All faiths lead to one ultimate. That ultimate is Shirdi Sairam now enshrined in our Sai Mandir at No, 21 Jaishankar Street, West Mambalam, Chennai 600 033, Tamil Nadu, India giving blessings to one and all.

We now give here the genesis of our Sai mandir.  It was in the year 1983-84 a small beginning was made in the regular worship of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba.

Late Smt. Visalakshmi Ammal the founder of our Sai mandir and her husband late Shri Duraisamy Iyer were ardent Sai devotees living in west Mambalam even prior to 1983.  They had many visions of Sai baba.  Once Sai Baba appeared as a snake with two legs in their pooja room partaking butter kept in a pooja vessel. Being an artist shri Duraisamy Iyer drew a sketch of the snake with two legs.

To quote another such incident is that Sai Baba waned a place of Mandir.  On the Sri Ramavami Festival day, a portrait of Sai Baba was taken in a procession when it was reaching No. 21/9, Jai Sankar Street, West Mambalam, Chennai 600033, Sai Baba through Mathaji, suggested the place (where the mandi is now existing) for construction of Sai Mandir. Sai Baba used to prompt often that he was very particular to build a Mandir for the sake of is ardent Sai Mathaji and mandir would come up during her life time itself.

This and other incidents are given in the booklet titled as Sai bakthai released during the Mahasamadhi centenary year of Sai baba 2018-19.  The actual release was made on during Ramanavami function in the year April 2019.  This booklet is available in our mandir free of cost. In the year 1976, shri Duraisamy Iyer breathed his last.

A group of like-minded persons joined together to take care of late Smt Visalakshmi Ammal who was a childless widow and had no income of her own to sustain her living.  They accommodated her in a small room in Ramakrishna Puram in west Mambalam, Chennai.  She kept with her Sai Baba portrait and was worshipping.  Later on, she was moved to a small portion in Thiruvenkadam street, west Mambalam, Chennai 600 033.  There on Thursdays Sai baba bhajans were conducted and Annadhanam was also done in a small way. Sai devotees took part in the bhajans and in the worship of Sai baba.  Sai matha used to distribute Viboothi (udhi) which appeared on the portrait  on Sai baba and prayed for the wellness of all the devotees.  Later, Sai matha moved to Mahadevan street in west Mambalam Chennai 600 033.   Finally, the present mandir premised were occupied in the year 1990.  During the period three important festivals namely Shri Ramanavami Guru purmina and Maha samadhi day were celebrated.  Choultries  were hired to cook for Annadhanam.  Orphanages volunteered to take the food packets.  Sai volunteers went to different places for distribution of food packets.  Sai matha was very patient in hearing to the problems of the devotees. She would say that Sai baba would certainly bless them and the devotees got solace from saimatha’s words.  Sai matha attained Baba’s lotus feet on shri Ramanavami day on 21.4.2002.

As per Sai matha’s  vision Shri Shirdi Sai Seva Samaj was registered in January 2006, to manage the affairs of the mandir.

Suitable trustees were named for the purpose.  A life size marble statue of shri Shirdi Sai Baba was installed in the mandir and kumbabhishekam was performed in august 2007.  Dhuni was also installed.

We now give here under the details of various activities conducted in our mandir

  • Four Aartis are performed as being done in Shirdi (timings to be printed)
  • Daily holy bath to Sai Baba followed by Sahasranama  Archana and deepa Aradhana
  • Daily Annadhanam
  • Shirdi calendar is followed to celebrate Shri Ramanavami, Guru Purnima and Mahasamadhi day.  During these festivals, abhishekas, Aradhana,  Sahasranama pooja, bhajans and anna dhanam on a mass scale are performed. Anna dhanam and Annadhanam packets  was distributed in various slums orphanages and to other poor people. Sai baba’s portrait is taken out in a procession and well decorated cart with serial lights.  We also celebrated Sai centenary in a fitting manner.  During the Navaratri festival days, we encourage local talents in the form of bhajans, vocal music, dance etc.,
  • Vishnu Sasararanama  Parayanam and Veda Parayanam was also conducted
  • Daily Ganapathi homam and observance of Sankata Chaturthi
  • Prodosa pooja
  • On Powrnami days Satyanarayana pooja is performed
  • On last Sunday of every month our group of our devotees go for Unchavrithi as was done by Baba daily in Shirdi in his life time.
  • Devotees book in advance for Vasthiram, head gear, and garlands for Sai baba
  • We provide scholarships and medical reliefs to the extent possible
  • We have paid staff to cater to the various needs of mandir
  • We issue receipts for all the money received on account of Annadhanam Dhuni pooja, general donation etc

Devotees throng Sai mandir on Thursdays and other important pooja’s and Baba’s festival days.

We are happy to hear from devotees that they feel vibration when they come in to the mandir and also their prayers are answered by Saibaba.

Thus, as instruments in the hands of Sai baba we contribute our bit a small way and pray for well-being of all

“SARVA JANA SUKINO BAVANTHU”

OM SAI RAM.