Also read updated: 20-06-06, Up close and personal with Swami
In the year 2002, on the occasion of Gurupoornima, Bhagawan inaugurated the Sri Sathya Sai Deena Janoddharana Pathakamu, a scheme under which residential units were constructed to house destitutes and orphaned children belonging to the weaker sections of the society. Sixty children from various villages around Puttaparthi are now supported by this scheme. Rs.1 lakh has been deposited in the name of each child in addition to the free housing, food, clothing, education and other daily needs being provided. The residential units are located in a colony named Sri Sathya Sai Nagar in the village of Kammavaripalli behind the western perimeter of the ashram. A school also has been built here where the children are provided formal education as also vocational training. This institution has become a role model for many such institutions in Andhra Pradesh.

Four years have passed since the Institution was started. On the evening of 20th June 2006, the children of the home celebrated the foundation day in the divine presence of Bhagawan. The love of the children for Bhagawan and Bhagawan’s concern and care was well depicted through a canvas in Sai Kulwant Hall.

Bhagawan came to the Hall to the chant of Vedic hymns at 3.55 p.m. The programme began with an invocation by the students who chanted the ‘Narayana Suktam’. At the outset, a boy from the Institution expressed his gratitude to Bhagawan for providing them food, clothing and a safe haven to live in. We can only offer ourselves and pray for His grace, he said. The boy informed the audience that 9 boys had passed the 10th class and some others had joined B.Sc. (Information Technology) to pursue their further studies.

Their next presentation was a thematic play on the concept of ancient Vedic wisdom and modern technology presented as a dialogue between two narrators. The opening scene depicts Adi Sankara, the renowned Vedantist of yore, eulogising Lord Siva. The narrators deplore that in this holy land that has given birth to such great men of wisdom like Adi Shankara, society has today fallen to the lures of the materialistic world and ignored its glorious heritage. The next scene portrays a few priests performing a Yagna (offering of oblations in the sacrificial fire) when the great emperor Alexander on his conquering expedition happens on the scene. He converses with the priests and he is impressed him by their self confidence and simplicity. He asks them to reveal the secret of their contentment. The priests reply that true happiness can be gained only by conquering one’s desires and not by conquest of empires.

Then the scene shifts to a typical urban household in India. An old man who prides in the richness of Indian culture is shocked at seeing his grandson’s flippant attitude towards the values and ethos of this great land. He decides that it is time that the boy learnt that the wonders of modern technology that he was so much in awe of were already known to the sages of ancient India. He cites examples such as the ancient Indian treatise on air travel as well as missiles and warheads, Vaimanika Sastra, and various surgical procedures detailed in the Charaka Samhita. He explains to the boy that it is not technology that is evil, but it is the harmful ways in which it is being applied. The play brought out the numerous ways that technology, especially Information Technology, can benefit society. It is only spirituality that can lend completeness to science was the message of the skit.

The presentation concluded with a moving song that expressed the gratitude the boys felt towards Swami for the sea change that Swami had brought about in their lives and who cared for them as only a loving mother can. At the end of the programme, Bhagawan lovingly granted photographs to the boys. After Prasadam distribution and Arati, Bhagawan retired to His residence.

20-06-06, Tuesday  update! - Up close and personal with Swami
                      

Today the boys at the Deenajanoddharana Patakam (DJP) had obtained permission from Swami to put up a programme for which they had been toiling for from the 1st of June. All the boys were ready in the mandir by 2pm itself. Those in costumes were in the bhajan hall waiting for Swami's arrival. Swami came out at 3:25pm in the Porte car. He went straight to the bhajan hall. He inquired from a few actors there as to what their roles were. Then He told them, "Perform well and touch everyone's heart." He came out and sat on the sofa.
  At about 3:55pm He asked for the programme to begin. It started with vedam chanting by tiny tots of the DJP. They were also in costumes (!) as little Brahmin pundits with long pilakas. They chanted the Narayanopanishad. Swami blessed them. This was followed by a speech in English by another student. He said that by Swami's grace, the boys had not only passed 12th with top classes but had also got enrolled for Undergraduate courses too! (Last year when Swami had blessed the DJP students, He had expressed that they too must be able to speak in English. It was a Herculean effort for the lad but he did a commendable job.) Swami was very happy and blessed the speaker. Then a tiny 'Sankaracharya' with his shishyas came onstage with the card carrying details of the programme. Swami was overwhelmed with emotion as He saw the kids coming towards Him. Very lovingly, He enquired their names and blessed them by placing His hand on their heads. The programme that followed was an emotion filled one with lot of wisdom.
              It started with a dance rejoicing for the fact that all were in Sai's presence. Two comperes stepped onto the performance area. The programme was about the erosion of Bharatiya culture and it extolled the glory of our culture. There was a short skit about how Alexander the great comes across a few sages lost in their yagna and mocks at their foolishness. Then the sages explain the significance of each and every ritual and Alexander is brought to his knees. There was also a comic portrayal of a family where the generation gap is matched by the technological gap. The futility of cell phones when one is not able to connect with the heart and the dangers of the internet if used indiscriminately for everything was highlighted. They also showed how television has today become televisham. There was also the depiction of the declaration of the ultimate truth, "Shivoham" by Sankaracharya. All these were interspersed with lively and colorful dances. When the dance for a song which was about the mother aspect of Swami was being performed, Swami was completely overwhelmed. Here were children whom the world considered as 'orphans' declaring that they were the luckiest children to have found not one but a million mothers. Tears formed and dropped from the divine eyes. Swami was engrossed in the programme throughout and was very touched. The programme ended with a colourful and beautiful final formation right up in front of Swami.
  Swami rose from His seat and descended down the steps. He stood amidst the DJP children and posed for photographs. He came back but did not sit. He told all the children to sit down near Him. He stood holding the railing. One could see the love pouring out of His eyes. There was a plethora of Abhayahastas. He called some of the children and spoke to them. He blessed all the trinkets and other things that they had and also took all the letters they had to offer. It was only after about 7-8 minutes that He asked for the Aarthi to be taken. As the Aarthi was waved, Swami blessed everyone and went into the interview room. Then there were bhajans. Even during the bhajans Swami was 'lost' in the programme that had just been performed. He appeared very touched and happy. After bhajans He received Aarthi and retired to YM.