Gold Crown Offered to Baba at Chandigarh Sai Temple

Aum Sai Ram

On 29th Jan 2011 Saturday early morning, just before Baba's Kakad aarti, a veiled woman anonymously offered a Gold Crown weighing around 150 grams (15 tolas) worth Rs.3 lakh to Baba at Sector-29 Sai Mandir at Chandigarh, when all were present in the temple.

According to the Temple priest Shri.Vinod Shastri, on early Saturday morning at 04:44 am a family came to the temple in a white car accompanied by this veiled woman, who was carrying a Silver pooja thali (plate) in which was paced the crown, covered with a piece of cloth. She walked up to Baba's Idol while the priests were changing the dresses for the daily ritual. Then she placed the Silver plate with the Crown at the feet of Baba and asked the priests to place the crown on the Idol's head. But before the priests could turn back to her, she had already left the place.

As the news spread, the Managing Committee members & the local devotees started rushing to temple to have glimpse of the Gold Crown which was studded with artificial Ornamental Studs.

The Vice President of the Temple management Shri.Anil Khurana said: "We have checked the purity of the Crown. It is of pure Gold but the studs are ornamental and artificial. We might also approach Hallmark or a government agency for a confirmation certification. We do not doubt devotees intentions but getting the Crown tested is our compulsion for administrative reasons."

Till now at this Chandigarh Sai Temple, devotees had donated Silver articles for Baba but this is the first time a devotee has donated such an expensive gold article for Baba, apart from one Gold Crown donated around 3 years back.

Committee member Shri.Vikas Puri said that everyday starting from the early morning Kakad Aarti till night 10:00pm
there is always a rush of devotees in the temple and only the 30 minutes before the Kakad aarti is the time when the temple staff is busy in their respective work. So, it becomes difficult to keep an eye on all the devotees. Thus, the Temple management has deployed additional security gaurds in the premises after this incident.

And, with a view to ascertain the identity of the veiled woman, the temples managing committee is going to screen the video footage captured through the close circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed in the Sai temple.