Satsang Seva Journal

Sumati Balwan is an orphanage that is situated at Kondhwa, Pune. It was established by Dr. Sharayu Ghole, a gynaecologist to cater to underprivileged children.  Subsequently, a school was established nearby and now has about 600 students.  Presently, there are 16 young girls who stay at the orphanage and attend the school which is situated on a beautiful hill top and offers plenty of fresh air and sunshine for these girls to grow and learn in a natural setting. On the occasion of the Festival of Lights, Deepavali, the members of Team SSM Pune organized a festive lunch and distributed faral , snacks to these youngsters.  The team members were truly impressed when the youngsters took them on a tour of their home which is completely anchored in Mother Nature. They were extremely pleased to see that the children had built a biogas plant and planted numerous fruit bearing trees and plants to ensure self-sufficiency and sustainability.  The girls learn rock climbing among...

Caring Hands provides shelter to children who belong to indigenous communities such as Paradhi, Bhilla, Laman, Dombari, Kaikadi, Ghisadi, Dhanagar, Vaidu, and Kolhati mostly from the Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra. Despite the aid of the government these communities continue to suffer at several levels: social, educational, and economic. This safe home at Pune ensures that these children are given the opportunity to surmount their basic challenges and move ahead in their lives with their heads held high. Having planted about 200 trees on the premises of this home during the monsoon season, the members of Team SSM Pune had struck up a good rapport with the children and the staff.  On the occasion of Sri M's birthday, the 6th of November, the team members  organized a festive meal for these children aged between 5 and 12 years. Most of the children had requested a meal of pav bhaji and were waiting eagerly to share their meal with them. After this sumptuous meal, the team ...

Dange Chowk, Pune is an area where daily wagers like construction workers and porters  gather and are picked up by the supervisors of construction sites. They belong to lower income groups and are completely dependent on these daily assignments to fulfil their basic requirements. On the occasion of Sri M’s birthday, the members of Team SSM Pune distributed khichadi and laddoos to about 200 people. When they ran out of laddoos , they quickly arranged for bananas and handed them out to their hungry brethren.  The recipients were so relieved as they tucked into a bowl of steaming hot khichadi . A young man in his 30s came up to the team members and narrated his woes to them of having arrived in Pune from Madhya Pradesh in search of a chef’s job and having struggled to eke out a full meal in the past three days.  The team members were simply overwhelmed at his heart-rending account and hoped that they would continue to serve people like him.  The recipients showed rest...

In continuation of the celebrations organized on the occasion of Founder's Day, Team SSM Kolkata served a special breakfast of idlis and coconut chutney to daily wage workers and their families on the 7th of November. Most of these workers live under the flyover at the Syed Baba Mazaar in the Hastings Road area. They were simply delighted to receive their special breakfast on a tranquil Sunday morning. The enthusiastic young children of the team members participated in the annadanam wholeheartedly and remarked that they were indeed privileged to have a home to live in and enough food to eat.

The Eera Nenjam Old Age Home in the R. S. Puram neighborhood of Coimbatore provides shelter to 85 homeless inmates some of whom are mentally and physically challenged.   On the occasion of the birthday of Sri M, the 6th of November, which is also celebrated as Founder's Day at The Satsang Foundation, the members of Team SSM Coimbatore organized an elaborate yet simply delicious meal for these precious inmates. The meal comprised sambar, rice, lentils , curry, rasam , kootu , buttermilk, papadom , and payasam as dessert. The inmates were so thankful for the elaborate meal that they expressed their gratitude by showering the team members with many loving blessings.

The main aim of the Mahila Mandal Ashram in Pune is not only to provide shelter to young women but also to build character and give them confidence; expose them to a wider perspective of life; and rehabilitate them so they may lead a normal life with dignity. On the auspicious occasion of Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, and the celebration of the birthday of Sri M on the 6th of November, Team SSM Pune organized a breakfast of steaming hot idlis , sambar , and laddoos . The team members participated in this seva with great gratitude and expressed their willingness to support these young women in the days ahead.

Renutai Gavaskar is an eminent social worker who has established a a residential school for children of sex workers and poor families. On the auspicious occasion of Deepavali, Team SSM Pune decided to organize a special dinner for the precious inmates of this school. The children had already sent in their request for vegetable korma made 'hotel--style'. They were thrilled to enjoy this special dish along with the other delicious preparations that the team members served to them with much love and care. The mouth-watering gulab jamuns simply melted their hearts and they urged the team members to share these delectable sweets with them. The team members were overwhelmed and grateful that they were able to have served at least one meal to these children. They expressed their desire to return and support these little ones.

The members of Team SSM Chandigarh organized a langar or a community meal to commemorate the birth of Sri M on the 6th of November 2021 outside Gate 4 of the PGI Hospital. The langar comprised halwa , rice, and lentils. There was an endless stream of about 1500 people from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Besides the patients and their attenders, the nursing staff, daily wage workers, mendicants, autorickshaw drivers,  rickshaw pullers, and passers-by partook of this hearty meal.  The team was also able to serve about 200 people at the Gurudwara situated inside the PGI Hospital and a homeless family which resides on the hospital premises.

Team Satsang Seva Mission Kerala served a delicious meal to the 59 young girls of the Lakshmibai Seva Sadan Balika Trust on Sri M's birth anniversary, the 6th of November, 2021, which is also celebrated as Founder's Day.   The Lakshmi Bai Seva Kendra, under the auspices of the Rugmini Smriti Trust seeks to empower destitute girls and transform them into strong women through education, vocational skills, and spiritual learning.   A typical Sadya , comprising of 12 to 14 dishes, was served as a single course meal. It was an inspiring experience for the SSM team members to engage with the children and members of the staff to participate in the seva.

The ancient Bhadrakali Temple that is situated in Hanamakonda in Warangal District, Telangana is synonymous with the magnificent Koh-i-Noor diamond that was believed to have adorned one eye of Goddess Bhadrakali during the reign of the Kakatiya Dynasty in 7th century A.D.  On the occasion of Sri M's birth anniversary also celebrated as Founder's Day, 6th November, this venerated spot served as the perfect venue for the Hyderabad Satsang Seva Mission team to distribute 50 food packets to the beggars, who usually gather at the entrance during weekends and the festive season, and to people along the way. A freshly-prepared, delectable lunch that comprised of vegetable biryani , potato curry, raita , savories, sweet bananas and laddoos with a packet of water was served.  Some expressed gratitude eloquently for the hot meal, whereas other daily wage worker and auto drivers simply smiled as they received their sustenance for the day, gladdening the hearts of the servers.

The Maratha Life Foundation is a 14-year-old rehabilitation center that provides shelter, food, medical care, and engaging activities to orphans, aged persons, the physically and mentally challenged to ensure their well-being in the face of daunting circumstances. On the auspicious occasion of Sri M's birthday, the members of Team SSM Mumbai visited this safe home at Vasai. They participated in elaborate discussions with the founders to understand how best they could support their plans for the provision of better facilities to the inmates .  They then served a delectable, special lunch including a variety of Deepavali snacks and sweets.  The day drew to a close with a fun-filled session of dance with the inmates that simply brought huge smiles and great joy to everyone.

The Desire Society provides shelter, food, medical treatment, education, pyscho-social support to orphans who are affected with HIV/AIDs or have lost their parents to this disease. The Vashi center in Mumbai presently has 32 inmates.   On the occasion of Sri M’s birthday, the 6th of November, Team SSM Mumbai organized a festive treat for these wondrous children.    The children had sent in their request for an extensive menu that comprised special dishes such as biryani , snacks, and sweets. They simply loved the delicious treat and expressed their gratitude with beaming smiles.

"It is not how much we do, but how much love we put into the doing.  It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving."     These sublime thoughts of Mother Teresa are the bedrock on which the Abhaya Kshethram was founded in 2007 in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. It is a safe refuge for differently-abled orphans, destitute women, and senior citizens who have been abandoned by their families. Food, clothing, shelter, and medical care are provided to its 200 inmates with great love, concern, and humility.     On the occasion of Sri M's birth anniversary also celebrated as Founder's Day, 6th November 2021, the Hyderabad Satsang Seva Mission team shared a special, festive, lunch with these extraordinary inmates. The full-course meal comprised 14 delicacies such as vegetable rice, raita , vada , sweet boondi , and ice cream that filled everyone with joy and gratitude.   

The Sri Krishna Goshala is nestled in a verdant nook in the concrete jungle of the Kokapet neighbourhood in Hyderabad. However, this little haven is entirely enchanting because of its simplicity and the profound love of its workers for the 2000 cows that reside in this sacred space. On the occasion of Sri M's birthday also celebrated as Founder's Day, the 6th of November 2021, The Satsang Seva Mission team members at Hyderabad wished to honour these dedicated workers and their families. They distributed 120 food packets that comprised a delicious meal of vegetable pulao , Shahi paneer, raita, masala vada, and sweet jalebis to the workers, their wives and children, and the priests who look after the Radha-Krishna Temple and the Hanuman Temple that flank the goshalas.   The 38 children who had assembled there looked forward to their special gifts with tremendous excitement: each received a little goody bag filled with stationery such as a notebook, a coloring book, a drawing bo...

The Festival of Lights, Deepavali, was truly special for the members of Team SSM Mumbai as they collaborated with Desire Society to share the sweetness of love and the radiance of light with the 32 HIV/AIDS affected children of this center in Vashi, Mumbai. Team SSM Mumbai kicked off the festivities with melodious songs about love and life.  The team members then distributed school bags and satchels: 10 for the children studying in primary school and 22 for the children studying in secondary and high school. Chocolates, sweets, and biscuits proved to be the icing on the cake for these precious children. The management of the Desire Society was extremely grateful for this gesture as Team SSM Mumbai spent these joyous moments with these bright youngsters and helped kindle the flame of hope in their lives.

The members of Team SSM Mathura were delighted by the bonanza of love and affection they received at  the primary school of Kumaria village in Mathura where they had gone laden with gift hampers and with Sri M's message of the oneness of humanity to mark Deepavali and Sri M's birthday, celebrated as Founder's Day on November 6th at The Satsang Foundation .    "What a beautiful time we had today," the team remarked as they took in the exquisite clay idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha, flower rangolis , and colourful diyas   handmade by the children to welcome them. "The joy and happiness they generated was infectious," they said.       The program started with the children repeating the oath for spreading peace and harmony that Sri M had generated when he undertook the "Walk of Hope", a padayatra traversing 7,500 kms across the country from Kanya Kumari to Kashmir for 15 months over 2015-'16.  The team then spoke to the children saying they were ...

The day for the Delhi SSM Team started before dawn with a couple of members driving around the city beginning to experience the harsh nip of winter to distribute 25 blankets to pavement dwellers, auto rickshaw drivers, and street vendors even as they huddled and slept in the cold air. The smiles of gratitude and the comfortable stretching out for some who did not even notice that a blanket was spread over them in their deep sleep, were enough to warm the team's heart.  For the 6th and 7th of November, at the Ramakrishna Mission, in the heart of the city, the team donated 100 kgs of rice, 50 kgs of lentils, 2 kgs of salt, and two kgs of oil for making hot khichadi that the ashram distributes to rickshaw pullers and slum dwellers every day. The steaming hot khichadi was distributed among 60 sadhus and 70 students at the ashram plus 150 slum dwellers and rickshaw pullers on both days.  The evening saw the team stop by at a Dharamshala opposite the All India Institute of Medica...

The 6th of November marks the birthday of Sri M and is celebrated as Founder’s Day at The Satsang Foundation. Since Sri M holds the feeding of the poor as a divine service that merits immediate attention, the members of the Satsang Seva Mission in Tamil Nadu decided to set the wheels of the food distribution wagon in motion and ensured that delicious food reached orphanages and homes for the aged and the destitute all across the state. Destination Tirupur: The Seed Old Age Home at Avinashi has 55 inmates. Some of the SSM team members at Tirupur lovingly served them a festive meal while others reached out to about 37 seniors at Annaiyar Old Age Home at Perumanallur.  They then spent the entire day at Banyan Home, a sanctuary for mentally ill women and children and shared lunch and dinner with the 110 inmates who are sheltered here presently.    Team SSM at Tuticorin served up a delectable spread of idlis, vadas, and sambar for breakfast at Alex Kailasam Old Age Home. When...