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Swami in Madurai - 22nd April,
1999 This article was compiled by one
of our Sai Brother and distributed in SAINET.
Madurai is major city in South
India. This city is famous for the Goddess Meenakshi Amman Temple,
and also for the fragrant Jasmine flowers. Swami had provided
another land mark in this city. On the 22nd this month, Swami
inaugurated a beautiful Sai Mandir in this city.
Swami arrived in the city by air
from Bangalore well before noontime. He was offered the
traditional welcome. A majestic elephant (procured locally and
not Sai Geetha) was present to receive Swami with flowers on its
trunk. Nada Swaram(piped music) was played as Swami alighted
from the car when He arrived from the aair port. The vedic
priests, welcomed Swami offering Poorna Kumbham, amidst chanting
Vedas. On both sides of the roads thick crowds had assembled and
Bhajan was in progress. After blessing the dedvotees thronged
outside, Swami unveiled a curtain covering the plaque, with its
inscriptions of the inauguration by Swami
on that day.
Mr. Venu Srinivasan, Managing
Director and C.E.O. of M/s. TVS SUZUKI Ltd., was the man selected
by Swami to undertake to construct this beautiful Mandir complex
at Madurai. Mr.Srinivasan, with the blessings of Swami, was able
to complete the work within 6 months from that of commencement of
work. The structure is a beauty by itself, as is always, in all
the projects of Swami. Immediately after opening the plaque,
Swami materialised a beautiful golden chain with beads of various
jewels with gold caps on each bead, and put it across the neck of
Mr. Venu Srinivasan.
Swami pushed open the door to the
Mandir and entered the main hall of the to the thundeerous
applause from the devotees. Swami walked in, closely looking at
every feature of the Mandir. He ascended the raised platform
accompanied by Mr. Srinivasan. Once more the Divine Hand moved in
circular motion and materilised a beautiful Golden Bracelet and
placed on the hands of Mr. Venu Srinivasan, who deserved the twin
presentation within a matter of few minutes, for all the devoted
and dedicated service he had rendered in the construction of a
beautiful Mandir within a shortest possible time.
Mr. Subramania Chettiar's family
had also brought a life size marble statue of Shirdi Baba, and
Padhuka on a granite. Swami did not give them the permission to
install them on this day. He said the time has not come yet for
installation and that He would install them very soon. But Swami
climbed and stood upon the Granite Padhuka and also blessed the
stature of Shirdi Baba.
Swami walked around all the other
parts of the Mandir including the room specially provided for
Swami to stay, interview rooms, and guest rooms etc. There are
balconies running on all three sides overlooking the Main hall.
Swami walked along the balcony and stepped on the Lotus shaped
opening overlooking the front yard of the Manidr. Swami raised
both His Divine hands to the devotees seated outside the hall.
The convenor of the Madurai Samithi(centre) of Sri Sathya Sai seva
Organisations, welcomed Swami to the city, and prayed to Him that
Swami should visit this mandir and bless the devotees every year.
Mr. Srinivasan, son of Late
Subramania Chettiar was called to speak. He recalled how, with
the Divine Grace, the colony, Sri Sathya Sai Nagar had come up in
that location some 30 years ago. He also mentioned that it was
his father's desire to have this Mandir built up in this colony
and that he had prayed Swami, that whoever comes and make prayers
in ths Mandir should be saved by the Divine Grace. He told that
His illustrious father had never prayed or asked for anything for
himself or his family. His prayers to Swami was always for the
benefit of the humanity and especially for the devotees of
Bhagavan Baba. He mentioned that his father had left the world
exactly ten days earlier and had merged with Bhagavan, and he and
his family members were very happy to have Swami with them on this
important day, and receive His Blessings.
Mr. Venu Srinivasan also
addressed the gathering as per the command of Bhagavan. Mr.
Srinivasan admitted that it was a very great responsibilty to
undertake any of Swami's time bound projects. But for Swami's
constant guidance and Grace, it was humanly impossible to erect
such a grand temple within such a short time. He admitted that
he experienced and learnt during those days, that though he worked
with others on this site, it was really Bhagavan Himself who had
been the motivator and supervisor of the project.
In the end, Swami gave a Divine
Discourse. Swami spoke exhorting devotees to develop shanthi and
prema, and not bound the greed to earn money and wealth. "The
earth revolves around the sun; Likewise man, to day revolves
around wealth and money only" said Swami. "The heart is important
to human beings and if stops the life come to an end. We should
try to install God in the hear, and He is Hrudayavasi (Indweller
of Heart). On the contrary, man today develops desires and more
desires and has no time to think of God, and make prayers. There
is no pleasure unless there is pain (troubles) also. As such we
should accept both pleasure and pain willingly, as gifts from God
equally."
Swami announced that He had
willed and had inaugurated this Mandir on this particular day, the
22nd April, 1999, because it was the desire of Late Subramania
Chetiar that this should be done this day.
Swami spoke to the family members
of Late Chettiar privately and consoled them, and urged them that
they need not have any grief, since Mr. Chettiar had come to him.
He had assured them that he will come to this Mandir every year to
give joy to the people of Madurai.
Before leaving, Swami visited the
site where a small temple for Lord Vinayaka had been constructed.
He blessed the statue of the diety, which will be installed later
on with all needed rites and rituals.
Swami left Madurai by car to
Kodaikanal followed by many devotees and a group of selected
students and staff of Swami's colleges.
By evening Swami was in Sai
Smruthi in Kodaikanal, and back on His routine, evening Darshan
and blessings to devotees already gathered in thousands. Swami's
programme is uncertain. He had given clues that Swami will be at
Kodaikanal on the day of "Easwaramma Day" which falls on the 5th
of May. May be He may leave for Bangalore by early second week.
But no one knows the Divine Programme, except that on this day
Bhagavan Baba is in Kodaikanal!
Jai Sai Ram!
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