NEWSLETTER - 3rd Quarter 2021

Dear Sai Brothers and Sisters,

Sai Ram Jai Maruthi Jai Maruthi! We hope this past quarter has been full of happiness and good health! Here in the ashram, this quarter has been busy with festivals beginning with Guru Poornima, until Ganesh Chaturti! 

July started off with Guru Poornima on the 23rd. The day began with morning Shivaabishekam while chanting the Rudram & Chamakam, all leading up to a Devi puja in the evening which was done while chanting Lalitha Sahasranama. Both the Shivaabhishekam and the Devi puja are usually performed for the Swayambu Shivashakti Lingam, which is worshipped only once a month during Poornimas.  In between, during the day, Vyasa puja was performed as is the tradition which is followed in all ashrams in which all Gurus from all paramparas are invoked. As always, we made our Guru Poornima function complete by performing the Padha Puja for our dear Gurumaa. Also continuing an annual tradition, the bag of rice was changed in order to symbolize great abundance. The day was full of earnestness and devotion to our beloved Gurumaa.

August festivities started off on the 30th, when we celebrated Janmashtami, which marks the day of Lord Krishna’s birth, with lots of joy, as always. Janmashtami was celebrated by praying and chanting various shlokas, while delicious prasadams were offered to Lord Krishna at the Panduranga shrine. Shodasho Upachara puja was also performed for Rukmini and Panduranga. The day was full of love and joy! 

Finally, on September 10th, we celebrated Ganesh Chaturti. In our ashram, we performed an abhishekam to all the Ganapatis in the temple and ashram, and offered lots of arugampul (grass) to Lord Ganesha. Prasadam was offered to Lord Ganesha at the Vijaya Ganapathi Meenkashi temple in the ashram. On the 3rd day of Ganesh Chaturti, Ganapathi Visarajan was performed at our Nagamma Pond which concluded the Ganesh Chaturti festival. During Ganesh Chaturti, we pray to Lord Ganesha so that every new activity that is started is successfully completed without any obstacles.

On the charity front, SSDT has been donating on average 35,000 rupees worth of groceries, per week, to people in surrounding villages, since the beginning of the lockdown, last year. Each Thursday, when our ashram annadhanam would usually be taking place, volunteers from SSDT, distribute packages of groceries which include rice, oil, 2 types of dal, sugar, soap, noodles and jaggery. These groceries are distributed to approximately 50 families each week, and just over this quarter, approximately 1000 families have been given provisions!

SSDT donated 1 lakh rupees to the Medical Research Foundation, for the purpose of research in the scientific and medical fields. SSDT also donated 2 lakh rupees to the Cancer Institute of Chennai. This donation will go towards research in the field of cancer and for funding treatments for patients, as well as meals for the patients in the institute.

50,000 rupees was donated to NS Educational Trust, for the purpose of funding tuition fees for a child from Ramana Vidyalaya school, here in Chennai. 25,000 rupees was donated to fund medical treatment for an employee from ICICI bank, who had tested positive for Covid-19. Another 25,000 rupees was also donated to Sevalaya for the maintenance of their gosamrakshan. 

As we look forward to this next quarter, upcoming events include Navaratri from October 7th-14th, Shirdi Sai Baba’s Samadhi Day and Vijayadashami on October 15th, Deepavali, Kartigai Deepam, and our annual December function. Information regarding the December function will be communicated to all, as and when Maa instructs.

As always, it goes without saying that the Poornima puja, Pradosham puja,  are taking place without fail. Sri Sai Darshan Trust opened the temple to the public only on Thursdays. All preventative and safety measures have been implemented and are being strictly enforced. Medical camps which occurred on every second Saturday have been placed on hold for the time-being due to the pandemic. As Annadhanam also cannot take place in the ashram, as explained above, packaged groceries are being distributed to people in surrounding villages, by SSDT. We thank you, all devotees and well-wishers, for your continuous support. Here’s to another wonderful quarter filled with love, happiness, and good health!

May Baba’s grace and Maa’s blessings be showered on us all.

Jai Sai Ram Jai Maruthi Jai Maruthi!