Sri Sathya Sai Hostel – A Saga of Divine Love – By Dr. Shashank Shah

The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning is a unique institution established to mould the youth into exemplary citizens who would be change agents in the society and act as effective instruments in the grand Sai Mission of universal transformation. It is much more than just another educational institution where students and teachers gather together, rather coincidentally, for academic purposes. In Swami’s own words “Do not be under the impression that you and I have come together only now since you study in this College! You have come to Me for the sake of far higher triumphs, as a consequence of merit acquired in many previous lives. You and your teachers are destined to achieve tremendous tasks under My guidance, in the execution of the Mission on which I have come.” (31-1-1974, Brindavan)

The Sri Sathya Sai Hostel has played a pivotal role in the fruition of Swami’s Educational Mission. Swami, a true visionary, has played a major role in the formation and growth of this uniquely blessed institution. Over the last more than a quarter century, it has been an unending saga of love between the Revered Chancellor and His dearest students, the loving parent and His most beloved children. Here I make a humble attempt to enable the readers to take a dip in this nectarine ‘Prema Pravaham’…..

On the occasion of the inauguration of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Deemed University) at Prashanti Nilayam, Swami as the Divine Chancellor of the Institute mentioned these momentous words which would be etched in golden letters in the history of mankind for millennia to come – “Students! Teachers! Devotees gathered here! Administrators! This is the inaugural day of our Institute. It has been planted today. The students are its roots. The tree will grow with branches on all sides; countless flowers will bloom; it will provide and promote peace and security to the world. In order that it may realise this result, students must as the roots do, remain firm and provide sustenance. I know that the roots have to be watered so that flowers and fruits may emerge. Students are My all. If you ask Me, what is My property, many expect the answer to be, “Oh! All these buildings, all this vast area of land.” But, My answer is: “My entire property consists of My students.” I have offered Myself to them.” (22-11-1981, Poornachandra Auditorium)
The ensuing paras give us a glimpse into the truth of the declaration made by Swami and the immense love that He has for His students.

The story of the Sri Sathya Sai Hostel, Prashanti Nilayam, started with the establishment of the Sri Sathya Sai Arts, Science and Commerce College at Prashanti Nilayam in the year 1979. The college was then affiliated to the Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. This was the third College which Swami had established. The first was the Sri Sathya Sai Women’s College at Anantapur in 1968 and the second one was the Sri Sathya Sai College for men at Brindavan in 1969. The evolution of each of these institutions and Swami’s involvement in the same deserve specific mention but are beyond the scope of this article.

THE OLD HOSTEL

In the initial months of the commencement of the new college, the students, around 235 of them, used to stay in the hostel just opposite to the Prashanti Nilayam Mandir. This is now known as the ‘Old Hostel’ and the students of the Brindavan Campus stay in this hostel when they visit Prashanti Nilayam during festivals. The days spent at the old hostel were the most memorable and the most intimate moments that the boys shared with Swami. 

The students used to be in the Mandir for most period of their stay. The Mandir was their real hostel. Their day would typically begin with Suprabhatam in the Mandir and then they would return to the hostel to get ready for Darshan. Thereafter, they would go to the canteen for their food and then proceed to college. Again, in the afternoon, they would come for Darshan and then would sleep in the Mandir at night after partaking of their dinner at the canteen. The hostel complex was a very simple building with minimal facilities. But Swami amply compensated for it by giving the students wonderful opportunities of His Divine proximity. Swami would visit the hostel very often, especially on Sundays and interact with the boys. He would bless a different floor every week so that none of the boys would feel disappointed. He would sit on an ordinary can chair (even without a handle to keep His kerchief) and would talk to the boys for hours on end with His kerchief on His shoulders. The choice of topic was the students’ prerogative!

On other occasions, Swami would call the boys for work on Sundays and holidays to the Mandir on the first floor just outside His residence and would personally supervise the work for many hours. It was as if that was the main agenda for Him. When the boys visited the Mandir for Darshan and during the period between Darshan and Bhajan, Swami would be with the boys in the verandah, standing for a period of over two hours talking to them, joking with them and inspiring them on the grand Godly path ahead…. 

Swami would take special care of the sick boys. He used to send His personal doctor – Dr. Alreja to examine the sick boys. Many times, on the way back to the Mandir from the college, swami would personally take the sick boys in His car to the hostel. That was the extent of His concern for the students.

INAUGURATION

Within 18 months of the commencement of the college at Prashanti Nilayam Swami got a palatial hostel constructed for the college students just next to the Easwaramma High School. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Sri Sathya Sai Educational Institutions. The Hostel was inaugurated by Swami on November 19, 1980. Initially, the hostel was used to provide accommodation for the delegates who had come to participate in the 3rd World Conference of the Sri Sathya Seva Organisations and the 55th Birthday Celebrations of the Avatar. It was only on the most memorable and auspicious Christmas day of 1980 that Swami inaugurated the hostel for the boys in the presence of Sri Jha, Vice Chairman, UGC; and the boys shifted to their new home on this auspicious day. The day was marked with celebrations. Swami was entertained with songs and with some special items and He dined with His dearest children. The most memorable song sung on that day which still rings in the years of the hostel inmates who were fortunate to participate in that memorable function is ‘A home away from home’. Truly, it was and is ‘a home away from home’ where each lives for the other and all live for God.

Two days prior to the inauguration of the hostel, Swami had come to the hostel for the auspicious milk boiling ceremony. He had brought along with Him Sri Chenna Reddy, then Governor of Punjab. The ways of the Swami are most adorable. He boiled the milk on an ordinary kerosene stove and it took over an hour to boil and all the while, Swami spoke to the boys and introduced each of them to the guest. The boys were His most prized possessions….

THE HOSTEL VISITS IN THE FORMATIVE YEARS

In the formative years of the hostel Swami would visit the hostel to bless the boys on every possible occasion. He would come to the hostel on important festival days such as Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi and especially Christmas Day which was the hostel anniversary day. He would make it a point to come to the hostel in the very first month of the academic year and would guide and inspire the students on the path He had laid down for each and every one of them. He would also come just before the completion of the academic year to bless the boys who would be leaving the portals of the Institution and taking up responsibilities in the world outside. On all such occasions, He would exalt the glory and grandeur of the Bharatiya culture and also narrate the stories of the lives of exemplary devotees like Prahlada, Dhruva, Sakkubai, Thygaraja, Meerabai and the Pandavas and would prod each and every student to emulate their example and progress on the God ward path. He would guide them on the path of the Iha (here) and the Para (hereafter). For the boys, Swami was their friend, philosopher and guide.

Swami has visited and blessed practically every room of the hostel and even the bathrooms and toilets to ensure cleanliness and discipline. The boys would make special efforts in decorating their Self Reliance Departments (Dispensary, Library, Garden, General Stores, Sick ward, etc) and would invite Swami to bless them too on His visits to the hostel. Swami would also make surprise visits to the hostel and go around the rooms and see whether they were maintained as expected by Him. 

From 1980 till 1996, the school and college hostel was housed in the same complex and there were over 600 students from class 8 to post graduation and even the research students staying in the same complex. Swami would ensure that He would not disappoint any class during His visits. There have been occasions when Swami has climbed two floors and blessed the prayer hall of the 8th and 9th class boys and spent time with them.

There is no end to the saga of Divine Love between Swami and His students. He has spared no effort, left no occasion or event for all that He can do for them. He has cured them of a number of serious ailments and dreadful diseases. There was an occasion when a student was stamped by a cow during the Janmashtami procession and developed a fracture. Swami called the boy for an interview, materialised a special oil like ointment and personally applied it on his feet. When the boy pleaded to Swami not to do that as he was feeling very embarrassed as regards the fact that Swami was applying the ointment to his feet; Swami immediately replied – If you were at home, would not your mother have done the same. I am your mother! 

Swami would visit the hostel to see any sick boys who were not able to come to Mandir due to their ailments. On one such occasion, all the boys had come to the Mandir and Swami accompanied by Sri Radha Krishna visited the hostel to bless one such student. The boy could not believe his eyes that it was in reality swami who had come to bless him. 

There was yet another touching incident which happened in Brindavan of a student who stood first in the 12th class exam in the whole of South India. The press people had come to take his photograph. The boy was with Swami along with other students in the old bungalow. A message was sent to him as regards the same. When Swami came to know of this He personally combed the boy’s hair and then told him – now you are presentable for the photograph. We have only read of Krishna’s love for the Gopikas and the Pandavas, but on all these occasions we have got an opportunity to see it too.

IN CONCLUSION

Today, when over 10,000 alumni of Sri Sathya Sai Educational Institutions are paid rich tribute for their character, discipline, commitment, sincerity, honesty, modesty, humility and above all their zeal for excellence, we all realise the fact that the seeds sown by the Divine Chancellor are bearing sweet fruits.  

The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning is considered to be a Divine experiment in values based education and character building of university students. If it is so, the Sri Sathya Sai Hostel is the workshop where this experiment has been performed by Swami Himself, and the results of the same are here to be seen by all and are worthy of emulation for people of all times to come. 

The doer, the receiver and the deed are all the Revered Founder Chancellor – Sri Sathya Sai Baba. We all are only blessed to be the witnesses and partake the joy of the Divine Leela.

– Dr. Shashank Shah

Student, Doctoral and Post Doctoral Scholar (2002-2014)

Faculty of Management

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

Prasanthi Nilayam