This evening, the Sai youth from Hyderabad were ready with a musical presentation in Sai Kulwant Hall. The Sai Organisation from Mumbai had brought some mentally and physically challenged children whom they had adopted, and they were seated in the bhajan hall. Ten minutes after five, Swami came out of His residence and after His darshan round, came to the bhajan hall. He sat there and listened to a few bhajans sung by the children, and watched a couple of short dances by them. Blessing them with group photographs, He moved to the Sai Kulwant stage to begin the programme there at ten minutes to six. After half an hour of songs, He asked the youth to sing bhajans. He moved among them for group photographs and accepted Arati half an hour later. Moving to the interview room after Arati, it was nearly half-past seven when Bhagavan returned to His residence.
This evening, Bhagavan visted the Super Speciality Hospital here and inaugurated the new block of Nurses' quarters. Moving out of Sai Kulwant hall just after four o'clock, He returned from the Hospital an hour later. He had inaugurated the new buildings and moved through them, blessing the staff gathered there. Swami accepted Arati after twenty minutes of bhajans then moved to the Poornachandra auditorium. The Youth conference session in the Poornachandra auditorium had begun at 11 o'clock and had concluded at ten minutes to two. In the afternoon, the youth had again gathered there, with the session getting underway at ten past four. Once Bhagavan arrived, there were two short speeches, and then Swami delivered His benedictory message to the youth. Starting with the story of King Harishchandra, Bhagavan moved on to reminding the youth about their inherent divinity, speaking for nearly 90 minutes. Blessing one of the members with a chain and blessing the gathering, Swami returned to His residence at 7.45 pm.
More than a thousand young men from Hyderabad have come to Prasanthi Nilayam as part of a Youth Conference arranged by the Hyderabad Sai youth. Many eminent educationists from all over the state, including many Vice-Chancellors of Universities were also part of the group. They had a session in the Poornachandra auditorium this morning, with Prof. G. Venkataraman and Sri V. Srinivasan addressing them. In the evening, the Sai youth presented a Telugu drama in Sai Kulwant hall. Bhagavan arrived for darshan ten minutes past five, led into the hall by a group of Vedam chanting youth. He came onstage and blessed the youth leaders who came up to Him and began their 45 minute Telugu drama before half-past five. The presentation emphasised patriotism and love for the Motherland. Bhagavan went down from the stage for group photographs with the participants before asking for the bhajans to begin. After twenty minutes of bhajans including two with alap, Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence at ten minutes to seven. The conference had another session in the Poornachandra concluding at 9.30 pm.
Bhagavan came for darshan at 5.30 pm as the evening bhajans went on. After sitting onstage for half an hour, He came to the verandah where He blessed a devotee with a ring. He also blessed some students' project-reports onstage. It was half-past six when He accepted Arati. He then went to the interview room briefly before returning to His residence.
Today, India celebrated its 60th Republic day. The boys of the Higher Secondary School here were to present a drama this evening. Bhagavan came out of His residence at half-past three and blessed a group of staff members from the Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital at Whitefield. Ten minutes later, He came to Sai Kulwant Hall in His car and went for a drive outside the Ashram. On His return, He went to the bhajan hall where the students were ready in costumes for their drama. After ten minutes of interaction with them, He came onstage and began their presentation at 4.40 pm. The hour-long drama presented the prophecies of several religions about Bhagavan's advent. At the end of the programme, Swami blessed two students with rings and went down among them for group photographs. He interacted with them for twenty minutes till six o'clock when He accepted Arati. After that also, He interacted for ten minutes more before returning to His residence.
Yesterday and today, Bhagavan came relatively early for evening darshan and sat for a while onstage, blessing the Birthday boys. Yesterday, He arrived at ten minutes to four and later went on a drive outside the Ashram. Among those with whom He interacted onstage were the 12th class students who showed Him their Computer Science project reports. Today, He moved into the interview room after some time onstage, and later came to the bhajan hall to interact with some of the teachers there before returning to the stage to accept Arati at ten to six.
The staff of the Super Speciality Hospital at Whitefield were here to celebrate the 9th anniversary of their Hospital which falls on the 19th of January. They were seated in front of the stage in Sai Kulwant Hall when Bhagavan arrived for darshan just after four o'clock. Cutting across the hall to come directly to the verandah, Swami cut their cake and asked for their programme to begin at 4.15. Half an hour of group songs were followed by bhajans, in which Swami asked the ladies also to lead some bhajans. At 5.15, He asked the speakers for the day to commence. Half an hour of short speeches by three of the members of the staff, two in English and one in Telugu, was followed by a couple of bhajans before Swami accepted Arati at 5.50 pm and returned to Yajur Mandir.
This evening, the students of the Anantapur campus of the University were ready with a music programme. Bhagavan was led into Sai Kulwant Hall by the brass band of the Anantapur campus at 5.20 pm. But when He reached the stage, He sat for a while as the Vedam went on, and then asked the boys to begin bhajans. 45 minutes later, He accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
The stage was set for the valedictory ceremony of the Annual Sports and Cultural Meet this evening, coinciding with the Sankranti festival. The Sai Kulwant hall stage had the various prizes and trophies on display. Bhagavan arrived at 4.40 pm, ushered into the hall by the Prasanthi Nilayam brass band. Taking a round of the hall, He moved to the Bhajan hall to take a look at the arrangements made for the distribution of His gifts of love to His students. Moving to the stage, He began the proceedings at five o'clock. Mr. Sanjay Sahni, principal of the Brindavan campus, introduced the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Vishwanath Pandit, who welcomed the gathering with a brief talk. Bhagavan then blessed the medals and certificates of the prize-winners of each campus before beginning the distribution of His gifts. The Primary School had a special mention, with Swami presenting the teachers there with a large beautifully mounted portrait of Bhagavan. He then blessed the items to be distributed to each of the students. Notebooks and pen-sets for the University students, bags full of colouring kits for the small children. Young boys from the Primary School came up to the stage to receive their gifts, while the others received them where they sat. Gifts for the women teachers were also specially blessed and sent to them by Swami.
When the distribution came to a close at 6.10 pm, there were three talks by senior faculty members of the University, Dr. Pallav Baruah, Dr. Shiva Shankara Sai and Dr. T. Ravi Kumar. Swami then gave permission for the drama by the Prasanthi Nilayam students to be staged, and the area in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall was cleared. The hour-long drama Mrithyunjaya began at seven o'clock when Swami emerged from the interview room. The stories of Ravana's unsuccessful quest for immortality and the granting of immortality to Markandeya were presented with music and dance. Bhagavan was pleased with their performance and went down among them for a short interaction before accepting Arati and returning to His residence at 8.15 pm.
This evening, the Brindavan students were to present a drama in Sai Kulwant Hall, Bhakta Tukaram. Bhagavan arrived for darshan at 5.20 pm, preceded by the Brindavan brass band, and moved to the Bhajan hall where the students were ready with costumes. After a short interaction with them, He moved to the stage and began the drama at ten minutes to six. The 70-minute drama was notable for the elaborate sets and the message of devotion of Tukaram conveyed through songs. Swami interacted with the students for a few minutes after the drama and then moved to the interview room. Just before 7.30 pm, He emerged, and Prof. Anil Kumar was asked to announce that Swami was very pleased with the drama, and that tomorrow the prize distribution ceremony would be held in the evening, followed by a drama by the Prasanthi Nilayam students.
This evening, Bhagavan blessed the Sri Sathya Sai International Centre for Sports - the Indoor Stadium complex at Prasanthi Nilayam - with a divine visit. The students had arranged a sports and cultural programme there, with only staff and students of the Sai Educational Institutions present. As Bhagavan arrived there just before five o'clock, all sang a group song welcoming Him. The events presented were demonstrations on the Roman rings, ten-minute basketball and volleyball matches and a short dance. As a video showcasing the virtues of sports was being shown, Bhagavan accepted Arati at six o'clock and returned to the Mandir. The Bhajans were going on in Sai Kulwant Hall; Swami accepted Arati there at a quarter-past six and returned to His residence.
The Annual Sports and Cultural Meet of the Sri Sathya Sai Educational Institutions got underway at the Vidyagiri Stadium this morning. Bhagavan arrived at the Stadium by 9.30 am, and was escorted to the stage by the marching bands of Anantapur and Prasanthi Nilayam campuses of the University. The spectators could watch the proceedings on two giant LED screens as the students marched past their Divine Chancellor. As the ceremonial part of the inauguration concluded by 10.15 am, the Brindavan campus of the University presented their demonstration events - several dances, show-jumping on horses and motorbike stunts. The Prasanthi Nilayam campus and the boys' section of the Higher Secondary School began their presentation at 11 o'clock. They had a giant backdrop of a golden icon of Kartikeya. Gymnastic events like basketball with trampolines and roman rings were interspersed with mass events like Chairobatics. Giant Chinese flags and kites led to the final event of Jeep stunts. It was past noon when Bhagavan accepted Arati and left for His residence, blessing the students on the way.
The afternoon proceedings began at the Stadium when Bhagavan arrived just after half-past four. The children from the Primary school welcomed Him, and presented their hour-long colourful presentation with panache. Gymnastics by the boys and dances by the girls were complemented by sprightly mass drills by tiny tots. The Anantapur campus of the Sai University then presented the concluding programme. Their action-packed half-hour included flag drills, mono- and bi-cycle stunts, balancing acts with weight-lifting bars, huge hula hoops and colourful mass formations. The conclusion was very attractive, with students waving mult-coloured LED lamps in the gathering dusk, singing their final song. Bhagavan accepted Arati at a quarter-past six and blessed the entire congregation in the stadium with both hands before returning to Mandir.
This evening as well as last evening, Bhagavan went to the Vidyagiri stadium to view the practice sessions of the students. Yesterday, it was the turn of the Primary School children to show their rehearsal to Swami. When He arrived in the stadium, the children were ready in their costumes in the Primary School grounds. So, taking a round of the stadium, Swami went to their school and watched their rehearsal. This evening, the march-past session was rehearsed during Bhagavan's visit to the Stadium. The Chinese kites presented by Prasanthi Nilayam campus were also demonstrated after the marching was completed. Bhagavan arrived back at Mandir and sat for a few bhajans before accepting Arati at a quarter-past six. Prof. Anil Kumar then announced the programme in the stadium tomorrow, asking the audience to be seated there by 8 am.
Last evening, Bhagavan blessed one of the alumni with a chain during His darshan round at half-past four. This evening, He went to the Vidyagiri stadium for watching the students' rehearsals for their upcoming Annual Sports and Cultural meet. The Higher Secondary School and the three campuses of the University presented ten-minute excerpts of their respective programmes as Bhagavan watched from the dee of the Shanti Vedika stage. It was 6.15 pm when He returned to the Mandir. Sitting onstage for a couple of bhajans while prasadam was distributed, Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence in the car.
Yesterday, Bhagavan asked about the alumni when He sat onstage for the bhajans at half-past five, and asked them to join the students sitting in front of Him in the area in front of the stage. Once they were seated there, He asked some of the alumni to lead the bhajans. After one of them sang a bhajan 'Sai ke darbar mein aao', Bhagavan called him up and blessed him with a chain. He then asked for bhajans with alaps before accepting Arati ten minutes past six. This evening, while He came on His darshan round as the Vedam chanting went on, He blessed one of the Ashram staff with a chain. Swami sat onstage for the bhajans and accepted Arati at ten to six.
This morning, the Sai students were given the opportunity to sing bhajans once again. In the evening, they were asked to gather with their families in the Poornachandra auditorium. Bhagavan arrived there at a quarter to five. Former Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Venkataraman and the All India Sai Organisations President Sri. V. Srinivasan spoke to the gathering for forty minutes each. Swami then blessed the alumni who came up to Him with albums and cards for half an hour. He asked for bhajans to begin, and went around the Sai students in the hall for twenty minutes more before accepting Arati. Swami then moved to Sai Kulwant hall where the bhajans had been going on since five o'clock, and accepted Arati there at 7.15 pm. He moved briefly to the interview room before returning to His residence as prasadam was distributed.
Bhagavan arrived for darshan on the first day of 2010 at 10.15 am clad in a yellow robe as the Sai students sang bhajans. Once He came onstage, He asked for the band programme by the students to commence. After their fifteen minute performance with bhajans set to band tunes, there was a music programme with semi-classical songs by the students before Swami accepted Arati at 11.45 am. In the evening, Bhagavan was ushered into Sai Kulwant Hall at five o'clock by the Sai students in a procession with paraphernalia like Chamaras, fans and a royal umbrella. The alumni presented a band programme and Bhagavan released their bhajan CDs as well as re-launched their website. They also presented a couple of songs before Swami asked for bhajans to begin. Prasadam was distributed and Arati was offered at half-past six.
