The Mother of all mothers with His unconditional love willed to bless His wards, this time He willed to bless them all with their escorts. As the “Love Story” between Swami and His students, “Alumni Home Coming”, extended to the third day on 2 Dec 2009, the spacious Poornachandra Auditorium witnessed unending excitement and greater merriment. The Lord chose to spend two precious hours with His former students inducing greater awareness about the Mission in hand, as designated senior spokespersons addressed the Alumni.
Bhagawan accompanied by seniors was ushered in to an eagerly awaiting Poornachandra at 4:37 pm to the chants of the Vedas. The Alumni Vedam Group escorted the Lord unto a specially erected dais in front of the stage before the commencement of the evening’s proceedings.
At the outset, Mr. K. Chakravarthi, Secretary, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust introduced the two speakers for the session. The speakers were Prof. G.Venkataraman, formerly Vice Chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai University and Mr. V. Srinivasan, President, All India Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations.
Expressing gratitude to Bhagawan and calling the occasion an unusual honour, Prof. Venkataraman, referring to the students’ initiative for their “coming together”, felt privileged to see the entire University unfolding in His Divine Presence.
Focusing on the driving force behind the big Mission ahead, the speaker unfolded the story of the inception of Super Speciality Hospital in 1990, the Orissa housing project commissioned couple of months ago etc. with the help of slide shows and video presentations driving home the point that everything happens at His Will, Bhagawan’s Vajra Sankalp, which brings to pass everything that He Wills, despite adverse situations where man tend to face and fail.
Referring to the Super Speciality Hospital that has gone on record for its mammoth service activities free of any charge, the speaker said, it is not a stagnant hospital but a poignant one.
The recent WorldSpace fiasco that led to confusion and ‘panic’ among Radio Sai listeners in India and around the world for fear of shutting down of the service also came in for reference. In the wake of the news that WorldSpace has gone bankrupt and was on the block, The Radio Sai Team was getting flurry of mails showing greater concern about the continuation of the services and before even the Professor could send his prayers to Bhagawan, the WorldSpace announced shutting down Indian operations. All fingers were crossed as to whether the services would be anymore available beyond 31 Dec midnight. “Believe it or not, from 31st December onwards the only channel that was made available on Asia Star was Radio Sai…”, said a beaming Prof. GV to rounds of applause from the audience. “…before even we could pray, Bhagawan has done it” added the Professor with an apparent reference to Bhagawan’s indulgence in the matter.
“Wherever you are you have to live the life that Bhagawan wants you to live”, exhorted Sri V. Srinivasan talking about the expectations Bhagawan has on His students adding that “It is for others to say that by your behavior, by your speech, by your love that you must be a Sai devotee”. Whether you left the University 25 years ago or I day ago, all that is important is whether you carry Bhagawan with you in your heart. If so, you are the real Alumni; you must be the people who reflect the glory of Bhagawn, said the President reminding the former students of the tag they are holding as Sai Students.
Many of the former students have taken up responsible positions as office bearers in the organization. “It is my earnest prayer that soon, a former student of Bhagawan should take over as All India President of Sathya Sai Seva Organisation”, said Sri V.Srinivasan reposing greater faith in the fraternity.
Expressing gratitude to Bhagawan for the opportunity and blessing bestowed upon Him, Mr. Srinivasan said, eleven years of his tenure as head of All India organisation has been a rebirth for him. We need to make our lives His message.
An interesting episode at the time of inception of Super Speciality Hospital, wherein eighteen containers of highly fragile, sensitive and hi-tech equipments, heart-lung machines and other equipments for the Cath Lab of the hospital, valued in crores of rupees, had come from abroad to be transported to Parthi. As the road condition at that point of time was not conducive enough to encourage to take the big risk of transporting without insurance, he had to approach the Insurance Company which claimed a whopping 56 lacs at that point of time, eighteen years ago. He sought Bhagawan’s guidance and pat came His Divine reply, “When life itself is not sure why to insure”. Before unpacking, engineers from Phillips were pessimistic, almost certain of the damage as never such things would transport without damage. …And Lo! when the containers were opened not a single piece was broken as willed by Bhagawan, said Sri Srinivasan to a round of continuous applause. Dr. Safaya whom the engineers would address with “sir” until then started getting “Sai Ram” from the engineers, ever since this nearly impossible ‘miracle’ happened.
Another awe-inspiring story happened in China where the son of the President of Sathya Sai Organisation - Gujarat was working as an engineer. Coming from a Sai background he wanted to do Narayana Seva in an orphanage. He approached the warden of the orphanage to do the service on a sunday, introducing Swami as his mentor and guide under whose inspiration the service was undertaken. The warden of the orphanage upon seeing the picture of Bhagawan was as cool customer as he is while telling that the same gentleman in the picture had come to the orphanage a week ago offering to send food to the inmates. …And now every household in this small village in China has a picture of Bhagawan whom they worship as “The Big Chi” – The Supreme Lord!, though they have not heard about Sathya Sai Baba!
There are 2500 samithis, 5700 bhajan mandalis, 16000 balvikas centres, 12600 study circles, 2100 adopted villages, 1200 SSSVIP villages and 75000 registered youth members, said Mr. Srinivasan divulging some of the salient projects taken up by the Organisation recently. Some of the projects on hand include a National Archival System for archiving all beautiful things done by Bhagawan, Sri Sathya Sai Narayana Seva Project which is already operational from 23 Nov 2009, being done based on Swami’s teachings sixty years ago. Grains from each household suffused with feelings for another member would be brought to Samithis/Mandalis and Mahilas (Ladies) would prepare food to serve beggars and homeless people; in the villages the sanctified food would be served at every doorstep. A National Awareness Programme on Bhagawan and His Teachings was kicked off with the first hoarding was erected on the New Year day at the busiest location in Indore. Such hoardings with His Messages would be erected country-wide at all important places, with prior approval from Bhagawan.
The Technology Group of the Organisation is making remarkable progress in the areas of water purification and sanitation, organic agriculture, non-conventional energy system, low-cost buildings, micro-power power stations etc. A Power Station built by the Organisation is able to serve 90 households with electricity in the state of Uttaranchal, said Mr. Srinivasan detailing the yeomen service activities undertaken by the Organisation. Tele-Medicine service being done through the centres at Calcutta and Orissa tying up Super Speciality Hospitals in Prasantigram and Whitefield and Organisational ventures for 85th Birthday Celebrations were also came in for brief reference. Decorations as “Divinity Deserves” representing national character and culture would be done from Kothacheruvu to Prasanthi Nilayam, one- of-its kind never witnessed in Prasanthi, during the occasion.
A national exhibition on the unfolding mission of Bhagawan, symposium on the life and mission of Bhagawan etc. are also in the offing aiming the birthday occasion. National Newspaper Supplement highlighting all that Bhagawan has done for humanity would be initiated with the help of major national newspapers, said Mr. Srinivasan.
As many groups ventured onto the dais, turn by turn, seeking blessings, Bhagawan spent next half an hour interacting with them, going through the proposals and blessing all of them. As He asked for the bhajans to start, Bhagawan moved through the lanes of students blessing many, before returning to Sai Kulwant 10 minutes to seven.
At the Sai Kulwant, Bhajan session had been on awaiting the Lord and Arathi was offered at 7:10 pm before Bhagawan retired to Yajur Mandiram.
For the old folks, it is a refreshing exercise, savouring their sepia-tinted memories of the past, refreshing the same with the exuberance of the current lot, while rejuvenating themselves with the current of Love That Conquers, emanating from Beloved Mother Sai!
For three full days Prasanthi relived those olden yet golden moments of her dearest children and in those three days she was again to hear those golden voices of the past, of many of the erstwhile singers, whose passion for singing, disciplined practice and devotion for Bhagawan were undoubtedly the set benchmark for the current generation and the generations to come.
Appreciating the overall show, rejoicing the events held for three full days, someone remarked:”It is a big mystery, the love between Swami and His students”. Mystery may remain to be a mystery but, the privileged folks affirm in united voice that “He touched their hearts”.
