‘Once
You Are Inside Sundaram You Forget Everything!’
“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.
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Sundaram - The Abode of Bhagawan Baba in
Chennai
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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.
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Early visits of Swami to Chennai...
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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!
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Swami giving Darshan during construction
of Sundaram (left) and guiding the devotees
during construction...
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The much awaited day finally
dawned. On the 18th of Jan 1981, the “Kalasha Puja”
(preliminary worship before inauguration) was done.
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Scenes of Kalasa Puja one day prior to
the inauguration day
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The Kalasa being mounted....
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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.
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Swami arriving for the inauguration of
Sundaram on 19th Jan 1981
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Swami on the Sundaram lotus-shaped
balcony and (on the right) a view of Sundaram on
the inauguration day
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Bhagavan consecrated Sundaram as His “Mandir” on that
glorious day when He made it His abode. It was a red-letter
day in the history of Chennai and Sai devotees celebrated it
in the grandest way possible.
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
Once you cross the threshold of the two gates at Sundaram
(one for gents and one for ladies) what welcomes you is a
large expanse of sand just like it used to be in Puttaparthi
years ago. This is the Darshan ground where the Lord moves
among the crowd during His stay in Sundaram.
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.
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.
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.”
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“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]
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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,
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“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.”
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SUNDARAM – ITS BEAUTY WITH SUBLIMITY
The
Blessed Darshan Hall
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.
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.
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).
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.
The
Hallowed Shirdi Baba Temple
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.
Shanthi Vedika – The Lord’s Durbar
“Shanthi Vedika”, the raised platform facing south in the
open sands outside the main building is another important
structure in Sundaram, because it is here that Swami usually
gives discourses to the crowd when He is in Chennai.
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,
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“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;
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An article in the
Hindu on Jan 8th, 2006
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the NGO that has arranged for
over 7000 cataract surgeries at Chennai; the 24
hour 'liquid love’ helpline that connects
volunteer blood donors to needy patients and
hospitals; the 'school' that not only helps slum
children with lessons but imparts education in
human values, and Sanskrit (later we will relate
the moving story of how one of the kids, Durga,
is now doing a degree in Sanskrit at QMC (Queen
Mary’s College) and even teaches other slum
children spoken Sanskrit!);
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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,
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“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
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.
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
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“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.”
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Even
If Out Of Station, I Do Not Miss Sai Krupa On Sunday ”– Dr.
Kumari Menon
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“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.”
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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.
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A
dentist busy in Sai Krupa...
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Sevadals serving at the Sai Krupa dispensary...
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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).
“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 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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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Sai Youth busy during Tsunami...
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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.
Disaster Management Training in Tamil Nadu
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Innovative Floats - Empty Tins
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Innovative Floats - Drum Raft
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Sliding Stretcher Method
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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. |
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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’.”
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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,
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“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!”
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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?”
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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.”
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Swami listening to rendering of Sundaram Bhajan
Group in Prashanthi Nilayam, April 2005.
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Guidelines from Swami for
Bhajans
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 –
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“When you
practise, practise with a full throated voice.”
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“You should all
disperse immediately after the bhajan. You should
not reveal your identity to any of the devotees.
That would be a distraction to them. So make sure
that people return home with the same vibration that
existed during the bhajan.”
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“You should be
pure and good as you lead the bhajans. Unless you
are pure, unless you have your heart filled with
devotion and love, how could you expect the
vibrations to flow among the crowd that follows the
bhajan?”
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“Once you are
in bhajan do not think about what others say, stay
fixed to Me and Me alone. In that way you can
practise well and you can sing well too.
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.
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Swami with the Sundaram Group in
Prashanthi Nilayam, April 2005
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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!
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.
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.
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A
part of the letter written by Mrs. Hyma
Ramakrishna narrating her Sister-in-law's
miraculous healing
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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.
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Sahasranamam - Chanting 1008 Names of the Lord
collectively in progress in Sundaram...
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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,
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“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.
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Swami with Sundaram Bal Vikas Children....
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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. |
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Ms. Durga, an illustrious former
Bal Vikas Student
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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.”
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The Bal Vikas Children performing...
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A
Bal Vikas class in progress...
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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.
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Swami interacting with the Bal Vikas boys after
a performance (left) and distributing prasadam
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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.”
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The governor also earlier
graciously released a colorful book titled “Sundaram – The
Abode of Bhagavan” and also a DVD, a video documentary on
Sundaram.
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The Governor of Tamil Nadu releasing the DVD of
a documentary on Sundaram
during the Silver Jubilee Celebrations in
Chennai
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“I Am
Impressed” - Chief Justice of Madras High Court
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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.
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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.
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Bombay Sisters (left) and Ms. Sudha Raghunathan
performing in Sundaram celebrating
Swami's 80th Birthday and Sundaram Silver
Jubilee celebrations
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Bal Vikas Children performing during the Silver
Jubilee Celebrations
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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.”
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- 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.