Permaculture wither?

Despite the heavy hailstorm and gales hitting us last week, summer is back in full force. What is happening to our thirsty plants?  I am posting recent photos of green spaces created in and around the arid Sri Datta Sai Bharadwaja Divyajanani Nilayam, Hanuman Nagar, Jayapuri Colony, Nagole, Hyderabad. Kudos to the permaculture team! Jai Sai Master!

Straight backed lilies with a host of hibiscus 

Lemon family fruit

First floor corridor

Ground floor corridor

Eye -soothing green and delicious banana fruit, stem and flower dishes!

Our compost pits

The Counterfeit Coin - A devotee's attitude

Post lunch at Nilayam, we drifted into talking of life's little (and great) injustices. I was quite eagerly warming up to this discussion, recalling my store of incidents to regale (and I hate to admit this, but this sort of complaining seems to be a distinctly middle-aged phenomenon), when another guru bandhu saved the day. She showed me a little sufi story in an old newspaper, which had been pointed out by Pujya Ammagaru earlier that afternoon:

Once there lived a devotee. His prime concern of life was to remember his spiritual Master and be one with his love. For survival of body and providence for necessities of life, he sold vegetables.

With he love for his master in his heart and mind, and a basketful of vegetables, every day he visited the market. Knowing his guile nature, people used to cheat him. Everyday some people would give him counterfeit coins to buy vegetables. Some would even come the next day for exchange of the false coins they had, saying, "Yesterday you gave us this false coin, please exchange for the real one."

The devotee without a complain in heart would accept the counterfeit coins.

Time passed thus. His body became old and the end of physical life approached. The devotee sat for his final prayer, "Dear beloved, throughout my life I have accepted counterfeit and bogus coins from one and all, never once rejecting or refusing the same. Oh Beloved! Time has come that this counterfeit coin reaches your divine presence. You too, likewise do not reject the useless coin. Kindly accept the same and give it shelter at Your lotus feet."

Needless to say, the Lord accept him under the showering Love.

Some views of our green spaces in January this year

Plot in front of Sivapuri residence of Pujya Divyajanani Alivelu Manga Tayaru garu

Plot adjoining Sivapuri Residence

The freshest of organically grown greens interspersed with marigold

'Sitamma vari jada kuppelu'. Grown from collected seed

Tender bananas  shoots - Space adjoinng Sri Datta Bharadwaja Divyajanani Nilayam @ Hanuman Nagar, Nagole

No space is wasted - container farming!

Space facing Sri Datta Bharadwaja Divyajanani Nilayam - Baby Papaya and Banana trees

Happy New Year 2012

As the needles on the clock edged towards the big 12 o' clock on 31st Dec 2011, eager devotees (Sai bandhus) were all immersed in bhajan lead by our inimitable Yoga. Ammagaru graced us all with her darshan - a blessing for sore eyes & souls, and Babugaru performed the arathi to Shirdi Sai Baba, Sai Master and Ammagaru at Nilayam, followed by nivedana. A wonderful way to start the new year; new beginnings.

Ammagaru further graced us all with her message. It has been printed in this month's Sai Baba magazine (in Telugu). And then everyone's heart leapt with Babugaru's announcement that everyone could personally perform namaskaram to Ammagaru! Once we took this for granted and sadly only now that it is rarer, we learn to truly value it.

Afterwards, while everyone partook of prasadam and wished one other, Babugaru as usual took his plate and sat down with us to talk. He raised several questions, beginning with 'what is spirituality? Is is merely doing parayana and or going to the temple regularly?  At times elaborating, he said, 'to live properly/following dharma is spirituality. What is dharma?'. That is not easy for us common people to know or understand. There are huge gaps & misunderstandings in our understanding of the various phases of life and prevalent traditions. This lack of clarity at personal and familial level leads to larger issues of socio-economic resource mismanagement. For example, it makes sense to allow the much experience older work -force to retire and, instead of being put away in homes (as is already  prevalent in many countries), use their knowledge to train the young. This leaves the middle aged free to focus, work productively and earn livelihoods for all...

While mosquitoes feasted on everyone's exposed skin, Babugaru included them too in the cause of humour and it was almost 3 am on 1st Jan. 2012 that Nagolites broke up to go home. Babugaru had scarcely touched his plate.

2011 Snapshots - Sri Sai Leelamrutham and Sri Guru Charitra Saamuhika grantha puja

2011 Snapshots - Sri Krishnaashtami & Vinayaka Chavithi

2011 Snapshots - Varalakshmi Vratam

Varalakshmi Vratam 2011 in the presence of Divyajanani, the granter of all that is good for us, at the residence of Smt. Adidam Vedavathi and Sri Adidam Srikanth garu, Nagole

Permaculture updates

Here are some more photos of  our plot (refer my post on November 17, 2011) and more such spots in Nagole. Even these are from November 2011. Soon, I shall put up some up-to-date, fantastic shots of that very plot!!

Aah! tomatoes

Fresh, fresh gourds (beerakaya) for Nivedana

Just see the change in a month. Nature's work

Can you spot the corn plant?

Spinach planted with marigold for protection

I spy brinjals

Snakes (snake gourds) hanging in the sky!

2011 Snapshots - March 6th and April 12th

March 6th  - the day Pujya Acharya Ekkirala Bharadwaja joined Pujyasri  Alivelu Manga Thayaru in holy matrimony, thereby to uplift the 'grihastha' ashrama.

April 12th - when we lost our beloved Mastergaru in body to gain him eternally in the spirit. 

2011 Snapshots - New Year , Sankranthi, Kanya Tulasi Puja

In just a few hours another revolution of the earth around the sun would be complete. Even the earth (supposed to be all matter only) has the sense not the leave the source of light and life - giving energy. And the moon is our faithful satellite. Howcome the most intelligent species of this world (including yours truly) does not have the sense to perform pradakshina to the Guru every single second????

In this post and the next few I am going to post snaps of some key events in Nagole calendar 2011, in the holy presence of Pujya Mastergaru and Ammagaru. Please do bear with my inadequate blogging skills.

In the photos - first New Year celebrations 2011, Sankranthi pandaga, Collecting flower bulbs etc. from the International horticulture expo and Kanya Tulasi puja.

2011 Snapshots - Deepawali & Oct 30th

There is a lot about the last month that I have yet to post on, but before that I would like to share with you the recording of a play that I happened to revisit yesterday. It was performed on Feb 9th this year at Nagole, Hyderabad, commemorating the anniversary of Pujya Mastergaru's experience of Samadhi (enlightenment) at Shirdi in 1963.

Even though I was among the fortunate few who saw this live, the impact on viewing the recording is still as fresh and compelling. The Master's teachings are so simple and yet profound....For those who have seen or atleast seen photos of Mastergaru at his simple desk in the front hall - writing, reading, interacting incessantly (his 'karya nishtatah' and 'sraddha' towards each and everyone, that Pujya Ammagaru spoke of recently, come to mind), Ammagaru close by in the adjoining room - the very setting was evocative. There is something very profound and moving about a son playing the father and in this case ....words are insufficient.

This is another rare, precious gem to hold dear in our hearts. Truely as Smt. Adidam Vedavathi garu put it, 'These are golden days in the presence of Amma (Pujyasri Alivelu Mangathayaru garu)'.

Sri Datta Jayanti Mahotsavam

The last month in Nagole has been something like a quiet whirlwind, building silently towards Sri Datta Jayanti Mahotsavam on 10th Dec. As the holy book, Sri Guru Charitra elaborates, the avatar of Lord Dattatreya is unlike other avatars such as Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. 

'...The incarnation of Sree Rama was intended for the destruction of the demon king Ravana. The avatar of Sree Krishna was intended for the annihilation of King Duryodhana and his wicked train. So, after the completion of those missions, Sree Rama and Sree Krishna had cast off their physical bodies and left for their heavenly abode. But the avatar of Dattatreya was intended for the welfare of all creatures. As this mission has to be carried out as long as creation exists, he does not lay down his body and leave for his heavenly realm but goes on wandering from place to place. Thus Dattatreya is the eternal avatar of god's spirit of self-dedication to the salvation of all creatures. He manifests himself perennially as the perfect saints of all religions of the world....' 

- Sree Guru Charitra by Pujya Sri Acharya E. Bharadwaja 

 In order to help prepare our minds to commemorate his  momentous advent on earth, to revisit the purpose of our  lives,  Pujya Ammagaru advised that Dhuni puja should be performed for eleven consecutive days leading up to the main day. It is perhaps the first time in recent years that this kind of Deeksha has been given. The Dhuni Puja was performed at Ammagaru's Sivapuri, Nagole residence after the  daily evening satsangam wherein the 108 parayanas (in preparation for great celebration of Master Sri Ekkirala Bharadwaja Maharaj Krutagnataa Mahotsavamu Feb 8, 2013 - Oct 30, 2014) is in progress.  With Pujya Mastergaru's and Divyajanani Ammagaru's grace, our Satsangam group was able to attend the puja continously. 

The release of the Braille edition of Sri Sai Leelamrutham by Divyajanani Alivelu Mangathayaru garu is another historic mile-stone in Sri Shirdi Sai tava pracharam taken up as a life-work by Pujya Mastergaru.

With Pujya Sai Master's blessings, we are able to avail the video of the entire Sri Dattajayani Mahotsavam celebrations. This is a treasure to savour for all times. Note the profound and melodious Mangalam song sung towards the end by Smt. Adidam Vedavathi, which is a composition of Pujyasri Ammagaru.