MANSION OF LOVE...PART ONE FROM H-H

[Guest guest]

Mansion of Love - The Revolutionary Sri Sathya Sai Heart Hospital at Rajkot Jyoti – The ‘Light’ of Ramesh and Lila Jyoti - the joy of the family Jyoti, just as her name suggests, is the light of the Kannadiga couple, Ramesh and Lila Gowda. Though living in Ahmedabad, thousands of miles away from his home-state of Karnataka, Ramesh had no qualms, as this is the air he had breathed right from his birth. Right from the time his father moved into this city many decades ago for better opportunities, it has become the family’s de facto home. And it is here that Ramesh grew up, got married to Lila

and was blessed with Jyoti, their beautiful daughter. A little later, came Vasudev, the couple’s only son. But the family’s connection with Karnataka remained; Jyoti spent many years of her childhood in Hassan, a town in South Karnataka, where her maternal grandparents lived. It was during this time Ramesh got an inkling that their ‘light’ was not shining as brightly as it should. Jyoti, in spite of all the efforts of her grandparents, was always skinny; nothing could increase her body weight. The concerned Ramesh, brought her daughter to Ahmedabad; this city, he thought, being the largest in the state, will surely find a remedy for Jyoti. And it did. After three trips and many tests at the Sharadaben Hospital (a community hospital for treatment and diagnosis), she now had a definite diagnosis. She was declared to be having a Congenital Heart Defect, in simple terms, a hole in the heart. The

only solution was surgery. Hope for Jyoti Begins to Fade The light is gone out of her ebullient self It was as if light had gone out of their lives. The operation would cost Rs. 75000 and Ramesh did not even have Rs. 1000 in his pocket

then. For one who worked as a pin boy in a mill, it was unthinkable, dreadful. Moreover, the mill was no more there. It had shut down in 1996 and since then it has been a continuous struggle for Ramesh to make ends meet. With odd jobs fetching very little and at disconcerting irregularity, Ramesh had already borrowed generous amounts from friends and relatives to maintain their hand-to-mouth existence. The new adversity was like being cursed even while being in hell. But, Ramesh and Lila loved their daughter too much to just succumb to the terrible twist of fate. They would knock at every door and pray at every shrine, they decided. Through the municipal school where Jyoti was studying, they applied for relief under various schemes to the Government of India. More than a year passed since they sent all the relevant documents, there was no hint of any help whatsoever. Little did they know then

that their daughter would one day be brimming with life and fill their lives with rediscovered joy and inexplicable happiness, the panacea materializing not in their ‘city of hope’, Ahmedabad, but from a serene milieu located at more than hundred miles to the east of this five million plus city. When Ramesh read a news article about a Heart Camp being organized by Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation of Ahmedabad in August 2005, he saw a ray of hope; not because he was a devotee of Sai Baba, it was the incredible fact about the news that ‘all heart surgeries would be done free of cost at the Sri Sathya Sai Heart Hospital at Rajkot.’ He found it difficult to believe; nevertheless, he decided to give it a try and had Jyothi registered at the camp. They received a pre-screening appointment on September 4, 2005. A Heart Camp in the city of Ahmedabad... This one is in Godhra, a district in eastern Gujarat After doing a series of tests, the doctors confirmed that Jyothi had a

heart defect. The Gowdas were now given a date in the next month to arrive at the Heart Hospital for a final preoperative check-up. It all seemed so soothing and life-giving for Ramesh and he looked forward to the appointment date, but all this changed, when a relative dropped by for a few hours at his home, a couple of days after this event. “Ramesh, be prepared,” he warned. “All this free surgery service is only show; they are going to demand you money during the operation.” This was the last thing Ramesh wanted to hear; his fears now were only confirmed. “Yes, how could it be possible? Why would anybody operate free of charge?” he seemed to say himself. “It is too good to be true. I do not know if I should risk the life of my dear daughter.” Ramesh - despondent and in doubt Ramesh just could not come to terms that there could be an absolutely free hospital. Why Ramesh alone? Even the then Chief Minister of Gujarat , Sri Keshubhai Patel, at the time of the inauguration of the Sri Sathya Sai Heart Hospital, had said, “It is unbelievable. In my forty years of public life, I have not seen anything like this. I wonder how it is possible. Now that the building is ready and everything seems to

be in its place, I am forced to believe.” [if you are wondering what happened to Jyothi, you will now by the time you finish reading this article. For now, let us turn to the creation of the Sri Sathya Sai Heart Hospital at Rajkot.] The saga of the Hospital is, indeed, one implausible story comprised of one staggering tale followed by another, be it the initiation of the idea, the execution of the plan or the day-to-day running of the hospital. Swami’s Hospitals Inspires Imitation It all started in the early nineties when a group of Sai devotees from Rajkot, inspired by the news of the Super Specialty Hospital being set up in Puttaparthi, wanted to do something similar, even if the scale was much smaller. They came to Puttaparthi, had blissful darshan of their Lord and were even blessed with an interview. They wanted to start a diagnostic centre and had come fully prepared, complete with the blueprints of their plan. Swami spoke to them, instructed and inspired them lovingly to go ahead with their selfless work. Their joy was tempered with sadness; happy for the blessings received, but sad because one of their wishes was still not fulfilled – Swami did not bless their draft proposal to construct a health centre for reasons which nobody could guess then. But then they did not let this deter their enthusiasm. Once they returned, they set up a make-shift diagnostic health center immediately which pre-screened patients and referred the patients for further medical care. The Super Specialty Hospital in Puttaparthi Recalling those days, Mr. Kanubhai Patel, who has been associated with the hospital right from its inception, says, "We wanted a bigger space where we could handle patients in a better way. We approached the management of Khira Hostel which used to be a hostel for students. Their management was extremely skeptical to give the hostel on rental basis, more so, after they learnt that we were to offer our services completely free of cost. They thought it was fanciful and even if it happened, it would be short-lived”. Mr. Kanubhai Patel - the Lord's instrument Well, the hostel management’s apprehensions were understandable in this age when everything is measured only in terms of money. So it was a difficult proposition for the devotees to convince the hostel officials and the idea fructified, says Mr. Kanubhai, “Only when we gave them a local guarantor. And then within no time we commenced our center’s services. There was a deluge of patients as there was no hospital in the vicinity of that area.

Initially, we had no machinery and were completely dependent on outside support. But we never lost hope. Swami’s golden assertion: ‘If anyone tries to do good to others with a selfless motive, take this assurance from Me, all his needs will be taken care of,’ always rang in our ears and we had rock-like faith.” And what happened later might be an extraordinary coincidence for a casual observer, but they knew it was the divine working as ever in His mysterious ways. “One day in the morning when the hostel was being cleaned,” Mr. Kanubhai recalls, “a gentleman from Singapore came in and had a look at the center. He was flabbergasted to know that all the medical services in here were offered absolutely free, with good intentions and no expectations. He was surprised, and at the same time sad because it did not have adequate equipment. He immediately offered to donate machinery worth 1.2 million, and in no time the centre saw itself in a

completely new visage. The doctors could now treat more people with less trouble.” Miracles in every sphere of work of this diagnostic centre was nothing unusual, it was there everyday for people to see. Just consider Kalpanaben. The Case of Kalpanaben Kalpanaben was diagnosed to be suffering from twin problems; she needed valve replacement as well as valve surgery. Rajkot, at that time (early nineties), had little assistance for such problems. Hailing from a very poor background and living with her two kids, aged two and four, there was no way she could afford the surgery. But finance was not really an issue because a London-based Sai devotee had promised to cover whatever the expense. The main concern was the complexity of the case. She needed the surgery urgently but no surgeon was prepared to take the chance. Nothing could save her

except prayer, it seemed. Dr. Rajesh Teli, one of the doctors at the diagnostic centre, referred her to the leading surgeon in Ahmedabad. Even he gave up, seeing the risky situations involved. But, God had not given up on her. During this time, Dr. T. Lebroy, a British Surgeon, was in Ahmedabad for a day to address a conference on the latest surgical practices offered abroad. The Ahmedabad based prominent surgeon referred

the case to Dr. Lebroy. After studying the case carefully, Dr. Lebroy said, “I will do the operation, provided it can be done tomorrow.” And so, immediately arrangements were made. On call, the devotee from London provided the financial assistance of Rs. 75,000 within 24 hours, which took care of the hospitalization expenses, valve costs, etc. Moved by the selfless motive of Sai volunteers who were helping the hapless lady out, Dr. Lebroy did not charge a rupee for the operation. The surgery, by the Almighty’s grace, was a success. With her valves replaced and repaired, Kalpanaben now was ecstatic. She could now lead a normal life. It is amazing how so many events connected themselves so beautifully to rewrite Kalpana’s destiny, who did not know anybody even within the range of 40 kms of the city of Rajkot, where she lived. Somebody has rightly said, “Coincidences are occasions when God chooses to be anonymous.” The Divine Exceeds Expectations Everyday experiences of such ‘divine designs’ only raised the devotees’ zeal to its zenith. They wanted to do more but what they had was still just that - a small diagnostic centre. They wanted a bigger and better equipped health centre for diagnosis. They waited for the opportunity to present their desire before Bhagavan. And the breakthrough did come shortly, in a manner and scale they had never anticipated. It all happened in 1994 when Mr. Kanubhai Patel on a visit to Puttaparthi, offered to Bhagavan three crores in reverence and gratitude for the three sons that God had blessed him with. The merciful Bhagavan, who only knows to give, told Him He does not need his money but suggested that the amount could be spent to build a hospital for the poor and the neglected in Gujarat itself. This was

the memorable moment… the beginning of the amazing Sri Sathya Sai Heart Hospital of Rajkot, which has now become a ‘fairy tale of a health centre’ for the poor. Immediately after the divine expressed this wish, a contingent of devotees started working 24/7 and within days they were in Puttaparthi with blueprints of the proposed building. When they arrived, it was as if Swami was waiting for them, for He immediately asked a senior staff of the Puttaparthi Hospital to give them a comprehensive tour of the hospital. Once they were done, He called them in for an interview and at length explained all about the human heart, its functions and features, types of cardiac surgeries and their procedures, what really constitutes treatment, what should be the approach towards healing and so on. For nearly half an hour, Swami was the expert surgeon-cum-hospital administrator, spelling out nuances of ethical and moral medical care and curing. “I consider myself and others who were there extremely fortunate as we received directions direct from divinity Himself,” says Dr. Rajesh Teli who was present in that interview. It was a blissful session, no doubt, but towards the end of it the devotees started getting nervous. For some reason, in spite of all the guidance that Swami was giving, He did not bless the blueprints they had brought. The plans they had drawn were for a large diagnostic centre but

Baba’s goal for them was even grander. Beckoning Kanubhai Patel near who was sitting at the back of the room, Swami asked, “Patel, tune suna…Hospital banaiga?” [Patel, did you hear…will you make the hospital?] Kanubhai, a little taken aback, responded, “Karega, Swami, Baroda Mein” [Yes, Swami we will do in Baroda, (the city in Gujarat where Kanubhai lived)]. Swami wanted a full-fledged hospital, not just a big diagnostic centre. It was clear now. And Kanubhai had now suggested the location too: the city of Baroda. But Swami had more surprises in store for them that day. He asked, “Saurastra accha nahi hai? Kya Rajkot hamara nahi hai?” [is the region Saurastra not good enough? Is Rajkot (a city in the Saurastra region of Gujarat ) not ours?] Incidentally, the

region of Saurastra is among the least developed regions in the state of Gujarat. With poor infrastructure and sparse availability of right manpower and other resources, it would be a challenge to run a hospital in this region. A little concerned Kanubhai asked, “Swami, how will we manage in Rajkot?” And then came the mighty divine assurance: “Swami will manage.” And that is how it exactly happened. He, in His incredible way, arranged everything. When the devotees asked Swami, “How would we get land for hospital in our meager budget?” He replied, “Woh patel ko jaake poocho” [Go and ask Patel for that (Patel here referring to Mr. Keshubhai Patel who was then Chief Minister of Gujarat]. And sure enough, when the Chief Minister heard their proposal, he called the collector and asked him to expedite the organization’s request for land. After going through the few sites shown, the devotees zeroed down to a one lakh square feet

plot near Virani Science College in Rajkot City, around four kms from the Railway Station, as the spot for the future hospital. But from where is the money going to come from to buy the land? [Kanubhai’s generous donation was earmarked completely for construction]. Government charges only 50% of the land cost if it were to be used for charitable purposes. But taking cognizance of the ‘completely free treatment plan’ of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization, the government waived another 25%. Yet, the remaining 25% was no small amount. The trustees of the proposed hospital deliberated on various avenues for good amount of time in Mumbai and then returned to their respective cities. They knew they had only one channel open now: beseeching their Lord through prayer. Babubhai’s Soul Donation One of the trustees, Mansukhbhai Rindani, who was also a

leading Chartered Accountant of Rajkot, was returning to his city in an Indian Airlines flight after this meeting, concerned all the time about the land. To his pleasant surprise, when he turned his head he found seated next to him an old acquaintance, Mr. Babubhai, who was now settled in South Africa. Mansukhbhai learnt that this friend had recently lost his wife and was despondent. Babubhai’s mission now was to look out for a noble cause and donate some money in the memory of his late wife which would probably bring some solace to his soul. And as you have already guessed, Babubhai was the right man the yet-to-be-born hospital needed. So inspired he was about the cause that, once he returned to South Africa he donated not only what he had originally intended but 5½ times more! Just as promised, Swami was indeed ‘managing’ the whole endeavour. The Sri Sathya Sai Heart Hospital at Rajkot The Hospital's 'manager' Whenever teams

from the hospital came to His physical presence during its construction phase, be it trustees, architects, contractors, doctors, administrators or volunteers, Swami always called them in and gave them much-needed guidance and enlivened their enthusiasm. And on August 4, 2000, the inauguration day of the hospital, He sent Dr. Safaya, the director of His Super Specialty Hospital at Puttaparthi, as well as Sri Indulal Shah, the then International Chairman of Sai Organisations, to do the honours. On this D-Day were also present the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Sri Keshubhai Patel, and along with him the whole cabinet. After the unique edifice started functioning, Swami’s involvement never diminished, in fact, it only increased. .Article from..h-h (sHARING WITH SAI LOVE) Ram.Chugani -------------------------- PART-2 WILL FOLLOW. The dedicated doctors of the hospital in the interview room in Prasanthi Nilayam when He blessed the Hospital Project on January 4, 1995 He constantly kept guiding the doctors and administrators at every available opportunity. “The patient should always be seen as Narayana-Swarupa (a likeness of God) and under no circumstance shall the treatment be compromised” – This was His constant message. Another

important aspect that He always stressed was: “There should be no bill book.” It is these two principles which like unequivocal guideposts have shaped the philosophy of the Sri Sathya Sai Heart Hospital at Rajkot. The mission of the hallowed health centre says, “Our philosophy is to provide free access to exemplary standards of heart care supported by state of the art equipments to patients primarily from the weaker sections of the society (irrespective of caste, creed, race and religion), who would, otherwise, be deprived of such expensive heart care owing to lack of financial resources.” These kids are all under His care... new hopes, new lives, new dreams.... It is Swami who gave this noble vision and it is again He who was making it materialize. How reputed Cardiac surgeons from UK, who are not even devotees of Swami, fly down every year to serve at this Hospital voluntarily for weeks is amazing. Dr. Chandrasekhar, a surgeon from St. George’s Hospital, UK says, “The pace at which the patients recover here is something extraordinary. What would take 2-3 days else

where, heals in 12 hours here! It is a joy and a privilege to work here.” From a hospital, it has transformed itself into a ‘ Temple of love and Healing’. Thanks to the hospital, today Rabiya and her family are more convinced than ever that Allah is looking after that, Sai Ram Part-1 (Sharing with Sai Love) Ram.ChuganiRam ChuganiKobe, Japanrgcjp

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