Satsang Seva Journal

Matrudevobhava Anadha Ashramam, situated at Nadergul in Western Hyderabad, is a shelter home and rehabilitation center for the destitute mentally-ill who wander the streets and have no recollection of their family members. They receive intensive health support and counseling so they may be reintegrated with their families and live a life of dignity. Recently the manager of this home reached out to a member of Team SSM Hyderabad requesting help with daily provisions and nutritious food since their supplies had dwindled and about 36 of the 100 inmates had tested positive for COVID. The team members immediately contributed towards the purchase of fresh fruits, dry fruits, and milk to help boost the immunity of the inmates and support the quick recovery of the COVID patients. On the 26th of January 2022, the inmates received their first serving of juicy oranges and delicious bananas which they relished to their heart's content. The team members expressed their gratitude to the manager

The SSM Kolkata team decided to celebrate the birth anniversary of the legendary leader Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose which is celebrated on the 22nd of January by offering their seva to the pavement dwellers who live near the Syed Ali Shah Baba Mazar and the Masjid-e-Mazhaar in the Hastings area. On the 23rd of January 2022, the team members offered their prayers at the mazar or tomb shrine of the Sufi saint Syed Ali Shah Baba and then distributed little bags filled with dry rations such as wheat flour, rice, pulses, refined oil, sugar, and salt; and staples such as milk powder, tea leaves, and muri . The youngest team member lovingly offered toffees and biscuits to the  children and went on to feed the pigeons their share of grain too! The final part of this seva comprised the distribution of warm clothes such as shawls and sweaters. Given that the team members had made these donations in kind, their hearts swelled with gratitude for having had the opportunity of helping their less p

SSM Kolkata has been closely associated with the Ramakrishna Vedanta Ashram which nurtures 48 orphan boys in its sanctuary and provides them food, shelter, and education. On the 20th of January 2022, the team members provided a week's supply of fresh vegetables, refined oil, eggs, and milk powder. During this visit, one of the members noticed that the children were walking around barefoot in the bitter cold.  She recalled that she had a few pairs of socks in her car's glove compartment. She fetched them immediately and lovingly pulled them over the bare feet of the little children. She then returned the following day with 30 pairs of socks for the rest of the children.  Watch the video here . The team members left the Ashram feeling much contentment and gratitude for being able to support even the most elementary needs of these little adorable 'stars' whose endearing smiles and polite demeanor are simply heartwarming.

W hen the deadly second wave of COVID enforced another lockdown in May 2021, a member of the Satsang Seva Mission at Mathura and his family began preparing simple meals of roti , dal , vegetables, and rice, venturing out at night to serve 20 to 30 homeless people, unemployed daily wagers, some sadhus, and yet others struggling with various forms of addiction near his home.     As the number of people to be served grew, his extended family and friends pitched in to support his work to cater to the ever-increasing need for meals in the vicinity.    Come November 2021 and the Annadanam and Seva week to celebrate Sri M's birthday on the 6th of the month, Team SSM Delhi-NCR decided to pitch in as well to cover the cost of serving 100 meals a day for 10 days every month for a whole year. They felt drawn to the Brij Bhumi that Sri M had traversed during the Walk of Hope in 2015-16 and where he had done a Bhagvat Saptah in November 2019.      Till date Team SSM Delhi-NCR has provided 3,00

Pongal is a joyous festival that commemorates the hard work of the farmers and celebrates rural life and the abundance of Mother Nature. On the 15th of January 2022, Team SSM Coimbatore visited the Panchayat School at Periyathadagam near Coimbatore to celebrate this festive occasion. During previous visits to this school the team members had noticed that the classrooms were quite spartan and lacked basic amenities such as chairs and tables. The children used to sit on the bare floor or on mats regardless of the summer heat and the winter cold.  As a gesture of gratitude to the farming and rural community, the team members collaborated with the Thoorigai Trust and arranged for a set of ergonomically-designed, vibrant tables and chairs for these school children. The children were simply overjoyed at the sight of their new furniture and chatted excitedly with each other, their teachers, and the SSM team members. The team members were relieved and happy that these precious children could c

Langar is a community act of service or seva where vegetarian food is distributed to people in a gurudwara , the Sikh place of worship. Guru Nanak, the revered Sikh guru, believed that food must be provided to people irrespective of their caste, creed,  color, or status.     Team SSM Mumbai initiated the Langar Seva Project to offer langar at the Malad Gurudwara from the 15th of January, 2022 and will continue to do so on every Saturday for the the next three months. Many underprivileged people, laborers, and daily wage workers come here to partake of the meals provided here.  The team members gathered at the gurudwara at 12.30 p.m.  The  Bhaiji, priest  began the seva by eloquently reciting the Ardas to the Guru Granth Sahib seeking the blessings of the Divine. The team members then served a simple yet filling meal of rice, lentils, vegetables, and a sweet to 60 people who had arrived there.  The team members were thrilled to note that their brethren had eaten to their heart&#

The Acworth Municipal Hospital is a 131 year-old hospital that treats leprosy patients. It also houses a leprosy museum that educates people about leprosy, its history, causes, and modern treatment options.  Since the disease is mildly contagious leprosy patients are kept in isolation during their treatment.    Members of Team SSM Mumbai interacted with the management of the hospital and learned that the hospital requires a supply of medicines some of which are common for all leprosy patients and are required on a regular basis. They put together a list of these essential medicines and procured them.    Adhering to the COVID-19 protocol, they visited the hospital and donated the medicines on the 12th of January 2022 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda and the anniversary of the commencement of the Walk of Hope, a  padayatra  for peace and harmony, led by Sri M from 2015 to 2016.

Sant Ghadge Maharaj was a mendicant-saint and a social reformer. He promoted social justice and initiated various reforms especially related to hygiene and health of village folk. The Shree Ghadge Maharaj Dharamshala, situated in Dadar East, provides accommodation, food, and basic living amenities to cancer patients and their care-givers apart from other services for the needy.   The Dharmashala has  133 rooms  and houses about 350 to 400 people. Team SSM Mumbai was informed that about 110 litres of milk are required on a daily basis for the inmates. On the 12th of January 2022, the team members decided to celebrate the anniversary of the commencement of the Walk of Hope a padayatra for peace and harmony, led by Sri M from 2015 to 2016 and  the birthday anniversary of Swami Vivekananda by providing the daily quota of milk along with biscuits to the Dharmashala inmates. The team members were grateful for this opportunity to offer their service.

As temperatures plummeted in Delhi and Omicron added to denizens' woes, Team SSM Delhi-NCR decided to ring in the new year with warmth and hope. On the first of January, the team distributed 300 blankets to care-takers of low income patients from all over the country seeking treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).     Compelled to stay either on the footpath outside AIIMS or find basic accommodation at the AIIMS Vishram Sadan (Rest House), patients and their caretakers are exposed to the extreme weather conditions in the capital city in addition to dealing with their ailments.  As the team members arrived outside the Vishram Sadan at 12 noon, they found people in wheelchairs; men with flimsy torn jackets; children who had bandages over their eyes; mothers with little ones; and old people stretching their hands out even as they brought out the blankets for distribution.     A hundred of these blankets had been purchased with the collections remaining from t