Today, the Varalakshmi vratam was celebrated at Prasanthi Nilayam. The
Mandir was decorated with flowers and an icon of Mahalaksmi adorned
the centre of the stage. Bhagavan emerged from His residence after the
8 to 9 Vedam chanting at 9.45 am, moving straight to the stage on His
chair. The ladies doing the pooja, more than 1500 in number, were
seated in the front of the entire extent of the hall. The worship by
the priest onstage began at ten o'clock and continued for 45 minutes,
concluding with the traditional recital of the story of the origin of
this celebration. Swami then went around the hall in His chair for ten
minutes before returning onstage. He accepted Arati at 11 o'clock and
prasadam was distributed. As Swami left for His residence, Prof. Anil
Kumar announced that food had been arranged for all the participants
in the canteen and that there would be a music concert this evening.
Swami came for evening darshan at 4.30 pm. Once He finished His
darshan round, He asked the artistes for the music programme to be
shifted to the stage. Once they were ready, He came onstage and began
their performance at 4.45 pm. After 70 minutes of soul-stirring songs
by Smt. Anuradha Sriram, Swami called her up and blessed her with a
chain. He gave clothes to all the members of the troupe and had a
group photo with them. Bhajans by the students then began at 6 pm.
After twenty minutes of bhajans including some with alaps, Swami
accepted Arati and retired for the day.
This morning, Bhagavan went for a drive a few minutes after nine o'clock and returned to the Mandir after around half an hour. In the evening, the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall had a backdrop with the United States portrayed - devotees from the USA were to present a programme. Swami completed His darshan round and came onstage at 5.10 pm. After ten minutes of getting items blessed, the play by the devotees began. They presented the varied spiritual traditions of the "United Sai America" as being discovered by Sage Narada sent by the Lord to the US. At the fag end of the play, Swami called up "Narada" and blessed him with a chain. After the drama, Arati was offered and prasadam was distributed. Then Swami acceded to the prayers of the devotees and allowed them to sing some bhajans. He went into the interview room and emerged with clothes for the performers. At 6.30 pm, He accepted Arati again and returned to His residence.
This evening, the devotees from Ranga Reddy district had arranged items to be distributed to the needy in the centre of Sai Kulwant hall. After Swami's darshan round, He came onstage and began their programme a few minutes past five o'clock. After getting blessings from Bhagavan, items like sewing machines, plumber kits and so on were distributed to deserving folk from their district. The ten-minute distribution was followed by a music programme with Telugu songs for nearly an hour. Swami sent clothes for the singers and also blessed two of the elders with rings after the programme. He went down among them for group photographs too. After Arati and prasadam distribution, Swami returned to His residence at 6.30 pm.
This evening, the devotees from Ranga Reddy district of Andhra Pradesh presented a drama. Bhagavan came for darshan at 5.10 pm, and after His darshan round, came onstage. Some of the organisers came up to Him for blessings and the drama got underway after half-past five. The Radha-Krishna drama which Swami had prepared to be acted by His students for His 60th birthday in 1985, writing the dialogs and the lyrics Himself, was recreated by the Balvikas children. After the 45 minute drama, Swami went into the interview room and emerged in a few minutes with clothes. He went down from the stage to give the clothes to the children, sitting amidst them for photographs and interacting with them for more than half an hour. After He came onstage at 7 o'clock, He blessed one of the elders of the group with a chain before accepting Arati and returning to His residence while prasadam was distributed.
As indicated on July 20th, Vedam chanting has been going on in Sai Kulwant hall before the bhajan sessions. Thursday was the 14th anniversary of the Higher Seconday School boys' hostel, and Swami blessed the toffees brought by some of the boys during evening darshan. Last evening, Swami spoke to one of the lead singers after Arati, and this morning onwards the post-Arati 'Samasta Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu' chant was reinstated. Devotees from the US were ready to present a skit and bhajans this evening. The daily Vedam chant went on from 4 to 5 pm, and Swami came for darshan at 5.20 pm. After His darshan round, He came onstage briefly and then moved to the interview room. After some interviews, He emerged at 7.35 pm to come onstage and begin the programme. The children presented a 10 minute skit on Abraham Lincoln, following which the devotees sang bhajans for half an hour before Swami accepted Arati. After Arati, Swami went down from the stage for photographs with the group before returning to His residence in the car at 8.30 pm.
