Sita Sahu, 75: God will bless us with our own Ashram!

Place of Origin: Bhavanipur, Sitamarhi, Bihar
Living in Vrindavan since: 8 years


Sita Maa, a widow was living with her two sons before moving to Vrindavan. She was very ill with uterine prolapse and haemorrhage and had become so weak, that the sons thought that is better to leave her to die than provide medical care. Having no hope, Sita Maa thought that she would come to Vrindavan to end her life.


Once in Vrindavan, someone guided her to go to Shyama Maa Ashram at Panighat and there she met Shyama Didi. She was immediately taken to the Rama Krishna Mission Hospital for admission and indoor care. The treating doctor was very hesitant to much needed hysterectomy due to her age, poor nutrition and anaemia. Shyama Didi arranged for blood units and gave an undertaking and consent to proceed with a high-risk surgery with very poor expected outcome. Soon after the surgery, Sita Mata’s condition deteriorated and could take food orally. Hence, they administered nutrition through a pipe inserted through the throat. Over the next few weeks, Sita Mata was hardly able speak, she was completely immobile and doctors decided to discharge, with a certificate that Sita Maa will not survive and it’s a waste to spend money for hospital care. Relentless, Shyama insisted and Sita Maa remained in the hospital for next three months with a slight improvement in her ability to take fluids orally. Then, Sita Maa was moved to the Shyama Maa ashram, where she was given bed-side care and oral fluids and special dietary supplements (a form of biscuit). Slowly Sita Mata started recovering and showed improvement in her physical strength. When she realized that Shyama Maa is doing everything possible recover and improve her condition, she deeply prayed to God and asked him to bless her with total recovery and in return pledged to offer flower daily. Soon, miraculously her health improved and she was able to move around.


Sita Maa started walking to the nearby garden to collect flower, bath in Yamunaji (holy river flowing through Vrindavan) and started offering prayers and flowers to Radha Rani. Gradually, she gained strength to pay visits to nearly temple and within a year started doing ‘Parikrama’ a ritual involving walking barefoot along with circumference of Vrindvan, about 11 km distance. This is still the case even today. Sita Maa is living a active life, she supports Shyama Maa in collecting vegetables from the market, guarding the ashram premises, keeping a watch on all the Matas and reporting of any of their concerns to Shyama Maa. Sita Maa is a strong support in all the routine activities at the ashram.


Sita Maa says that “I was saved and got a new life because of Shyama Maa. Now, my needs are taken care of, I feel cared for, get lots of love from Shyama Maa, so this is my home and I will live here for rest of my life. I pray to god that we be blessed with our own ashram with better facilities and where more matas can be given care. This is much needed in Vrindavan.