1. Song & Music Program by Italian Devotees 23rd
July -
2. Musical offering to Bhagawan by devotees from the US (Region 10) 28th
July - 3. Musical
programme by devotees from United Kingdom 31st July 2008
Wednesday,
July 23, 2008 This evening, devotees from Italy presented a musical
programme. Bhagawan came in His golden chair, reaching onstage at 5.25
pm to start the proceedings. After 45 minutes of traditional Italian
music, Bhagawan asked them to sing Bhajans. At 6.30 pm, He accepted
Arati and moved to the interview room. When He emerged a few minutes
later, some students from the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School
were waiting with a card and a tray of sweets, on the occasion of
their Hostel anniversary. Swami asked the student with the tray of
chocolates in the shape of gold coins to follow Him, and moving to the
ladies' side, distributed the sweets to many devotees and even moved
among the ladies on wheelchairs giving them the sweets personally.
Then He returned to the centre of Sai Kulwant hall, had a set of
photographs with the youngest member of their group who had recited
Vedam and played a guitar solo, and asked the students to sing
Bhajans. At a quarter past seven, Swami moved towards His residence,
and the session concluded with Arati once again.
Devotees
from the US (Region 10 – Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas)
presented a musical offering to Bhagawan on Monday, July 28th in Sai
Kulwant Hall.
Cultural Program by USA
Devotees
Music Program and Skits
July 30, 2008
Devotees from the US (Region 10 – Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and
Arkansas) presented a musical offering to Bhagawan on Monday, July
28th in Sai Kulwant Hall.
The program depicted Bhagawan’s love for mankind throughout the ages.
It showed scenes of His various incarnations and messengers to uplift
man to enable him to realise his divinity. The entire group of 276
performed a medley of songs in 7 languages, woven together with
narration. 57 Bal Vikas (SSE) children provided a dramatic portrayal
through skits and dances.
The six episodes focused on the majesty of Rama, the mischief of
Krishna, the serenity of the Buddha, the compassion of Jesus, the
glory of Allah, and the grandeur of Bhagawan Baba
The first scene was set to a backdrop of uplifting songs, which
described the glory and might of the Lord, and illustrated the power
of the vanaras’ devotion to Lord Rama as they built the bridge to
Lanka. Our prayer is to be, likewise, humble instruments in Lord Sai
Rama’s mission.
The second episode focused on the mischief of Krishna, who charmed
Mother Yashoda and the Gopis as He stole yogurt and butter. His
leelas, dramatized to a bhajan, inspire us to awaken the God within
who will steal our butter-soft hearts. This scene was followed by a
song that reminds us to remember Hari (Lord Krishna) in all that we
think, say, and do.
Set to a traditional chant followed by a bhajan, the next scene
depicted the Lord Buddha’s peaceful aura. His presence was enough to
calm the restless minds of spiritual aspirants depicted by SSE
students. By controlling the senses and purifying their intake, the
heart shall become Prasanthi Nilayam and Sai will reside within.
The fourth episode showed Jesus showering His unconditional love and
compassion on the blind, the hungry, the sick, and the needy. Seeing
Jesus' loving service, others, who previously were unwilling to serve,
follow suit and therefore are transformed themselves.
The fifth episode showed a traditional Sufi dance set to an uplifting
Qawwali praising Allah. The songs of Allah demonstrated that Bhagawan
(in all His forms) is the ultimate embodiment of All that Is as He is
the One behind everyone and everything.
For the grand finale, the boys and girls created two hearts at the
Lotus Feet of Bhagawan Baba while the entire group sang “Hum Ko Tumse
Pyar Kitna.” This represented that the whole world - all faiths,
religions, castes, and sects - is arriving at the Lotus Feet of
Bhagawan to participate in His Divine Mission.
Swami responded to this outpouring of love by coming down into the
group of children for a photograph. He granted padanamaskar to several
of them, materialized a gold chain for one boy, and distributed
prasadam to everyone.
Swami’s pleasure was evident as He invited the group to sing several
bhajans in His Divine Presence. After accepting Arathi, Swami raised
both hands in blessing to all.
- For the last few days, Bhagawan has been coming for darshan in His
chair on most occasions, and going for a second round of the verandah,
sitting onstage for a few minutes and then moving to the interview
room. This evening, the group from the USA got a chance to present a
musical programme with enactments by children in Sai Kulwant Hall. At
5.25 pm their programme got underway when Swami came onstage. Various
religions were represented in the group songs for half an hour. Swami
interacted with them, and after a few minutes, they began bhajans.
Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 6.40 pm.
Source: Photos: www. sssbpt.org - text: www. sairadio.org - Submitted Sai
news & Photos - SBOI GROUP
Thursday, July 31, 2008 Thursdays, of late have
become days of great joy at Parthi , especially among the gents. With
Swami frequently choosing to take a shortcut to the interview room
just after the ladies side, the gents devotees are starved of close
darshan. And so, Thursdays become so important. Not only because of
the fact that Swami, since childhood, has assigned special importance
to it, but also because the primary school children come for darshan!
So?....So, the gap between the ladies and gents is filled up by the
children and this seems to "force" Swami to make the complete darshan
rounds! And when Swami came out at 4:15pm, He did exactly that as He
took a complete round of the ladies and gents side on the chair and
everyone were happy.
Very often, it is said, "God is everywhere. All we need is a pure
heart and a clean mind to feel Him." Whatever be the statement or the
Truth, ask anyone who has just had the privilege of seeing Swami from
up close. The thrill that shoots through ones being at being so close
to His Being is something out of the world! His darshan seems to fill
the entire body-mind-soul apparatus with sublime joy and pure bliss.
That effect seems more divine and profound especially when one has
been starved of it for many days! It is not simply that the sages and
saints, who were ever immersed in the divine, also got dumbed into
ecstatic silence at the mere sight of that same Divine. When the Lord
descends as an Avatar, His darshan is something that one must
experience. And for those who swear by the "God is felt everywhere"
philosophy, please, sit for a moment at a yard's distance from Him and
feel the difference yourselves! Today, Swami was all "randomness" if
we can give another name for His famed "uncertainty" ! He moved
towards the interview room, but then moved along the upper portico and
interacted with the devotees there.. He also materialised a gold chain
for a devotee seated there.
Golden lingam animation - Right click and save
Moving down, He went towards the primary school block. He blessed
chocolates to be distributed to all the children and this raised the
excitement levels- slightly in the whole mandir and to extreme levels
in the children's portion of it.. As the chocolates were distributed,
another treat too was readied and choco-cream biscuits soon followed
suit, only that this time the beneficiaries were everyone and not the
children alone. Swami slowly travelled down the slope along the
primary school students. He collected letters and blessed the kids as
the Veda chanting among them reached "sonic boom" levels. He retraced
the same path and granted the children a bonus 'double'. Through the
veranda, He moved out to the gents side and this time gave the
privileged 'double' to the Higher Secondary School and Institute
students. As He neared the area where the birthday boys were seated,
He told them in a joking- admonishing tone,"Ay I already blessed you
all!" He moved to the interview room and then blessed the group from
the United Kingdom to put up the musical programme they had prepared.
Quickly, the marble block was cleared and the group to perform were
seated. Hurriedly, a lamp for Swami to light was prepared. However,
Swami came and straight sat facing the devotees and asked for the
programme to begin.
A person went up to Swami and offered a rose to mark the beginning of
the programme. Beginning with "Brahmaanandam Parama Sukhadam", the
group sang five songs in different styles and different moods. The
final song was a powerful one that had the catch phrase, "onward,
forward, godward". As they completed their five songs, Swami told them
to sing bhajans. The youth from the United Kingdom had come on this
visit to Parthi as part of their sadhana camp! They began bhajans and
five bhajans later, Swami had Aarthi and then retired to Yajur Mandir.
click here to see photos- sai Baba Darshan July 2008