Published on Tuesday, Sep 14, 2010 at 1612 Hrs. IST
Nepal, popularly known as the Himalayan Kingdom, taking its turn to Prasanthi Nilayam came in full strength, with 1800 devotees, feasting every bit of the sanctified surroundings.
Leaving behind the scars of the political crisis the country has been facing for some time, this enthusiastic group of youngsters from the neighbouring country had an invoking prayer unto Bhagawan to help salvage the nation from the current turmoil.
Presenting an evening of musical offering the Nepalese started off in style with a twenty minute Vedic incantations that covered Ganesh Prarthana, Narayana Upanishad and Mantra Pushpam.
Another twenty minute session followed with songs that were set in folk tunes of Nepal, sung jointly with a blend of varied beats. Beginning with “Pahilo Charan Sai…”, a song invoking Goddess Saraswathi , praying for blessings to sing, was continued with lines describing Sai in varied forms, namely, Rama, Krishna, Jesus, Allah etc. . Cheli Hami… A Teej song, equivalent of Karva Chautha in India, followed; the festival that signifies immensely for the women, who visit their parental home to celebrate the occasion, came at the right time when women from the Kingdom have come over to Prasanthi Nilayam celebrating the occasion in presence of the Divine Parent! They sang in chorus, in devotion, “….we the daughters of Sai have arrived to remove the misery by Your darshan”. The final song, “Simsime pani ma, Ressamfiririri…” was a prayer song to help in restoration of peace in the country.
The final presentation was an instrumental medley of folk and classical songs. “O Paalan Haare…”, the first piece was hailing Bhagawan to be the source of all virtues. This was followed by “Riverside…” a parallel drawn from the symbolic day of a boatman who comes back from the sea after a full day of toiling, successful, a silent reminder that one should not give up in life, but should proceed with greater efforts with greater patience. Two more pieces followed “Folk Tantra…” representing music as the common thread for a country having various ethnic groups and languages followed by “Tikuli”, in lines with the classical Mithila culture of Janakpur. Musical instruments ranging from santoor to electrical guitars, tabla to mridangam, harmonium to flute along with variety of special drums were in place enhancing the show.
Even as the instrumentalists played on, safari pieces and sarees were ready for distribution.
As the distribution got over, at 2010 hrs. (08:10 p.m.) Bhagawan accepted Mangala Arathi. Session continued as Bhagawan moved down the dais to pose with the group, gents and ladies separately. Returning onstage, Bhagawan left the dais for the interview room before retiring for the day.
During their stay, the youth most exemplarily engaged in various service activities, with different batches pressing themselves into service on different days, cleansing areas outside the ashram premises, mainly the road in front of the ashram, planetarium side, River Chitravathi banks etc.
