In the holy city of Varanasi, on the steps where the sacred river Ganga meets the evening light, Her Holiness Jagadguru Sai Maa Lakshmi Devi has made a quiet but powerful commitment — one that blends deep spiritual devotion with simple, tangible care for ordinary people. A globally revered spiritual teacher and humanitarian, Mataji (Sai Maa) has pledged to serve food to all who gather at Assi Ghat (a sacred stretch of steps leading down to the Ganga) following the evening Ganga Aarti, on the final two Saturdays and Sundays of this sacred month. Friday June 5, that promise came to life as the first of these community feasts was held.
The timing carries special weight. These bhandaras fall during Adhik Maas, also called Purushottam Maas — a rare month that appears in the Hindu calendar only once every two and a half to three years. Because the Hindu calendar is lunar, an extra month is periodically added to bring it back in step with the solar year.
In a tradition where every month is normally dedicated to a particular deity, this “extra” month had none — so, as the story goes, Lord Vishnu claimed it as his own. It is now considered an especially potent time for worship, devotion, and acts of charity, when transformation comes within easier reach.
Mataji captured the spirit of this sacred window simply and powerfully: “Everything is possible during this month.” It’s a statement of profound optimism — that with the right intention, generosity, and devotion, powerful transformation is always within reach.
The Ganga Aarti is one of the most luminous and beloved rituals in Hindu life — a devotional ceremony of fire and song offered to the river Ganga, honored as a goddess and a source of life. At Assi Ghat, one of Varanasi’s beloved riverside steps, the evening Aarti draws large crowds, especially on weekends. The ceremony, organized by the Jai Ganga Maa Seva Samiti, filled the air with a deeply devotional atmosphere as worshippers participated with great enthusiasm and reverence. Mataji generously donated the beautiful Aarti decorations. The gathering also included a special puja and culminated in a collective pledge by devotees to protect the cleanliness and uninterrupted flow of the Ganga.
After the ceremony, the Bhandara — a gifted community feast — began. Mataji’s feast served everyone present: locals, visitors, tourists, tradespeople, boat workers, children. There is a beauty in the fact that everyone becomes equal when being fed. The poorest in the crowd were nourished side by side with everyone else, no distinctions drawn.
Representing the Jai Ganga Maa Seva Samiti organization, Shravan Kumar Mishra praised Mataji’s contribution to spirituality and the upliftment of humanity as unparalleled, calling the bhandara during this powerful time a genuine source of inspiration for all.
