Pilgrimage to Saipuram, Shirdi of the South

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Pilgrimage to Saipuram, Shirdi of the South

A view of the Saipuram Temple in Chennai

 

Entrance to the Saipuram Temple is shaded with trees on both sides

 

You get Sai Baba's darshan as you approach

 

Sai Baba in all his glory, awaiting to heal your soul

 

Lord Dattatreya, the Primordial Guru

On the outskirts of Madras, in a calm and serene atmosphere is located the

Shirdi Sai Baba Temple. The green wooded land rising from the sea, on the new

Mahabalipurarn Road seems to have been waiting for centuries, in anticipation

for his arrival. The inspiration to build the temple was Sri C.B Satpathy's

visit to Madras on April 19, 1993.

The construction of the temple was completed in a record time of four months,

braving storms and heavy rains by thousands of workers who were inspired to

work night and day to fulfil the task. The temple was inaugurated by Shri C.B

Satpathy between the 5th and 9th of December 1993, with a Mahakumbhabishekham,

a ceremony invoking the Divine presence with the participation of thousands of

devotees chanting Baba's name.

A visit to Saipuram is like a pilgrimage to Shirdi, the place where Sri Sai Baba

lived. The moment one enters the property of Saipuram, one enters a veritable

paradise where one forgets the drudgeries of the day to day world. In fact, in

the word of Sai there are no worldly miseries, misgivings or sorrows and

anxieties for there is ever flowing love and joyousness. One is reminded of Sri

Sai Baba's favourite sayings. "Whoever puts feet on Shirdi soil his sufferings

would come to an end.The wretched and miserable would rise into plenty of

joy and happiness as soon as they climb the steps of my mosque".

This is the experience of Saipuram. The temple complex has a number of buildings

and temples in an area of seven acres of pristine land facing the sea. The

panoramic view of the sea shore from the temple is a sight to be experienced

and enjoyed by one and all. There is a wide stretch of sandy beach which is so

charming that anyone who would like to spend a quiet time in solitude would not

find a more appropriate place.

At the entrance of the Saipuram complex is the Guest House Which house seven

well-furnished rooms. It also has a lobby, an office, and a library which has

an exhaustive collection of books on religion, philosophy and Sri Sai Baba. As

one proceeds to the temple one comes across the shrine of Lord Ganesha. The

Lord Ganesha resides here to ward of all obstacles. No task is begun without

the blessing of Lord Ganesha.

Next is the bigger shrine of Lord Dattatreya, the three -headed from

representing the Holy Trinity - Brahma the Lord of Creation, Vishnu the Lord of

preservation, and Mahadeva the Lord of Destruction.Dattatreya is the symbol of

the primordial guru, the dispeller of darkness who manifests all the three

qualities of the Holy Trinity, such as Sri Sai Baba who is said to be the

incarnation of Lord Dattatreya.

Further on the side we come to the temple that houses the symbols of power

according to the Hindu pantheistic tradition, sculpted in black stone.

The Shrine of Shivalingam and ParvatiThe Shrine of Maha DurgadeviThe Shrine of

Lord HanumanThe Shrine of Lord Rama, Sita, LaxmanThe Shrine of Lord

VenkateswaraThe Shrine of the Nava Grahas (Nine Planets) The Shrine of Lord

Krishna & RadhaThe Shrine of Lord Subramanya with his consorts Valli and

Devyani

The main temple of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba is a large hexagonal structure built to a

height of I 00 feet and made of white marble. The statue of Sri Sai Baba is in

his famous sitting posture known all over the world, sculpted by hand in pure

white marble. The mosque, Sri Sai Baba called by the name of Dwarakamayee (Lord

Krishna's birthplace) is here a replica of the same in Shirdi. It is the place

where Baba used to reside. He kept a constant fire (Dhuni) burning from which

the ash or Udi is collected and distributed to the devotees. The holy fire

which was brought from Shirdi, has been burning uninterruptedly since Baba's

days and is kept burning at Saipuram. The Chawdi or resting place is a replica

of the one at Shirdi, is a place for pilgrims and Baba used to spend some

nights there with the devotees, singing and dancing.

The wish - fulfilling tree is a very important spot at Saipuram temple. On

Thursdays and Fridays devotees visit this spot and tie a turmeric dipped string

around the tree. Miraculous solutions to difficult problems and wishes being

fulfilled here have been expressed by many devotees.

The Trust publishes 'Sai Chetana' a quarterly magazine. Articles are invited

from Sai devotees and others who desire to write on spiritual and religious

matters. Donations to this charitable cause may please be sent by Demand Draft

/ Cheque in favour of Sri Sai Baba Spiritual and Charitable Trust, Saipuram,

Injanibakkam, Madras - 600 041, India.

There are various amenities available such as a gowshala which houses a few

cows, a Meditation Hall, a free Health Care Centre, a stall selling pooja

items, a book shop selling Sai paraphernalia, a canteen, generator, tubewell,

telephone and transportation facilities. Besides the Aarti, special poojas are

performed on request and arrangements for feeding of the poor are available.

Marriage ceremonies, thread ceremonies and other Hindu functions are also

conducted, on request.

The very ambience of the place is not its temples or deities or the buildings

but the serenity and the invisible divine presence of Sri Sai Baba, with a

pervading feeling of love and compassion that was Sai Baba himself. As you join

in the morning aarti you see the first golden hues of the sun emerging from the

sea, fall over Sri Sai Baba's statue as if the sun god has himself joined the

devotees in praise of the Supreme Being.

Captain Chandra, the Manager and a resident of Saipurarn says, "When I come to

this place, I made a candid statement that I have no devotion, no such

spiritual inclinations. But now hardly a day passes when I do not go to Sai,

with folded hands a number of times. One is reminded again of Sri Sai Baba

saying, "I draw my devotees even from thousands of miles away like a boy

drawing a bird to whose foot one end of a string is attached while the other is

held by him".

All are welcome to

Saipuram, to immerse

themselves in the infinite

ocean of Lord Sai Baba's

unending love and

compassion and attain

spiritual peace.

http://www.saibabaofshirdi.net/saipuram.htm

 

OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the

incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase

our devotion towards him.

 

om sai sri sai jaya jaya sai