The Brindavan Campus for men was the second college established by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in 1969, located in Kadugodi, Whitefield, an eastern suburb of the city of Bangalore. Originally affiliated to the Bangalore University it later moved under the umbrella of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam.
The students of Brindavan campus enjoyed a special proximity to Bhagawan Baba as He would visit the campus for a few months a year, a majority of time being in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh. Any student who has lived across Bhagawan’s different campuses, will tell you that there is something mystical about Brindavan campus (Brindavanam as was called in the beginning). Be it the pleasant weather & the picturesque greenery around the campus or be it the proximity of Bhagawan’s residence to the students’ hostel; Is it the showers of knowledge during the summer courses or the warmth of Divine Love during the Trayee & Old Bungalow sessions. It was & continues to be an ethereal experience being at Brindavan.
College Inauguration
1969: Chief Minister of then Mysore state Virendra Patil inaugurated the old college building on 9th June 1969.
Prof RG Kulkarni in National Cadet Corps (NCC) uniform with Bhagawan, he was initially the Principal of Brindavan college. Students were given training in NCC.
Boys Hostel (left) and Brindavan college (right) where there is Kalyana Mandapam today (Between Boys Hostel & Swami’s Old Bunglow)
Students stood and took darshan in those days. They would move around to more accessible positions as Bhagawan went around.
Bhagawan in His residence (Old Bungalow). Students had access to Swami’s residence and could be with Swami during dining sessions or even if there was free time during college hours. The college was adjacent to Bhagawan’s residence
This was the interview room in Brindavan (Old Bunglow). Generally Bhagawan would come out for darshan through the interview room and all the students would be standing outside. As soon as Bhagawan saw the students, Bhagawan would open the door and would salute and gesture “Good Morning”. Sometimes after Darshan and before He retired, He would go through this door and do the salute.
Every day Bhagawan would pass through this way (behind the grill) from the bedroom to the Dining Hall. Few of the students used to be standing outside. Bhagawan would open the curtain and talk to some of the students or, He would bless from there before going to the dining room.
Bhagawan was talking to some of the singers in the safe room and then Bhagawan said “Sinners Singers Sinners Singers”. After saying this a few times He assumed this pose. And then Bhagawan said, “Do you know the significance of this pose? In most of the temples you will find this pose”. Bhagawan then went on, “You take refuge at My feet and I’ll protect you.” He added, “If you don’t follow God’s command and you fall down, if you are on the spiritual path then you move towards God.”
Early 1970s : Bhagawan outside the Brindavan Dining Hall (inside hostel). Whites were not yet the norm.
1973: Valedictory function of the Summer Course in Indian Culture and Spirituality, 1973.
Bhagawan is seated with Prof Gokak. Location is the stage at the tank, which is the the current hostel location – before the it was constructed.
1970s (Late): Showers in Brindavan during Darshan. Prof Narender (Swami’s right, Principal), Prof Krishnamurthy (Sevadal incharge, holding umbrella) and Dr. Sundar Rao (behind in suit).
1977: Bhagawan planted a sapling in front of the library in August 1977 and after that a coconut was broken. Bhagawan took a small piece from this coconut and then put it in His mouth.
Swami’s dining hall on the 1st floor of the Old Bungalow. Bhagawan has asked the students who had stayed back during vacations to have dinner with Him.
1978: Inauguration of the new building for the Brindavan college with Governor Govinda Narayan and Education minister Subayya Shetty, 1978.
Dusshera Vedam Procession in the early 1980s. Sanskrit teacher Sri M N Chandrashekar started teaching Purusha Suktam in 1974. For a temple visit in Seegehalli, near Brindavan, the first chanting was done by students in 1975. Later, Sri Kamavadani started teaching Rudram to students.
Brindavan and Bhagawan adored as Sai Krishna are inseparable. A senior devotee, Loknath Mudaliar offered this Krishna idol to Bhagawan in the early 1940s and it was in the Paatha (Old) Mandir until 1950. After the current Mandir was built in Prasanthi Nilayam, Bhagawan moved this Krishna idol to the Bhajan hall, flanked by the Shirdi and Parthi Avatars. Bhagawan Himself painted this idol, dressed and ornamented it during festivals. Another striking feature is that Krishna does not have the common pose of crossed legs. Around 1978, this idol was moved to Brindavan. This idol is currently in the Prayer Hall at Brindavan campus.
1977: Kaustubham, Krishna’s pendant given by His grandmother on the occasion of His naming ceremony. Materialized by Bhagawan in the Brindavan Hostel Dining Hall (Sep 5, 1977).
1977: Bhagawan asked for a towel and demonstrated how Krishna tied the turban when he tended cows as a cowherd during Krishnashtami in Brindavan Hostel, 1977.
1970s: Inaugurating the Krishna statue in the Sairam Shed.
1980s: Brindavan ashram had a deer enclosure facing Trayee Brindavan, Bhagawan’s residence. Bhagawan referred to them as “four legged deer”, and then pointing towards the students He would say “two legged dears”.
1984: Trayee Brindavan inauguration 26th Apr 1984 – flanked by Rajmata Gulab Kunvarba saheb of Nawanagar. Others in picture Sri. Ramabrahmam, Major General Mahadevan, Sri. Balaram Nichani (behind the car), Prof. P.S. Rao Dept. of Chemistry. Also seen in picture are later Brindavan campus faculty, Sri. M.G.Nandagopal, Sri. N.Sivakumar, Sri. Narahari.
1980s: Bhagawan in the Brindavan Hostel Prayer Hall.
1980s: Perusing a magazine at the Brindavan College Library.
1987: The joy of a delighted parent. Bhagawan is telling each one of MBA students their GPAs of the 2nd Semester examinations. Trayee Brindavan on the eve of departure to Ooty (13th April 1987).
On the way to Kodaikanal from Ooty with students in the bus
1987: Bhagawan personally serving lunch at the Karur Forest Guest House in the Mudumalai Forest enroute to Ooty from Brindavan. The entire first batch of MBA was with Him in the year 1987.
1980s: Diwali in Brindavan, late 1980s. Only time Bhagawan was in Brindavan for Diwali.
1991: After the inauguration of the Vittal Malaya Hospital on 6th June 1991, Bhagawan came back in the afternoon and inaugurated the Jhoola in the Trayee Brindavan.
1990s: Bhagawan closely oversaw the Summer Course held in Brindavan before the start of the academic year.
1990s: Materializing the Mangala Sutra of Damayanti during the Summer Course.
1990s: Materializing the Hiranyagarbha Lingam during the Summer Course.
1990s (Early): Students flocked around Bhagawan taking Padanamaskar as Bhagawan left Brindavan for Puttaparthi.
1990s: Bhagawan visiting the Cooperative Stores. Bhagawan was particular that students should have minimum choices as the young mind should be trained in ceiling of desires.
1990s (Early): Bhagawan visits the hostel dining hall during the lunch hour in Summer Course. Hyderabad Sevadal are seen serving at the counter.
2000: Students having lqunch session with Bhagawan in the Kalyana Mandapam in 2000.
2004: The first Brindavan Sports Meet drama – Bhakta Jayadeva was the first ever drama on Sports day during 2000s which is now a regular feature.
