples, Mass Upanayams (thread changing ceremony) for
young children, and ceremonies honouring elderly couples aged 80 years and
above, etc. Sundaram is a hub of Spiritual and Service activity and this
is what makes the ambience in Sundaram so divine and pure. And these
positive vibrations coupled with divine grace and the devotees’ prayers
create miracles. There is the instance of a devotee doctor who had been
suffering from arthritis for years and who after participating in the in
the Sai Sahasranama Koti Archana (Chanting of Sai’s name a crore
times) on a few occasions started feeling better and to his amazement even
found that he was able to squat on the floor which he had not done for
years! “Is this not a miracle?” he asks. How Sai in Sundaram Draws
Devotees? In fact, more than these miraculous instances of
healing, what is more significant is the transformation in the heart
that Sundaram has been bringing about in the young and the old.
There are many who have come to Sundaram as skeptics and returned
home as devotees. There are hundreds who have decided to never touch
non-vegetarian food again, thanks to one visit to Sundaram. Ten
years back Mona Desuja’s husband never believed in Swami, but
because of Mona’s insistence and inclination, he promised to take
her to Sundaram one particular Thursday. But in some way, tied up
with his business, he could not return home on time that night. It
was 9 PM by the time he returned from office and Sundaram regularly
closed at 8 PM. But He somehow wanted to go and told Swami mentally,
if he and his family have His Darshan that day, he would follow Him
blindly. And guess what? When he reached Sundaram way past 9 in the
night that day, the lights in Sundaram were still glowing! Mr.
Desuja had Swami’s Darshan and needed no more assurances. For the
Desujas now, Sundaram is another home. They say, “We did not have a penny to start
10 years back. We used to go and talk to Swami in Sundaram and Swami
used to come to our rescue mysteriously. We used to suddenly find new
clients or business proposals and He used to even arrange finance and
all other requirements for us. It is He who has done it all for us. We
sit, relax and talk in Sundaram to Swami about our problems and our
problems get solved immediately without saying! Any business which is
going in losses, when we talk to Swami in Sundaram sells in double the
prices!” The great sense of gratitude and
reverence in Mrs. Mona’s face is really moving. She now regularly helps in
the cleaning of Sundaram and participates in all the functions at
Sundaram. SUNDARAM – THE GREAT
MOULDER OF CHARACTER How each individual is drawn into Swami’s
divine umbrella is fascinating. What is more wonderful is how little
children coming to Sundaram are blossoming into beautiful divine
instruments, thanks to “Bal Vikas” - the Child Development Programme in
Sundaram. Inculcating love for God and all good things in life at an early
age in children is perhaps the noblest and most satisfying contribution of
Sai devotees in Sundaram. There are regular classes held on Sunday and
other holidays where the immortal vales of Truth and Love are taught to
the children through various innovative ways by dedicated Bal Vikas
teachers. In fact, some of the very senior members
in Sundaram are actually products of the Bal Vikas Programme which like
the Service activities in Chennai started much before Sundaram came into
existence. Talking about the Bal Vikas programme of which he himself was a
former student, Dr. Prabhu, says, “I have two girls - the elder one is 7
years old and the younger one is 4 years old. Both of them have been
regularly going to Bal Vikas like I used to. And what my parents have
given to me is my duty to give to them so that they also enjoy the
happiness and bliss that is contained in the Bal Vikas programme. And
these children are very much happy and are able to sing bhajans very
regularly and they have also been coming to Sundaram.” But more than this what impressed Dr.
Prabhu is their love for Swami. Citing a beautiful incident, He says, “The amazing thing is that
during the New Year, both these children got up at 3 o’clock in the
morning and were promptly ready by 4 o’clock dressed in white to leave
to Sundaram, to participate in the morning prayers - Suprabhatam and
Nagarsankerthan. This is what really moved me, because none of
them get up before 6 o’clock in the morning. And the day before, I
mentioned to them that if they get up early I would be taking them to
Sundaram. And they were up on their own early morning that day! So that
shows the involvement of the children and the love and affection they
have towards Swami and how Swami personally takes care of these children
in their upbringing.” Mrs. Durga’s Stirring
Story Yes, once God enters into their lives, the
children transform into gold. They glitter and shine radiating His love
and grace. Ms. Durga hailing from a very poor economic background
whose mother worked as a servant maid to make both ends meet, is in her
final year of graduation now pursuing a major in Sanskrit language in
Queen Mary's college in Chennai! But this is not what is special
about this brilliant girl who never missed the Bal Vikas classes in
Sundaram. What is amazing is that she is now teaching Sanskrit to
even slum children! Apart from this she now takes Sanskrit
courses in Sundaram and with much humility and gratitude says, “Swami has given me an
opportunity to take Sanskrit class at Sundaram called ‘Dhasa Dhina
Shibiram’, to see how much I am capable of. This class is for ladies
and I took the class continuously for 10 days. Many of them told me,
‘We had an interest in speaking Sanskrit but we were not able to do
it. Now we are lucky to learn from you.’ But for Swami’s blessings,
this achievement would not have been possible.” Ms. Durga has also been selected
through her college for a first class course called, “Pradhana Deksha”.
She passed in First Class in an exam conducted by New Delhi recently.
And studying under her guidance 30 adults have passed in the Adult
education programme. For this child who grew up in extreme poverty
without a father, Swami has been the only source of strength. Says Durga, “I have no father. I have only my
mother. My mother is a servant maid. Previously we lived in a hut.
During rainy seasons there used to be severe leakages in our house.
Whenever there was a thundershower, we had a fear that our house
might fall. My mother used to pray to Swami saying, ‘I am going for
work. You only have to look after the children. You have to protect our
house’. We always got the feeling that we are in the safe hands of
Swami. We saw houses which were in good condition, getting
shattered in front of our eyes. But our house, which was also in a poor
condition, always withstood the thundershower, purely because of Swami’s
grace.” There are scores of cases like this where
Swami has become the centre of children’s lives. At Sundaram no stone is
left unturned to see to it that the children get ample opportunities to
grow into ideal citizens. When Swami is physically present, it is they who
occupy the prime place in front of Swami in the Main Darshan hall, they
learn to chant Vedic hymns, to act, to sing, to dance, to speak, etc. at
Sundaram. And every time they have performed before Swami, Swami has
showered them with gifts and much love. Almost every year they perform a
full-fledged play in the divine presence taking stories from ancient
Indian epics and other saints, be it the story of Prahalada, Ambareesha,
Kanakadas, Shakubai or Lava-Kusha. In Sundaram, they are an indelible part
of any celebration. For the elders in Sundaram, it is
really heartening to see how so many former Bal Vikas children are now
occupying high positions in society and are role models in their own
professional and personal life today. It gives them a great sense of
fulfillment. CELEBRATING THE
SILVER JUBILEE ‘Sundaram has been a great catalyst
propelling thousands towards a Life Divine – a life of selfless love and
service. And this has been possible because the soul inspiration has been
Bhagavan.’ This was the sentiment that was expressed by dignitaries who
graced the occasion of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of Sundaram on the
18th of January 2006 in the prestigious historic hall, The Music Academy
in Chennai. Incidentally, it is at this venue that Swami has delivered
discourses to the people of Chennai during His visits in the earlier
years. The Governor of Tamil Nadu, Sri Surjit
Singh Barnala who was the Chief Guest for the occasion lauded the
exemplary activities of Bhagavan and keeping aside his prepared speech, in
a very cordial tone said, “I See An Army of Peace” –
Governor of Tamil Nadu “I have myself seen the
massive water project in the drought prone, water starved district
of Anantapur (in Andhra Pradesh). I was so impressed that I wanted
to convey my appreciation in person to Bhagavan. So I went to
Prasanthi Nilayam. I felt greatly honoured when Swami spent an hour
with me when thousands were waiting outside for His Darshan! To this
day, I cherish that audience with Swami. He even presented me a ring
and it is my most precious belonging and souvenir.” The governor also made a special
mention of the Sevadals – the dedicated Sai Volunteers of the
organization, and said, “I admire the devotion and
dedication of the Sai Youth and the numerous sevadals, both men and
women, who are present all around the hall.” Comparing them
to an ‘army of peace’ he said, ‘they could do anything due to their
commitment to serve.” The governor also earlier graciously
released a colorful book titled “Sundaram – The Abode of Bhagavan” and
also a DVD, a video documentary on Sundaram. “I Am Impressed” - Chief
Justice of Madras High Court Another important dignitary who
presided over the celebration as the Guest of Honour was the Chief
Justice of Madras High Court, Sri. A. P. Shah. Though he has had not
much exposure to Sai organisation and its activities and has even
never seen Bhagavan physically, Sri Shah said that he is more than
convinced of the exemplary service projects being undertaken. Praising the services on the medical,
educational and socio-care front, Sri Shah said, “The spiritual aspects too impress
me and in particular, the words of Bhagavan ‘A Christian should be a
true Christian, a Hindu, a true Hindu and a Muslim, a true Muslim’.
He also mentioned that he went through the five-volume 80th Birthday
souvenir set and was very happy to learn of Swami’s mega service
projects. Before the talks of these two dignitaries,
the Hall reverberated with Mutli-faith Bhajans sung by the ‘Sundaram
Bhajan group’. And later, Sri G K Raman delivered the welcome address and
Sri V Srinivasan, All India President of Sai Organisations, in his keynote
address spelt out very clearly the various activities and the mission of
the Sai organization and Sundaram. The programme concluded with Sri
Ramani, the State President of the Tamil Nadu Sai Organisation giving the
vote of thanks. Marathon Celebrations… Well, this is only one of the major events
that Sundaram had organized to celebrate its Silver Jubilee. There were
many more, apart from various other service projects, spiritual activities
and Bal Vikas programmes coinciding with Swami’s 80th Birthday
celebrations; there were 80 concerts in Sundaram by
leading artists from Chennai like Ms. Sudha Raghunathan, Sri Madoline
Srinivas, the Bombay Sisters, Lalgudi Jayaraman, Lalgudi Krishnan, to name
just a few. For everybody, performing in Sundaram is a blissful experience
and a privilege. For, there is something special about this place which
stills the mind and confers peace so effortlessly. SUNDARAM – A
PRASHANTHI NILAYAM IN SPIRIT For over 25 years now, Sundaram has been the
lighthouse which has shown the path for enlightenment to hundreds of
spiritual aspirants, it has been a divine channel which has
given proper direction to hundreds of youth on how life is to be
lead in a meaningful way. It has been a superb medium for the
devotees to communicate with their Lord and seek answers. It has
been a reservoir of peace bringing comfort and solace to many
troubled hearts and souls. It has been a centre for spiritual
awakening. To put it in a nutshell, it has been a
“Prashanthi Nilayam away from Prashanthi
Nilayam.”
- Heart2Heart Team We are grateful to Mr. Ramani, Mr. S V
Iyer, Sri Sai Shravanam and so many other Sai Youth and Sevadal of Chennai
for their active cooperation and inputs in the making of this story. |
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source:sairadio.org
Be it the captivating
idols of Lord Ganesha and Lord Subramaniam at the frontal corners of the
building, or the beautiful statue of Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati to the
left of the entrance to the small prayer hall facing east, or the ornate
and exquisite teak wood doors at the Main Darshan Hall with intricate
wooden carvings of various deities and religious symbols, or even the
aesthetically sculptured two “Yelis” (celestial beings) on the outer
entrance to the Main door - every detail of Sundaram is beautiful. 
Well, that is the
extent to which Sundaram has influenced minds and changed lives. The 25-ft
Main Darshan Hall, the focal point of all activity in Sundaram, with nine
ornate windows, five entrances and embellished with symbols depicting all
religions of the world is spacious and tranquil. 
Among the rarities
that can be noticed here is the image of Lord Shiva holding a conch in one
hand (generally Vishnu is associated with the Conch). 
Among the various
service activities that go on continuously in Sundaram is the
all-year-round-the-clock service of organizing blood donors for patients
undergoing surgeries in the city hospitals. Rechristened as “Liquid Love”,
this started in a small way on 6th Dec 1998 in Sundaram and now has an
elaborate information counter and a data bank manned by three volunteers,
24-hours 7-days a week. With a need-based software and a database
of more than 3000 donors comprising of all blood groups which is
constantly updated, it serves on average 100 patients a month undergoing
surgeries with some receiving 2-3 units of blood, including rare blood
groups.
“Similarly,
Dr. Sundar, a Cardiac Thoracic Surgeon who has worked in the United
Kingdom as a consultant for more than 9 years,” Dr. Prabhu says, “called
me up one day and said, ‘Prabhu, I will be happy to do some work for poor
people’. And I said, ‘why don’t you accompany me every Sunday to Sai Krupa’.
He liked the idea but could allot only one day a month. But now Dr. Sundar
is helping diagnose cardiac patients every week in Sai Krupa, unless he is
out of station.” 
The invisible
presence of Sai in Sundaram is an experience which many in Sundaram can
vouch for. There are even people who have actually seen Him seated on the
throne! And no wonder there are so many miracles that have happened in
Sundaram.
