Shirdi Saibaba, Nagasai Mandir and Coimbatore

Sairam friends,

It’s a beautiful full moon day and I wanted to write about Saibaba temple in Coimbatore and also my love for this Sai, Nagasai and Coimbatore.

I didn’t do anything useful this Sunday. Every weekend my Parents along with our maid goes to the colony Siddhi Vinayaka temple to wash the clothes of Gods and Goddess. I used to ask Baba “Who will do this work these days?” People come to temple, pray and go and my father sweeps the temple and every weekend makes sure they help in washing the clothes of Goddess. I wonder where the Punya they gain goes as no God is able to fulfill their wish.

My Mom called me to worship Kalbhairav and I told her, “I am bored of all these worship. I am fed up with all pooja. Its enough. You go and pray here and I shall pray Kalbhairav when I go to Rathna Vinayakar temple in the evening.”

My father told her not to force me and they went to temple.

I was alone at home and told Baba, “Sai leela must bring happiness in my life”. I remembered Saibaba with devotion and was chanting loudly sitting in my room.

These are three ingredients in my life.

1. Shirdi Saibaba (my soul)

2. Nagasai Mandir ( my school)

3. Coimbatore ( my place)

1. Shirdi Saibaba

I wish to call him

Sai

baba

or Sai Baaba

but the word didn’t let me do it as I am in a situation to show the world that where ever I mention Sai, I mean “Saibaba of Shirdi”.

Read more at – For the Majority of Shirdi Saibaba devotees there’s only one Sun and one SAI

I am not deeply devoted to Sai as many who come to StarSai might assume. I am really OK kind of devotee. You know, Sai loves a devotee who hungers after him. Who can’t eat and sleep without him and who always remember him.

I honestly don’t hunger after Sai. I am running behind other desires in life and hence I know Sai doesn’t call me as a good devotee compared to few who are completely into Sai devotion. I must accept my inability to forget my worries and think about Sai alone.

Today, I had this strange feeling. That all the world is false and Sai alone is truth. We are hunting. We all are hunters. Just like a hunter is behind an animal to kill it and have it as food, we all are chasing our desires, hunting and during this process of hunting, we believe a Saint like Sai baba can fulfill our desire and hold him.

Am I really with Sai for his love for me or just because I believe he has the ability to fulfill my desires?

I may not be able to answer it. I am simply happy to having Saibaba in my life. Sai loves me more than my devotion to him. Many Sai devotees relate their materialistic gains with Sai’s care for them. Sai devotion has nothing to do with our education, career, status, relationship, success, or failure in life.

Sai devotion is a beautiful relationship between Sai and You.

I see him as a friend, love, and Guru.

2. Nagasai Mandir

NagaSai Mandhir, Coimbatore is like my School as Saibaba himself blessed me many times showing it as a school and as if many kids are there with a uniform. I have been learning so many beautiful things about Sai when I was serving in Nagasai mandhir. I have been going to Nagasai mandir since 1993 and my devotion to Sai greatly increased from 1999. I remember the temple as it was before several years.

The days I used to get a candle for 50 paise and light it inside the main hall in a small tray praying Saibaba to pass all subjects in school…he he.. and Sai did help me pass.

I remember the first time a devotee gave me a small photo of Saibaba while I was near Dhuni in the year 2000. Little did I know, I am going to spend several hours for years in this holy Dwarakamai cleaning dhuni and filtering Udi and coming around it praying Goddess of Nature. Nowadays my friends are cleaning Dhuni and I join them rarely but how can I forget the days I was crazy about Dhuni in Nagasai mandhir?

When I used the iron rod to dig the hot Dhuni, the skin would peel off and I will proudly show my Mom saying “See. Baba loves me so much. This is his gift to me”.

I was too possessive about taking care of Dhuni for years from 2005 to 2012. I used to fight and shout like anything if other guys doing Seva like food offering, touch the iron rod, and tried to clean Dhuni.  I kept telling Baba that I will let go of this work only when I am satisfied with anyone else taking care of it with devotion.

Gradually, I saw other guys have more time to do this work and I stayed back.

You can read some of my expression of love for Nagasai Mandhir, Coimbatore in the below articles

Saw Sacred Snake Nagasai in my dream

3 lesson from Shirdi Saibaba

Nowadays, I feel OK when I see other guys cleaning Dhuni. All I want is Sai’s dhuni must be glowing with glory forever.

Every Wednesday, When I go on the terrace of Saibaba temple to offer garland to big Statues of Sai, I worry a lot about Dwarakamai and Dhuni. Since there’s a Hospital being constructed nearby, the temple people have kept some mechanism to reduce smoke, and it’s working 24/7. I pray Saibaba to take care of the roof of Dwarakamai and also keep the Dhuni safe.

Today after many days, I saw the fire was too high in Dhuni and offered Naivaidhya in it. I sat in Dwarakamai for few minutes closing eyes and did meditation. My Sai friend from Odissa called up and I had to speak.

The other day, I saw one of a regular devotee to Nagasai in a shop and he told me “I am not going Nagasai regularly as it has become commercial”. I can’t agree with him because, to me, Nagasai Mandir remains the same as before. We have to plan our visit accordingly. Moreover, Which temple is not commercial today? Shirdi itself is commercial. I wish to see the Shirdi I experienced in 2006. Can I expect it today? We have to adjust and take the positive aspects of any place of worship.

When more and more people go to a particular place of worship, things change a lot and we can’t stop it. I personally avoided going to the main hall if I go on Thursday and simply stand in the corner of the parking space and look at Baba in my heart. This is enough for me.

I don’t like going into the Main hall or even Dwarkamai just because I had served Baba in this temple and know a few of my friends serving here. I hate this behavior and request to go inside only if any guests come to visit me. We are not special. Nobody is special to Sai and especially if you are deeply in love with Sai, give space to other devotees on Thursdays and any day when it’s crowded.

Sai has to take care of many of his children and a few of us who keep remembering him can meet him when he is free and relaxed.

Please do not be bothered about anyone showing partiality or disturbing you in any temple. Remember, Sai wants you to focus on him and that’s enough. If you have come to a stage where you can feel Sai where ever you are in your heart itself, then you don’t have to worry about going to the temple.

After few years, Nagasai mandir might change but I will always remain indebted to this temple, the priests, trustees, and all others especially since it gave me shelter for years when I had nowhere to go. Even today, I used to tell my friends, “Where will I go if there’s no Nagasai mandir in Coimbatore?”

Today, there are so many Sai temples in Coimbatore and I have visited few but in 2005, Nagasai was my second home.

Nagasai mandir will change. Shirdi will change but Nagasai and Sai remain same.

The soul is what I love. The soul of Sai.

More readings about my first visit to Nagasai Mandir  – The God in Marble Statue is called Saibaba

3. Coimbatore

Everyone loves the place they grew up and I like Coimbatore especially because I am attached to it. I am not someone who roams various places but I have some liking for places I go. There was a time my brother in law used to tell me” You must go out and going out doesn’t mean going to Saibaba temple”.

Years later, I haven’t changed much when there are big malls, shops, and restaurants in Coimbatore where people usually like to go. Anyway, Coimbatore means living with parents to me. When I was in Mumbai, I kept praying Saibaba that I must be with my parents and live in my home.

There was this little ancient Hanuman temple near Borivali railway station in Mumbai. Every morning, I used to offer a garland for this Hanuman before I start to work. Once, I got a dream in which I saw my Mom is in pain because she is missing me and then I saw a Hanuman on the highway near my home in Coimbatore.

I know its Sai Hanuman’s grace that I am living in Coimbatore. I wish to marry a girl in Coimbatore because I can’t accept any other place as my home for a lifetime and even if I do I will make her like Coimbatore as I do. I avoided a few girls especially because it gives me fear that they will ask me to settle somewhere else other than Coimbatore. I can’t and as time passes on I started questioning Sai if I should get married too?

Anyway, Coimbatore may not have so many advantages any other city might offer you but I find peace here.

Today, after 2 weeks, I was happily walking in R.S.Puram. My very own weekend walking all alone. I really find this as the most peaceful time of the whole week especially since I remember Sai in mind, no one disturbs me and I walk like a stupid.

While walking, I saw a dog sleeping near the road. It was too weak. I walked past it. Then I saw another black Dog. He was wagging tail to a girl expecting her to give something to him but she walked away. When I crossed the Dog, it was wagging its tail to me also.  Fortunately, there was a shop nearby and I asked for a 5 Rs biscuit packet.

By this time, The black dog went away. I walked back to the dog, called him and he happily came near. I dropped all the biscuits for him to eat. I could feel how happy was the dog as it looked at me as if I have given a lot to eat. I understood something beautiful about life.

We can bring happiness to a life in many ways possible and one of them is giving them what they want the moment they need it.

I made a Dog happy with just 5 Rupees. Every single desire you have in mind is just worth so much. Nothing is too big for saints. Keep believing in Sai and work hard to fulfill your dreams. Sai will reward you at the right time.

I actually thought of taking a picture of the Dog to show you all but it was near a flat and I don’t want to take pictures and moved away fast.

Then I went to Rathna Vinayakar temple and as I told my Mom in the morning, I lit a lamp to Lord Kala Bhairava. Then I went to Kamakshi Amman temple, Annapurna temple, and then finally went to Nagasai mandir.

You can read other articles where I mentioned about Coimbatore ..

What I experience during Weekend walking in Coimbatore

If difficulties are like mountains, climb up because Sai wants you to live on Top

That’s it friends.

I might have written about Nagasai Mandir in 2004 when I created StarSai but I always tried to keep it subtle because I don’t want anyone to find me in the temple. Since nowadays, I go to the temple very late in the evening and sometimes only 3 times a week, I felt its good to write about the greatness of this sacred temple of Saibaba and one of the earliest temples in India.

In 1939, there were 3 huts. Just 3 huts. One was the Saibaba temple with a painting of Baba and other huts used as Sai Samaj office.

In 2005, when the fire in the Dhuni used to get too low, myself and the priest will try to make it burn. I remember those beautiful days.  The day when I dropped my new shirt inside the Dhuni and enjoyed admiring the holy fire of Saibaba. Today, You hardly can see the dhuni open for offering Coconuts.

Everything has changed.

It keeps changing.

The other day the priest told me “Venkat. You know the time I came to work for this temple for just few rupees a day”. I stood near the grill in Dwarakamai and listened to him where I had stood for years.

Nagasai mandhir is truly like a school for me as I had a connection with Saibaba through this sacred place. Sai gave me some good and bitter experiences which helped me learn his ways and life.

I wrote this article today because it’s my prayer that these three ingredients remain in my life forever. I have no words to write about how supportive were my parents were in my Sai seva. They get upset at times as I didn’t focus on my life but they always felt happy for the devotion I have on Sai.

Baba, please take care of my parents, sister, brother in law and Katya. My sister was on call and my Mom told me that when they were away to another city, the front portion of their house got damaged. I felt Sai is taking care of them.

Many people write to me about “Miracles of Shirdi Saibaba”. There are no miracles. Sai Leela is simply his love for us. He keeps working for us day and night and he knows what’s good for us.

OK friends. I started writing this article and don’t know where to stop. I can’t stop if I write about Nagasai.

I love Nagasai

C.Venkatraman

Little servant of Shirdi Saibaba

10/08/2014.

If you live in Coimbatore, I have a few more little cards of Saibaba which I printed before several years. If I could meet you, I shall give but am not promising. I shall try or else my prayers for you in case I can’t reply to your mail.

Edit: I slept at 1 o clock at night and had a dream as if we all are in a village and have built a Shirdi Saibaba temple. The statue of Sai is in granite. I see many of my relatives too.

Share your experiences with Saibaba – Email me