MUMBAI, June 2: A few hundred metres away from the ferry to Esselworld, a group of middle class office-goers and businessmen break away from the motley crowd of picnickers for a different kind of weekend past-time. On the first Sunday of every month, members of the Satya Sai Baba Group troop into Shanti Dhan, the home for the abandoned run by Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, armed with bags of rice and vegetables.

With practiced ease, the two dozen-odd men and women get to work preparing lunch for the nearly 260 inmates who call the ashram home.

``Unlike other donors who only sponsor meals at the ashram, members of the Sai Baba Group cook food and share lunch with the inmates,'' says Brother John MC, acting in-charge of Shanti Dhan. Despite their previleged upbringing, the good samaritans do not think twice about sitting at the same table as a bunch of mentally-disadvantaged children and emaciated adults.

``This is Narayan seva or service to the poorest of the poor. We get a lot of satisfaction from it,'' says Sitaram Kotekar, an executive with the Oxford University Press, a regular volunteer at the monthly feeding sessions.While some members of the Sai Baba group are regulars at the monthly lunch sessions, others residing in the vicinity of the ashram serve breakfast to the inmates every Sunday morning.

``They come in the morning with packets of bread and butter to make sandwiches which they serve the inmates,'' says Brother John.

One hour before lunch is served, it is prayer time for the good samaritans. Accompanied by some indifferent children, the group gather before a photograph of Puttaparthi Sai Baba for a bhajan/keertan singing session. For a staunchly conservative Roman Catholic mission, the worship of gods other than Jesus Christ in its premises does not raise any eyebrows.

``Our prayer hall is for use by members of all communities,'' says Brother John. Despite the voluntary labour offered by members of the group, the monthly feeding costs a small packet.

According to C M Anchan, a senior volunteer of the group, every session costs nearly Rs 2000 which is pooled together by the members.

Other religious activities of the group also help generate resources.

Offerings of rice made by devotees at prayer sessions are collected every month by the group.

``During birthdays and anniversaries, our members sponsor the entire programme at Shanti Dhan,'' says Kasturi Kotekar, a Bhilwara Group employee who balances her home and office with voluntary work. Though the contribution by volunteers and sponsors to Shanti Dhan is substantial, it is not sufficient to meet the needs of the ashram, says Brother John. The Missionaries of Charity have to dip in to their own resources on most days as voluntary assistance is available only on Sundays and festival days.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.