SHIVARATRI UPDATE 2009 : Sai Baba Photos & darshan news updates

Sai Baba Darshan News &  latest event photos   Monday, February 23, 2009 "...Bhagawan arrived this Shivarathri morning at 7.30 am in the special golden raised chair. After His darshan round,....." read more + see photos Monday, February 23, 2009 Bhagawan arrived this Shivarathri morning at 7.30 am in the special golden raised chair. After His darshan round, He blessed the cakes on the verandah and moved to the interview room. After half an hour, He emerged and came onstage. For a while, He listed to the Vedam being chanted by the students and the youth from Karnataka. He asked for those with mics to stop so that He could hear the 1000-strong group chanting in unision. Wall calendars and prasadam was distributed to all after being Blessed by Bhagawan. Swami accepted Arati just after 9 am before returning to His residence in the chair. In the evening, the Sai Kulwant Hall was not enough to hold all the devotees, and the Poornachandra auditorium was also opened to accomodate them. Screens with projectors were installed in the Poornachandra and the Sai Kulwant Hall so that the eager thousands could see the proceedings. Bhagawan arrived for darshan at 4.30 pm, moving first to the Poornachandra to grant darshan to the devotees there, and then coming to the Sai Kulwant Hall in a procession led by the University brass band. Bhagawan was resplendent in a yellow robe, seated on the golden raised chair, and just behind Him, an ice lingam more than a meter high was wheeled into the Hall and placed near the stage. Swami sat onstage as the Vedam chanting went on, and at 4.50 pm, asked Prof Anil Kumar to introduce the speakers for the day. Sri S. V. Giri, former Vice Chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai University, Sri. V. Srinivasan, the All India Sai Organisations President, and Sri Ajit Popat from the United Kingdom spoke before Bhagawan's Shivarathri message. Bhagawan spoke for an hour, stressing that Hari and Hara are essentially formless, and that we should imprint the form of our choice in our heart so that all the time, we are in the Divine Presence. After Bhagawan's Discourse concluded at seven o'clock, the night long bhajans commenced in the Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagawan returned to His residence after fifteen minutes, and the group bhajans continued into the night after 7.30 pm.   Sunday, February 22, 2009 In the morning, 1000 young men from Karnataka trained in chanting the Rudram were seated in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagawan arrived for darshan at 9.45 am while the bhajans went on in the Bhajan Hall. He moved around the Hall and the Bhajan Hall, sitting for a while onstage and accepting Arati at 10.30 am. An announcement was made that the Karnataka group was to be ready in Sai Kulwant Hall tomorrow at 7 am. In the evening, Bhagawan graciously arranged for the distribution of Shivalingams with bases to many of the ladies. He came for darshan in the chair after the five o'clock bhajans began, and moved around the Hall going all the way back to Yajur Mandir also while the distribution to the ladies was going on. He sat for a while onstage as the bhajans continued before accepting Arati and returning to His residence at six o'clock.   Saturday, February 21, 2009 This being a long weekend culminating in Shivarathri, Prasanthi Nilayam is filled to the brim with devotees. Bhagawan had a surprise for all of them this evening. Arriving while the evening bhajans went on, Swami sat onstage after His darshan round and asked for Mr. Ajit Popat. At 5.25 pm, the bhajans were stopped and Mr. Popat took the stage, speaking for 45 minutes on the Joy we feel in the divine presence. Bhagawan then asked for the microphone and delivered a Divine Discourse. Bhagawan stressed the unity of creation and insisted on obedience to one's mother and confidence in the Self for achieving success in life, narrating the story of Abraham Lincoln. After His hour-long Discourse, Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence in the chair itself, accepting many letters on the way.   Friday, February 20, 2009 This evening, the Hungarian devotees got another chance to present a musical programme. On Monday, only the choir group sang in Sai Kulwant Hall; today the entire group was prepared with songs. Bhagawan came for darshan in His chair, and when He came onstage, the programme got underway at 4.45 pm. The devotees sang songs and bhajans till 6 pm, with a short break when Swami went inside the interview room. Bhagawan blessed two members of the group with chains. Bhajans by the students began at six o'clock and Swami accepted Arati before returning to His residence at 6.20 pm. --- Read detailed update from 20th Feb, Hungarian Choir sings second time in Prasanthi Nilayam "...After a fulfilling session with the Divine, a Choir in His Divine Presence on the 16th evening, came an appreciation in recognition in the form of a repeat performance on the 20th evening by the command of Bhagawan, a double bonanza for what they missed out during their previous trip to Prasanthi Nilayam. Click here  back to<< Sai Baba Darshan News &  latest event photos << **************************************************************************************