ஆஞ்சநேயர்.

புட்டபர்தி வேலையை பற்றி எழுத ஆரம்பிக்கும் முன்பே ஒரு சின்ன முன்னோட்டம் ஓட்டி பார்த்துக்கொண்டேன்.அதில் முதல் கவனம் கொண்டது "ஆஞ்சனேயர் சிலை" தான்.

இது ஆஸ்ரம் நுழைவதற்கு சற்று முன்பு ஒரு சின்ன குன்றின் மேல் இருக்கும்.இதற்கான இரும்பு வேலைகளை மாத்திரம் L&T-ECC செய்தது.

சரி இணையத்தில் ஏதாவது படம் கிடைக்குமா என்று தேடியபோது கீழ் கண்ட ஒரு அனுபவஸ்தரின் வரிகள் கிடைத்தது.

இவரை தொடர்புகொண்டு அனுமதிவாங்கி போடலாம் என்று பார்த்தால் அதற்கான விளக்கம் ஒன்றும் இல்லை.

அதனால் அப்படியே போடுகிறேன்.ஒரு வேளை அவரே படிக்க நேர்ந்தால்,ஆட்சேபித்தால் என்னை தொடர்புகொள்ளுமாறு பணிவுடன் கேட்டுக்கொள்கிறேன்.

Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees

Mr. K.Thillainayagam

Mr. Thillainayagam (60), a Civil & Sanitary Engineer, worked
initially in the Tamil Nadu Water Supply & Drainage Board. Later he
moved to the Corporations of the Government of India. From there he
moved to Bahrain to work in the Government there for about 20 years.
He just resigned service and moved over to Chennai. He plans to move
over to Puttaparthi in the next few weeks to spend the rest of his
life at the Feet of Bhagavan. He has several experiences of the
Divinity of Bhagavan of which he narrates an important one in his own
words.

'Swami called the then Ashram Engineer Sri Jeyakumar a few months
before the 65th Birthday Celebrations in the year 1990 and instructed
him to begin the construction of a 65 feet tall statue signifying the
65th year of the Advent of the Avatar, for His Bhaktha 'Hanuman', at
a place selected by Him on the hill top overlooking the Hill View
Stadium.

I had been then working as an Honorary Engineer of the Sri Sathya Sai
Institute of Higher Learning at Prasanthi Nilayam for a short while.
Sri Jayakumar formed a team of three, comprising him, Sri
Subrahmanyam the Ashram Shilpi and me. Swami blessed all of us
together expressing His approval for the joint effort.

Sri Subrahmanyam colleted a few pictures available in the market and
also prepared a few hand sketches, and submitted all those for
Swami's approval. Swami selected a particular picture depicting
Hanuman lifting Sanjeevani Hill in his left hand, the bent left leg
on small hillock and the straight right leg behind. None of us had
any idea as to how to proceed. Sri Subrahmanyam, though involved in
creating many statues earlier, also had no definite ideas about this
tall statue.

Sri Subrahmanyam, however, made a small-scale model of the statue. I
took measurement of the various components of this scale model, and
made load calculation of the prototype statue. I found that the
statue was going to weigh several hundreds of tonnes. We thought that
it would be too difficult to support this massive statue, and hence
we prayed to Swami to allow us to make the statue hollow.

Swami, while disapproving our proposal, said, 'this statue is going
to last hundreds and hundreds of years. Therefore, no hollow work, no
false work. Make it solid and strong.' Owing to the heaviness, I
decided to support the statue using rolled structural steel sections.
Swami, though He did not instruct me directly, used to flash the
right solution at the right time, of course, only after we had
strained our nerves. Unable to resolve many issues related to the
structural stability of the statue, I used to go to the Prayer Hall,
kneel before the Chair with my sketchbook, pencil and eraser and
prayed to Swami to give me the correct solution. I used to get the
correct idea as if some one was dictating. This happened on quite a
few occasions during the period.

The statue had been designed on the following principle. The
structural steel sections were to form part of the skeleton, and
reinforced cement concrete (RCC) would make the flesh. Brickbats
fixed on specially prepared cement mortar were to be used to create
the shape and curves of the statue.

After having completed the preliminary calculations, the next step
was the site clearance, levelling, grading and preparation of the
base area for the statue. We engaged local labour to clear the site
over the rock underneath. Once we removed the weathered rock, lo, we
found a flat, level, solid rock bed, which did not require any
further treatment to bear the massive statue! Remember, Swami Himself
chose this site!

Next we wanted to procure the rolled structural steel sections from
Bangalore. To fabricate the legs and other important parts, we needed
ISMB 600 steel girders. This is the largest and heaviest rolled steel
section manufactured in India. This section is normally used in
railway bridges and in heavy steel construction. This section was not
available in Bangalore city. We went round and round, but of no use.

We suddenly heard from one dealer that freshly rolled ISMB 600
girders in required quantity and length had just been received
through railway wagons in the goods yard, and could be delivered to
us the next day! We transported these and other smaller sections
through long body trucks. Lord Sai made it possible for us to get the
steel sections not commonly used by the general public and not easily
available in the open market. Normally one has to place orders for
these sections and wait for a very long time, whereas we got them
just like that.

While gracing the Bhoomi Pooja for the statue, Swami created a three
inches and a half (approximately) tall statue, and instructed us to
construct the actual statue according to this model. This model was
different from the one approved by Swami earlier, but it was a
beautiful one. The statue now standing on the Hilltop was built on
that model. Swami blessed a few stone blocks and bricks by touching
them. Swami also placed them in position on cement mortar bed thus
signalling the commencement of construction. The Divine Feet
consecrated the whole area. Swami broke a few coconuts and sprinkled
the water all over the place.

Swami directed me to go to the ECC Design Office to finalize the
design, detailed engineering and drafting the construction drawing.
They allocated a draughtsman to assist me in preparing the drawings.
Within a couple of days, that draughtsman was withdrawn saying that
his services were required for a very urgent tender work. As I could
not wait for long, I requested the ECC Management to make alternate
arrangement. They borrowed the services of a draughtsman from another
division. Once again Lord Sai came to our rescue. The draughtsman
suddenly withdrawn from this work is a RCC specialist where as the
one who replaced him is a structural steel specialist. Thus Swami
arranged the services of the right person for this job.

Swami used to visit the site very frequently. One day, during one of
His site visits, He instructed me to place the statue on a pedestal
and not directly on the rock, because the lower part of the statue
might not be visible to the people at the ground level.

I prayed to Swami to indicate as to what should be the height of the
pedestal. Swami said, 'My height'.

In order to counterbalance the overturning effect of the wind on the
statue, we needed a very heavy base for the statue. We found, by
calculation, that we needed a 45 feet long and 25 feet wide pedestal.
But what should be the height of the pedestal? After calculations we
found that the height of the pedestal required to counter the wind
forces is the same as Swami wanted it to be!

The leg girders were actually anchored into this pedestal, which is
simply resting on the sheet rock. Because of this base pedestal,
there was no need to excavate deep into the rock or drill holes into
the rock for anchoring the statue. Thus Swami saved us from the
difficult task of anchoring the statue.

Swami evinced keen interest on this work. He used to bless us with
His frequent Darshan at the site. He always came with carloads of
snacks, sweets, and fruits to the site. Swami used to bring many
visitors and show them the construction work.

The steel frame supporting the Sanjeevani hill had to be hoisted and
placed in position. The frame was ready. Hoisting arrangement was
made ready. I was requesting Swami to come to the site and bless us
to commence the hoisting. Swami was somehow postponing the site-
visit. But I was continuously praying for the Divine site-visit.

One day He came and broke a coconut on the steel frame and directed
us to start lifting. Swami got into the car and drove off. The car
would have gone only a hundred yards, and suddenly stopped. I ran and
reached Swami's Presence. Swami asked me, 'when will you complete the
hoisting work?' I replied, 'Swami, with your grace, we hope to
complete the work around lunch time and I will inform you when I come
for the afternoon Darshan'.

No sooner had Swami left the scene than the steel beam on top
carrying the hoisting pulley was twisted (torsion failure), and the
steel frame, which was lifted above the ground by a few feet, crash-
landed on the ground. Because of this unexpected event, we had simply
to abandon the hoisting work!

I went to the Mandir for the afternoon Darshan and sat desolate in
the verandah. Swami's door opened, and Swami came straight to me with
thumb- down signal even before I could open my mouth to explain the
debacle. Swami said he had known everything. There was no damage to
men or materials. Swami saved us all from a major site accident.

The next day Swami told me that I had chosen a very bad time for the
hoisting operation because all the planets at that time were in
unfavourable position. He directed us not to do anything for the next
few days. Accordingly we waited for a few days and recommenced the
work on instructions by Swami. No need to mention that we could
successfully complete the work soon after.


The steel fabrication and erection work of the statue was a heavy
construction work, something similar to major bridgework. The hard
working and highly skilled site engineers and technicians of the ECC
accomplished the construction work in time. Every one of us
associated with the erection of the Hanuman statue could feel the
Divine Presence every moment in its execution.

Jai Sai Ram'

-- Mr. K.Thillainayagam

நன்றி:http://srisathyasaibaba.blogspot.com/2005_03_01_srisathyasaibaba_archive.html

ஒரு சின்ன பின்குறிப்பு:இதை மேற்பார்வை செய்த எங்கள் சக நண்பர் திரு.தியாகராஜன்,இதற்கு முன்பு இருந்த போதும் அந்த வேலை முடித்தபிறகு அவர் வாழ்ந்த வாழ்கை முறையும் அப்படியே நேர் எதிர்.நேரில் பார்த்த அனுபவம் இது.
இத்தனைக்கும் அவர் என்னை அழைப்பது (மறைமுகமாக) ஹரி வலைப்பூவில் நமது கருப்புவின் பெயரில் வரும் பின்னூட்டம் போல்!!

இப்படி ஆசிரமத்தை சுற்றி சிறிய வேலைகள் செய்துவந்தோம்.
அபோது தான் சாய்பாபா ஒரு ஆஸ்பத்திரி கட்டப்போகிறார் என்றும் அதற்காக நிலம் வாங்கும் முயற்சிகள் முடிவடைந்தாக சொன்னார்கள்.

அந்த இடம் புட்டபர்த்தியில் இருந்து சுமார் 7KM தள்ளியிருந்தது.

புட்டபர்த்தி வருபவர்கள் இந்த இடத்தை கடந்துதான் வரவேண்டும்,அதனால் கண்ணில் இருந்து தப்பிப்பது கஷ்டம்.
வாங்க அங்கு போவோம்,அடுத்த பதிவில்.