Aum Sai Ram.
This is the 2nd Temple visited by us during our 11th Pilgrimage to Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temples at Machilipatnam on Friday 23rd Oct 2011.
After Completing our visit & also speaking to the Founder, Sri Vittal Rao of Sri Sai Maharaj Devalayam - Naga Sai Mandir over the phone, we then headed towards the Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Dhyana Mandiram at Circar Thota in Machilipatnam.
As i was repeatedly getting calls from the organisers about my location, i had to quit visiting other temples of Sri Sai Baba & directly go to the temple at Circar Thota, where in Sri Abdul Raheem Baba had invited me for the Opening Ceremony of the Spiritual Library at the temple Premises.
At around 9:15am, we entered this Temple of Sri Sai Baba, where the Opening Ceremony of the Library was getting organised.
Highlights of the Founder & this Temple.
Sri Abdul Raheem ji referred as Raheem Baba was born on October 23rd 1946. He has worked with State Bank of India at Machilipatnam & after retirement is devoting full time towards spreading the Grace of Sri Sai Baba.
Though Born to a Muslim Family, he has been into Sai Baba's fold due to guidance from his Maternal Uncle Sri. Mir Sahib of Karnool, Andhra Pradesh.
Sri Mir Sahib himself was a staunch devotee of Sri Sai Baba & built the 1st Temple of Sri Sai Baba at Kurnool in the year 1951. The Statue Installed at the temple was the 4th Statue of Sai baba to have been installed in 1951 even before Sai Sansthan, Shirdi planned to install a Marble Statue of Sri Sai Baba at Shirdi.
In the Year 1984, Sri Raheem Baba got the urge to build a Temple for Sri Shirdi Sai Baba at the town of Machilipatnam where he was born & brought up & the Foundation stone to build a Temple was laid in this year.
In 1989, A Potrait of Dwarakamai Sri Sai Baba was installed in the Semi Finished temple of Sai Baba.
In 1991, With the Contributions from the devotees, A 5ft Marble Statue of Sai baba was brought from Jaipur & installed in the temple premises after performing the Prana Prathistha. A Statue of Dattatreya is also installed next to Sai Baba in the Adjacent Room.
Between 1990 - 1992 Nama Sankeerthan of Sai Baba was performed daily for 4 hrs in the Day & 4hrs in the evening. This continued in the pattern of 21, 48 & then 365 Days.
In the year 1996, An Image of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba formed on the Marble floor in the room adjacent to the Statue of Sri Sai Baba. As Raheem Baba could not go to shirdi, he felt bad & cried for baba to show his presence. After Some time a Wavery Image of Baba with the outlines appeared on the floor.
A Peepal & Neem Tree have grown one around the other towards the right side of this temple & a Stone Statue of Nagaraja(Snake head) has been installed below the trees. A Snake comes to visit this tree daily & there is a belief that Sai Baba is coming to the temple in the form of Snake on Daily Basis.
Baba's Dhuni has been installed at the entrance of the temple towards the left. A Free School from LKG - 7th Std was run for 15yrs from 1994 - 2009 with the support from 6 teachers. Due to problems arising getting the permission from the Govt to run the free school, the School has to be closed. So A Spiritual Library was built & inaugurated on 23rd october 2011.
Sri Raheem Baba has written 60 Songs & 5 Books on Sri Sai Baba in Telugu Language.
He has also opened 12 Satsang Centres in the Neighbouring towns where Sai Nama Sankeerathan, Koti Nama Japam & Satsangs are performed regularly to help Sai Devotees come even more closer to their Guru Sri Shirdi Sai Baba.
A Grand Procession is performed on Guru Pournami at Kottaveleru a Village near Hanuman Junction in Krishna Dist of Andhra Pradesh. Around 1000 Sai Devotees gather at Sri Sita Ramaiah's Home & perform Chandan Utsav to Sri Sai Baba. Satsangs, Bhajans are performed & Lunch is Provided to the Devotees.
To See Complete Set of 31 Snaps of this Temple Visit:
Future Plans at the temple.
Sai Koti Maha Divya Shethram at an Estimated cost of 1 Crore Rupees is under Construction after Sri Sai Baba showed a glimpse of New design for the Surya temple to be built during the Meditation to Sri Raheem Baba.
Sanctums for Sri Surya representing Shakti/Energy, Sri Lakshmi representing Dhanam/Wealth & Sri Saraswati representing Jnanam/Knowledge are under construction after the foundation stone was laid for the project in Mid 2011.
To See Complete Set of 31 Snaps of this Temple Visit:
Slide Show of the Photo Album
To See Complete Set of 31 Snaps of this Temple Visit:
Temple Address
Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Dhyana Mandiram.
Circar Thota, State bank colony,
Near Industrial Estate,
Near Zilla Parishat Centre.
Chelakalapudi,
Machilipatnam : 521002
Andhra Pradesh.
Contact Details
Sri Abdul Raheem Baba - Temple Founder & President
+91 94419 58256
Directions
From Machilipatnam Bus stand towards Chelakalapudi - 3kms.
Land Mark
Enter the Road leading to Industrial Estate. Drive till the dead end.
Take a towards right side & Temple gopuram is visible.
Temple Timings
05:00 am - 10:00 pm
Aarti Timings
Kakad Aarti - 05:15 am
Madhyana Aarti - 12:00 pm
Dhoop Aarti - 06:05 pm
Shej Aarti - 09:00 pm
Courtesy:
Article & Photo: Raghav N
Data:Mrs. Padma Karunakaram. Rajahmundry
Special Thanks to Sri Abdul Raheem Baba,
the Founder of this temple for sharing all
the details of this temple.
