3 lesson from Shirdi Saibaba – Garland to saibaba statue on top of Temple

3 lesson from Shirdi Saibaba – Garland to saibaba statue on top of Temple

For years i avoided writing about this sacred Nagasai mandhir where i go almost thursday from 1993 and every day from 2005 . Though i have been spreading sai leela all these years through starsai network of websites, I tried to keep away from writing about Nagasai mandhir, coimbatore,
NagaSai – The temple which i respect more than my own life.
Below is the Photography of Nagasai taken On Guru purnima day 2009 with kind request of my Sai friend Kannan Sai. After this i avoided taking photos of Saibaba in this temple as my camera fell down and i took it as a message from Saibaba to better feel the peace in Nagasai standing far away and not take too much rights.

Saibaba statue in Nagasai temple has beautiful deep dark eyes

Reasons to avoid writing about Nagasai mandhir :
If i live in United states or U.K or in India with a big position ( what people call as career ) , its easy to do anything boldly. I am living like a poor fellow searching for life and my only place of peace is this holy temple for years.
I wonder if its Possible to Make money writing about temples. If it is then i would not be wearing a Torn chappel for months now. he he
I realized people must not bother me while i am in Saiaba temple asking why i wrote about this temple, what i get by this all this. Ofcourse its natural feeling in India for people to doubt others . Once i even came across words that i am making money etc.He he he..may be it was not addressed directly on me but generally people do tell their comments and i really wanted to put one big Namaskaram and stay away from Writing about the temple where i step in even twice in a day and spend hours doing some seva for sai  if i am in coimbatore.
Many times i was pained why people hurt someone who really wants to spread the Glory of Saibaba and this Nagasai mandhir is also one such beautiful paradise where Saibaba is blessing thousands of devotees with good health, peace and prosperity.
Finally after 5 years of wait, time has come to write a Beautiful incident which happened in Nagasai mandhir .
Clarification :
To whom so ever it may concern – This article about Nagasai mandhir , coimbatore is written only to spread the Glory of Shirdi Saibaba and not for any material benefit etc. The below photos were taken in 2007 by my friend Kanna who whole heartedly Contributed these beautiful Saibaba Photos to use in this article. The incident happened in 2009 september .

Nagasai Mandhir - See 3 beautiful saibaba statues on top of temple

3 lessons from Shirdi Saibaba while i offered flowers to saibaba statues over the top of Temple
sairam friends
I was another day with worries wondering what i am going to do with life,carrer etc and how am going to make my parents happy. I wonder if sai will ever show me a way.
Some people are meant to be successful and some like us meant to clean the ditch in temple. We love it and we do it.
We are few sai friends, Ramanujam, Vengadesh, Vijaykumar, Subramaniam and myself who used to take care of Dhuni – dwarakamai in Nagasai mandhir in our hometown coimbatore. Its not that we have a badge etc to do this work. Now a days if you have to do some seva in a temple, people give you a Badge, a Post and what not probably a T shirt. Ha ha..
i wonder what saibaba used to give to his close devotees who served him during his life time. I hope all saibaba got to give is his sweet Smile, Encouraging words and ofcourse his deep unconditional love on devotees.
So we are some of those Unrecognized , Middle class, “We dont have a Job to do ” guys whos only peace and happiness is in Standing somewhere near the Dhuni, cleaning the dwarakamai place , cleaning big Saibaba portraits, Offering big garlands to Saibaba paintings and statues on top of temple etc. Even today in the next one hour am going to do the usual Pilgrimage i take for years.
A Pilgrimage to Shirdi Saibaba temple – Every day :
I take a bag with a Saibaba book, some money. Atleast 30 rupees and  Take a bus to Saibaba Koil stopping . I get down in signal of saibaba koil stop with much requests from sweet coimbatorians standing near steps of the Bus “Anne yeranganum ,Tallunga ” . Some of these strangers shouts at you with so much care  “Don’t get down when bus is stopped in signal” .   As i cross the Mettupalayam road and enter the temple…..every day different things happens
1 . At times you come across devotees who smile to you. And also devotees who look at you as if the Guy who always comes around dhuni and irritates is coming.
2. Theres some one to greet. Atleast theres this guy in Chappel stand Nagendran to say “Sai ram vaanga” …sairam Welcome.  When ever he looks at me he asks why my friend Kanna dint came. When ever he see Kanna, he asks why venkat dint came…Ha ha… So theres someone to think about us in Nagasai mandhir . To be honest the only who always thinks about us is our Saibaba .Its written in Tamil Nan iruka Bayam yen - “Why fear when i am here”

The Dwarakamai where i used to come around Sacred Fire Dhuni

Lighting 3 Ghee lamps to Nagasai Dhuni Baba :
The first thing i do is wash my legs, come to the shop , give 10 rupees and take 3 lamps. One ghee lamp is 3 rupees in Tamilnadu india, as of now. Soon such rates will be  a history.
Then as i step inside the Dhuni dwarakamai place, i say Saibaba epidi iruka …’Saibaba how are you “. The Dhuni priest is someone whom few dont like but i like and respect him a lot. You can see www.shirdisaibabadhuni.com for my love for Dhuni and how i used to come around dhuni in this temple for hours togather.
My love for Sacred fire – Dhuni that Shirdi Saibaba created :
In 2005 i used to come around this Sacred fire of Shirdi Saibaba ( continuation of fire from shirdi is bought here and we offer coconuts , woods to maintain this holy fire ) . Now a days from 2009, this nagasai mandhir gets so many thousands of devotees especially on thusdays. So i felt its better to do other works and reduced to come around dhuni. I don’t want to bother other devotees devotion.
I clean the tray where they light lamps, when ever a candle is put off, i light it..Like   a fool mad fellow i always stand near this tray where they light lamps. Especially on thursdays i love to do seva here as many sai devotees light lamps and i take off the lamps which is over and light lamps which is put off my wind.  By the time the night arti starts , me and some of sai friends take the wooden logs and drop it or keep it near Dhuni so that the watchman will offer it in night time.
As a team me and my sai friends will clean this dwarakamai dhuni place every wednesday night and also get down the tank near dhuni to collect the ashes, drop them in the pot and filter it. The softer the udi the more happy we will be with satisfaction .
Today it was over 9 when night arti was going on in Nagasai mandhir and the usual sai friends who offer flowers to all saibaba big portrait din’t came as they had some official work.They were busy with some work . So me and one of another friend kanagavel offered it..
i also digged dhuni as tommorow is thursday and they offer many coconuts to nagasai …so want to make sure its clean
It was over 9.30 and temple was closed…kanagavel offered last remaining garland to a saibaba portrait kept in main hall where sai stirs with his hand inside the pot kept ..u know hundi painting of saibaba .This photo is kept where they do annadhan in mandhir.
Searching for Garland to offer to Saibaba statues on top of temple
Then he was asking me where are the flowers to be offered to the saibaba statues over the saibaba temple building..u know the saibaba statues over dhuni – dwarakamai
infront side 3 saibaba statues and right side one saibaba statue…
I found out the flowers and gave to kanagavel…
mean while he kept on asking me how to climb over terrace of nagasai…i told him i fear to do such works but vijaykumar used to hold a steel rod and climb… Somehow i myself claimed carefully praying saibaba..
You know theres this steel pillar which was in corner and we have to hold it and claimb. The other side was compound over which glass pieces where cemented for protection. The past 6 month i also have sudden nervous problem where the nerves in my leg will pull suddenly if i twist it etc.So i was scared what if it such things happen. I kept saying saibaba a prayer.
Saibaba, only because none of sai friends who offer flowers to the top sai murti came, i am doing this small effort. So be with me and help me do it.
I got some fear and also beautiful expression of devotion in me. You know when saibaba really lived in dwarakamai, people who wish to have his darshan will shed tears the moment they go near saibaba.
Once i claimed i felt happy …I also had fear really because it was getting late for me to go home n also i really felt its Nagasai inviting me to his paradise to see the unseen beauty of the temple where i have been going over 17 years. ..Its roof and almost the gopuram.
Now i shall eloborate how i offered garland to each statue in front side of nagasai mandhir. The incident happened in 2009 september and the photos were taken by my friend Kanna in 2007  with permission from Temple people.

Beautiful Shirdi Saibaba on top of temple - Dwarakamai Blessings

Offering flowers to Dwarakamai saibaba :
This statue is kept in top of temple to its right side. It was very easy and simple to take away the old garland which was offered the previous week wednesday night . I threw the old garland down for kanagavel to catch it .
I was filled with devotion and exitement as i felt after 17 years i got a chance to see the unexplored places of Nagasai temple. I go to this temple everyday and do little sai seva as much as i can. I have spent hours in this temple. Now that i am on top of it, i felt its saibaba’s intention to take me closer to his big dwarakamai statue.
I was filled with emotions as i offered the Garland to this Dwarakamai Saibaba
About Below Shirdi Saibaba Photo :
You can scroll up to see this saibaba statue in center of Nagasai temple. My friend Kanna took photos .Am happy it is helping me now to spread the Glory of Shirdi Saibaba …May Sai bless his family

Shirdi Saibaba beautifully sitting on the Snake - NagaSai

Offering flowers to Saibaba sitting over snake – NagaSai :
Now a days you can’t see all these 3 statues because they have put a steal sheet as a shelter ..So when you walk towards entrance, you have to look up.Theres a space provided between the main building and steal roofing throw which you can see all these 3 saibaba.
This main statue over temple looks so beautiful. Saibaba looks smiling and sitting over snake…the snake is like a seat for saibaba and its 5 head like a shelter to sai . when ever i go to Nagasai mandhir, i will look up and try to see this saibaba as he has a powerful look. When ever my other sai friends and the priest claimbs to the terrance and offered garland ,  i never thought its this risky.
Especially the sai murti in center is very Big and one has to hold the walls of the terrace , leap ahead and only with left hand we can take away the garland offered last week and offer the new one again for the coming thursday. We do this changing of garland once every week.
In my mind i told saibaba all my personal prayers ..ha ha as i thought this is right time when sai himself pulled closer to him. I told saibaba to take care of my parents, sister, brother in law and her baby katya. I also prayed for all StarSai family and everyone who comes to Nagasai mandhir in the years to come.
I really was wondering how i am going to offer the garland to the main Saibaba on snake statue.
Since its navratri day, the serial light was on ( for decoration )..i really was too much into thanking saibaba for giving this opportunity to a guy who fears for every little thing in life to claimb to top of his holy mandhir. Then they switched off the serial light so that its safe for me to claimb over the wall from where i have to leap and offer the garland.
I did had fear in me friends but i was too much involved into doing the work saibaba made me to do. I claimbed slowly , from below i was instructed by 2 sai friends. I told saibaba to protect me and safe guard me from falling down etc…Ha ha…this happens to someone as fearful as me.
While i leaped ahead, i felt surely its not possible to offer the garland with right hand but its ok when it comes to devotion , theres no rules. I slowly holded the wall with my right hand , leaped, took the old garland , dropped it down .
Then i took the New garland , with much patience offered it to Saibaba over snake statue – The Glorious NagaSai .
It was truely wonderful feeling friends. I asked if the garland is centered properly. My sai friends instructed me to straigten it and i did as they said. Then i was filled with emotions as the beautiful Nagasai who has welcomes me for years finally allowed me to offer garland to him.
Ofcourse every week someone is doing it ..The point is someone who fears for little things has holded the wall , leaped ahead and offered garland . This is truly because of Saibaba’s blessings and his kindness on me friends.

Shirdi Saibaba in this statue is so realistic and powerful

Offering garland to Saibaba sitting with palm over his cheeks :
This is the saibaba whom we all love a lot. Some devotees named him  Cell phone baba because it really seems as if hes holding a cell phone.Really its only because of their devotion. The reason is that when ever we look to the top and pray this saibaba for welfare of temple or any public welfare surely this saibaba will listen to it as if we directly spoke to him. The saibaba sitting sadly in photo generally pose is actually beautiful and a bit smiling in this statue in nagasai mandhir.
I went to the left corner of temple terrace , took of the old garland and offered the new one to this beautiful Saibaba with palm over his cheeks.
Surprise to see beauty of this statue :
Since we always see this statue from down we dunno whats kept under saibabas legs. I was surprised to see, same was in the painting of saibaba, there was a match box, a chillim etc kept made of stone below this statue..i felt how beautifully and realistic they made these statues with love and devotion on our saibaba.

Dwarakamai of shirdi saibaba in Nagasai temple where theres Dhuni

Offering Garland to Dwarakamai Dhuni Saibaba :
Then i moved down, walked to right side of temple, claimbed over the steal roofing , there were neem tree brances and once i cross it, the Dwarakamai dhuni terrace comes…Here the saibaba is so so so so beautiful. Many times i used to stand below in the temple ground and look at this saibaba with devotion. I feel our saibaba during his life time when ever i see this beautiful murti.
I claimed slowly, took off the previous weeks garland, dropped it down . kanagavel threw the new garland to my palm. I catched it gently and offered garland to this Saibaba over dwarakamai statue.
Then again i walked through the steal roofing, got down to the terrace of main building , claimbed up to terrace and went towards left side for temple. Theres a saibaba statue here as if saibaba is holding his tin and going for Bhiksha and also blessing us with smile. I loved this saibaba so much when i got down the parapat wall. I saw few lizards have made it dirty. I cleaned them with my palm, offered the garland with both my hands gently and touched saibabas holy feets.
Surrendering to Nagasai – The God who gave meaning to my life :
I was filled with devotion and tears of joy as saibaba blessed me to offer garlands to all the five big murti kept over the top of temple..It was so dark.. I ran to the middle of the temple terrace , fell down from head to toe and recited Mahalakshmi Ashtakam…Once before 2 years i got  a dream as if Instead of Nagasai theres a mahalakshmi statue and priest is showing arti to it. So i feel this beautiful Sai is mahalakshmi herself..
Sweet Mud of  Saibaba temple :
I kissed the terrace, some mud went in me and i really wanted them. I told saibaba thought i dint settle down in my life, carreer, i feel really gifted as this holy temple has given me a place to learn about shirdi saibaba, do good deeds to many sai devotees and especially the days i used to come around the sacred dhuni in nagasai mandhir from 2005 for more than 3 to 5 hours everyday as written in shirdisaibabadhuni.com
How beautiful were those days and how sweet is our Sai who pulls his devotees to him and makes them do what they never expected to do .
I love Sai, Truly madly deeply :
Friends, anyone can go over a terrace of temple and offer garland. i am not writing all this to say as if i did something big. Its afterall a small thing. The moral of the entire incident is this
lesson one from Shirdi Saibaba :
“When you are devoted to saibaba, Never fear.
Never. If you fear then you are hurting saibaba.
Atleast to do good deeds Never ever fear. If saibaba can inspire you to do some thing good, saibaba obviously will also bless you to do it.”
Its not me who planned to offer garland to saibaba statues over temple..Even before a hour i dint even imagine am going to do it.
So second lesson is this
Lesson 2 from Shirdi  saibaba :
Do not act with cleverness and plan things in life. Surrender yourself with pure love and devotion on saibaba. Never say
“I” am doing it. Let go of all your ego, pride and just do your work for yourself, your family and ofcourse Sai.
You can really feel yourself doing great things without your own knowledge.
Something i wish to share is never ever feel painful that saibaba is not taking care of me and not showing me right education, job and relationships, good health etc. Simply let go of all your needs and desires. Ever remain in the holy feets of sainath.
Lesson 3 from Shirdi Saibaba
“I will make you do what i want you to do rather than helping you to do what you plan to do” – Sai

Yes i plan many things,. we all desire and plan 1000 things related to our personal life, career and business. When we are devoted to our shirdi saibaba at times we wonder why saibaba is not helping us. Sai does . May be sai wants us to do something else.
May be saibaba wants me to go through sufferings and pains over 10 years to take me close to him. So close that i will kiss and eat the Mud over the Top this holy Saibaba temple where i go every single day for years.
Hope you got some inspiration from these beautiful Incidents friends. If you have time , please read below…Or go to next Sai leela.
Writing about Nagasai Mandhir
Its been years since i have made starsai.com . I did mentioned nagasai temple earliar as its like a school for me where saibaba taught me beautiful things to serve sai devotees.
The posters i made for starsai.com the little ones were even seen in some tables of temple. Once someone casually told me people are speaking you are making money out of all this. I felt painful and decided its better to write generally about saibaba and not about Nagasai temple because am already from a middle class family and tommorow if someone blames me , i wont be able to bear it.
Even in gurupurnima 2009, i was requested to take photos of Nagasai main statue inside temple hall but someone told me not to give it out. I wondered what they mean it. I took over 100 photos of saibaba. It was truly painful as i took strain to take photos but am myself wont be allowed to publish for everyone to see.
Its just a small thing and i also dint felt like asking for permission .
I want to be a little servant of shirdi saibaba and not be known to anyone that i have a website for sai etc.
So i decided to respect their feelings and untill this moment i have never published any of the photos i took .
Later when i had been to kumbakonam my camera lens broke to my shock . I wondered why sai dint protect my costly camera. The lesson i learnt is saibaba doesnt want me to get into this Photographing stuff because people to different decorations to saibaba, if i photograph it i will be tempted to use in website someday and i dont want to go against the temple rules. I wonder what rules it is . If a sai magazine, general magazine can write about even Thanjavur big temple why not about publish photos of this nagasai mandhir.
With this confidence , i have written about Nagasai temple today in StarSai.com . I have only used the closeup of main Nagasai though i have over 100 photographs of Nagasai taken on my own.
I just want to express my Love for Nagasai, My gratitude to everyone involved with the growth of temple and Ofcourse i believe its Saibaba who made me write this.
Time has come finally for me to express my gratitute to
The Great Nagasai mandhir
The people of coimbatore who comes to this beautiful temple
The trustees of this temple whom i respect as they gave freedom for devotees to do seva for sai . Only because of this gratitude i dont want to publish the main statue of saibaba unless i get formal permission from them someday.
I also thank the servants in nagasai mandhir, the staff and all the priests who do seva. There are people who sing bhajans here , there are people who take care of dhuni – sacred fire of saibaba, some take care of cleaning and some doing Annadhan, Some devotees organize festivals of Saibaba , Vilaku pooja etc.
School of Shirdi Saibaba is in you :
If there is one place where i got to learn Shirdi Saibaba, truly it is my mind . Thats where one can really learn and feel saibaba. But the place where sai wants me to feel him is Nagasai mandhir of coimbatore and i will ever be thankful to sai for this.
I offer every single word in this article as a dedication to thank all those sai devotees who gave me  a smile, kindness , accepted the Saibaba photos i used to give for years and ofcourse to very few devotees i request to light lamps regularly.
I love Lighting lamps
I love my Sai
and I love my sweet Nagasai
Sai , ever live in us and bless us all with good thoughts, actions, good health, peace and prosperity
Om sainathaya namaha
shinikumaravel
Always in the holy feets of shirdi saibaba
Thousands of shirdi sai baba temple are built around india and even in Tamilnadu. Nagasai mandhir is truly close to my heart because to me its a university where i learnt many ways to serve sai and sai devotees in the years to come. Sai baba himself has confirmed that this temple is like my school and i gain experience to work for Shirdi Saibaba all my life by learning wisdom , knowledge and humanity from this beautiful temple.