Published on Tuesday, Aug 31, 2010 at 1310 Hrs. IST

Orissa, now Odisha was a true happening of Divine Flood of Love! When God gives adversity, He equally grants fortitude to bear with, There is no better testimony to this in the history of recent time, than the Odisha Flood Rehabilitation Project executed by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, where in the direct intervention of the Avatar of the Age, Bahgawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was witnessed, help redeeming the victims of the devastating floods that hit the state in 2008!

Over 700 Youth from the state had come on a pilgrimage, essentially seeking to bow at the Saviour’s Feet in gratitude! After His usual rounds of darshan, much to everyone’s surprise Bhagawan asked for bhajans to commence. As bhajans went on and evening slowly slid into twilight, after forty five minutes of bhajans, Bhagawan nodded for the programme to commence.

An emotional announcement by the State President followed wherein he poured his heart out in gratitude for all that Bhagawan has been doing for the state.

The announcement was followed a twenty minute presentation, a display of internationally acclaimed dance form in "Odissi", staging 'Dashavathar'. The presentation was based on Poet Saint Jayadeva's "Geeta Govindam", illustrating the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Dasavathar, ending with the final one "Kalki" representing the present day incarnation of Bhagawan.

Presenting with emotive expressions bringing in scenes depicting Lord Vishnu’s various incarnations, namely, Matsya the fish, Kurma  the Tortoise, Varaha  the Boar, Narashima  giant lion-man, Vamana  the dwarf, Parasurama Rama with the axe, Lord Sri Rama, Lord Sri Krishna, Buddha and Kalki, believed to be the final incarnation, the presentation essentially proclaimed the triumph of good over evil and the victory of truth over falsehood.

Beginning the next presentation, "A Flood of Love" with a background story hatched in the Divine Abode of Kailasha, wherein Lord Shiva bestows upon a special boon to Mother Parvathi that, when He comes down as Sai Avatar, He will be building homes for the destitute. Thus reveals the riveting episode of Odisha's telling tale of Divine Love of Lord Sri Sathya Sai!

Exhibiting ravaging scenes from the heartbreaking episode of August 2008 that affected Gangapur District in Odisha, sweeping away homes, livestock and humans, a mother by name Somu, in her deepest agony, questions Mother of Creation about the havoc that had taken away everything from her life.

As the Sri Sathya Sai Sevadals entered the village offering assistance, providing food and shelter and all other possible assistance, some influential men from the local set up grew anxious, showing reservation about the motive behind. “Service is our currency and love is the commodity, we, the sevadals buy and sell” was their apt reply trying to convince the ‘doubting thomases’. With more of service opportunity coming in their way, they helped rebuilding lives of many instilling a greater awareness in the maxim “Be Good, See Good and Do Good”!

Exhibiting supreme Divine compassion,  the news of Bhagawan’s declaration reached out to the ‘hapless’ villagers,  that Bhagawan would be constructing thousand homes for the destitute of the flood victims. As time rolled on, “Sai Premalaya” became a reality, building 699 homes along the river Mahanadi resettling as many numbers of families.

Transformation, the final ripened fruit of all Sai actions, happened in this ‘battle ground’ as well wherein the initially reserved Ratan, the leader of local Praja Samithi, who was into bad ways, finally confessed his wrong actions pledging to change himself, joining the Sai band of Sevadals.

Miracle as men would term it, but a ‘Visiting Card’ for the Divine in Sathya Sai, showed up in the life of Sitaram, who was swept away by the flood. Sitaram came back to explain the ’miracle’.  His son returned  to take him back home wherein to his surprise he found his ailing wife, who was suffering from cancer, got almost cured and his son, a spoiled brat, left his gang to turn to good ways.

In merriment, all joined in chorus echoing in a united voice, singing the glory of The Flood of Love from Lord Sri Sathya Sai. They sang:

Ham hein Nao teri, Tu hamara Sahil... Sai Baba tero naam, tu aye sabke kam… (Oh! Lord Sai! We are Your boat and You are the boatman; Your Name is Sai and You are serving all).

The forty minute presentation was an enactment of the "Divine Script" written by Bhagawan in the lives of many hapless in the state bringing relief in the form of "Sai Premalayam". Presentation was laced with beautiful songs in Odisha depicting the bond of Love the state is blessed to enjoy with Bhagawan.

Upon the end of the presentation, dress materials, safari pieces and sarees, for men and women, were distributed among the participants. Moving down the dais, Bhagawan blessed the contingent posing for group photo sessions.