Seva Utsav & Annadaanam Seva 2025: Part I
Every year, the month of November ushers in a wave of celebration at the centres and kendras of The Satsang Foundation across India and overseas. Hearts and minds are all aflutter as Founder’s Day dawns on 6 November, the birthday of Sri M, and everyone gathers together to honor Sri M and his vision of selfless service to humanity.
This year too, uniting volunteers and recipients in irrevocable bonds of mutual respect and empathy, Seva Utsav & Annadaanam 2025, the 9-day-long festival of service held from 1 to 9 November, reminded everyone of resilience in the face of odds and the sheer joy of giving unconditionally across all the initiatives of The Satsang Foundation: Education, Health, Environment, Seva, and Holistic Wellbeing.
We invite you to relive this year’s extraordinary sojourn of 9 days and experience the euphoria of each seva.
Prelude – 1 to 5 November
Sharing is an essential part of well-being. As you give, so you receive. So, give whenever possible, whatever possible, in whichever way you can. – Sri M
The prelude to Founder’s Day unfolded on 1 November at The Sacred Grove: Centre for Exploring Consciousness in Chowdepalle, Andhra Pradesh. The traditional lighting of the lamp signalled auspicious beginnings with daily yoga sessions for the residents of the surrounding hamlets; daily screenings of Sri M’s teachings for residents and guests; immersive environmental awareness sessions for school and college students; and free Ayurveda consultations at the ArogyaM Wellness Centre.
While in the bustling neighborhood of Byculla, Mumbai, a daily annadaanam seva was launched to reach out to all who needed the comfort of a hot meal even as the weekly Saturday meal service at Chunabhatti sustained the outreach to our local communities.
Volunteers in Bengaluru extended the community outreach on 2 November and 5 November honored pourakarmikas (municipal workers) for their relentless efforts to keep the city clean, supporting their wellbeing with dry ration supplies for a month.
On 3 November, the ArogyaM team’s sensitization drive on Health and Fitness through Yoga and Ayurveda at Mother Theresa School, Chowdepalle reached out to over 500 people – faculty and students – creating opportunities for holistic wellbeing.
November 4 and 5 witnessed a deeper foray into our urban spaces as volunteers supported women at different phases of their life: elderly women residing in the Helping Hearts Home, Coimbatore; young women sheltered at Shaskiya Priyadarshani Mahila Vastigruh in Nagpur; and girls studying in Balamrai Government School, Hyderabad. Generic medicines, medicated toiletries, and a festive lunch for the seniors; new festive clothes for the young women; and soft, biodegradable sanitary napkins for the girls became gentle expressions of warmth and care for those struggling to afford even the bare necessities of life.
The five elements took centre stage on 5 November at The Sacred Grove as final-year undergraduate students from Shri Gnanambica Degree College explored the symbiotic relationship among these vital elements, their interconnectedness and harmonious coexistence that helps sustain and replenish life on Earth. Planting trees, the students learned that maintaining a healthy ecosystem entails quiet observation and rapt attention to the elements.
Swaasthya Hospitals’ health camps encompassed various specialties from 1 to 5 November. Consultations in Orthopaedics, Gynaecology, General Surgery, General Medicine, and Paediatrics were offered at an outreach camp in Gurramkonda Village on 1 November. On-site specialists examinations and clinical support were enabled with the first field use of the new Telemedicine Van. Dental checkups and treatment followed on 3 November for the children of The Satsang Vidyalaya with expert care from pedodontist Dr. Alphie and his team while an Ophthalmology Camp was held on 5 November in collaboration with LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), screening 184 patients.
Also Read
Part II: Founder’s Day – 6 November
Part III: Special Sevas
Part IV: The Seva Journey Continues – 7 to 9 November
