Sai Baba News with photos September 2009
Current Sai Baba News|October 09
Sai News Archive: August 09
September 18-19, 2009 – Grama Seva Begins in Prasanthi Nilayam
Ever since the year 2000 when Swami first introduced the concept of Grama Seva,
it has been growing in strength year after year. This is true not only in the
Sri Sathya Sai University but all over India too with all the samithis and
district and state organisations pitching in wonderfully.
Villagers all over India have been touched by His Love. They have seen Him even
before seeing Him physically! While writing about the various village service
activities carried out all over India, one cannot help but mention about the
SSSVIP or the Sri Sathya Sai Village Integrated Programme that has been
implemented in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh in India.
[To read more articles about Sai Seva being done in India and the world, please
visit Sai Seva Archives]
As far as the Grama Seva in the University goes, it has now been
institutionalised with it being an integral part of the curricula. And as Swami
has said it, Grama Seva is a programme where there are no boundaries of a giver
and recipient, for both are Him alone!
The evening of September 18 saw huge carton boxes containing hampers for all
those who were to engage in the Grama Seva being brought out and assembled on
the marbled steps on Swami's command. Bhagavan arrived for darshan and
completing a full round, moved into the Bhajan Hall to have a look at these
hampers! Though we call them as 'hampers' they are actually 'facilitators' !
Each bag contained a couple of T-shirts, a couple of towels, a pair of socks
and a cap. Swami moved to the stage and asked for it to be distributed.
Starting with the teachers, these were given to all the students. The
distribution went on in a very organised and neat manner. The bhajans were on
and Swami asked the staff member who plays the tabla, "You did not get?" The
answer was a slight nod to say "No". He asked another boy who chants the Vedas,
"You did not get?" Again it was the same reply.
Swami was told that only the students and staff of the University were being
given the bags. Then Bhagavan said that all the staff and the former students
who had assembled too be given! That showed a beautiful aspect of Swami - that
He does not discriminate. All are equal for Him and He does not seem to
'understand' man-made divisions and distinctions.
And so it was that everyone around were gifted by the Divine command. Many
members of the alumni who had come over to Puttaparthi for the weekend were
also beneficiaries and with gratitude they too joined the serving brigade that
was to leave for the villages on the next day.
Swami was so happy and He appears the happiest when He is giving away while all
of us rejoice when we receive! (Another example for all of us to emulate and
that is also one of the guiding objectives in the Grama Seva.) The girls from
the Anantapur campus of the University and the senior girls from the Primary
school were given sarees. The ever concerned Swami asked the teachers to
distribute the sarees, two each, to all of them! After the bhajans concluded,
Swami received aarthi and retired for the evening.
The morning of September 19 saw the students and staff of all the campuses of
the University gather in the Sai Kulwant Hall awaiting Swami's arrival. All the
villages to be served that day were less than a five minutes drive from
Puttaparthi.
Swami arrived at 10:20 a.m. and completing the darshan rounds, arrived on the
stage, and then asked for the boys to leave immediately. The Veda group took
the lead and all the students circumambulated the mandir singing bhajans.
Circumambulation is a very significant aspect of the Bharatiya culture. It
means that one is placing God as the centre when one does anything! Swami sat
seeing the students file out of the Mandir into their respective vehicles.
After all had left, He asked the remaining school students, "You are not
going?" These were students from the 8th, 9th and 10th class who help in
packing and arranging snacks for the students. They do not go for the actual
field work. Swami sat for a couple of more bhajans and then aarthi was done.
After that, Swami told the members of the bhajan group also to leave.
As they left, Swami moved into the Bhajan Hall where the Kalashasthapana was to
take place. This is the process by which the deity for the Navarathri is
installed. He told the priest there to begin the installation and the priest
started chanting.
After five minutes or so, Swami seemed to want the installation to be done soon
but priest’s chanting continued. Another person nearby who noticed this, made
courage to ask the priest to hurry but the priest chose to do it his way,
systematically. Finally, with a smile Swami left to the Yajur Mandir.
