Satsang Seva Journal

Their homes reduced to rubble, many of their loved ones dead, and the chill of winter seeping into their bones, the quake-hit children, women, and men of Turkey are going through incredible pain and suffering.  On the 13th of February, 2023 Team SSM Delhi-NCR sent 400 warm blankets through the Turkish Embassy as an expression of their solidarity and support. Blessings and prayers for the alleviation of their suffering were offered before the blankets were handed over. To join hands with Team SSM Delhi-NCR , please write to us at connect@satsang-foundation.org .

On the 11th of February, Team SSM Delhi-NCR joined hands with the Center for Holistic Development (CHD) to offer annadaanam seva to over 1500 city makers at the Jawahar Shramik Sthal, Yamuna Pushta.  Sri M, founder of The Satsang Foundation, graced the occasion and spoke of the importance of service to mankind. After inspecting the new shelter home Sri M recommended the installation of desert coolers during summer. He also supported the launch of several skilling and livelihood initiatives at the home.  Mr. Sunil Kumar Aledia, founder of CHD, spoke of the various initiatives aimed at including the marginalized city makers into the mainstream and helping them live a life of dignity. The SSM volunteers then lovingly served a nutritious meal of rice, lentils, potato and cauliflower curry, chilli pickle, semolina halwa , and ginger chai to the city makers in batches till 3 p.m.  A youngster expressed joy at having partaken of a full meal while a lady shramik offered her bl...

In continuation of their commitment to the youngsters at Angel's Nest Orphanage, members of Team SSM Mumbai organized academic support classes and counseling sessions for them. On 4th February, 2023 about 18 young girls received academic support in preparation for their final exams followed by the conceptualization of the Hindi and Marathi alphabet. A basic grammar lesson spanning English, Hindi, and Marathi was also illustrated with examples. Support in Accountancy, Economics, Finance, and Book-keeping was offered to the sole law student in the home. The academic sessions ended with the sharing of delightful snack boxes containing sandwiches, vegetable patties, and muffins. On 5th of February, 2023, a group counseling session was facilitated to help the young girls overcome their fears and anxiety related to exams.  To support Team SSM Mumbai in this initiative, please write to us at connect@satsang-foundation.org .

Team SSM Bengaluru launched Spoken English classes in February 2023 for 28 youngsters sheltered at the Vallabh Niketan Ashram, Central Bengaluru to help them hone their speaking skills in English. The following building blocks formed the learning paradigm: Internalization Ideation Thinking in mother tongue Transliteration to English Expression in English The youngsters were placed into two groups to facilitate age-appropriate comprehension. The weekly sessions started with an appreciation of basic grammatical structures such as nouns and verbs to help them string simple sentences together.  The inclusion of legends and historical lore of Bangalore City and Karnataka State resonated with the cultural background of the youngsters while simple stories, role plays that mimicked real time situations added to pragmatic application. Interpersonal dynamics and skillsets of the youngsters encouraged interesting exchanges during group activities.  In the past 9 months, regular assessmen...

Team SSM Mumbai celebrated Republic Day on 26th January 2023 with the local community of slum dwellers living near the Sai Baba Temple, Chembur. In an event organized for the children, the national flag was hoisted amidst resounding chants of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai.' The children then sang patriotic songs depicting the spirit of brotherhood and harmony. The team members concluded the event by offering samosas and jalebis to the children.  To join hands with Team SSM Mumbai and support this vibrant local community, please write to us at connect@satsang-foundation.org .

The young girls at the Angel's Nest Orphanage, Marol were delighted to welcome members from Team SSM Mumbai for a series of activities through the month of January 2023. During the first visit on 15th January, the team members facilitated a follow-up of group and individual counseling sessions for the youngsters.  They also offered groceries comprising lentils, spices, paneer , Kerala parotas , biscuits, health drink mix, and ice cream.  During the next visit on 21st January 2023, academic support classes in Maths and Accounts were held for 10 school students from Grade 8 to 12 and first year BSc students.  The following day, 22nd January 2023, the team members resumed the counseling sessions for a few youngsters and organized a craft session for a group of 15 youngsters. They also organized a creative activity of making costumes from newspapers. A discussion on career options concluded this visit. To support the endeavors of Team SSM Mumbai, please write to us at connect...

Joyous moments marked Sri M's visit on 17th January 2023 to ANIKET Sevabhavi Sanstha as he interacted with the differently-abled children sheltered at this safe home. A fun-filled yoga session facilitated by a member of Team SSM Pune delighted the children as they performed asanas such as Marjasana, Sinhasana, and Bhujangasana , imitating the postures of animals and their sounds. The children then welcomed Sri M with applause and chanted the Gayatri Mantra , Guru Stuti , and Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra . A personal interaction and breakfast followed. Sri M blessed the children and encouraged the founder, Mrs. Varpe, to continue her selfless seva . To join hands with Team SSM Pune and support ANIKET Sevabhavi Sanstha, please write to connect@satsang-foundation.org .

Team SSM Bengaluru celebrated the joyous harvest festival of Makar Sankranti on 15th January 2023 by continuing to offer the weekly annadaanam seva at Vallabh Niketan Ashram and Lakshmipura. As the team members lovingly served the Sunday special breakfast of set dosas, vegetable kurma, vadas, sambar, and sapotas , the youngsters at the Ashram gathered together with great enthusiasm and interacted with them. During lunch, a group of team members offered a filling meal of rice, sambar, vegetable pulao, kesari bhath, and payasam to 200 people from the community of daily wagers and pavement dwellers living in Lakshmipura, Gavipuram. Festive greetings accompanied the meals as everyone expressed gratitude for the abundant blessings of Mother Nature. To support the endeavors of Team SSM Bengaluru and experience the joy of giving and sharing, please write to us at connect@satsang-foundation.org .

By serving somebody, you are actually doing nothing. The person whom you are serving is actually giving you an opportunity to evolve.   --- Sri M Sri M's message of selfless service was exemplified by Team SSM Mumbai as the team members welcomed the dawn of a new year by offering bedsheets and blankets at two different locations in Mumbai. A team member visited the 25 senior citizens residing at Happy Flock Old Age Home in Karjat, situated about 60 kilometers from Mumbai on 31st December 2022 and offered bedsheets, pillow covers, and a little bag of goodies to them. Sweet smiles of gratitude and informal conversations marked this seva on the eve of the New Year. On the 3rd of January, 2023 a group of team members offered blankets to 125 construction workers at a construction site in Navi Mumbai . As the workers gathered together during a break in their schedule, the team members reached out to each one and gave them their blankets with much reverence and gratitude. To partic...

The New Year was ushered in with great happiness and cheer for both the children of Mathru Abhaya Foundation and the members of Team SSM Hyderabad. The dawn of the New Year, 1st January 2023, was celebrated with a special annadaanam seva offered to the 75 children and staff of this orphanage with which the team members have been associated for the past one year. The children were seated in small groups on large mats in an open ground in the vicinity of the home for boys as a sumptuous lunch of puris, chole, vegetable pulao, vegetable manchurian, raita, and gulab jamuns was served lovingly to the children by the team members.   With great discipline, they waited patiently for their caregiver to arrive and then began the meal with the chanting of the Shanti Mantra ' Om Sahana Vavatu…' invoking peace on all and blessing their anna daata . Watch the video here. The excited and overjoyed children expressed their appreciation of the dishes that they liked the most and completely r...

Team SSM Mumbai ushered in the joyous occasion of Christmas with a medley of sevas filled with great joy and enthusiasm. On Sunday, 25th December 2022, a few team members offered a freshly prepared lunch of vegetable pulao, gulab jamun, and pickle packed in 100 meal trays to the community of slum dwellers living near the Sai Baba Temple, Chembur .  Soon after lunch, 100 blankets were offered to the senior citizens and the most needy families of the community. A few other team members organized a fun-filled Sports Day for 155 children of the migrant workers and slum dwellers living in the Labour Camp, near the Hiranandani Estate in Thane .  Watch the video here. The Hiranandani Park was abuzz with excitement as the children aged between 7 and 14 years participated in the Sack Race and the Skipping Race as they raced animatedly towards the finish line. Exhilarating Kho-Kho and Kabbadi matches and a thrilling Tug of War demonstrated the strength, stamina, and skill of these won...

Team SSM Bengaluru celebrated Christmas, 25th December 2022, by continuing to offer weekly annadaanam seva at different locations in Bengaluru.     Two young team members served the Sunday special breakfast of dosas, vadas, vegetable kurma, chutney, sweet kesari, and biscuits to the children and senior citizens of Vallabh Niketan Ashram.      The team members joined the children as they chanted a Shanti mantra before relishing their meal together.     At Lakshmipura in Gavipuram, a few team members lovingly offered a filling meal of vegetable pulao, rice, sambar, buttermilk, kesari bhath, and bananas to 75 people from the community of slum dwellers who live nearby.     Team SSM Bengaluru are extremely grateful for the relentless support of the volunteers and donors who continue to sustain this weekly annadaanam seva .   To participate in the initiatives of Team SSM Bengaluru, please write to us at connect@satsang-foundation.org .

Team SSM Delhi-NCR members assembled outside Delhi Gate Metro Station on Thursday, 22nd December, 2022 at 11 p.m. and scouted the areas of Delhi Gate, ISBT, Yamuna Pushta and Asif Ali Road to distribute blankets to the pavement dwellers and the homeless.  As hundreds of homeless people slept on footpaths, under the bridges and on the bare ground under the flyover our secret Santas silently spotted those without adequate warmth and covered them with blankets.  This activity was done with the guidance of Shri Indu Prakash ji, who has been working for the homeless for years. The team members took about two and a half hours to distribute 200 blankets.  Wishing everyone the warmest season's greetings from all of us at The Satsang Foundation! Join us for more such random acts of kindness at connect@satsang-foundation.org.

Team SSM Kolkata collaborated with the Pratibodhayan Charitable Trust situated in the village of Moutor in Purulia District to offer 170 blankets to the residents of the rural communities living in this village and 15 neighboring villages between the 3rd and 7th of December 2022.     As groups of senior citizens gathered at the premises of the Trust to receive the blankets to protect them from the bitter cold of winter, the team members interacted with them and expressed their heartfelt gratitude for having had the opportunity to serve them.     To support Team SSM Kolkata in its initiatives, please write to us at connect@satsang-foundation.org .

Team SSM Mumbai set off on 3rd December 2022 to the Ganeshpuri Ashram Shelter which is situated in Ganeshpuri, about 60 kms from Mumbai, to meet the inmates most of whom are aged or ailing and have been abandoned by their family members. About 30 members of this marginalized community have been supported with a daily meal since August 2022. Their shelter is cleaned once a week and the inmates are sensitized to take care of their personal hygiene. However, with the onset of winter and the lack of access to hygiene essentials, the team members decided to offer 50 blankets and hygiene kits comprising toothpaste, toothbrushes, soaps, shampoo sachets, and detergent bars to the inmates, the less privileged and a few children who live in the padas or local colonies near the shelter. The team members were filled with immense gratitude and humility as the inmates showered them with joyous smiles and loving blessings.   To join hands with Team SSM Mumbai in the rehabilitation of this commun...

Team SSM Hyderabad celebrated Founder's Day (6th November) with the provision of the monthly dry rations and toiletries for the young residents of the Mathru Abhaya Foundation in Medipally, North Hyderabad on 27th November 2022. The youngsters at the home for girls were thrilled to meet the team members on a relaxed Sunday morning. They chatted with them about their upcoming semester-end exams and spoke proudly of some of the other children who were participating in a Bhagvad Gita recitation competition.  They eagerly sorted out the grocery items that comprised oil, lentils, semolina, salt, sugar, spices; and the toiletries consisting of soaps, shampoos, and hair oil. Sweet words of 'thank you' were conveyed with loving smiles as they received a little treat of chocolate eclairs and requested the team members to bring them their favorite fruits during the next visit. To support Team SSM Hyderabad in its initiatives and experience the joy of giving, please write to us at con...

As the sun streamed through on a cool, winter morning at the Government Secondary School in Ramgarh, Chandigarh on 24th November 2022, Team SSM Chandigarh celebrated Founder's Day (6th November) with a tree plantation drive on the premises of the school. The initiatives of MyTree and Satsang Jal Seva Sangatan (SJSS) were woven together to sensitize the students about the spirit of maitri or loving friendship with trees and the importance of water conservation.  The students, teachers, principal, and SSM team members joined hands to plant 50 saplings of herbs such as tulsi, choti elaichi, ajwain, aloe vera, and lemon grass; and 10 saplings of fruit-bearing trees such as mango, guava, sapota, and jamun . The students then took a pledge to preserve water; use every single drop with mindfulness; and become Jal Sevaks , in service of Mother Earth's most precious resource. This inspiring session not only helped the students become more aware of their own responsibilities but also to...