Annakut Offering - A Feast of Abundance and Gratitude: Houston, TX
Centennial & Avatar Day: A Grand Annakut Celebration
The evening of October 19, 2025, was a truly special occasion for the devotees of the Sri Sathya Sai Centers in North and South Houston. Combining the joyous, festive spirit of Diwali with the commemoration of our beloved Swami's Centennial year celebrations and His Avatar Declaration Day, the atmosphere was filled with devotion, love, and joy.
Over 200 Sai brothers and sisters from both centers gathered to offer their immense love and gratitude at His Lotus Feet. At the centerpiece was a magnificent Annakut display—a grand offering of an assortment of over 165 varieties of food items. These dishes, representing diverse regions, countries, and culinary traditions, were lovingly prepared by approximately 200 devotees.
The festivities began at 3:00 PM at Shri Krishna Vrindavan, a temple in Sugar Land, TX, with a gathering of over 200 devotees. The program started with a melodious musical presentation: the fifth of the Sai Pancharatna Kritis, “Sathya Sai Avatara.” This Kriti served as a reminder that Swami is the source of Universal Love, establishing the values of Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi, and Prema, Ahimsa in every heart, underscoring that Love is the only religion. The inherent grandeur of Sathya Sai—unique, ceaseless, and infinite—filled the hall.
Following this was a soulful bhajan session and the 'naivedhyam'—the ceremonial offering of the food to the Lord—performed by the temple priests alongside all gathered devotees. One of the temple priests then delivered an enlightening discourse on the Avatar of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, recognizing Him as none other than the temple’s deity, Lord Shri Krishna, and elaborating on the spiritual significance of the Annakut tradition. The offered food was later distributed as a cherished special prasadam (religious offering to a deity) to all attendees.
Guided by Swami's will and the direction of senior devotees and council members from both centers, the planning for this monumental event began nearly six months in advance. A dedicated core team meticulously planned and executed every aspect, from the step-like arrangement of the food display to the thoughtful presentation of offerings in a variety of beautiful containers.
A few weeks prior, a comprehensive list of different food items was shared with all devotees, allowing them to sign up and offer their favorite dishes to Swami. Beyond the cooking, volunteers broke into various groups to manage essential logistics: altar and Audio/Video for the day before, and food and clean-up on the day of the event. A beautifully decorated altar, featuring a photograph of Swami playfully tasting food, lightened the mood, adding a sense of joyous divinity to the entire event.
The event blossomed into a truly blissful evening for everyone gathered to celebrate His Centennial, His Avatar Declaration Day, and the Festival of Lights. With hearts overflowing with gratitude, the devotees offered their deepest thanks to beloved Swami for the boundless love and grace He continues to bestow upon everyone, guiding each one on their spiritual journey.
Reflections:
“What I enjoyed most about the Annakut event was the food, the Pancharatna Kriti, and the bhajans. I also really enjoyed performing the Pancharatna Kriti after all our intense practice sessions; it felt so good to finally present it to Swami. And the bhajans were amazing too! Singing with another center made the whole experience feel so lively and energetic. I also loved seeing so many different varieties of food offered to Swami from sweet desserts to full meals -everything was so aromatic and unique!”
- Saikrishna Gadiyaram, SSE Student
“The sacred tradition of ‘Annakut’ taught our family the joy of uniting with other families in the community to prepare and offer a variety of dishes to the Lord, and then share the blessed food (prasad) with everyone during the celebration. It reminded us of the abundant gifts of Mother Earth and inspired a deep gratitude for her generosity.
Our revered Sri Sathya Sai Baba emphasized the importance of cleanliness in vessels and ingredients, as well as purity of thought and action during cooking. Applying these principles have profoundly enriched our lives”
-Sridhar Krishnamurthy, South Houston Sai Center