Love coloured…in Prasanthi Nilayam
Sai Bandwagon moves on with Holi Message…

4th March 2007: Prasanthi Nilayam’s festive exuberance got a fillip when devotees from the states of Bihar and Jharkhand, the land acclaimed as the land of Lord Gautam Buddha, assembled to celebrate the ‘holi’day in the Divine Presence of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on Sunday, 4th March 2007. The festivity that was celebrated as a Festival of Love indeed had a riot of colours, colours of devotion, colours of love on display. The children from the state joined in chorus singing “…the colourful holi has come to the sacred land of Parthi; play holi with us; Easwaramma’s Beloved has created a stir in the whole of the universe; the nectar of love is flowing all through”. It was this love and devotion that was reciprocally on display from the Lord and His devotees on this day that was made doubly auspicious with the colourful holi celebrations.

Holi is the festival of colours; supposedly a fun-filled and boisterous festival in the Hindu Calender, heradling the joyous arrival of spring season. Every year it is celebrated on the very next day after the full moon in early march glorifying good harvest and fertility of the land.  A festival of letting go of the past with fresh hopes in the future strengthening ties with friends and loved ones, this festivity has a tag of love and friendship attached to it.  Colours represent the exuberant show of goodwill and cheerfulness. Riot of colours follow revelry of colour play…unmatched display of boisterousness…smearing and squirting each other with colours, of course with a goodwill and message of greater love and friendship.

On the beautiful morning Bhagawan arrived at the aesthetically decorated Sai Kulwant Hall just before 9:00 a.m. Thousands of devoted souls joined the hundreds from the states of Bihar and Jharkand greeting Bhagawan on this holi day…Colourful balloons and hoarding with His Divine Messages were seen hanging welcoming Bhagawan, metaphorically signifying the colourful nature of the festivity coupled with spiritual significance…

Ekohum Bahusyam, a dance drama, showcasing the cultural heritage of the twin states was the highlight of the morning session; a powerful presentation phased in coining several dance-song sequences, effectively communicating the life and teachings of Bhagawan. Meaningful melody, colourful dances with kavvali and bangra, and above all the dedication and unmatched devotion of the little hearts…made the event a memorable one…serving a reminder of the metaphorical significance of the festivity, that is often taken for granted for the boisterous nature of the festivity in the rest of the world. Bhagawan most graciously posed for a group photo session with the participants and curtain was drawn for the session with Arathi offered to Bhagawan.  

In popular usage mind is frequently synonymous with thoughts.  Best definition on the nature of the mind can be attributed to Bhagawan who described the same as a bundle of thoughts…Immense, unbounded possibilities and vistas of this rare faculty of man has been debated all-through and it is indeed proved to conviction that ‘mind makes the man’. The afternoon programme, a play titled Man Darpan was a portrayal of the mind and its greater vistas.

The storyline goes as: Five friends assemble to celebrate Holi and exchange notes boasting their professional achievements. A common friend who misses the celebration with them narrates his Holi celebration at an Old Age Home and the satisfaction derives out of the same. Five friends who are worldy in their outlook express their dissatisfaction and unhappiness inspite of having all worldy achievements. The common friend, Veda, says that true happiness can be found only within and will not be available outside. And to experience the same one has to have control over the mind, which comes only from the control of the senses. While wisdom advises the mind to control the senses, vices pulls the mind towards the other extreme…Selfless Service suffused with Unconditional Love is the only remedy to control the senses…Witnessing these scenes brings the essential transformation into the five worldly men and they decides to make amends…Veda, the wise friend declares that Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba best exemplifies the spirit of selfless service…Only unconditional Love for God will purify the mind and Love is the ultimate solution for all the problems of the World. At the end of the programme Bhagawan blessed the participants with a group photo session.

Indeed, a marvellous Holi Day with a ‘holier’ message; Message of Unconditional Love.  The Sai Bandwagon moves on with His Message of Selfless Service and Unconditional Love…