Guest guest Posted March 20, 2006 Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 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, “Whenever Swami comes to Sundaram, the first thing He does is He steps inside, comes near us, enquires about us and only then He proceeds. How can we ever forget the golden moments we have had with Swami…He used to spend so much of His time with us, almost play with us!” “We Associate Swami with Sundaram” – Dr. Mohan Speaking about His association with Sundaram, another longtime devotee, Dr. Mohan says, “Several times when Swami has come to Chennai we had the good fortune to have the Darshan of Swami in Sundaram. So next to Puttaparthi, which we visit several times year, our association with Swami is at Sundaram. We associate Sundaram with Swami and all the good things, all the teachings which Swami stands for, and to us it is a great source of mental peace, inspiration and above all sets to us the right ideal.” IN SUNDARAM - WORSHIP TRANSFORMS INTO SERVICE So, Sundaram is not all about serenity, peace and beauty alone. It is a bridge between the devotee and the Lord. What is more noteworthy is how all this devotion to the Lord gets translated here into concrete action. To quote from Dr. Hiramalini Seshadri’s article “Sundaram – A Haven of Love and Peace” which appeared in the Hindu, on Jan 8th, 2006, a few days prior to its Anniversary day, “The first Chennai organization to rush with food for those affected on that fateful Boxing Day, 2004; the silent hub through which a crore worth of relief materials were disbursed to the tsunami affected of Tamil Nadu; the on-the-spot agency that coordinated efforts to get water to parched Chennai through the Sathya Sai Ganga Canal; the venue for over 200 marriages of people of all faiths conducted totally free of cost with clothes and gifts to set up home for the newly weds; the chapel that puts up the finest Christmas tree and manger in town; the Masjid from which men sally forth laden with eats and drinks to greet their Muslim brothers as they walk up from the Marina sands after the daylong Ramzan fast and prayers; the temple where upanayanams (Hindu thread ceremony) are done free for all, irrespective of caste and creed; the Veda Patashala (vedic school) where women are taught to recite the Vedas; the divine 'hospital' that has been conducting free weekly clinics for 25 years; the 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!); the centre where since 2002, at Baba's behest, Disaster Management Teams have been trained so that during calamities trained youth can plunge into disaster management rather than just hand out some relief (the tsunami saw exemplary disaster management by these teams at Nagapattinam and Colachal); the hallowed grounds where divine all-faith bhajans resound every Thursday and Sunday ; "Sundaram" is all this and more." Sundaram – The Nodal Point of Sai Organisation Activities Yes, Sundaram is much more. Sundaram is a synthesis of peace, love and more importantly, service. And it is this service, done with great discipline and dedication, which has made Sundaram a very unique spiritual centre. It has inspired thousands to feel for their fellowmen and extend their loving hand selflessly to other thousands who have no shelter, no basic education or healthcare facilities. Every activity is done strictly according to the guidelines laid down by Swami from time to time. It is this disciplined approach to service and spirituality which has caught the attention of many. As one devotee says, “The moment we started attending the bhajans there and got to see some of the activities taking place at Sundaram, a great transformation came in our lives because we realised not only the spirituality which pervades this place, but also the strength of the Organisation, its discipline and its character and the way things are done within the Sai Organisation really made a deep impression on us.” With the Sai Organization spread in every district of Tamil Nadu, there are more than 700 Sri Sathya Sai Centers in the state and Sundaram is the nerve centre of this entire network. The concept of service was enumerated and emphasized by Swami by practice and precept in Chennai more than four decades ago. In fact, the first All India Conference of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations was held in Chennai in April 1967. And since then, service has been a continuous activity by the Sai Organization in Chennai, receiving added impetus in the form of better infrastructure and resources after Sundaram came into being in 1981. “Liquid Love” – A 24/7 Supreme Service 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 “The very first experience was very encouraging and all the paramedical and the volunteers were so friendly with me. Motivated by the will to serve and through their love and affection I decided to come every week. I even shifted my residence to T. Nagar which is nearer to Sundaram, so that I will not miss any Sunday…. I came across a lot of patients, about 300 to 400, most of them suffering from various degrees of illness. One may get the impression that these patients are being cured by the medicines which we give. But actually this is not true. The patients who come here are not coming for the medicines that are being dispensed here, but for the love. It is really the love of our beloved Swami that heals them. Slowly we started getting higher medical specialists like cardiac thoracic surgeons, plastic surgeons, vascular surgeons, who started coming regularly. And this kept us motivated further and we kept improving our care to these people.” Even If Out Of Station, I Do Not Miss Sai Krupa On Sunday ”– Dr. Kumari Menon “Even if I am out of station I make it a point to come to Chennai on Sunday so as not to miss the Sunday at Sai Krupa,” says another doctor, Dr. Kumari Menon, a pediatrician in Vijaya Hospital, Chennai who has also been associated with Sai Krupa for decades now. “I remember” she continues, “once there was a child who had obstruction in sebro spinal fluid in the brain. We had done a shunt (bypass) for the child. The child used to come to Sai Krupa every Sunday for regular check up and by Swami’s grace was cured without any complications. On one of the occasions, I remember, we had lunch with Swami. While interacting with us, He said, ‘it is better to go and serve in the door steps rather than waiting for the patients to come.’ And so, we started Grama Seva (serving in the villages). We not only were attending the patients there but also were giving them much-needed health education.” The commitment of the doctors and their dedication to Sai and the service camps is exemplary, to say the least. How Is Sai Krupa Different? How is it different serving in Sai Krupa than in their regular hospitals? “Sai Krupa is more like a family,” says Dr. Prabhu. “Here, doctors not only give the required medical help but also patiently listen to all the difficulties of the poor patient. The very act of listening to their problems and pain cures 90 % of their illness.” In Sai Krupa a concerned effort is made by all the doctors to understand the patient first before prescribing anything. Keeping their sensibilities, rural conditions and other factors in mind, a lot of thinking is done as to how the medicines are to be dispensed, how rural camps should be organized and how to better understand the pains and suffering of this often neglected and poor section of the society. And all this has resulted in better care to the patients and their numbers keep increasing every Sunday. A dentist busy in Sai Krupa... Sevadals serving at the Sai Krupa dispensary... 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. 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. Courtesy: http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_04/01MAR06/ Mail Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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