NEWSLETTER - 3rd Quarter 2022

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 Chaturthi! 

July started off with Guru Poornima on the 13th. The morning began with Shivaabishekam while chanting the Rudram & Chamakam, all leading up to a Devi pooja in the evening which was done while chanting Lalitha Sahasranama. Both the Shivaabhishekam and the Devi pooja are usually performed for the Swayambu Shivashakti Lingam, which is worshipped only once a month during Poornima. In between, during the day, Vyasa pooja was performed as is the tradition which is followed in all ashrams in which all Gurus from all paramparas are invoked. This year, we started a new tradition. Different varieties of prasadam from the ashram as well as the annadhanam were collected in a big basin and kept in Dwarakamai. Our beloved Maa, stirred and mixed the prasadam herself, surrounded by all devotees, and offered it to Baba. After noon Aarti, Maa herself sat in front of Gurusthan, and distributed prasadam to each devotee in attendance. This practice dates back to Shirdi Baba’s time when Baba collected all the food that He received from people, in a vessel and kept it in Dwarakamai. Baba Himself would mix all the food in the vessel, by hand, and then proceed to distribute this prasadam to all one and all. This special addition to our Guru Poornima celebration was an ode to Baba’s own practices, during His days in Shirdi. Continuing another  annual tradition, the bag of rice was changed symbolizing great abundance. As always, we made our Guru Poornima function complete by performing the Padha Pooja for our dear Maa. The day was full of earnestness and devotion!

August festivities started off on the 19th, 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. Shodasha Upachara pooja was also performed for Rukmini and Panduranga. The day was full of love and joy! 

Finally, on August 31st, we celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi. In our ashram, we performed an abhishekam to all the Ganapathis in the temple and ashram, and offered lots of arugampul (auspicious grass) to Lord Ganesha. Prasadam was offered to Lord Ganesha at the Raksha Ganapathi temple, followed by a Ganapathi Homam done in the yagashala. This was performed to invoke Lord Ganapathi’s blessings to ensure that every activity that is started, is completed without any obstacles. On the 3rd day of Ganesh Chaturthi, Ganapathi Visarajan was performed at our Nagamma Pond which concluded the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

On the charity front, Sri Sai Darshan Trust donated notebooks and stationery sets to 300 underprivileged children from many schools in nearby villages. As we look forward to this next quarter, upcoming events include Navaratri, Shirdi Sai Baba’s Samadhi Aradhana which takes place on Vijayadashami, Deepavali, and Karthigai Deepam. Our annual December function will be held towards the end of December, and further details will be announced shortly. As always, it goes without saying that the Poornima and Pradosha poojas, are taking place without fail. The temple and Annadhanam are open to one and all, on Thursdays. We thank you all for your continuous support. Here’s to a wonderful quarter and year 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!