The alumni of Prasanthi Nilayam and Brindavan campuses of the Sai educational institutions, the Sai Students, are here in large numbers for their annual meet. This evening, they presented a drama. Bhagavan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall ten minutes after five and moved to the Bhajan hall after His darshan round. There, He interacted with the participants in the drama who were ready in their costumes. Fifteen minutes later, He came onstage and began their drama at a quarter to six. The innovative 50 minute presentation used a video screen as a backdrop and had mythological characters narrating the story of students and Swami. Bhagavan went down among them for group photographs and accepted arati at a quarter to six as prasadam was distributed. He then interacted with the alumni for a few more minutes before returning to His residence at seven o'clock. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra was also in the congregation this evening.
This evening, devotees from Indonesia presented a musical programme. Swami arrived for darshan at five o'clock and began their programme twenty minutes later. After their programme of songs, Bhagavan asked them to sing bhajans. He blessed one of them with a chain and went down among them for group photographs. After Arati, Swami moved to the interview room briefly before returning to His residence at seven o'clock.
Balvikas children from Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) presented a programme of music and dance this evening. Swami arrived for darshan at ten to five and He asked for their programme to commence after His darshan round. The children presented colourful dances for half an hour. Swami then asked them to sing bhajans while prasadam was distributed. The children sang for twenty minutes before Swami blessed one of them with a chain and accepted Arati.
A large contingent of devotees from Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina presented a musical programme this evening. Bhagavan arrived for darshan by 4.20 pm and after His darshan round, went among the group, blessing many with vibhuti. He then started moving among all of them when they seated themselves in rows, distributing vibhuti in packets to them. This interaction went on for more than an hour, and it was 5.40 when Swami sat onstage for their programme to begin. The devotees began with five minutes of Vedic chants, mindful of correct intonation and pronunciation. They then sang songs from their respective countries for half an hour. Swami sent clothes for them and asked them to sing bhajans, so they sang with the ladies and gents alternating in leading the bhajans with group singing. It was nearly seven when Bhagavan accepted Arati. He then asked Prof Anil Kumar to announce that He was very pleased with the group's performance and that He blesses all of them. Blessing the congregation with both hands, Swami then returned to His residence.
This evening, the children from overseas were to present their choir and Christmas play. The children from Latin America were presenting the play this year. Swami arrived for darshan just before half-past four. The programme commenced at ten to five with Ganesh gayatri and went on for half an hour of lilting Christmas melodies and Sai songs. The half-hour Christmas play then commenced, presenting the stories of Jesus and Sai as told by a mother to her son and interspersed with many songs. Swami blessed the participants with photographs and clothes before Arati just before half-past six.
Christmas was celebrated in Prashanti Nilayam with festivity and joy. Swami arrived in silken white robe in the morning shortly after 9:00am. Cutting the Christmas cakes that had been arranged in the portico, Swami arrived on the stage and there were two programmes. The first was by the University Brass band. This was followed by carol singing by the students. After two Santas added to the festivity of the occasion, Swami received Aarthi and left.The evening programme consisted of two speeches by Ms. Yuliana Pulgar and Mr.Douglas Saunders respectively. This was followed by the Divine discourse at the end of which Swami blessed a few Russian devotees with the joy of His interaction.
The Christmas celebrations at Prashanthi Nilayam got off to a wonderful start with carol singing by the overseas devotees on Christmas Eve. Swami arrived in the evening and took a full round. Coming on the stage, He asked for the programme to begin. the singing went on for almost an hour and throughout Swami was engrossed in the lyrics of each song sung. At the end of the singing, He asked Mr.John Behner to announce the programme for the next two days. He also called a student who expressed heartfelt thanks to the overseas choir on behalf of all the University students. Blessing all the members, Swami retired to Yajur Mandir at 6:30pm.
The dance group at the Prashanti Nilayam campus of the University completed five years of existence yesterday. Swami blessed them to put up a performance commemorating this occasion and thus it was that there was a 40 minute long dance performance beginning at 5:15pm. Swami moved down the stage and granted group photographs for all the students involved before receiving Aarthi and retiring shortly after 6:00pm.
The Sri Sathya Sai University had a special agenda with the Chancellor today. The University’s newly developed ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system was blessed and commissioned by Him in a small function held in the bhajan hall in the evening at 4:30 Hrs.
The University Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Controller of Examinations and the Principal of the Prasanthi Nilayam campus were joined by a group of faculty members who had been working on the same seeking Divine Blessings on the memorable occasion. This University Management System would facilitate the easy administration, management and communication, both internal and external, of the University. After inaugurating it, Swami moved outside for the bhajans before receiving Aarthi.
An exclusive batch of doctors along with families from the twin hospitals in Bangalore, SSSIHMS and Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital in Whitefield, came in with a strength of over 200 to bask in His all-conquering Divine Love. As was the case with the previous group, this exclusive group of medicos and families was also blessed by Swami in a most thrilling session held in the bhajan hall that lasted for an hour. Swami spoke to them in Kannada and blessing them with photos moved outside for the bhajans. After bhajans, He received Aarthi and moved to yajur Mandir.
There were no special programmes at Prasanthi Nilayam over the last week. The political disturbances in the rest of the state have not significantly impacted the Ashram and its immediate vicinity, though the travel plans of many were affected by the cancellation of bus services in Andhra Pradesh. Bhagavan has been coming before the evening bhajans commence on many days, and went for a drive a couple of days ago in the forenoon. Last evening, He had come for darshan before half-past four, and had blessed the ladies' side with a second darshan round before five o'clock. Functionaries from the defence services of Sri Lanka and India had visited Prasanthi Nilayam over the last few days, and today the Chief of the Army Staff of Nepal had an audience with Bhagavan. Swami blessed many of the members of his group with vibhuti and also asked for distribution of a booklet and prasadam before He accepted Arati. After Arati, He blessed some of the birthday boys from among the students and returned to His residence at a quarter-past six.
Devotees from Singapore presented a drama this evening. Bhagavan arrived for darshan at a quarter past four and after His darshan round, began their performance. The forty minute drama presented the concept of the Spiritual Bank which was based on a Discourse given by Bhagavan in 1966. At the end of the performance, Bhagavan blessed the group with photographs and gave a chain to one of the children. He then allowed the devotees to sing bhajans, which continued till ten past six when He accepted Arati and retired for the day.
The Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar of Visakhapatnam celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The children and teachers of the school were gathered at Prasanthi Nilayam and presented a drama this evening. Bhagavan came for darshan a few minutes before five and after His darshan round sat for a couple of minutes onstage before moving to the interview room. It was 5.20 pm when He came onstage and began their performance. The hour long drama showed the positive impact of Sai students on society. There were several dances punctuating their performance which ended with a group song. At the end of the performance, Bhagavan blessed the children with group photographs. This was followed by bhajans for twenty minutes following which Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence at seven o'clock.
As announced yesterday, this evening the Punjab youth were ready with their drama and a backdrop was set up in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagavan arrived for darshan just after five o'clock and came onstage after His darshan round to begin the programme. A half-hour drama 'Vande Sai Mataram' was the first presentation, followed by a short music programme. Swami blessed the participants with group photographs and gave a chain to one of them. It was half-past six when He returned to His residence after accepting Arati and blessing the singers.
This evening, youth from Bengal presented their programme. Swami arrived at half-past four and after His darshan round, came onstage to begin the presentation. A forty-minute drama 'Transformation from Individual to Global' then began. Swami sent clothes for all the actors and moved down from the stage to interact with them, asking for bhajans to begin after He returned onstage. Accepting Arati after fifteen minutes of bhajans, Bhagavan returned to His residence at six o'clock after an announcement about the cultural programme to be presented tomorrow by the Punjab youth.
Mr. Ratan Tata, Chairman of India's largest business group, visited Prasanthi Nilayam today, along with his colleague Mr. Krishna Kumar, Vice-Chairman of Indian Hotels Company. Before evening darshan, all the college students and the visitors from the Tata group were seated in the College auditorium. Bhagavan came for darshan at half-past four to Sai Kulwant Hall in the car and directly moved to the College auditorium for a drama presentation by the students there. After the drama, Swami interacted with the participants onstage for more than half an hour before returning to the Mandir where the bhajans were going on. He accepted Arati from inside the Bhajan Hall after getting down from the car at a quarter to seven and then interacted with Mr. Tata and Mr. Krishna Kumar for fifteen minutes there before returning to His residence in the car.
Swami was coming before the evening bhajans began for the last few days, and returning to His residence in the chair itself. Yesterday, He came for darshan at 4.45 pm and moved to the interview room. After the five o'clock bhajans began, He went in the car to the college auditorium and saw a drama rehearsal by the students there. Returning after an hour, He accepted Arati at 6.20 before returning to His residence. Today, darshan was at 5.15 pm, after which Bhagavan gave interviews till past seven when He came onstage to accept Arati. He then asked the students to chant 'Samasta Loka Sukhino Bhavantu' three more times before He blessed the congregation and returned to His residence.
