PRASANTHI THIS WEEK

An eventful week marked with the Divine Return, Festivities and visits by Political Glitterati

Posted at 20:10 Hrs. May 10, 2009, Prasanthi Nilayam:

With simmering summer reigning supreme, with days swelter to high over forty, academic year enjoying summer halt with most of the students staying away from Prasanthi, the life in Puttaparthi sketches a different picture altogether during the summer time.

Much against the normal schedule that had been in place for many years, Bhagawan, for the past two years has been spending maximum time in Parthi encouraging and entertaining the devotees to brave the oddities of summer.   

This year He stayed away from Parthi for 10 days, between 23rd April and 3rd May, when He moved to His ashram,  Sai Shruthi in Kodaikanal.   It was on the 23rd morning Bhagawan left in a specially chartered chopper to Madurai and from Madurai by a special helicopter to Kodaikanal. An entourage comprising of over forty students along with some senior staff members were sent in advance on the previous day.

Ten blissful days of darshans, both mornings and evenings, packed with Burra Katha sessions, a folklore art form of Andhra Pradesh, by talented students of the University depicting the lives of Shirdi Sai Baba, Easwaramma etc., speeches, Bhajans, Sai Shruti was immersed in bliss enjoying the rarest privilege of housing and serving the Lord walking on two feet.

Back in Prasanthi , it was expactation all along as Easwaramma Day was fast approaching. True to His promise given before His departure, Bhagawan returned to Parthi on the 4th May, two days in advance of Easwaramma Day celebrations. For the past two years, Prasanthi Nilayam has been fortunate to have this festivity celebrated in the Divine Presence, which otherwise used to be celebrated either in Brindavan or in Sai Shurthi, Kodaikanal depending on His physical presence. The day witnessed Bhagawan visiting His Parents’ Samadhi Mandir, sanctifying the place and the occasion, symbolically offering Vastram (clothes) to parents and a beautiful golden necklace to Mother Easwaramma. Bhagawan, shone with brilliance in the special yellow robe, spent almost half an hour inside the Samadhi Mandir before returning to Sai Kulwant Hall. This was followed by Narayana Seva, a regular feature during the Easwaramma Day celebrations.

It was Buddha Purnima time, the most sacred day in the Buddhist calendar, as the Buddhists prefer call, “the day that is thrice blessed”. This is the day when Buddhists all over the world commemorate and celebrate the birth, enlightenment and nirvana of one of the greatest spiritual masters of all time, Lord Buddha. Over 820 devotees from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Bhutan, Nepal and Hong Kong and Brunei thronged to Prasanthi Nilayam to celebrate the occasion in the immediate Divine Presence of the Master of all masters. Cultural programmes on the theme “Ahimsa Paramo Dharma” was the highlight of the occasion, an apt commemoration to the master whose life and teachings inspired millions upon millions over the past two and a half millennia throughout the world.

Joining the gathering of devotees from various parts of the globe, over thousands devotees from the state of Karnataka have come, joining in a  Parthi Yatra invoking His Divine Benediction.

Today, 10th May 2009, after staying indoors in the morning session, Bhagawan came out in the evening at around 16:20 Hrs. IST for a full round granting coveted blissful darshan. Coming onstage in the pretext to spend time in the middle listening to Vedam chanting, as usual interacting with students,  Bhagawan, most magnanimously conferred His coveted Divine Blessings by making Himself available for darshan, to those hearts and souls which braved the simmering summer to travel to Prasanthi Nilayam, the holy abode to have a glimpse of His Divine Form. A primary school boy from Iran, who was adept in chanting Vedam was specially called to chant some of the verses and there were rapturous applause around when the boy successfully chanted the Veda much to the appreciation of Bhagawan. Bhajans as usual started at 17:00 Hrs. and Bhagawan retired to His residence after accepting Mangala Arathi at around 18:00 Hrs. IST.  

It is admission time in the Sri Sathya Sai University and the allied institutions. And one could see flocks of students with parents moving around the ashram, vying for a coveted admission in the prestigious institutions, a rare privilege to be at His Divine Lotus Feet, to learn under the True Master. After the entrance exam for the girls for UG program that was over last week, it is the turn of the boys for the UG program which will be followed by higher secondary entrance examination. This will be followed by the entrance tests for post graduate courses in the University, finally to end with, last but not the least, the first standard entrance exam for the Primary Wing of Prasanthi Nilayam.

Prasanthi seems to be constantly attracting political glitterati. This week has seen the visit of Her Excellency Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the President of India, followed by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Mr. Ashok Chavan. Today, we had another politico, Mr. Praful Patel, the Union Civil Aviation Minister here for Bhagawan’s Divine Darshan. All the three politicos were blessed with special audience by Bhagawan.

Yes, Prasanthi Nilayam is indeed the most happening place on earth, where the Lord of the Universe does things in His most inimitable style for the world to watch, to emulate before experiencing the bliss. An eventful week during the summer time.