|
|
- Opening Date: 4th Jul 2002 Baba Idol Installed by Sree Raghu Kumar Sarma Sankaramanchi (Mandir Priest)
- This Sai Mandir project has been blessed by all divine personalities in India including Bhagawan Sri Satya Saibaba, Sri Viswayogi Viswamji Maharaj, Swami Dayananda Saraswathi and other spiritual exponents.
- The magnificent life size Baba marble Idol is an exact replica of the Saibaba Idol in Shirdi, which is carved by the same family, world-renowned Pembarthi artisans from India.
- It measures 6 ft. high, sculptured over a base rock 4 ft. wide.
- The Idol is weighs about 3 tons, with all the silver ornaments i.e. throne, crown, umbrella, Makaratoranam, swastiks and lions installed.
- An adjacent property (1895 Grand Ave) has also been acquired and the Dwarkamai community and cultural center was established here.
- The Dwarkamai in the Baldwin mandir has the sacred fire, the Dhuni, with sacred ash, Udi, to be distributed to devotees as token of Sri Saibaba's blessings.
- It will also have a life size portrait of Baba and his portrait will assume an almost three-dimensional reality of his dynamic presence.
- In one corner of Dwarkamai the grinding stone used by Sri Saibaba is kept covered with an iron grill.
- The other original items brought from Shirdi include the bricks and Padukas.
- A Baba gift shop displaying books on Hindu religion, Satcharitra books, a solemn pledge from true tales of Shirdi Saibaba, video and audiocassettes, calendars and mementoes are located near the entrance hall.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Activities and Services |
|
|
|
| Daily Programme |
|
| Mandir Timings |
From |
To |
| Monday |
9:00am |
2:00pm |
| Tuesday |
9:00am |
2:00pm |
| Wednesday |
9:00am |
2:00pm |
| Thursday |
9:00am |
9:00pm |
| Friday |
9:00am |
2:00pm |
| Saturday |
9:00am |
9:00pm |
| Sunday |
9:00am |
9:00pm |
| Arati |
Daily |
| Kakad Arati |
8:30am |
| Noon Arati |
12:00 Noon |
| Dhoop Arati |
6:00pm |
| Sej Arati |
8:00pm |
|
|
|
| Weekly Activities |
|
| - Special Panchamrutha Abhisekham every Thursday 9:00am to 11:00am. |
| - Bhajan every Thursday 7:00pm to 8:00pm. |
|
|
|
| Social Activities |
|
| - An Adjacent building was also inaugurated on 4th Jul 2002 for the Mandir's community and cultural activities. Yoga, meditation, music and Bharata Natyam classes are regularly conducted at the center, on Saturday and Sunday. About 150 children regularly attend the Mandir's free Balavikas classes on Sundays. |
| - Fruits are distributed to patients in a nursing home every 1st Thursday of the month. Spiritual education is given to adults, every last Tuesday of the month between 7:00pm to 8:00pm. |
|
|
|
| Special events |
|
| - Palanquin procession- Yearly 3 times (Gurupoornima day, New Year day, and Baba punyathithi day) |
| - Sankranti Celebrations, Maha Sivaratri Celebrations, Holi, Ugadi Celebrations, Sri Ramanavami Celebrations, Special Baba's Function, Hanuman Jayanthi, Anniversary Celebration,Gurupoornima, Samoohika - Shirdi Sai Vratam, Samoohika Varalakshmi Vratam, Sri Krishnaashtami, Vinayaka Cheturthi Celebrations, Baba's Birthday Celebration, Baba's Punyathithi Celebrations & Navaratri Celebrations, Vijayadasami, Baba's Punyathithi Celebrations, Deepavali Celebrations, Kartikapoornima - Samoohika Satyanarayana Vratam, Satya Saibaba's Birthday Celebration, Thanks Giving Celebrations, Mukkoti Ekadasi, Datta Jayanthi, Christmas Celebrations, New Years Eve Celebrations, New Year Celebrations. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Mandir in History |
|
|
|
Dr. Nori Dattatreyudu tells of his experiences about this temple in his own words:
I was searching for a place for a Sai Mandir but could not find a suitable location due to conflicts in parking and zoning regulations. In 2001, on a Thursday, I gave an ultimatum to Baba that I cannot continue the search any more.
|
|
|
On that day, while I was talking to one of my patients in the hospital, I enquired what she did for a living. The patient mentioned that she and her husband were in the real estate business. I asked her if she could find a place for the mandir. She made a call and in half an hour asked if she should take an appointment to look at a church property, which had been vacant due to bankruptcy for the past 6 months. I told her, 'I do not want an appointment. I would like to see it immediately'.
|
|
|
I cancelled all my appointments and went to see this place in Baldwin. I asked about the space for parking and was happy to see plenty of space for about 300 cars. I immediately bought the place and started the work of the Sai Mandir.
|
|
|
The architect, who is also a devotee, started the design and layout of stones and was surprised at the symmetry of the place and mentioned that in his 40 years of experience, he never saw a place where there was such a perfect symmetry.
|
|
|
From the road, one need not climb any steps to access and have Baba's darshan. Everything is at one level. This is very convenient for the handicapped people.
|
|
|
Once there was a problem with the county regarding a fire related incident. I could recollect by Baba's grace, about one of my patients who was an attorney (treated 10 years ago) who is the Commissioner in the county. This ex-patient took care of this issue.
|
|
|
I needed two extraordinarily big identical carpets for the mandir, but could not find them. I went to a go down of a big company having been directed by Baba. I enquired about the carpets but the sales person said that they did not have carpets of that similarity and size. But I insisted and persuaded him to check again. When they searched in the go down, they found the needed carpets.
|
|
|
We wanted to install Saileela paintings on the walls of the mandir before Navarathri utsav. The person who was to fix the frames in the mandir had to leave and there was only 1 hr to finish the whole work. The carpenter called me and asked me to give the details of the locations of the each frame to be fixed. This mandir has a camera installed, through which one can see the Sai Mandir Idol from anywhere in the world via internet. I requested the people to focus the camera onto the walls and I directed them from my office to fix the paintings at appropriate places. The whole work was completed on time. It was a perfect fit. I feel that it was Baba who came in me and told the workmen the locations for Baba's paintings.
|
|
|
Many Swamijis have visited this temple. Everyone confirmed that Baba is sitting here at the temple.
|
|
|
Once I asked a question to a Mathaji if it was ok to allow people to touch the Baba Idol. The Mathaji who was till then addressing me as doctor garu, babu, nanna, suddenly changed the voice and said " Neekendukura anumanam na bhaktulu na deggaraku vaste malinam enduku avutaru" (Why do you worry about that? Nothing will happen to my devotees)
|
|
|
I was told that I would get Baba's darshan on the day of Datta Jayanthi (Dhuni installation day). At 11-03pm on that day, I saw Baba dressed in white clothes come through a door, walk through the kitchen then walk towards the Dhuni. He blessed the Dhuni and sat in the Idol. This has been confirmed by swamijis.
|
|
The palanquin and long extension logs to carry palanquin were brought from India (the measurements were not taken before). I had a doubt whether they would fit in the area to move around Baba. But I was surprised after fixing, to note the length was perfect to the accuracy of one inch to move around.
|
|
You may notice 12 bricks next to the Dhuni in this mandir, which have been brought from the Shirdi Dwarakamai, over which Baba sat when he was alive.
|
|
This Idol was initially in New Jersey and I was asked to take the charge of the Idol. I tried in New Jersey. The trials in New Jersey did not workout, but finally worked out in Baldwin, New York.
|
|
During my college days in Kurnool, I used to visit the Saibaba temple on the banks of the river Thungabhadra, and I felt the pull from Baba in se days.
|
|
<< Basic Details
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Directions |
|
|
|
By car
From NYC:
Take Exit 30 South on L.I.E. (Long Island Expressway) to Cross Island Parkway.
Take 25A to Southern State Parkway.
On Southern State Parkway, take exit 20 South (Grand Avenue).
Travel about 1.2 miles on Grand Avenue. Mandir is on left.
From New Jersey:
Take the Verrazano Bridge to Belt Parkway East. Stay in the left lane. Belt Parkway becomes Southern State Parkway East.
On Southern State Parkway, take exit 20 South (Grand Avenue).
Travel about 1.2 miles on Grand Avenue. Mandir is on left.
|
|
By train
From Penn Station, NYC (34th Street and 7th Ave) take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to Baldwin station.
Walk North on Grand Avenue 4 to 5 blocks.
The Mandir is on the right side.
|
|
<< Basic Details
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Location |
|
1889, Grand Avenue
Baldwin, NY 11510
USA. |
|
|
|
| Contact |
|
Phone: (516)-223-9888
(516)-867-8008
and toll free (866)-724-6284 from outside New York |
|
 info@saimandirusa.org |
|
|
|
|
|
