The Copious Stream of Pure Love
The heartwarming story of the historic Sri Sathya Sai Drinking Water Project and the Sri Sathya Sai Village Integrated Programme in the East and West Godavari districts, Andhra Pradesh, India.
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Bhagavan Unravels His Vision of Holistic Village Improvement
Once the East and West Godavari drinking water projects were completed successfully by November 2006 offering clean drinking water to over 600,000 villagers in more than 200 villages in Andhra Pradesh, Baba was pleased but not completely satisfied. Drinking water, He knew, was their first problem, but not the only problem. And so again, quite unexpectedly, on the occasion of Ugadi in 2007, Swami declared,
“On this sacred day of Ugadi, we are launching a new scheme for village upliftment. Every house in every village should be made clean, both from inside and outside. The children should be groomed to become clean and healthy individuals.
I want that this service should be performed in each village. This of course will involve an expenditure of crores of rupees. But we do not bother about money. Money comes and goes, but the help rendered remains forever.
Therefore, efforts should be made to develop the villages in all possible ways…the elders and the children, the rich and the poor should work in unity to make this project successful. This service should unite one and all.
This scheme would become a reality very soon. All should join this service including the students, considering this as service to God. Today we limit ourselves to the individual level. But we should develop the spirit of unity and make the entire country united.”
This was the clarion call of Bhagavan Baba on March 20, 2007 and as a result was born the Sri Sathya Sai Village Integrated Programme, generally referred to as SSSVIP project. The goal was very clear: to ensure holistic development of every family in the village, and thereby of the entire village, town, district and the State. The primary focus was to be the spiritual transformation along with economic development of every family in the village.
The Sri Sathya Sai Village Integrated Programme is Born
Mr. Koteswara Rao, an active Sai Worker, has been deeply involved in the implementation of this programme in the East Godavari district and knows this project through and through.
“It was during Ugadi 2007 that Swami gave this wonderful message to the Organization. Grama Seva (village service) has been redefined by Bhagavan, in that it should be holistic and total, not the way it has been done hitherto.
"So this has set the organization to take up holistic Grama Seva as the concept, and it is the brain child of Mr. V. Srinivasan, the All India President of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization.
"This is the genesis of SSSVIP, the Sri Sathya Sai Village Integrated Program. As a flagship project, out of the 212 villages present in East Godavari district, we have chosen 25 villages to start with.
“There was clear guidance from Bhagavan, and the All India President was personally involved in this project. As a result, our Seva dal volunteers went into the deeper forest areas to each and every village.
"We prepared a Village Development Index, and with this in hand we touched almost every hamlet and settlement. Then looking at this index, we prioritized the villages which need our attention first. That is how we identified about 142 villages, out of the 212, which require immediate service. Since we cannot simultaneously serve 142 villages because of limitations in manpower and other resources, we decided to take 25 villages as our chief areas of operation to begin with.
“These 25 villages, mind you, are from the remotest part of this area where the condition of people is extremely poor. There are no roads to reach these regions and one has to go only by walking. Not a single doctor has ever visited these people and there are buildings meant for schools which have always remained idle. Actually we were shocked to see families who did not have clothes even to cover themselves adequately. They burnt down forests and grew paddy and ate whatever they could produce. Often they went hungry for days.
Actually we were shocked to see families who did not have clothes even to cover themselves adequately. They burnt down forests and grew paddy and ate whatever they could produce. Often they went hungry for days.
“When we did the primary survey, we evaluated each village based on several aspects, including hygiene, sanitation, health, education, food availability and living conditions. This helped us to do a proper classification of their needs and soon we identified eight primary areas of service. This gave us a proper framework for holistic Grama Seva as enunciated by Bhagavan on the day of Ugadi in 2007.”
The Eight-Faceted Approach of the SSSVIP
The eight primary areas of service as mentioned by Mr. Koteswara Rao starts with Individual Care, which aims to eradicate individual malnutrition and raise standards of personal hygiene and moves on to Educational Care, Employment Care, Medical Care, Spiritual and Cultural Care, Agricultural Care, Socio Care, and finally, Infrastructure Care. And the impact this eight-pronged strategy has had on the life and living condition of these rural folk is truly laudable.
“The Sathya Sai Baba sevadals have helped us so much. Earlier, busy in our daily work, we neither knew nor cared to be hygienic. We did not give our kids a shower everyday. Once the Sathya Sai sevadals came, they gave soap and clothes for our kids and cleaned their nails. They taught them how to maintain cleanliness and also began to educate them. They have indeed served us in so many ways…
“Previously, when we got sick in this village, no one ever came to rescue us. Now, the Sathya Sai sevadals bring doctors every week for general check ups and take care of illnesses like diarrhea and fever. Because of their medicines, the general health condition in the village has improved a lot. Also the pure water, that we receive now, keeps us healthy. We are so thankful to the sevadals.”
“Previously, when we got sick in this village, no one ever came to rescue us. Now, the Sathya Sai sevadals bring doctors every week for general check ups and take care of illnesses like diarrhea and fever. Because of their medicines, the general health condition in the village has improved a lot. Also the pure water, that we receive now, keeps us healthy. We are so thankful to the sevadals.”
This was Mrs. Venkatagiri, a village lady from Kundhada, one of the 25 villages adopted by the Sai Organisation for the SSSVIP project upon completion of the Sri Sathya Sai Drinking Water Project.
The Impressive Educare Movement
At about an hour’s drive on undulating mud roads is another adopted village Musuru. Here Pushpalata, another village lady, was as happy and grateful as Ms. Venkatagiri
“Earlier, my kids would never listen to me. But after the Sai sevadals came, they have changed a lot in their attitude and behavior. They are more disciplined now; they listen to the advice of elders, take showers everyday and go to school regularly.”
In fact, one of the kids, maybe about 6-7 years in age, himself shared the story of his transformation.
“My name is Radhakrishna Reddy. The sevadals came here and gave us clothes, bathed us, cleaned our nails, combed our hair and took care of us. They told us to listen to our parents and not to touch alcoholic substance. I am following all these instructions and I am very happy.”
A Sai volunteer who has been working hard to groom these children was enthusiastic about the village children and related her experience.
“When I first came to this village, I saw the kids living in a very unhygienic environment. Often foul odour would emanate from their bodies. So we bathed them and advised them to be clean and study well. They wished to do jobs once they grew up. So we told them they can achieve their aim only if they stop taking alcohol. And when I asked who is going to stop drinking from today, a little girl raised her hand first. Her name is Amrutha.”
Today Amrutha is a favourite of the village and she is as devoted as she is disciplined. She chants devotional hymns sincerely and is very respectful to elders.
In fact, the excitement in these villages heightens whenever sevadals come to spend time with them. Ms. Venkata Lakshmi, a young lady from the village G M Valasa agrees.
“The children wait enthusiastically for the arrival of the sevadals every Sunday. They take a bath, wear fresh clothes and gather together shouting ‘Sai Ram! Sairam!’, and also sing value-oriented songs…. I don’t have to tell my son to attend Bal Vikas. As soon as he hears the jeep, he himself goes running shouting ‘Sairam!’ Sairam!” All the children happily play and sing together during Bal Vikas sessions. There is so much transformation in them… After Swami entered our lives, we are so happy.”
All the children happily play and sing together during Bal Vikas sessions. There is so much transformation in them…
This is the profound and powerful impact of the SSSVIP. And this has not happened in just one or two weeks. It is the fruit of persistent and tireless efforts of hundreds of sevadals for months together, and Gunaranjan is one of them. He has been teaching the little children of Sunnampadu, an adopted village, for several weeks continuously.
“I come every weekend to conduct Bal Vikas after a 5 hour bus journey from my town, Amalapuram. Initially, when I saw these village children, I had my own doubts if they would understand and absorb anything I taught. But I feel Swami has reached this village much before us! That is because these children are learning faster than I had expected; this is purely due to His grace. The excellent response that I receive from these children makes me forget the pain of traveling 5 hours each way to commute to this place….
"In the beginning, even the parents of these children were skeptical of our efforts but once they saw the sea-change in the behaviour of their children, they extended complete cooperation…. The most encouraging result is that the local youth of this village are coming forward to learn, and shoulder responsibility to maintain these programs. We have arranged special training classes for them and within a short time, I can move on to another village leaving these children in the hands of these new and enthusiastic teachers.”
So that is how a silent revolution in Educational Care is enveloping all these SSSVIP villages in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. It is the same with Employment Care.
Improving Lives through Easy Employment
Mrs. N. Lakshmi, a Sai worker, who has dedicated herself to serving these poor rural folk, shares her story of how she could improve the livelihood of a few families.
"We were able to educate the children about cleanliness, but were wondering how we could help better the economic condition of these poor families. So I asked them how they got their clothes stitched. They said that they went to a fair in Maredumilli, a nearby village, and paid a high price to make their clothes. Immediately, I offered to teach them tailoring in my own town. Initially, they were hesitant. I requested them to come to my home at least once, and try learning this profession; if they still didn’t like it, it was fine too. Finally two women from Musuru agreed, and stayed with me in my home.
"And this was followed by four women coming to my home the next month. Apart from teaching them tailoring, I also imparted to them valuable lessons about our culture and spirituality. We purchased for them sewing machines and now, all of them, by Swami’s grace, are financially independent. Not only that, they are now teaching this trade to other women in the village.”
Ms. Suryakumari, a young lady is one of those whose life has been remade after she took up tailoring. This is her experience.
“Now, with this machine, given by Sai Baba, we do not have to go anywhere to stitch our clothes. Not only are we able to make our own clothes freely, we are also earning money stitching for others. This has certainly improved the financial condition of our family.
"And now I am teaching this art to 4-5 people in our village. In fact, the Sai sevadals have done a lot for our village. They have also installed for all of us a rice mill.
"Earlier, we used to rent a van and carry our paddy to another town to de-husk the paddy and make rice. But now we do it by ourselves. Baba has done so much for us. We are very grateful to Him.”
Creating New Infrastructure to Foster Culture, Arts and Unity
Not only are these village folk grateful, they extend every kind of cooperation to the Sai volunteers to accomplish their goal of overall village improvement. In fact, in the village G M Vasla, a village elder Mr. Sathyanarayana Reddy himself came forward and donated his land to construct a community hall for the villagers. What inspired him to make such a contribution?
I worked as the head of the village (the Sarpanch) for 15 years. When I came to know that Sai Baba is giving us drinking water, I wondered if it was really possible to get water into our hamlet as we are on a hill top and in a very interior location. But like a Divine Mother, Baba gave us water...
“I worked as the head of the village (the Sarpanch) for 15 years. When I came to know that Sai Baba is giving us drinking water, I wondered if it was really possible to get water into our hamlet as we are on a hill top and in a very interior location. But like a Divine Mother, Baba gave us water... And now when there was a meeting in our village for the construction of a marriage hall, I thought to myself, ‘Why shouldn’t I donate land for this building?’ I always tell the villagers: ‘Take the name of Sai Baba and tell your problems to the Sai sevadals, everything will be taken care of’.”
The Sai workers are building such community halls in every village, or for a cluster of villages depending on the size of the population, so that it could be used as a multi-purpose hall. They are called Sri Sathya Sai Integrated Service Centres and utilized as a place to conduct Bal Vikas classes for children, organize medical camps, conduct marriages, celebrate festivals and for similar ceremonies. In fact, as part of Spiritual and Cultural Care, the Sai Volunteers have encouraged many folk-art forms like harikathas, burrakathas, and so on.
Most of the villagers of this region are devoted to Lord Rama, and legend has it that eons ago Lord Rama had trodden on this part of East Godavari District before He went to Sri Lanka to annihilate the demon king Ravana. So the Sai Volunteers promote and preserve the sacred culture of this area by showing them audio and video programs on Lord Rama, and also by inspiring the village artists to perform dramas and skits, and enliven the village atmosphere spiritually.
Innovative Agriculture and Intelligent Marketing
There has been tremendous progress in Agriculture Care too. The tribals in these 25 selected hamlets are now being weaned away from destroying forests to do podu cultivation, where they simply felled trees every now and then to create new land for cultivation. Now, they have learnt how to harness the local water resource available and grow new and different varieties of crops. And the Sai volunteers are working to ensure they get a good price for their hard work. Mr. Koteswar Rao shares a few ideas the Sai workers have come up with to help these innocent farmers.
“Custard apple grows wildly here but the tribals receive only 50 paisa per fruit. The middlemen between these farmers and retailers make all the money. So we are ensuring that these farmers get better value. Also, there are many forest products which have medicinal value. We have now contacted big pharma manufacturing companies like Baidyanath and Dabur so that these poor tribals could strike good deals with them and benefit financially.
"Similarly, Orchids, which grow in plenty here, are sold at Rs. 50 or Rs. 60 per bunch in big cities. We are now organizing proper cultivation and sale of these products. In fact, we have also created three agricultural farms where intercropping and non-seasonal cropping can be done effectively.”
Starting from Individual Care and Education Care to Agriculture Care and Infrastructure care, the development in these 25 villages has been nothing short of holistic and dramatic. In fact, now there are permanent roads with black top in 70 of the total of 212 villages where the Sri Sathya Sai Drinking Water Project has metamorphosed rural lives magnificently. One feels compelled to think “How wonderful it would be if the SSSVIP takes off not only in all other regions of the state of Andhra Pradesh but also in every state of India?”
This thought probably is what prompted the All India President of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Mr. V. Srinivasan to conduct a guided tour of all these villages to Sai youth representatives from every state of India on February 28, 2009. And so, about 40 youth from different parts of India - from Manipur to Mahastra and Gujrat, and from Kashmir to Kerala gathered in the city of Rajahmundry (in the East Godavari district) on the penultimate day of the month of February 2009.
The National Youth Meet – A Festival of Love
Before the actual commencement of this one-of-its-kind tour, Mr. V. Srinivasan addressed them.
“The reason you are brought here is the following. Bhagavan has repeatedly said that it is the youth of India who have to bring about the transformation of this country back to its days of pristine glory. India is the leader of the world, Bhagavan says. It is the spiritual center of the world. It is the center of wealth of the world.
"It is the center where human values exist. All these, in the last centuries or so, have suffered and Bhagavan’s mission is to restore to India and to its people the glory which was Bharat. Bharat is Sanskrithi (the culture), which provided the light and leadership to the world; and that has to be restored. So it is you, the youth, and our children, the Bala Vikas children, who are to be the main change-agents...
“Today we are going to the villages in the East Godavari district, which are really in deep forest and tomorrow you will see the West Godavari district. I had been there last evening. There is one project there where our brothers have constructed houses just for 9 people. So the number is not important, what is significant is the spirit and love with which it was done. They did this after seeing a newspaper headline in 2005 about the cry of hunger from a remote hilltop; it said “Konda paininchi akali” (hunger in the mountain top), and they immediately responded. When you go there tomorrow, you will see how difficult it is. They have constructed roads.
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“When I went to Darjeeling, I saw that our brothers there too had constructed a ghat road. When I saw this, I realized how challenging it must have been for them to lay that pathway. In the same manner, in West Godavari, you will see that all the equipment had to be carried to the remote hilltop, because those nine families were not willing to come down from their location. Some of you might think why have they taken so much trouble for just 9 people?
"But I think it is a response of love to love. The happiness in the lives of those 9 families is itself the greatest reward. So make best use of these 2 days…This is a festival of love; let us look upon this visit as a festival of love where Bhagavan’s eternal love radiates from each one of us into these villagers and we learn from them.”
The Sai Youth traversed the same undulating roads and muddy paths that the Sai Volunteers in the East Godavari district have traveled a thousand times in the last 13 months or so, and saw for themselves the magic that had come about in all these rural areas. They were overwhelmed witnessing the sincere love of the villagers towards them and most importantly towards Bhagavan Baba.
Robin Yumnam, the State Youth Coordinator from Manipur, was impressed and inspired.
“I saw the places, deep in the forest where the SSS Village Integrated Program has been undertaken. What has impressed me most is the love of these people to Swami. Actually within one year, these people have transformed themselves from leading a carefree life to being productive units in the family. That is Swami’s message. Here, instead of waiting for them to come out to us, we are taking Swami’s love and message to them. This is very important.
What has impressed me most is the love of these people to Swami. Actually within one year, these people have transformed themselves from leading a carefree life to being productive units in the family. That is Swami’s message. Here, instead of waiting for them to come out to us, we are taking Swami’s love and message to them. This is very important.
"What I would like to take back to my state is the implementation of these eight directives of SSSVIP program; this is enough to transform people. Actually, first I thought in Andhra Pradesh I will probably see how the Organization has pumped in a lot of money. But what I have seen is entirely different – it is really love that is been given to these villagers. So back home, I am going to tell the members of our organization that it is love which is very important, not financial resources.”
Another youth leader, Nirmal Patel, from Gujarat too was overpowered by this palpable presence of love.
“First and foremost, what has touched me is the love, care and concern of the Sevadals. The very moment I stepped out of the train, there were people waiting with flowers in their hands. And they literally hugged me. I was so happy; I felt it was Swami who is looking after me. For the next one and half days, they have cared for me like their own child.
“I feel this is the love of Swami, and the same love is reflected in all the villagers of the East Godavari district. It is absolutely great the way many projects have been taken up and completed extraordinarily in record time.
"Even though in some villages, out of the 8 aspects, four have been fully implemented, everywhere I saw even small children chanting Vedas and taking about human values in life.
"These kids are waving hands and joyfully crying out “Sairam! Sairam!” Their love and gratitude is the greatest thing I have seen.”
Godavari Projects – A Glorious Saga of Sai’s Pure Love
The All India President in his introductory speech mentioned to all the youth that let their visit be a festival of love, and that is exactly what it turned out to be. If there was one message loud and clear for all the youth and everyone, it was this: Nothing is impossible with the Power of Pure Love. A stone can be transformed into cotton and a desert altered into an oasis if we believe in the potent power inherent in Love and dare to practice it steadfastly.
This is exactly what one has to learn from the life of Bhagavan Baba when He says “My Life is My Message.” His Life is indeed a saga of Pure Love, and the Sri Sathya Sai Drinking Water Project or the Sri Sathya Sai Village Integrated Programme is just another tiny manifestation of the glorious possibilities that herald the practice of Pure Love. Now, it is for the world not only to observe, assimilate and appreciate, but also to act, implement, and re-create.
Let’s harness this infinite and immense power of pure love inherent in every heart for the harmony of this entire humanity, just in the manner exemplified in the life of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. In the beginning of this programme, we said, water is life. This is true, no doubt, but more significantly, Love is Life! The flow and power of a copious stream of Pure Love is simply spellbinding!
- Bishu Prusty
Heart2Heart Team
