Sri Naga Sai Temple, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu

TEMPLE ADDRESS:

SRI NAGA SAI TRUST
NO.1262 , METTUPALAYAM ROAD,
COIMBATORE – 641043
TAMIL NADU.
INDIA

PHONE : +91- 422 – 2440688

In 1939, Sri. H.H.B.V. Narasimha Swamji along with Sri A.V. K. Chari, Sri.H.Varadaraja Ayyah and Sri. C.V. Rajan started the Sai movement in Coimbatore and the first institution of Sri Sai Baba in Tamilnadu (erstwhile Madras province) was established in Coimbatore. The Institution was named as "Sri Sai Baba Mission" and was open for darshan of the Devotees.

The late Sri.C.Varadaraja Ayyah donated about one acre of land at Mettupalayam Road and a Thatched Shed was erected at the donated land to house the Sri Sai Baba Mission which was later named as "Sri Sai Baba Ma dam" and the place was opened for worship for all, at all times irrespective of class, creed, caste or religion. The "Sai Baba Madam" became the meeting ground of Sai Devotees in and around the Coimbatore City. Sai Bhajans were held here regularly on Thursdays.

ADVENT OF "NAGA SAI"

On the evening of Thursday 07th of January`1943, a Miracle happened! A small shining and lustrous Cobra possessing an unusually big hood with divine marks of Tripundra, Shanka and Chakra appeared before Sai Baba’s picture when the Bhajan was going on in full swing to the accompaniment of drum, cymbals etc. The Naga, entranced in the music of Baba's bhajans, stood there in a pose of Worship! Waving of lights, aratis etc had no effect on the nerves of the Cobra.

Devotees who had swelled into a crowd, stood there in awe and wonder at the wondrous sight of the Naga with spread head. There was no fear of the snake and people in thousands began to pour into the spacious land of the Bhajan Madam to witness the Naga that lingered in the same spot for full 48 hours. Baba's devotees began to shower baskets of flowers in reverence for the Naga.

The Cobra was virtually submerged in a mould of flowers but even then, he was immobile. Aartis were performed for the Naga. On the second day of the Naga’s advent, a photographer came to take a picture of the Naga in its majesty but the Cobra was immersed under heaps of flowers. No one had the courage to clear the flowers from over the Cobra. The only way for them was to pray and Ho! the Naga jumped out of the flowers heap and posed for the photograph, as if in answer to the prayers of the multitude. One and all were sure for the first time that it was all the work of Sai Baba.

The devotees then prayed with fervour and faith to the Naga to clear out and enable them to resort to their routine Baba's worship. The immobile Naga then showed signs of movements, went around Sri Sai Baba’s picture and slowly marched out into the open, only to disappear into the bush where later an ant-hill (snake’s natural habitat) appeared. The place where the Naga disappeared is held as a ‘Holy Ground’ by devotees and from that day onwards Shirdi Sai Baba in Coimbatore is worshipped as “Sri Naga Sai”.

The Parna-sala in which the picture of Baba was originally installed in 1942 is now a mandap with a concrete roofed prakaram. The Marble statue of Sri Sai Baba was installed by Sri Sathya Sai Baba on 26th February`1961. This was the first occasion on which Sathya Sai Baba was installing an idol of Shirdi Sai Baba for daily worship. The popularity of Sri Naga Sai began to spread far and wide and thousands began to visit the holy shrine.

The project work to Ornate Sai Baba's sanctorium with pure Silver commenced on 11.02.2008.

Sri Naga Sai Trust is the only Holy Shrine of Shirdi Sai Baba,
to have a Golden Chariot with a Golden Idol of Sai Baba in the World
and was dedicated to Baba on the 06th of June`2007.
The Golden Chariot is taken out on a Parikrama around, once in a week on Thursdays at 07.00pm.

GOLDEN CHARIOT / GOLDEN IDOL OF SAI BABA

GOLDEN CHARIOT PROCESSION

Photo Courtesy:
Rohit Behal, Mumbai