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Sri Sathya Sai Baba Water Project
Water, the Elixir of Life
Source:
Radio Sai E-Magazine,
December 1, 2003
http://www.radiosai.org/Journals/07Dec01/02_COVER_STORY/mainstory.htm
From My earliest years, I have been concerned about providing
three primary requisites for our people. Free education, free
medical aid, and free basic amenities like drinking water.
Education is for the head; medical care is for the heart; and pure
water is for the body. These three cover the main requirements of
life. To provide these three gives one the greatest gratification.
-
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Eighty
percent of the human body is nothing but water. A human being can
survive without food for many days but without water, no one can
survive for more than a few hours. Water is one of the greatest
gifts of God, given by Him out of compassion not merely for
mankind but to all beings. God not only created water but also set
up an elaborate system to bring throughout the year, trillions of
tons of water from the sea to inland areas. As if this was not
enough, He created lakes for storing water, and rivers for
transporting it. In addition, He has arranged also for underground
storage, including in huge aquifers.
Man hardly bothers
to appreciate all this. Even if he does appreciate the physical
nuances of the water cycle, he is not prepared to see the Divine
Hand behind. Instead, driven by greed and selfishness, he
constantly misuses and mismanages the Divine gift called water.
Thus, many regions of the earth are parched and dry, though they
do not have to be so.
The
western part of peninsular India receives heavy rains during the
monsoon season but vast tracts of land in the rain shadow region
regularly suffer from water shortage. During some years, the water
shortage escalates into a heart-rending drought. Foremost among
the drought-prone districts of South India are Bellary, Anantapur,
Cuddapah, and Kurnool. Because they are also economically backward,
they are known as backward districts. Swami jocularly says that
'back' in backward means Bellary, Anantapur, Cuddapah,
and Kurnool! This drought-prone region is collectively
known as Rayalaseema. People here depend almost entirely on well
water. Unfortunately, there is a serious problem with the ground
water [if it is available!] - it has too much fluoride. This
causes serious physical disabilities, like bone deformation, for
example. [In the state of West Bengal and in neighbouring
Bangladesh, the ground water is heavily contaminated with arsenic;
over a million people have been affected by this problem.] For
over a hundred years, right from the British days, the people of
the Rayalaseema region have been clamouring for drinking water but
their plea always fell on deaf ears. Even in Independent India,
this remained the situation for nearly half a century, until Baba
stepped in.
It all happened this
way: On the morning of 22nd November, 1994, there was a special
function in the Poornachandra Auditorium to honour the
distinguished surgeon Dr. Venugopal, who, besides winning many
laurels for his surgical achievements, had helped the Sri Sathya
Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences [Super Speciality
Hospital in Puttaparthi] in numerous ways. He it was who had
performed the first cardiac surgery there on the day of its
inauguration on 22nd November, 1991. Present in the Poornachandra
Auditorium was Mr. P.V.Narasimha Rao, the then Prime Minister of
India, who, incidentally, had inaugurated the Super Speciality
Hospital three years earlier. In His Divine Discourse, Swami made
a direct reference to the perennial drinking water problem in
Rayalaseema. No one knew at that time that this would mark the
beginning of a new mega project of stunning proportions. Swami
threw a direct challenge to the Indian Government to do something
about the drinking water problem, offering all possible help from
His side, if the Government
embarked on such a project.
I
wish to draw the attention of the Prime Minister to the age-old
drinking water problem that is affecting most parts of Rayalaseema,
especially the remote villages, where people have to walk several
miles to get a pot of drinking water. This needs immediate
reversal. Rivers are gifts of God. In rivers like the Krishna and
the Godavari, a lot of water is allowed to flow into the sea.
There is no point in every State claiming rights over the river
waters and quarrelling with each other over riparian rights. The
waters of the Krishna and the Tungabhadra rivers can be harnessed
to supply much-needed water to Rayalaseema. If there is constraint
of finance, Swami is ready to help, in fulfilling this dire need
of the Rayalaseema people.
Mountains may move easily but Governments do not. Swami was well
aware of this but for His own reasons He chose to first remind the
Government of its obligations. A few months passed, and nothing
happened from the Government's side - no surprise in that. Baba
then quietly told the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, "Let us do the
project;" and then set what seemed an impossible timetable. The
Trust Members were all stunned. They wondered: "It is one thing to
build a hospital, or even an airport. But to provide drinking
water to the entire District of Anantapur with a population of
over a million and having so many hundreds of villages scattered
over hundreds of square kilometres? And that too in such a short
time? Where was the money for all this? Where was the manpower,
expertise, ?, etc.?" This is the way humans tend to look at issues
and problems. With Bhagavan, it is quite different. He simply said,
"Where there is a will, there is a way. Haven't you heard that
faith can move mountains?
I will demonstrate that good work combined with Total Purity would
always find fruition. "
Plans immediately
began to be drawn, and miraculously, things started rolling. The
devotees were all amazed but there was no shortage of sceptics. In
the Government, it takes years to consider taking up a project,
more years to study it, still more years to plan it, then more
years to find funds, and dozens of years for execution. So, how is
Baba going to do such a giant project and that too in such a short
time, as He had promised?
It was the 9th of
July 1995, and the Gurupoornima festival was being celebrated in
the Sai Kulwant Hall in Prasanti Nilayam. Barely a few months had
passed after all the Poornachandra Hall function just described
and already, a function was being held to mark the token beginning
of the supply of drinking water to the people of Rayalaseema.
Fluoride-free drinking water was being provided to the
neighbouring village of Bukkapatnam, and Baba was to remotely
inaugurate the water supply from the Sai Kulwant Hall, using the
instruments of modern telecommunications. After the usual speech
making by the concerned officials, Swami pressed a button. By
remote control, the pump in Bukkapatnam started working and
drinking water began to flow out of a tap there. A microphone
placed near the spot picked up the loud cheers of the villagers
present, and soon village elders spoke words of thanks into the
microphone. All this was heard by the thousands assembled in the
Divine presence in Prasanti Nilayam. One of those who spoke on
that occasion was Mr. Kondal Rao, then Secretary, Panchayat Raj
Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh, and Technical Advisor
for the Sri Sathya Sai Drinking Water Project. Mr. Rao informed
devotees that all this was just a curtain raiser, and great things
would follow soon. Legend has it that Lord Siva sent down the
Ganges in response to the prayers of Bhageeratha. Now in the
Twentieth Century, one was witnessing such a miracle happen right
before one's eyes. The people of Rayalaseema were all the time
praying to the Government but nothing happened. God heard the
prayers and decided
to answer them, though they were not addressed to Him.
The tempo now
quickened and things happened with amazing rapidity, with Swami
taking direct charge and monitoring progress literally on a
day-to-day basis. The going was not always smooth. Many devotees
wondered why this was so. Was not God in charge? Yes He was, and
if He so willed things could have happened with a mere wave of His
hand. But this was not the way He wanted things done. The project
was being done partly to teach man many lessons. One lesson of
course is that man must do his best to help others. Another lesson
is that he must not mind obstacles that come on the way, but march
resolutely forward towards the goal. The impossible becomes
possible if one has firm determination.
For a brief period,
there was money crunch. He who is known to create gold and even
cash now borrowed money from a bank! All a part of the
never-ending Divine Drama! There were a host of other problems too.
But nothing bothered Him. He was always calm and His usual self -
ever a perfect demonstration of equanimity. It was not so much His
management of the difficulties as the magic of His
Prema that amazed everybody. The Government of a State
where Marxists were in power, did not hesitate to waive taxes on
pipes and other products procured from their State. The Railways
gave priority in moving various items, especially steel and cement,
to the work spot. So on it went. In between, Swami made several
aerial surveys over the entire District. So considerate was He
that He squeezed these surveys between the morning and evening
Darshans, and the devotees in Prasanti Nilayam never even
knew that Baba was out touring during the day while they were
having their siesta. In more ways than one, Swami showed how
projects must be executed, with constant direct personal
supervision from the top, and incessant attention to the minutest
of details.
Months quickly
rolled by and soon it was November. On 18th November, 1995, there
was a meeting in the Poornachandra
Auditorium. Once again, Mr. P.V.Narasimha Rao, the Prime Minister
of India was present. And he was going to inaugurate the Sri
Sathya Sai Drinking Water Project! Exactly one year earlier, he
had been asked in this very hall to do something, and now, not
only had he been spared the chore but actually asked to cut the
ribbon so to say, and make a speech in the usual manner! Mr. Rao
was naturally stunned and totally overwhelmed. He said that 'Anantapur'
had become 'Anandapur' or a 'city of bliss'. Most appropriately,
he quoted from the Bhagawatham that
describes the story of Krishna. One day when Krishna was a small
boy, His foster mother Yasodha was told that Krishna had been
eating mud. Yasodha ran to Krishna and asked Him, "Krishna did You
eat mud?" Krishna just smiled, rolled His beautiful eyes, and
shook His head to signal no. Not believing what Krishna was saying,
Yasodha asked Him to open His mouth. He did, and what did she see?
The whole Universe, including herself looking into the mouth of
Krishna! Yasodha then exclaimed, "Is this an illusion that I am
seeing or a part of the Lord's mysterious Creation?" The once
remote hamlet of Puttaparthi already had a number of things to
boast of - several schools, a Bus Stand, a University, a Stadium,
a Planetarium, an Airport, and a couple of Hospitals, including a
Super Speciality Hospital. No village in India, especially one
located in a dry and backward District, could claim even a
fraction of what Puttaparthi had. What was more significant, both
education and medical treatment were available completely free to
all that came, irrespective of caste, creed, and status in life.
As if all this was not enough, Swami had provided pure drinking
water to almost an entire district! No wonder the Prime Minister
had to dip into His Story itself, for the right words for the
occasion. In His Divine Discourse delivered on the occasion, Swami
mentioned that though the Project had been completed in a
substantial measure [within the incredibly short period of just
one year], there were many things that had to be wrapped up. He
assured the people
that all these would be attended to shortly :
All the natural resources of the country
must be enjoyed equally by all the people, regardless of caste or
community. There are many rivers in the country that flow across
State boundaries. Bharat is not lacking in water or other
resources. We have perennial rives and vast areas of fertile land.
But these resources are not being fully used. The Nation's great
rivers like Kaveri, Ganga, and Krishna should be treated as
National property. There will then be no room for inter-State
disputes. The waters of all rivers should be used for the benefit
of all people. It is because of lack of unity and the assertion of
separatist claims, that a lot of the river water is going waste.
If if the Prime Minister endeavours to promote a national approach
to the harnessing of river waters, the Nation will prosper. The
States too are prone to promote their claims over that of others.
They all should adopt a co-operative and fraternal attitude
towards each other and behave as good neighbours. If this is done,
there will be no shortage of food or water in the country. People
should develop this co-operative attitude. ??
With
regard to the water project, it should be noted that much was
accomplished in a short period. In the execution of the project,
changes had to be made in response to the appeals of people in
different villages. Because of this, the entire project has not
yet been completed. Some villages are yet to get water. This
should not cause disappointment. Whatever may happen, all villages
will get water and the project would be fully carried out !
Such
was the uniqueness of the Sri Sathya Sai Drinking Water Project,
that the then President of India, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, an
ardent devotee of Baba, also wanted, in some manner, to be
associated with the inauguration ceremonies. And so, on Swami's
Birthday that followed a few days later, the President
symbolically signalled the achievements of the Water Project by
opening a tap [specially set up on the stage in the Hill View
Stadium], and collecting the water that flowed out. The Lord had
granted water, even without the people praying for it directly to
Him.
Meanwhile, seeing
the miracle, many villages and even towns that originally had not
been included in the scope of the Project began to clamour for Sai
Water! Swami never says no, and all these late entrants also were
duly accommodated. At last, safe and assured supply of drinking
water was no longer a mirage or a dream for over seven hundred
parched villages [and a few towns as well] that had suffered for
over a century. The statistics of the Project are most impressive.
For example, the record books said that the Sri Sathya Sai
Drinking Water Project was the largest social benefit project
undertaken anywhere in the world by a private charitable
organisation. However, records are no so important as Baba's Love.
It is His Love from which the Project was born, and it is His Love
again that saw the project to its completion. His Love came to
hundreds of thousands in life-giving liquid form. And it was
available to one all without distinction, including those who had never
seen Him.
Swami's attention to
details is legendary. The question arose: "After the Project is
completed, who would operate and maintain this large system?"
Swami was quite clear about what had to be done in this respect.
He said, "The Central Trust will operate the Project and maintain
it for about a year or a little more, till things settle down
completely. After that, the entire water works would be handed
over to the people of the State. In between, people who were to
take over would be trained properly."
October, 1997. After
a break of a few years, Swami had arranged for the performance of
a Yagna [a holy Vedic
ritual] in the Poornachandra Hall, at the time of the
Navarathri Festival. On 11th October the concluding day,
after the religious ceremonies were over, a special function was
arranged in the Sai Kulwant Hall, to mark the formal transfer of
the Sri Sathya Sai Drinking Water Supply System, to the people of
Andhra Pradesh. The person receiving on behalf of the people was
the Chief Minister of the State, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu.
The function was
simple. The speeches were few but the praise for Baba was lavish -
naturally. There was also an expression of deep-felt gratitude,
and the water works now formally became a property of the people.
In His Discourse, Swami said: "You all are praising Me, but what
have I done? Whose money has been spent? Who has given the money
for the project? It is all people's money. People's money has been
spent for people's welfare. What is there in My hands?" At this
point, Bhagavan raised His hands
high and showed they were empty. Then He softly whispered, "Everything
is in these hands!"
The curtain had come
down on the historic Sri Sathya Sai Drinking Water Project, or so
people thought. Not quite, for it set a new and continuing trend.
People now began to realise that providing drinking water is an
essential social service. Spurred by Baba's inspiring example,
many began to organise efforts on scales affordable by them. For
example, one devotee hailing from Chittoor District started
mobilising people in various villages to tackle the problem there.
Another devotee spearheaded a similar drive in Kolar District in
the State of Karnataka [Kolar is close to Whitefield]. There are
many other such local efforts. One presumes that in the years to
come, such schemes would multiply both in number and in magnitude.
Meanwhile, Baba has
mounted a major thrust in the northern Districts of Andhra Pradesh,
particularly Medak and Mahboobnagar, Phase II, one might say.
The Sri Sathya Sai
Drinking Water Project must be viewed in its entirety and not
merely in terms of statistics, impressive as they are. It is not
merely an illustration of how the drinking water problem, present
in many parts of the world, must be addressed. Nor is it just an
example of how projects must be boldly pushed with dynamism and
energy. There are a number of things the project represents. Above
all, it is a touching symbol of God's Love for His children.
Equally, it is a stirring lesson for man how not to run away from
society's problems but face them squarely and head-on. As Swami
often says, "Good work is always God's work." If man takes a small
step in doing good to his fellow beings, then God will shower His
Grace and magnify that small step into a giant leap. All it takes
for man is firm faith in God, strong determination, and one small
step of
Pure Love.
The Sai water
projects constitute a major milestone in the history of the Sai
Avatar. While Divinity is the common
aspect of all the Avatars, each
Incarnation is unique in its own respect. Where the Sathya Sai
Avatar is concerned, Selfless Service
to humanity at large, born of Infinite Love and Infinite
Compassion are the unmatched Hallmarks. Swami constantly tells us:
"Love All, Serve All". He is doing precisely that all the time,
and every second of His life is His Message.
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