Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Information.: Ananda Sai Temple-Chennai-Sai Leela Part 1.

Dear Reader Sairam,
Happy Baba's day to all and Happy Baisakhi,

"Baba never talked, nor ever made any fuss about the things which He wanted to accomplish, but He so skillfully arranged the circumstances and surroundings that the people were surprised at the slow but sure results attained. "-SSC Chapter 39

Having above message from Sai Satcharitra today clearly indicates of Baba's way of carrying out things as He wishes and reasons only known to Baba why I could not serve Him the way I did.

After a long gap in website service with Baba's grace I resume the writing work again .It is a blessing to start the divine work with blessed information about Sai Ananada Temple at Poonathandalam-Chennai.As years rolled by many divine leela's took place in this unique temple,in the life of devotees serving Baba and the devotees who came for His darshan from far and near.

It is pure grace of Sai that we (Sister Asha and I )are blessed to share the nector of this blessed temple through our website .Sister Asha had shared the information few weeks back and with blessing of Baba we could put it in website today .Sai bless us all.

Aum Sairam Manisha Sister,
Wish You A Very Happy and Sai Blessed MahaShivaratri. My heart and soul is filled with tears of joy, as today being the most auspicious day (Mahashivaratri) our Paramapita is blessing us to do this seva after a very long break through our temple website. My humble prayers to our Sadguru Sai to always bless you and thy’s chosen ankitas to do this kind of divine seva and be in union with the almighty.

On 18th Feb 2009 Sai graced upon us to share the leela of Ananda Sai Mandir. During that time the main mandir construction was only at the foundation level and the rest in sketches and plans. For these many years though the construction of the temple and various other developments had taken place in Poonthandalam, it’s a part of Sai’s divine play that we were not able to post any leelas in connection to that in our website until now.

Lo, Sai our Sarvantaryami in no time answered our heartfelt yearning by connecting all the contacts, and blessed me to talk to Ramananji (temple founder). Listening to the amazing Sai leelas my heart was engrossed in it and wanted to share it with you immediately. I would like to request you to update our Shirdi Sai temple website related to Ananada Sai Mandir and enable all the Sai ankitas to enjoy the divine leelas and reap the grace of Sai.

It is vital to mention that many devotees went to Poonthandalam Sai darshan by reading our website, thinking that the temple is under construction were wonderstruck to see the stunning mansion of Sai. Those devotees had personally requested Ramananji to share the leelas to be posted in the website and internet, but Ramananji very politely refused them saying that this seva had to be done only by us and through our website. This statement of his makes me feel how Sai is working out his divine play to involve us in thy’s seva and graces upon us.

Manisha Sister, as you know Sai’s divine plays are innumerable. I am not a competent one to decide where to start, pleading Sai to guide us. As a continuation of our earlier post in temple blog we can start to share a leela that happened prior to the Prana Prathishta of Sai in the main mandir, and then sequence the leelas based on the time of its occurrence. May our Omniscient Sadguru Sainath accept my humble pranams at thy's divine holy padukas.

Ananda Sai At Poonthandalam temple.

SAI Sleeping on the Swing:

It was in the year 2009 sometime close to SAI Punyathithi, Ramananji was trying to fulfill his heart’s desire in getting all the paraphernalia for his Guru SAINATH. One such desire was to get a Baba’s pratima sculpted to keep in the Lendi (a beautiful garden is maintained by them, with varieties of fragrant flowers for SAI). He was in the quest of finding a sculptor for the same, just then Ramananji came to know that a new SAI mandir is getting constructed in the nearby area. So he approached the supervisor in charge of making God’s sculptures and requested if he could spare a workman to do a pratima of SAI.

The supervisor agreed and sent a person. As per Ramananji’s instructions a beautiful form of SAI sitting under the Chaathar (umbrella) was getting ready, it was noon around 1:00 p.m. by then, Umaji wanted to personally invite SAI devotees for Vijayadasami puja (SAI punyathithi) so she went out. Ramananji who was watching the work of the sculptor, in a flash of a second got reminded about SAI’S vision and his desire to get SAI pratima in sleeping form on the wooden plank of the swing in their home.

Manisha Sister, at this point I had to share a divine blessing graced by our Sadguru SAI upon Ramananji and his daughter and then continue with leela of the making of SAI pratima sleeping on the plank.

Divine appearance of SAI in sleeping form:

Few years back, Ramananji had a wooden planked swing, in their home, it used to be in their living room. Their home had two bedrooms and one restroom, in the night to use the restroom one has to come out of the bedroom and walk through the living room. One night around 1:00 a.m. when Ramananji got up to attend his nature call, he saw our Universal father, Sri Satchidananda Sadguru SAI in white robe, lying on the wooden swing.

Ramananji was spell bound at this divine sight, but doubted if this is just his mind's eye, he got to see this divine sight twice, and Lo, our All Pervasive SAI wanted to give this blessing to Ramananji’s daughter too, she also witnessed the same scene twice and told her parents that,”when I came out of my room to use the restroom in the night, I saw our SAI lying on the swing.”

Now the family realized that SAI sleeping on the swing is not their imagination but factual, so they decided not to use the swing anymore.

One fine day Sai graced upon Ramananji in his dream and said,"I am not at ease in my seated posture, as devotees come to me and keep asking for one or the other worldly needs, I am always engrossed in numerous thoughts and discussions, which makes me (Aayasama-tamil means very tiring) exhausted. Hence, I would like to lie down in this swing with my eyes open, resting my hand under my head. At this posture I feel well relaxed and would like to heed to the pains and problems of the devotees. So, while I am lying down, you can tell the devotees to approach me and spell their issues in my ears, which I would heed and resolve soon".

After this vision Ramananji had a strong desire to get a SAI pratima in lying form and keep on this swing for ever to enjoy this divine sight and enable devotees to resolve their issues by conveying it to the ears of the heavenly father. Coming back to the first part of leela.

Making of SAI pratima in sleeping form:

Now Ramananji told the sculptor his heart’s desire and requested him to make a pratima of SAI in sleeping form after completing Lendi SAI pratima. But the person did not bother to listen to the longing of Ramananji. In a unpromising tone he said,”I have my work pending in the other temple, I won’t be able to make it.”

Ramananji was upset at this reply and was asking heart to heart to SAI, “Baba I am just trying to see you in sleeping form, blessing all the bhatkas, why don’t you grant this wish of mine?” meanwhile the sculptor on his own accord said if you want me to do another SAI, then you had to check with my supervisor if he permits, then I shall work for you.

These words gave hope for Ramananji he quickly called the supervisor, and requested him if the sculptor can be given one more job to do, at his utter surprise the Supervisor inturn said that infact, he wanted to call Ramananji to request him to retain the sculptor with him for 2 more days, since the other temple is not yet ready to do the sculpting work as they are still doing some tile pasting work.

Ramananji’s happiness had no bounds, as SAI Says,”It is impossible to describe all My ways and measures.” We can never contemplate how SAI would fulfill our earnest wishes.

Now the swing which is chained in Ramananji’s home had to be removed so he wanted someone to help. There was a tenant in their house and Ramananji called out for her, this young lady is a very weak person and can’t even lift a pot of water, but that day SAI had given her enough strength to help Ramananji to carry the swing, and Lo, in no time the sculptor made a stunning form of SAI lying on the wooden plank-with his celestial eyes wide open, and the right hand resting under his head, while the left hand was lying on his holy form that was relaxing on the swing.

Around 8:00 p.m. Umaji who had gone to invite devotees for SAI punyathithi puja came back and enquired about the swing, Ramananji said come and see the divine sight of our SAI lying on the swing. She was wonderstruck at the divine leelas of the Paramapita, less than a day SAI was all set on the swing. Amazing are the leelas of our Sadguru Sainatha. May we all envision the beauty of our Sadguru SAI resting on the swing and reap his divine grace.

May Sai bless all of us, guide us and be with us always
Aum Sairam,
Ashalatha.R

These are the pics of current Poonthandalam temple.

Sai Manidr Entrance