Prasanthi Bulletin
Index of earlier Bulletins
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Today, the Maharashtra youth presented the second day of their
programmes, with a sitar concert by Sri Neeladri Kumar and party. Bhagawan
arrived for evening darshan and went into the interview room, emerging at 5.15
to commence the programme onstage. After a couple of pieces of fusion sitar
music, Bhagawan blessed the artistes with clothes and the main performer with a
ring. They performed one more piece including individual performances by the
drumkit, tabla and mridangam artistes before Bhagawan accepted Arati at 6.10
pm.
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Sai Youth from Maharashtra are here in large numbers, seated as
a group in Sai Kulwant Hall with their orange scarves. This evening, they were
to present a programme of songs and a drama. Bhagawan arrived at around 5.30 pm
and went into the interview room, emerging after twenty minutes to come onstage
and begin the programme. The Maharashtra youth first brought up a series of
lamps lit from various districts and offered them to Swami to the accompaniment
of a song. Next was a 45 minute play on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Bhagawan
blessed the participants with group photographs after the programme with the
backdrop of the Red Fort and a huge tri-colour. Twenty minutes of Bhajans
followed, led first by the Maharashtra youth and later by the students, while
prasadam was distributed. It was 7.30 when Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned
to His residence.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
The Sai Students - alumni of Prasanthi Nilayam and Brindavan - were
ready to escort Bhagawan from His residence to Sai Kulwant Hall in a procession
with flag marchers and Poornakumbham with Vedam. Swami arrived just before 10
am in a dazzling white robe seated on a golden chair, granting New Year darshan
to the devotees who filled and surrounded Sai Kulwant Hall. When He reached the
verandah, Bhagawan blessed the cakes there and came onstage to begin the
programme arranged by the Sai Students. A band programme with symphonic and
vocal accompaniment was followed by songs composed for the occasion by the Sai
Students. The whole programme was interspersed with short speeches by the
alumni, reliving their days with Sai. A bhajan medley formed the score for a
short dance programme too. Swami blessed the participants who came up to Him
one by one, and after prasadam was distributed, accepted Arati at 11.35 am.
Bhagawan arrived in the evening for darshan clad in a deep red
robe. When He came onstage just before 5.30 pm, He blessed the brass band of
the University to perform, and they played a couple of pieces with brief
introductions. Songs by the students followed. Swami called up some of the
alumni singers and asked them to sing, and they sang some of the group songs
which used to be sung by the students in the mid-90s. After 45 minutes of
music, Bhagawan delivered His Divine Message. Bhagawan's emphasised the message
of Advaita, stressing the point that there is nothing in this world which is
not divine, and that we should conduct ourselves bearing this in mind. After
speaking for more than 70 minutes, Bhagawan asked for Bhajans to begin at 7.25
pm. Prasadam was distributed, and Swami accepted Arati at 7.45 before returning
to His residence.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
The alumni of the University and Higher Secondary School campuses
at Prasanthi Nilayam and Brindavan have been gathering on 1 January for the
last few years. This time, they had arranged a workshop for the alumni in the
Poornachandra auditorium, with presentations on how to interface better with
their alma mater and with the Sai Organisation. Bhagawan indicated last night
that He would grace the proceedings, so all the alumni were seated in the
Poornachandra by 8.30 am. Swami went to the Mandir where the Bhajans began at 9
o'clock, and accepting Arati at 9.15, came to the Poornachandra where He was
welcomed with Vedic chants. The nearly 500 strong gathering was given an
introduction to the speakers by Sri Chakravarthy, former Registrar of the
University and current Secretary of the Central Trust. Former Vice Chancellor
Sri S. V. Giri and the All India President of Sai Organisations Sri V.
Srinivasan were the two speakers for the morning. Following their speeches,
Bhagawan addressed the alumni, with translation by Prof. Anil Kumar. Bhagawan's
30 minute Discourse was followed by a 20 minute interactive session, in which
the alumni got some points clarified by Swami directly. Prasadam was
distributed, and Bhagawan left for His residence after Arati at 11.30 am. The
alumni continued their workshop with presentations by some of their own number.
In the evening, many of the alumni sat in the Bhajan Hall for the five o'clock
bhajans. When Swami came to the Bhajan Hall at 5.15, He moved down the aisle
and took a round of the verandah, returning to the Bhajan Hall to accept Arati
at 5.50 pm.
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