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Mandir - Its Genesis And Growth
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Prasanthi Nilayam Mandir Picture
History
Baba was then a charming youth of seventeen years. Three years earlier, he
had declared, "I am Sai Baba of Shirdi come again for the redemption of
mankind!". In spite of the revealing declaration, many people around him
in Puttaparthi were still sceptical about his might and mission. One such
person was Lakshmaiah - but he had a deep love for the divine boy. One
day, Baba told Lakshmaiah, pointing to the hillocks south of the village,
"The SAI PRAVESH (the advent of Sai) will transform that region into
Prasanthi Pradesh (a region of highest peace). There will rise a BHAVAN
(mansion)! Lakhs of people from all over India, why only India, from all
over the world, will come and wait there for SAI DARSHAN (sight of Sai)!."
Lakshmaiah expressed his doubt. Baba asserted, "You will have to believe
it when you have to stand where we are now, trying to catch a glimpse of
me, standing on the porch of that Bhavan".
The Bhavan that Baba spoke of on that day is the Mandir in Prasanthi-
Nilayam, the sacred abode of the Lord in the human form of Bhagawan Sri
Sathya Sai Baba. This Mandir is the heartthrob of millions of people all
over the world. Sri Kasturi, the octogenarian biographer of Baba writes
about the Mandir, "It has been the scene of countless transformations of
character, revolutions in belief, confirmations of faith, curing of
disease, calmings of temper, discarding of hatred, salvaging of souls and
reunions of hearts.." Indeed, the Mandir today stands as the symbol of the
redemption of the world through the transformation of man. This Mandir is
the nucleus of Sai's mission of Dharmasthapana.
The majestic Mandir now stands facing north in a compound measuring 220"X
150" and its plinth area is a little more than 7500 square feet. It is a
Nilayam (residence) evolved into a MANDIR (temple). The construction of
this building in the late forties may be described as the first
manifestation of the engineering skill of Baba! Baba was then in his early
twenties. It was felt that the Old Mandir in the village was too small to
accommodate the growing Sai family that gathered round its young Master. A
big building was the need of the hour and it was raised with stone and
mortar; and Bhagawan himself was the architect and the engineer of this
building, which he transformed into the Mandir in 1974. Also, he was the
accountant! Baba recollects even now with a merry twinkle in his eye how
he was doing the batwada (the weekly -payments to labourers), getting the
signatures of the lucky recipients on the vouchers. Others who were
associated with the construction of the Nilayam are Sakamma (a devotee
from the Coorg District in Karnataka, who was instrumental in the
construction of the . Old Mandir. in the village), the Raja of Sandur (a
province now in Karnataka), Tiruvenkatam, a merchant from Bangalore and
Thirumala Iyengar, an engineer in charge of the construction of the
Tungabhadra dam. Some curious engineers who visited the construction site
now and then accepted the ideas of Baba, because they found them to be
better than their own. They discovered that Baba had a greater sense of
perspective and a finer aesthetic vision than they had.
The story of the construction of the building is a chain of miracles
wrought by Bhagawan's grace. The most astounding was the transport of the
huge girders for the central prayer hall from the railway station at
Penukonda sixteen miles away. Girders of 40 feet length had come from
Trichinopoly (now Tiruchirapalli) to Penukonda by train. The road from
Penukonda to Bukkapatnam was a district board road with a sandy stream at
the seventh mile and it passed through a few villages with delicately
built houses(!) flanking the narrow road on either side with a few acutely
angled curves. There was a track of three miles, from Bukkapatnam to
Puttaparthi with a few dilapidated culverts and low-level causeways and a
broad expanse of the sand of the river Chitravathi. Then there was the
task of hoisting the heavy girders on the twenty-foot high walls.
Therefore, the engineers gave up all hope of transporting the girders from
Penukonda to Puttaparthi and placed before Baba some alternative proposals
for roofing the prayer hall. But Baba did not relent.
One fine morning, the Road Transport Officer of Anantapur district, who
was a devotee of Baba, woke up to find a surprise in front of his house.
It was a huge crane from the Tungabhadra Dam site that had stopped there
and refused to move forward. It had struck work! The driver was grappling
with the engine in vain. He could not make it move. He sought the help of
the Road Transport Officer who thought that the crane was Baba sent(!) for
transporting the girders from Penukonda to Puttaparthi. It was agreed that
the crane would transport the girders if it were repaired. The R.T.O.
hurried to Puttaparthi and prayed to Baba, who materialised some vibhuti
(sacred ash) and gave it to him. This vibhuti was smeared on the engine
and the driver was asked to start it and lo! the crane started moving. The
surprised driver went happily to Penukonda railway station, lifted the
girders with the giant arms of the crane and started towards Puttaparthi.
The sight of this giant carrying the girders was a great surprise for the
villagers who greeted it by lining up on the roadsides. The crane somehow
passed over the culverts, negotiated hairpin bends, lurched over the
slushes and puffed its way up the Karnatanagapalli hill! It did not move
further, may be on seeing the broad sheet of sand of the Chitravathi
River! Baba himself went to the crane, sat with the driver and handled the
steering wheel. Thrilled by the touch of the Lord, the crane moved happily
to the work spot and unloaded the girders.
Prasanthi Nilayam, the simple looking two-storeyed building of granite was
inaugurated on 23rd November 1950, the twenty-fifth birthday of Baba. It
had a central prayer hall flanked by rooms on either side and corridors in
the front and behind. In addition, there was a small portico attached to
the central portion of the corridor in the front. The height of the prayer
hall was divided into two floors for the rooms and the corridors linking
the rooms on either side. The Nilayam continued in its original form with
very few modifications until 1973 when Bhagawan Baba planned and executed
the transformation of the residence into the temple. The building was
extended on all sides and domes were built on top of the building. The
exterior of the whole building, the corridor and the portico on the front
and the interior of the central prayer hall were covered with beautiful
and meaningful pieces of sculpture of Indian tradition. These alterations
and additions changed the very appearance of the building and gave the
structure a very majestic and sacred appearance. All this was completed by
23rd November 1974, the day on which Baba completed forty-eight years. On
that day, Dr. V.K Gokak, who later went on to become the first
Vice-Chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning,asked
Bhagawan "Swami, your first sixteen years were full of Leelas (divine
pranks), the second sixteen manifested Mahimas (miracles) and at thirty
two you started Upades (teaching). Is there any novel feature marking the
completion of forty-eight?". Baba said, "Look around!". There it was!
Prasanthi Nilayam had (Prasanthi Nilayamhad) become Prasanthi Mandir! The
residence, which housed the young, Sai had become the temple with God
installed in it. The three phases - Leelas, Mahimas and Upadesh - were
fused together in divine harmony to confer benediction by darshan (sight)
alone.
The Prasanthi Mandir is a living testimony to the life and message of
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The Mandir speaks eloquently the divine
message of the unity of life, universal concord and harmony through its
sculptured angels, humans and animals, feasting our eyes on the various
faces of this aesthetic wonder. The peacocks and the snakes, the elephants
and the lions, nestling close to each other on the facade of the Mandir in
quiet ecstasy, speak a meaningful message to those who have eyes to see,
ears to hear and hearts to feel. These sculptured beings on the facade
beautifully bring out the drama of transformation and transcendence that
can occur if one sincerely strives to sublimate oneself. The lions,
elephants, snakes and peacocks, contemptuously dismissed by us as
sub-human species, have lifted themselves to a sublime stature by
practising maitri (friendship), mudita (joy), karuna (compassion) and
upeksha (detachment). The transformation of the human into the divine is
demonstrated through the sculptures of pamara (ignorant one), deva (angel)
and hamsa (swan). The pamara by constant striving becomes a devata (angel)
and ultimately transforms himself into a Paramahamsa (the realised soul)
by bringing into perfection the four noble virtues: maitri, mudita, karuna
and upeksha. The hamsa (swan), stationed above the elephants, lions,
peacocks and snakes, climaxes the sculptural drama of divine
transformation, for the hamsa signifies paramahamsa (realised soul)
itself. The facade, which is the face of the Mandir, expresses the very
essence of Bhagavan's message.
Another sculptural drama that the Mandir unfolds is the drama of the
adoration of the divine. This sublime theme is unfolded through the
sculptures of the sub-human and the angelic creation of God rapturously
lost in the worship of the Lord. The sculptural figures on the darshan
mantaps (shelters built for devotees adjacent to the compound and facing
the Mandir), for instance a pair of nandis (bullocks) looking lovingly at
a Shivalinga (a symbol of Shiva), a pair of lions guarding the Dharma
Chakra, the winged angels playing on the flute, trumpet and cymbals in
prayerful ecstasy write a rich commentary on this divine adoration. The
elephants carrying garlands to revere the Sarva Dharma Symbol, the divine
images carved on the wooden doors of the central prayer hall and the
interview room, substantiate the same theme. The sculptures of a pair of
swans gathering around a lotus, a pair of deer inhaling the fragrance of
flowers and a pair of peacocks gathered together teach us the valuable
lessons of amity and co-existence. The profusion of sculptured flowers
strewn all over the central Prayer Hall, on the ceiling, pillars, arches,
doors and windows speak in their own language of silence; the flowering of
the spirit as a consequence of devotion to the divine. The kingdoms of
plant, bird, beast and angel have been beautifully featured to
substantiate the theme of adoration of the Lord.
The central prayer hall is a thing of beauty, joy and wonder. The five
religious symbols, descending from top to bottom of the walls on each side
of the altar sing silently but sweetly the song of the unity of religions.
The life-size portraits of Shirdi Sai Baba and Sathya Sai Baba glow with
life and light, thanks to the Divine Painter who guided the skilled hands
of the human painter. The portrait of Shirdi Baba, simple and austere,
eyes melting with quiet compassion, speaks of the Brahmatatva of
Bhagawan.former incarnation. The portrait of Sri Sathya Sai Baba,
radiant,full and bewitchingly beautiful, the eyes aglow with a merry
twinkle, speaks of the Vishnutatva of the Avatar.
At the end of the hall is the sculpture of Sri Krishna singing the Song
Celestial (Bhagavad Gita) to the war-weary Arjuna against the background
of the battle of Kurukshetra. It is significant that in the same hall
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba delivered a series of discourses on the Geeta
expounding the forgotten and latent meaning of this Divine Song to the
life-weary people of the Kali age. During those times of the divine
exposition of the Geeta, the sculptured Krishna and the living Sai Krishna
seemed to become one, breathing melodies eternally new. Equally
significant is the scene of the sculptured avatars, adorning the walls of
the hall, enacting the drama, of divine descent and divine grace for the
uplift of mankind. It is significant that all these avatars have upraised
hands in the abhaya pose, conferring benediction on all those who are pure
at heart.
The ceiling of the Prayer Hall is profusely strewn with sculptured flowers
of all sizes. The splendid chandeliers hanging from beautiful lotuses make
the building an impressive blend of the ancient and the modern. And most
meaningful, of course, is the colour combination used inside and outside
the entire Mandir. Blue, yellow and pink are the colours used,
communicating the message of the harmony of spirit, intellect and heart
respectively; for blue stands for spirit, yellow for intellect and pink
for heart (love). The rich harmony of the three does result in Santhi and
Prasanthi; and that really is the message of the PRASANTHI MANDIR.
Adjacent to the verandah of the Prayer Hall on the left side, are two
rooms set apart for interviews, zealously guarded Dwarapalakas carved on
the wooden doors. On the first floor is a large portico, adorned with
silver doors. For a long time Bhagawan used to give darshan every day from
this portico. How longingly the people waited with bated breath for the
silver doors to open and the Lord to give darshan! Now Baba gives darshan
from this portico only once a year, in the early hours of Christmas Day,
accepting the prayers and supplications of thousands of Christians who
throng to him. During that occasion, the portico appears to fade away,
leaving only Baba before us, who becomes one with the love, the longing
and the devotion that these seekers of Truth lovingly nourish in their
hearts and bring with them from the far off corners of the globe.
Moreover, crowning the Mandir are three domes gazing at the blue infinity,
a symbol of eternity.
In front of the Mandir is a circle of greenery and amidst the greenery is
the yogic pillar with a number of rings. These rings indicate the
different stages of yogic discipline. This yoga leads to the unfolding of
the . Lotus of the Heart. whose petals are borne on the top of the pillar.
This is the pregnant meaning of the yogic pillar in front of the Mandir.
Also of equal significance is the deeper meaning of the three gates to the
Mandir Prayer Hall. Bhagawan himself has explained the subtle significance
of these three gates: . The first, the outermost one that leads into the
compound, is the 'Gate of Darkness'. A person who crosses it leaves
darkness, ignorance and inertia behind. He has nourished the holy thought
of coming to the Presence and the spirit of darkness and ignorance has
fallen behind him. Those who are immersed in darkness, the Thamasic, will
not even have the curiosity to enter! Then there is a second gate, just
where the garden around the Lotus Circle begins. There, one is attracted
by the magnificence of the building, the electric lights, the coloured
candelabras, the hanging flower pots, that is to say, the active and
passionate aspects which appeal to individuals who are Rajasic, active and
passionate. Next, one comes to the very door of the Prayer Hall, 'Gate of
wisdom', leading the Sathwic to the Abode of Peace.
In front of this circular patch used to be the statue of Lord Vighneswara
seated in the Abhayahasta pose (hand upraised conferring blessings); and
there, a few yards away, a beautiful arch, the top of it containing two
winged angels carrying the Sarva Dharma Symbol.
The arch leads to the entrance gate of the gopuram. Speaking on the
significance of the gopuram, Bhagawan himself made the following pregnant
statement, "If you dwell upon the significance of the gopuram, you can
realise how holy, how mysterious, how revealing is its purpose. The
gopuram beckons to wayfarers who have lost their way and who wander away
from truth, 'O ye mortals! Blinded by the fog of physical attachments and
self-aggrandizing urges, overcome by the miasma of worldly desires, which
are fleeting and false, you have forgotten Me, the source and sustenance
of you all. Look up to this eternal, ever pure, over-full tower of joy.
Forgetting Me, you are wallowing in grief; you are pursuing the mirage in
desert sands. Come, have faith in the Everlasting Me. Struggle out of the
darkness and enter the realm of light, and come to the royal road of
Santhi. That is the Path of Dharma. Come, come, O come!.
Thus does Gopala call on all, with raised hand, from atop the Gopuras in
every village".
This is the principle underlying the construction of Gopuras. Such high
ideals inspire these structures.This is the true meaning, a meaning that
can be experienced and felt. The light on top of the gopuram is the symbol
of the Light which is the refuge of all; it is the representative of the
unflickering inner lamp, lit at the self-same Flame; it is the Inner
Illumination, gained by merging in Hari". In consonance with what Bhagawan
Baba has said on the significance of the- gopuram, the gopuram of
Prasanthi Nilayam beckons to all of us to light our inner lamps to see and
experience the Light of Lights, which Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is.
The genesis and the growth of the Mandir is as unique as the Avatar, whose
divine abode the Mandir is. In the hundreds of aeons that have passed, no
temple was ever raised during the living years of the Avatar. The Vanaras
(monkeys) in the Tretha-Yuga had the singular good fortune of building for
Sri Rama a bridge across the waters of the Hindu Mahasagar spanning Bharat
and Sri Lanka. In the Kali age, the naras (human) enjoyed the unique good
fortune of building a temple for their dearest Lord Bhagawan Sri Sathya
Sai Baba. The devotees carried brick, sand and stone and built this
aesthetic wonder, for their own joy and for the pleasure of their own
Loving Lord.
The Prasanthi Mandir is indeed the Living Temple for the Living God.
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