The New England Shirdi Sai Parivaar (NESSP), a non-profit religious and spiritual 501(c3) organization, recently commemorated the Shirdi Sai Palkhi festival which is an annual event that the organization practiced since its inception in 2006. This year’s initiation was on May 26th, which included a grand ceremony in the temple’s main hall, located at 290 Littleton Road, in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.  The Palkhi concluded on June 18th.

Sai Palkhi event started like a weekend event in 2006 and this year Sai Palkhi procession continued for 4 weekends including Friday evenings covering more than 120 homes in MA, NH, RI and ME states travelling more than 1200 miles. The infinite energy of divine makes such things happen when devotees - Singing nonstop Bhajans for 10 days, 120 homes, 1200 miles across NE states are a state of pure connection. The 6 month to 66 years old devotees are part of the nonstop procession starting at 7.00 AM to 10. 00 PM and no one is tired after that.

More than 250 devotees attended the initiation ceremony and participated in palkhi procession around the temple building with devotees carrying the Palkhi on their shoulders singing about the glory of the lord and chanting hymns with spiritual merriment and bliss. For this event, many dedicated and creative volunteers of the temple decorated the Shri Sai Palkhi with flowers, garlands, a silver-framed picture of Shri Shirdi Sai , the Charan Paduka holy book, and other articles. The four-week event primarily consists of the Palkhi and devotees traveling from house to house. The followers sing hymns as the family receives Shirdi Sai’s blessing in their home. This family event starts early in the morning and ends with a late night dinner.
 
The NESSP Sai Temple is the oldest Sai temple in the New England area and its Palkhi procession has been one of its most significant events. Throughout the year, devotees go to the temple to visit Sai Baba and seek his blessings. Annually, the Sai Temple provides the opportunity for devotees to invite our Sai Baba from our temple to visit their homes and get blessings from Baba’s Charan Paduka.NESSP adopted a unique way of decorating Sai Palkhi. Prior to each Palkhi weekend, about 20 volunteers come together to decorate the Palkhi with flowers and garlands with a “Theme of the week”. One week, Baba’s Palkhi was decorated with a Lord Satyanarayana theme, and on other weeks there were different themes such as Lord Balaji and Lord Shiva.  
 
NESSP was founded in 2006 by a group of 25 families devoted to Shri Sai Baba (a spiritual saint from Shirdi in Western India) with the idea to spread his universal message of Shraddha (Faith) and Saburi (Patience) in New England area. NESSP is a grass roots volunteer driven organization. Shri Sai temple is operated completely by volunteer families who devote their time to keep the popular organization afloat, and to advance its prospects. It has experienced strong growth in the last six years of operation.  Now the temple is open all 7 days and performs all 4 Arthis. Devotees believe and say that this temple is “Shirdi of East”. Temple also offers priest services in a unique way inside and outside the temple with 2 priests full filling devotees needs. Outside religious goals and duties, NESSP is also very involved with charity and volunteering activities, which is a critical part of Baba’s ideology and teachings. Some of the organizations with whom NESSP is actively involved in include charitable and philanthropic organizations such as the Boston Children’s Hospital, the Lowell Homeless Shelter, the Red Cross, etc.

Our mission is to construct a Shirdi Sai Temple in the area (currently the temple is in a regular building) which we hope will be a major center for social and spiritual activities, promoting Sai Baba’s message of Shraddha  and Saburi.  Please visit NESSP at www.nessp.org or call 978-528-1985 for more information about its activities and mission.

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