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| In Conversation With The NESSP Bhandara Team |
Ranjani Saigal
04/22/2015
"Different sadhanas (means of accomplishments) are prescribed in our scriptures for different Ages. Tapa (penance) is recommended for Krita Age, Jnana (knowledge) for Treta Age, Yajna (sacrifice) for Dwapara Age and Dana (charity) for Kali (present) Age. Of all the kinds of charities, giving food is the best one.
The Taittiriya Upanishad says that "Food is Brahma, from food all the creatures are born and having been born by food they live and having departed into food they again enter." Other kinds of charities viz. giving away wealth, property, clothes etc. require some discrimination; but in the matter of food, no such consideration is necessary. Let anybody come to our door at noon, he should be served forthwithâ€
In the early days Baba with selfless and unconditional love towards his devotees, would buy all the grains, spices and vegetables and cook food himself in big pots (Handi) and feed everyone. Later, devotees started thronging to Shirdi in large numbers and cooked food in the form of naivedya started coming in large quantities, so there was no need for cooking the food by Baba. However, He never stopped distributing this naivedya food to all and sundry.
In the initial days of the temple inception, volunteers would prepare food at home and bring it to the temple and serve it to the devotees, and later as the devotee base increased, a kitchen was rented to prepare the food in the temple premises itself. Now Bhandara team of the parivaar prepares mahaprasad for at least 300 devotees on every Thursday and on festival and special event days this number doubles or trebles. There is never any lack of food just like the akshayapatra an inexhaustible vessel which holds a never failing supply of the food and no devotee goes home with empty stomach.
The food is prepared with pure love and devotion towards baba. Apart from “Sai Bhandra†in the Temple , NESSP also helps community with some of the additional charity programs like
• Serving LTLC (Lowell Transitional Living Center) every 3rd Thursday of the Month
• Seasonal FOOD and COLTH drives for needy in the community
• Back Pack drive for needy school students
What does the word Bhandara mean?
Bhandara originates from Sanskrit. Bhandagara is a join of two words, "Bhanda" (vessel) and "Agara" (store house). It is akin to community kitchens, or the “Sikh religion - Langarâ€, where food is available in abundance and served to all without distinction of background and for free
In America most of the devotees can afford meals. So why is Bhandara important?
Money can buy books, not wisdom.
Money can buy medicines, not health.
Money can buy Khatta and Meetha, not Shraddha and Saburi.
In Shirdi, Sai Baba used to prepare food and sharing it with all people who were coming for his darshan., So the same tradition followed and prasad distributed to everyone who is coming for Baba's darshan.
No one should return home with empty stomach from Sai’s Darbar is the main motto
When the new temple is built, how will the Bhandara transform?
The tripartite motto of the Olympic Games is Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for "Faster, Higher, Stronger".
Likewise, shall we say, bigger, sweeter, tastier (though the current Bhandara already has all these qualities).
Are the Bhandara cooks men or women?
Mom cooks at home. Bheem cooked in Mahabharata. NESSP Bhandara is for all, and by all.
How did the team train to cook for a large number of devotees?
Each member of our Bhandara team trained at the best facility on earth under the guidance of an expert chef (Apne Maa ki Rasoi mein).
In addition, since the kitchen and dining activities fall under the purview similar to a food service establishment, the Bhandara volunteers are certified in "ServSafe" regulations and also renew their certifications regularly. The Bhandara team currently has 4 “ServSafe†Certified volunteers, two of whom are also trained and certified in safety procedures like CPR etc.
What motivates volunteers to join the Bhandara team?
Unlike donations of Gold, money, or land, Anna Daanam, is the only offering where the recipient reaches a point to say, “Enough, I am fullâ€.
Devotees visit temple for Baba’s darshan driving 100s of miles and become part of the Sai Parivaar. They don’t need to worry thinking about “food†in the temple. The pleasure of helping people until they are fully content is the biggest motivator to join the Bhandara team.
Why does the Bhandara taste so good?
The Bhandara team uses two ingredients which aren’t available anywhere else - love and attention to detail. We borrow these ingredients from our beloved Baba’s principles – Shraddha and Saburi, i.e. faith and patience.
Can volunteers join the Bhandara team?
Anyone who believes in these principles is welcome to serve.
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