A heavy downpour did not dampen the spirits of members of Shirdi Sai Baba Society (Ipoh Branch), as they gathered for their anniversary do at Little India recently. Dressed in white, devotees sat under canopies in the pouring rain while waiting for the arrival of Dato’ Seri DiRaja Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, the Menteri Besar of Perak. On hand to entertain the crowd was violin maestro, Dr Mani Barathi, a renowned musician, specially flown in from India for the occasion.
The Shirdi Sai Baba Society is a charitable, non-profit and non-political organisation devoted to spreading Sai Baba’s teachings and philosophies to the world. Its Ipoh chapter was set up in 2008.
Besides its core spiritual activities, the society currently provides free breakfast, lunch and dinner to the poor and destitute at its premises in a shop lot along Jalan Sultan Iskandar, Ipoh.
Society’s Chairman, K.P. Kandahan has appealed to the Menteri Besar for a piece of land to accommodate its growing membership, which now stands at 1800. Zambry responded by pledging a donation of RM50,000 to their building fund. He has in mind a piece of land in Gunung Lang for the project.
Guests were then treated to classical Indian dances and musical renditions by the maestro before adjourning to a nearby restaurant for tea with their guest of honour.
SH Ong
