Guruji (Baba Mama) - Sri Mohanakrishnan
is affectionately called Guruji and Baba Mama, was born on 25th December 1949. That he was born on Christmas day was a positive omen that he was destined to become an all-time devotee of Sri Sai Baba. Born into an orthodox Brahmin family, Guruji was raised by his maternal grandmother. The family has been a Sai devotee for many generations. When Guruji was five years old, he happened to go with his grandmother to Mylapore Shiridi Sai Baba temple. He was greeted by none other than the great saint Narasimha Swamiji who seated the young Guruji on the lap and initiated Guruji into Sai religion by whispering the Kaliyuga mantra "Sairam." Ever since Guruji became an ardent Sai devotee and started becoming mesmerized at hearing Baba's name.
Guruji has composed a number of songs on Baba centered around Baba's life and miracles. It has been his lifetime goal to widen Baba's fame and awareness. He was married at age 24 to a woman who not only shares Guruji's grandmother's name but also her devotion to Baba. The couple are blessed with two daughters who are also following in the footsteps of Baba. After having assumed Shri Narasimha Swamiji as his adopted Guru, Guruji has been tirelessly praying to Sai Baba for the welfare of his followers.
He considers his devotees as members of his extended family, and acts as a bridge between them and Sai Baba. Guruji, in return for his selfless service, is endowed with the rarest of rare ability of divining auspicious occurrences in one's life. Through the Book of Predictions (Arul Vakku Puthagam) or by affording words of comfort, Guruji has been guiding devotees in their goals, assuaging their sufferings, and helping them overcome distress, thereby reinforcing and consolidating devotees' belief in Sai Baba. In the year 2005, Guruji received the divine command to spread Sai Baba's message in earnest, prompting him to start the movement called Sri Sai Prachaar Pariwar. He strives for the welfare of his devotees by being a humble, fulltime attendant. After being blessed by Guruji, scores of people have become ardent Sai devotees themselves too. On the 1st day of the year 2010, he suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed right at Dr Banumathi Kalyanasundaram's clinic. He had stopped breathing for nearly three minutes, when the doctor herself after suspecting trouble with Guruji's condition, gave him treatment in the nick of time. Guruji regained consciousness after 10 minutes and survived the ordeal. This miracle parallels a miracle in Sai Baba's own life where He briefly had left his mortal coil, only to rise from the dead three days later. Ecstatic that this is testament to his devotion to Sai Baba, devotees started calling him affectionately as Baba Mama.
About Sri Sai Prachar Pariwar
Started in 2004, the Pariwar has been involving itself in many charitable activities that Baba preached in his lifetime. The Pariwar enjoys a membership of over 3000 families and growing. All members, though hail from different places, different religious beliefs, and different families, confluence as part of one larger family, that is Sri Sai Prachar Pariwar. Through this spiritual union, the Pariwar embodies the true spirit of national integration and communal harmony. Pariwar also arranges to provide free food to pilgrims in Shiridi on special days like Ram Navami and Diwali. We undertake to perform this Annadanam for a fortnight every year.
Amavasai Annadhanam
On every No-Moon Day, Pariwar feeds a minimum of 500 people, poor and rich, with a square meal. Guruji is of the firm belief that feeding the poor on that day is what truly delights Sai Baba rather than the traditional pooja and abhishekam. Also, those who cannot fulfill their ancestral rites, by feeding the poor on the Amavasya Sacred Day (Punniya Thithi), can avail the same blessings of their ancestors and God alike.
Sathya Vradha Pooja
Bhimaji Patil hailed from Maharashtra and was suffering from tuberculosis. He was treated by many doctors and took many medicines but to no avail. He came to know about Saibaba in Shirdi and visited him. Ever since he had the darshan of Saibaba, Bhimaji Patil became his ardent devotee. Taking pity on his disciple, Saibaba decided to cure Patil of his disease. One night Bhimaji dreamt that he was being punished for not doing homework. Since then Bhimaji's suffering started subsiding slowly and he was rid of the disease completely. In gratitude, Bhimaji Patil introduced a special pooja called Sai Sathya Vrada Pooja. This Pooja involves reciting Baba's life, miracles and teachings through five stories in Marathi followed by Annadhanam. Sai Prachar Pariwar has performed this Pooja in Tamil format in thousands of devotees' homes to thank Baba for his unstinting grace. The only difference is this Pooja is performed entirely in Tamil including the recitation of five stories.
Annual Poojas
Every year on the first of May, the Pariwar celebrates the Chitra festival where we complete many charity activities such as:
- performing the wedding of one poor couple
- providing educational financial support to deserving students
- providing free medical assistance to poor devotees
- providing Annadhanam to over 3000 people