Showing posts with label Saibaba. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saibaba. Show all posts
Exclusive | Countdown to Shri Saibaba Samadhi Centenary Year Celebrations
The countdown to this year's much awaited celebration has officially begun. 2017 - 2018 marks the centenary year of Shri Saibaba's Mahasamadhi, and needless to say, devotees are all set to witness a series of spectacular events and activities in Shirdi. Saibaba of Shirdi took Mahasamadhi on the auspicious occasion of Dussera (according to Hindu calendar) in the year 1918. With the year long Shatabdi Punyatithi Utsav set to kickstart on October 1, Shri Saibaba Santhan Trust (shirdi) has begun preparations for the various activities and events that have been planned throughout the year.
The festivities are expected to kickstart with a special ceremony on October 1, 2017. This would be right after the three day Punyatithi utsav, scheduled from September 28 to 30. The ceremony will be attended by special dignitaries, guests and various devotees from across the globe. The trust has planned a host of grand events, including performances, bhajans, parayan among others. The Sai International Marathon is also scheduled to take place on October 15 (which also coincides with Saibaba's Mahasamadhi date according to Gregorian calendar). This, apart from a host of different activities, that will go on till October 2018.
In an exclusive chat with our editor, Smt Rubal Agarwal, CEO - SSST (Shirdi), discussed some of the key activities planned by the trust. Watch the video to know more:
During an exclusive interaction with us in Mumbai, Smt Rubal Agarwal, CEO - SSST (Shirdi) stated that a Paduka Yatra will be organised, wherein Shri Saibaba's original padukas will be taken to various cities across the country. Around the same time, a pair of silver padukas will be taken on an international yatra, which will greatly benefit devotees across the globe. In addition, Shri Suresh Haware - Chairman - SSST (Shirdi) expressed his pleasure on welcoming national and international marathoners and various other participants during the Sai International Marathon. Mr Haware stated that the celebrations would be one of the biggest Sai movements in the world. The trust has also invited top artists from across the country to perform during the year long celebrations. These performances would be offered as part of 'Sai Seva' by the artists.
Well, needless to say, we can't wait to witness the grand celebrations. Stay tuned for more updates!
For more information, follow us and join the conversation on
Love,
The Dancebee
Memories - My Childhood in Shirdi
Every time I visit Shirdi, my childhood comes back to tease me!
Every wonderful moment of my childhood spent in Shirdi was beautiful. I thank god for giving me the chance to be born in the 90's, at least before the millennium, Because I enjoyed some amazing, peaceful moments in Shirdi, which cannot be compared to the present day situation!
I remember staying there for 8-10 days, I remember the time when there used to be no crowd in the temple. No one pulled you even if you stood there chanting a shloka, No one touched you if you simply smiled at saibaba's beautiful idol. No one dared to raise their voice in the temple and No one pushed you! The temple, with simple decorations, was so peaceful. I remember playing and running around in the sanctum sanatorium of the Samadhi temple, clicking photographs and even getting the time to pose. I could touch the Samadhi and stand there for 5-10 mins, looking into Saibaba's eyes. There was so much i could do! But today, the only thing I can do is look at the idol and pray, everything else is lost somewhere in the crowd!
The shanti and bhakti hall, made for the convenience of the bhaktas who stand in the Darshan queue, was made in 1998! I remember going there when it was under construction. When it was ready for use, I used to stand on the steel benches and walk in the queue. As time passed, the crowd started swelling and I remember how even years after that, I used to stand on those benches and shout out loudly, "Sainath maharaj ki," waiting for the bhaktas to reply back with a loud 'Jay'!
But today, all I can do with chant the name of lord, while walking quietly in the super long queue.
In Dwarkamai, I remember how all the priests and other workers used to laugh at all my childish antics! I used to sing the whole aarti (which i even do now). My parents used to read the sai satcharitra there, while I was busy lighting up the earthen lamps every Thursday near the fireplace, where baba used to cook his food. Whenever I went to the Dwarkamai, I distributed the holy teerth (water) to everyone and stood there for almost 1-2 hrs. I remember how I fought with a groom who entered the temple with his footwear on. I remember how I used to sweep the temple at night. I remember how I used to offer naivedya (offering of food) to Saibaba at noon. Post noon aarti, all the bhaktas used to mix the food items brought by all the everyone and then, distribute it everywhere. On my birthday, I used to offer some pieces of the cake inside the Dhuni. like an offering made to Agni dev (fire god). But today, the sanctum sanatorium of Dwarkamai is closed on most Weekends and Thursday, teerth & naivedya distribution is stopped by the sansthan (management). The only thing I can do now is take the darshana and be content. The dhuni is permanently closed from all the sides.
The Sansthan premises was like a big playground for me, as I posed, hopped, jumped, danced and sung aartis in loud and clear tones! The sai satyavrat puja was perfect where the priest never ran out of time and recited the full story of Lord satyanarayan properly. During the kakad aarti (morning aarti), everyone inside the sanctum sanatorium was asked to sit down till the priests finished the holy bath of Shri Saibaba. But today, everything has become a part of the fast-paced life. They have cut down on time and made space for more better arrangements. Fair enough! But what about those people who stand up in the middle of an aarti, causing inconvenience to people. They start gossiping when the priest is reciting shlokas. They throw coins and flowers at the Main idol, which may cause permanent damage. Can't people think twice before acting like this?
Shirdi is, was and will always be close to my heart. I will continue to celebrate my birthday there and I will always love everything about my holy watan. But, there were some wonderful days I enjoyed during my childhood in the late 90s. Those days will never come back. The current generation of children who visit Shirdi don't get the privilege of all things nice, the way I got it. They don't get to do everything that i did. So in a way, I was truly lucky. Thank you so much for everything, God.
Om Sai Ram
Bow to shri sai, Peace be to all
Love,
The Dancebee
Sai as Sagun Bhramin
There are two aspects of God or Brahman : (1) the Unmanifested (Nirgun) and (2) the Manifested (Sagun). The Nirgun is formless, while the Sagun is with form, though both denote the same Brahman. Some prefer to worship the former, some the latter. As stated in the Gita (chapter XII) the worship of the latter is easy and preferable. As man has got a form (body, senses, etc.), it is natural and easy for him to worship the God with form. Our love and devotion do not develop unless we worship Sagun Brahman for a certain period of time, and as we advance; it leads us to the worship (meditation) of Nirgun Brahman. So let us start with Sagun worship. Image, altar, fire, light, sun, water, Brahman are the seven objects of worship, but Sadguru is better than all these. Let us, on this occasion, bring to our mind the form of Sai, Who was non-attachment Incarnate, and Who was a resting-place for His whole-hearted devotees. Our faith in His words is the seat of Asan; and our Sankalpa (determination to start and finish the Puja) is the abandonment of all our desires. Some say that Sai was a Bhagwad-bhakta (devotee of the Lord), others say He was a Maha-Bhagwat (a great devotee), but to us He is God Incarnate. He was extremely forgiving, never irritable, straight, soft, tolerant and content beyond comparison.
Though He looked embodied (as having the form), He was really dis-embodied, emotionless, unattached and internally free. The Ganges on its way to the sea, cools and refreshes the creatures affected with heat, gives life to the crops and trees, and quenches the thirst of many. Similarly Saints (Souls) like Sai, while they live their own life, give solace and comfort to all. Lord Krishna has said that 'the Saint is My soul, My living image, I am He or He is My pure form (Being).' This in-describable Shakti or Power of God, known as Pure Existence, Knowledge and Bliss, incarnated in the form of Sai in Shirdi. The Shruti (Taitiriya Upanishad) describes Brahman as Bliss. This we read or hear daily in the books, but the devout people experienced this Brahman or Bliss in Shirdi. Baba, the support of all, required no prop or support (Asan) from anybody. He always used a piece of sack-cloth for His seat, which was covered with a small beautiful bed by His bhaktas and has a bolster placed by them, as a rest to His back. Baba respected the feelings of His devotees and allowed them to worship Him as they liked. Some waved Chamara or fans before Him, some played on musical instruments, some washed His hands and Feet, some others applied scent and chandan, some gave betel nut with leaves and other things, and some others offered naivedya. Though He looked like living in Shirdi, He was present everywhere. This all-pervasiveness of His way daily experienced by His devotees.
Our humble prostration to this all-pervasive Sadguru.
Wonderful vision of Saibaba
As I finished reading the main chapters of Sai satcharitra yesterday, baba blessed me with this wonderful vision to prove that he is with me forever. I saw myself taking darshana in the shri saibaba samadhi mandir. There I saw baba's murti adorned and decked with around 5-6 gold necklaces and the temple was empty! The priest then asked me to perform a puja in the Gurusthan with some other priests and offer 251 belpatra leaves along with milk on the Pindi (which is inside the gurusthan temple).
I performed the puja after which, my parents and I proceeded towards the Dwarkamai temple where the priest gave us food from the Hodge - Podge (which was a custom followed until recently,where naivedya brought by all bhaktas was mixed & distributed after the aarti) and made us sit in two rows in front of the dhuni and baba's picture.
I woke up to this dream to see that the time was 10 am. I couldn't believe all that I saw in my dream. My hair stood at end and I looked at baba's picture which is right next to my bed and slowly whispered, "Om sai ram. Thank you for this heartwarming vision! Baba, I LOVE YOU."
BOW TO SHRI SAI, PEACE BE TO ALL
