Monday, February 11, 2013

Sai Temple Project - an update of 11th Feb. 2013


This post is an update of the events that took place after the Bhumi Puja at the proposed Temple Premises at Narasimhaiah Layout, Byatarayanpura, Bangalore. The committee of trustees met on 2nd February 2013 to discuss various modalities about the temple project.

On the instructions of Shri Sai Baba to Amma, it was decided to organize a reading of different scriptures at the temple premises over a span of one week commencing on Monday the 4th of February and continuing for seven days to conclude on the 10th of February 2013. The work of excavation was also to commence on the same day. Hence the members of the Trust and various devotees who had heard of these procedures had assembled at the premises as early as 6:30 hrs. and had busied themselves with decorations and other activities that were to precede the 'Reading of the Scriptures'. As Shri Ramanath and Amma felt that the poojas and excavation work should commence before the onset of the inauspicious hour of Raahu Kaala which begins at 7:30 hrs on Mondays, they ensured that these rituals commenced at around 7:10 hrs. The excavation work also commenced at 7:10 hrs.



After the initial rituals of pooja were completed, the devotees commenced the reading of various scriptures. It was Amma's desire in conformance with Baba's thinking that scriptures of various religions be read in a phased manner so as to complete the entire reading of the book in seven days (by Sunday  the Feb. 10th 2013).  Mr. Bhaskar's (Vice President) friends an amiable man by name Syed Haji had assured that he would request a devout Muslim to read parts of the Quoran each day. Accordingly a Muslim from Bihar, who taught Arabic at one of the local engineering colleges scrupulously came each day to read from the Quoran. I had happily elected to read and complete The Children's Bible. Many had chosen the Guru Charitra; some the Shri Sai Sat Charita; some the Gajanana Vijaya Granth and so on.




 As a gratifying blessing to the procedures undertaken, Sai Baba gifted a Natya (Dancing) Ganapathi to Amma on the first day. (Photo Left)

On a subsequent day a figurine of Sri Shankaracharya materialised. She said she had a vision that Sri Shankaracharya was being hauled up by the JCB earth excavator and later the figurine appeared on her hands.





As Amma was reading the Sundara Kaanda of Ramayana, on one of the days she was granted a darshan of Panchamukhi Aanjaneya that was seen to occupy the two pages of the open book that later gradually crystallised to a brass idol of Panchamukhi Anjaneya.








After the reading of the allotted chapters for each day, the Vishnu Sahasra Naama was chanted followed by a soulful Bhajan. Later, after the Dhoop Arathi of Shri Sai Baba, a lunch was served to all who were present.












This routine was conducted for seven days concluding on Sunday the 10th of February 2013.