Welcoming the Lord...

Prasanthi Nilayam – 31st January 2007. After ten days of silent prayers Puttaparthi was once again full of life…the hamlet turned township was bustling with joy of imminent arrival of its very Life, Soul, the Master,  Bhagawan whom she has been missing for past more than ten days. It was on the 19th January Bhagawan set out embarking on a 12 days Divine visit to the South Indian city, Chennai in connection with the Ati Rudra Maha Yajnam that was conducted at the auspices of Bhagawan for world peace and prosperity.

For Puttaparthi these were the days of separation…separation from the Beloved. Expectancy was very much in the air and with the minds and hearts joyful and exuberant; it was yet another day, another occasion for the villagers, for the entire township to relive its golden days of greater glory embracing the Divine physical frame.

Bhagawan arrived at Prasanthi Nilayam airport shortly after 12:00 noon and drove down through the flower strewn, beautifully decorated roads to Prasanthi Nilayam to arrive in the Mandir at 12:40 p.m. Thousands turned out to stretch at every possible place in the 3 k.m. road from the airport leading to Prasanthi Nilayam welcoming Bhagawan back to their fold. In Prasanthi Nilayam, Bhagawan was accorded a grand traditional welcome with Poornakhumbham and Vedic Recital by the students of the Institute which was followed by a colourfully attired dancing troupe from Higher Secondary Wing and a welcome song sung by students from the Institute. Bhagawan who chose to halt for sometime in the middle in a packed Sai Kulwant Hall left for Yajur Mandiram after receiving Managala Arathi.

Back in Chennai, it was agony of separation. Sundaram, the Divine Abode in Chennai, which was bustling with excitement, jubilant for past 12 days with His immediate presence was the scene of a tearful farewell to its Beloved Lord who most compassionately rejuvenated her spirits by His mere presence…Chennai would miss Bhagawan’s physical presence. But, the spirit of Chennai and its devotees would definitely be on the high after this epoch making Ati Rudra Maha Yajnam and Bhagawan’s physical presence over there. Through this Yajna the city was indeed blessed to have her share in achieving world peace and prosperity.