Sai Service Newsletter-02

[Guest guest]

Beloved Sai Ram,

 

First newsletter is just an introductory letter for the launch of

newsletter to interested devotees.

 

We are pleased to forward second newsletter for your reading.

 

Yours in Sai Service,

N. Sivanandam.

 

Sai Service Newsletter No.2

 

I reproduce the authentic version of the origin of

Naga Sai Mandir, Coimbatore. This article was published in the

Mahasamadhi Souvenir, 1963 by the All India Sai Samaj

(Regd),Mylapore,Madras 4.

Naga Sai Mandir, Coimbatore.

During his intensive tour of the country side visiting various

places for spreading the message and blessings of Sri Sai Baba

throughout

the length and breadth of the country, Sri Narasimhaswamiji visited

Coimbatore in the begining of 1941. An ardant devotee Sri

C.Varadarajiah

who has made excellent arrangement for swamiji's visit was mainly

instrumental for his very successful visit. He and his brother late

Sri C.V.

Rajan has already heard of Baba and had visited Shirdi. Swamiji's

visit

intensified the Sai Bhakthi in Sri Varadarajiah who then resolved to

establish a permanent abode for Sri Sai Baba at Coimbatore. In this

noble

task he sought and obtained the blessings of Swamiji. In June 1942 on

the Northern side of the Coimbatore City on the main Road to Nilgris

Sri Varadarajiah purchased an acre of land, dug well and erected a

cottage. He installed Baba's picture in the cottage so that Baba's

devotees could congregate and offer worship. In those days the

Coimbatore Sai

Samaj used to have Bajans during important festivals especially

during the

Vijayadasami day and soon the place began to be called as Baba's

Mandir

by public of Coimbatore. Sai devotees used to meet there regularly

every Thursday for Bhajans and on one such occasion became RED

LETTER DAY IN THE HISTORY OF THE COIMBATORE INSTITUTION.

There was the usual Bhajan going on in the twilight of the sacred

Thursday, 7th January 1943.At that moment(around 5.30 p.m.) a King

Cobra appeared before the Baba's picture, in a rich golden colour and

arresting splendour with the conch and Chakra well marked broad hood.

Just then the sun was setting, and the Mandir lights were being

lighted.

The Bhajan was going on in a grand tempo. The Naga did not leave

the Baba's place,though there were many devotees present. There is a

proverb which says that on the side of a serpant even an army would

scatter.

Last in Baba's Bakthi and Baba's grace none felt any fear, and all

considered

that it was Sri Sai Baba himself, giving darsan in that Naga Form.

The news spread fast in Coimbatore, and the suburbs and devotees

blocked in great numbers to see for themselves the Leela of Baba.

In the midst of these bustle and noise created by the gathered people

the

Naga stood still uterly ignoring all this and giving darsan,on the

Thursday and

Friday to the great delight of all the devotees.Lost in divig escatcy

Sri

C.Varadarajiah and other devotees got about a thousand ''THIRU

SAMANDIMAM" flowers and reciting the ashtotram of Baba and treating

the Cobra itself AS SRI SAI BABA they stood round it and close to it

and

threw all the one thousand flowers ove the head of NAGA SAI. The

cobra did not budge an inch but received all the flowers over its

head.

Then they sent for a photographer.

When the photographer attempted to take a photo it was

observed that the Naga was hidden in the heaps of Javanthi flowers.

When

the soul stirring prayers were offered to Naga Sai to grant the

desire of

obtaining a photo, Lo, the Lord answered,and the Naga unfolded its

broad

hood in full and thus helped, in a good photograph being taken. After

fully

enjoying this granduer of the Thursday and the Friday following the

devotees desired that the Naga Lord should disapper. The Naga in

answer

to the prayers came around Baba's picture and lelft the cottage

slowly on

the fields followed by the Devotees, and disappeared in the nearby

shrubs.

Some days after this, just at the place where the Naga Disappeared,

an

ANT HILL APPEARED.That ant hill is being now worshipped as the

"Swambu Lingam" of Naga Sai. At this sacred place the Neem and Arasu

trees were planted, and under their shade have been installed Nagas

and

Vigneswara. Milk and other sacred offerings were made by the

devotees.

who gather there, for worship of the Lord Naga Sai that has become a

Maha Mantra during all ills and conferring all benefits and

protection.

A cottage, where Naga Sai first appeared and gave Darsan has now

been constructed , as a pucca structure.--THE NAGA SAI

MANDIR. On 15th November 1944, the Naga Sai Mandir, its lands and its

possessions were made a Registered Public Trust with Sri

C.V.Varadarajiah

Life Trustee. A big Mandapam and a Gopuram have been built where

Baba's picture was first installed and the Kumbabhisekam of the Naga

Sai

Mandir was celebrated in 1945 in a grand scale. The construction of

the

Maha Mandapam opposite to the sanctum sanctorium was completed in

1953.

During the period 1953 to 1956 with the Blessings of

H.H.Narasimhaswamiji

Sai mission founded by Sri A.V.K.Chari began Sai Baba propaganda

work.

The Sai Baba Vidyalaya valued at a cost of Rs.20,000/-was constructed

and this began functioning on the Independance day of 1947. The Sai

Baba

mission had also started the Sai Baba Kanya Gurukulam, the

residential school for

orphan girls.....

(compiled from Souvenir 1963.....K.Ramaswamy)

(The copy of the original photo of Naga Sai , again obtained recently

and placed in All India

Sai Samaj, Mylapore, Madras at Pujyasri Narasimhaswamiji's cottage by

Sri K.Ramaswamy for the benefit of devotees)

 

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