Before continuing with Part - 2 of the Report, we have some more images received from Delhi showing how the Sri Sathya Sai International Centre welcomed the Lord!
now the report continues from Part 1...
13th April was Baisakhi, the Punjabi New Year, and thus into the 5th day of Bhagawan’s Delhi sojourn, there was much to offer and much more to anticipate, as rarely do Delhi gets this opportunity to celebrate a New Year in physical Divine presence!
For people in North India, especially the Sikhs, Baisakhi is a mega event; it is a religious festival, harvest festival and New Year's Day, all rolled into one. And when Bhagawan Himself was in their midst in physical, in North India, the occasion became s a real celebrations for the folks devoted to Bhagawan.
On this day, Day 5, Bhagawan was ushered in at 1140 hrs. to come onstage presiding over the bhajans at the Sri Sathya Sai International Centre. Being the Baisakhi day, prasadam was distributed along with Vibhuti, a practice followed in Delhi, and the “Prasadam” was sanctified and blessed by Bhagawan. Clothes were also distributed to the public marking auspiciousness of the occasion. Blessing the assemblage of devotees, Bhagawan moved down the ramp proceeding further through the aisle; after finishing half-way into the aisle, Bhagawan returned to the dais.
He knows the deserved one, He knows the right timing and He knows how to act…. As bhajans went on, Bhagawan, while onstage, spotted a mentally and physically challenged child sitting with his mother, and asked the sevadal to go and give vibhuti prasadam to the child. Completely conquered by the Power of Divine Love exhibited by Bhagawan, the child’s mother was in tears and so were many others around her, as their joy knew no bounds. None would know what prayer emanated from this hapless mother prompting Bhaghawan to shower His bounty in His inimitable style. It was an act so soothing and comforting, not alone to the suffering soul, but to the audience who were fortunate to witness this ‘rare act’ of Divine benevolence.
Upon accepting Arathi at 1230 hrs., Bhagawan proceeded to Sri Rajeev Mahajan’s (a senior devotee from Delhi) home, another mode of blessing the deserved one’s, that He often does, while away from Prasanthi Nilayam. Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Mr. Praful Patel, Governor of Punjab and Administrator for Union Territory of Chandigarh, Mr. Shivraj Patil, Hon’ble Justice (Retd.) MM Punchhi, Formerly Chief Justice of India, Veteran VHP leader, Ashok Singhal, Hon'ble Minister for FDC, Information Public Relations and Trourism, Andhra Pradesh, Dr. (Mrs.) J.Geeta Reddy and popular playback singer from Bollywood, Suresh Wadkar and some Members of Indian Parliament etc. were at the International Centre seeking Divine Blessings.
The evening darshan was scheduled at the Dwarka grounds, the second and final at the venue during Divine Visit 2010. Bhagawan and His entourage reached the grounds just after 7. Being Baisakhi, a music programme by popular Pubjabi Folk and Sufi Singer Hansraj Hans was scheduled on this Baisakhi evening.
Living up to his reputation as one of the leading Sufi Singer, the popular singer who showed up in resplendent attire, sung mesmerizingly, enthralling the Divine, singing sufi devotionals, often times singing at Bhagawan directly. The next half-an-hour was a musical treat, raining mellifluous music, for Bhagawan as well as for the capacity audience. Bhagawan was seen often engrossed in the singing, giving beats, enjoying the session, as if immersed in the melody of devotion.
Later Bhagawan along with His entourage visited State President of SSSSO, Jatinder Cheema’s house, blessing the family by partaking dinner.
On the next morning, on the 14th April, Day 6, after the darshan at the SSSIC, Bhagawan went to Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar, the Higher Secondary School situated at Kalkajee Extn. Area in South Delhi.
An interesting cultural programme, a dance drama, on the life of Sathya Sai entitled, "Sathya Sai Katha", illustrating various incidents from the illustrious life of "Little Sathya".
The programme that featured various events in the life of Bhagawan's childhood days right up to the time was a nostalgic refresher for the Divine Himself who was seen absorbed in the presentation. It was Unique, because the play was all about Beloved Bhagawan’s childhood right up to the time. The famous Hanuman episode wherein Hanuman stopped Little Sathya from circumabulating his idol, Rishyendramani episode when He Himself danced onstage in place of the famous dancer of those times – Rishyendramani, exhibiting with ease the amazing feat of picking up a needle on the floor with His eyelids to the utter amazement of one and all and the episode illustrating how “Little Sathya” taught the greater lesson of “non-violence” to a young British Officer who was out for hunting wild animals etc. were depicted taking the audience through the illustrious life of Bhagawan.
The children delighted and charmed everyone with their performances. The drama concluded with a medley of dances – Gujarati Garba, Bhangra, Kathakali, Manipuri, etc. Meaningful bhajans and songs informing all about Bhagawan’s ceaseless humanitarian works, formed the background score as the children danced ever so enchantingly. Their costumes were spectacular. Their performance – professional. The students, their parents and the teachers had put in a lot of effort.
This was followed by a sumptuous feast for The Lord and His group of men accompanying Him. Later Bhagawan blessed the houses of Sri Lalit Seth’s and Col. Beri’s residences, before retiring to the International Centre.
The peunultimate Darshan before leaving for Shimla the next day was made most memorable as Bhagawan chose to move down the ramp, going amidst the devotees through the pathway, accepting letters from almost every stretched hand. Bhagawan even chose to spent sometime in the middle at the mini-podium among the devotees granting coveted view of His beauteous Divine Form. After spending around fifteen minutes Bhagawan retired for the day at around 1925 hrs. after accepting Arathi.
Some of the prominent faces visited Bhagawan at the International Centre during day were, veteran BJP leader and former Dy. Prime Minister LK Advani and his family members, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik.
…And on the 15th morning, Day 7, Bhagawan emerged at 0915 hrs. for a five minute darshan before proceeding to the Indira Gandhi International Airport wherefrom, at 1000 hrs. He took off for Shimla, fulfilling ‘her’ long cherished dream of thirty-five years, for His Holy Feet to set in!!!
