Multifaceted Sai... As Architect

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Multifaceted Sai... Previous articles in the same series:As Student - As Reformer - As Most Compassionate One - As Reedemer - As Educator - As Loving Mother - As Responsible Father - As Sevak - As Omnipresent As Architect Baba, being the Cosmic Architect is matchless in the field of Architecture. After performing the 'Bhoomipooja' (consecration of the site) for the Administrative Building of the University on 8th October 1981 Baba reached the Poornachandra Hall to announce that a beautiful building would take shape within one year. He materialised the design of the proposed building, an architectural marvel, and handed over the same to Col. Joga Rao who was supposed to see the same executed in time. Take the case of Superspeciality Hospital which has been modelled after

the Buckingham Palace by a World famous Architect. But then the building, a jewel of architectural beauty, has been perfected by a spiritual touch by the Divine Architect Himself who guided for its finer features. This has been the case with the several buildings of educational institutions of Sai which have more of a look of a temple than mere structures of brick and mortar. The divine touch which makes each building a piece of attraction is solely His, whether it is college buildings of three campuses or their hostels. In February 1969 four tribal leaders from NEFA came to Prashanthi Nilayam. They were accompanied by Shri Boken Ette, Political Assistant, an Architect and a Deputy Secretary of NEFA. They were called for an interview in the afternoon alongwith some foreigners and a few from Goa - in all 22. After

making them feel at home with Him, Baba called one by one for personal interview and told the leaders regarding the difference of opinion that existed among them as to what should be installed in the proposed temple. Baba at once created a disc of panchaloha - an alloy of five metals (gold, silver, brass, copper and iron) with the Sun and the Moon embossed on it with the instruction: 'The disc should be installed in the temple and should be worshipped on every Sunday and every Full-Moon day. Light a perpetual oil lamp at the altar.' He also advised them to desist from making animal sacrifice. Then the Divine Architect, advising on the plan of the temple, drew an outline, drawing a circle in front of the central shrine for the tribal dances, much to the satisfaction of the tribal leaders and to the great surprise of the Architect. Thus Baba solved their difference of opinion lovingly. Dharmakshetra of Bombay, an international centre for Sri Sathya Sai activities was formally inaugurated by Bhagawan on the 12th of May 1968. This magnificent round structure is a piece of architectural grandeur and was completed in 108 days. The theme of the structure being 'nine' the brahma sankhya (Brahma Number), the lotus shaped building has 18 petals to enclose the apartments where Bhagawan would stay. The pillar steps and trellis squares are all in the multiples of nine. http://www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Specially/As_Architect.htm