| Bhagawans 86th Birthday Celebrations Programme Schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday, November 19th, 2011 - Morning - (Evening) Today is November 19, International Ladies' Day in Prasanthi Nilayam and for Sai Fraternit  y all over the world. Ever since its inception in the year 1995, calling for greater women participation in social and spiritual revolution in their role as feminine energy, November 19 has been the dotted day in Prasanthi Calendar when womenfolk comes active celebrating the day in His Divine presence.This mornings presentation began at 0830 hrs. with Vedam by the women students of Anantapur Campus chanting Rudram, Mantrapushpam and Durga Suktam for half- an-hour. Anantapur Band followed playing soulful tunes as students from the campus followed by senior ladies' paid tributes at Beloved Bhagawan at the Sanctum Sanctorum.
Introducing the speakers for the session, Ms. Chetana Raju spoke of the persona of Sri Sathya Sai, reminding the audience that nothing could ever fill the vacuum created by Bhagawan's physical passing on…Swami always Was…Swami always Is…Swami always Will Be…Bhagawan is past, present and future stressed the speaker recapitulating the most wonderous time Bhagawan had given to mankind, walking talking and living among humanity.  There were three speakers for the morning session. The first speaker, Dr. Malathi Srinivasan, a former student of Anantapur Campus and currently Principle Scientist, CSIR, Bangalore shared some interesting incidents during her tenure as a student at Anantapur Campus. Staying away, for the first time in life, the speaker was infested with nostalgia and thus had a tough time. Praying hard, she asked Bhagawan to show His omniscience, a conditional prayer, asking for a particular prasadam. Ominipresent Mother Sai responded to her sincere prayer, giving in to the devotee's demand, sending His student her 'chosen prasadam' while the rest of the lot got regular laddu prasadam. This was a 'visiting card' from Mother Sai instilling greater faith in His omniscience, came at the appropriate time. Women, in Bhagawan's words, are supposedly blessed with seven qualities, Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi, Prema, Ahimsa, Tolerance and Spirituality, said Dr. Malathi mentioning on the inception of Anantapur Campus in 1969, crediting the same to Mother Easwaramma's wishful desire.  The second speaker, Mrs. Madhuri Naganand, spoke of her first darshan of Bhagawan in Bangalore. A Shirdi Sai devotee originally, she had a prayer to Baba to grant her 'Pratyaksha Darshan' and as an answer to her prayer she was guided to Bhagawan in Bangalore, resulting in her first ever darshan of Sri Sathya Sai. Referring to the Taitireeya Upanishadic dictum, "Mathru Devo Bhava", Mrs. Naganand called upon the attention to Bhagawan' s own life, treating His physical mother with great reverence, reminding the audience of the role and importance of women in society.  The final speaker was Mrs. Phyllis Krystal, a nonegenarian, veteran devotee from the US, author of many popular books of Sai literature. Narrating her first ever meeting with Bhagawan, a soft spoken Mrs. Krystal shared with the audience highlights of many a councelling she has been fortunate to receive over the years. Omnipresent Sai is 'everywhere' and it is our duty to take His mission onward; what we need to do is to love Him by all means, said the spirited speaker, reminiscing her precious moments with Beloved Bhagawan. Sai Kulwant Hall bore colourful decorations and the Seat of Bhagawan, the Sacntum Sanctorum, was a riot of colours, bedecked with flowers and buntings of varied hues. Bhajans by Anatapur students continued and special Italian Prasadam was distributed before Mangala Arathi offering at 1015 hrs. Evening session on this Ladies' Day commenced at 1630 hrs. with Vedic chanting by higher secondary girls from Sri Sathya Sai "Primary School", followed by love offerings at the Sanctum Sanctorum. First programme in the evening was an address by Ms. Mallika Srinivasan, CEO, Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd. , TAFE, and a senior official of Easwaramma Women's Welfare Trust.  Beginning with a recollection of the days with Beloved Bhagawan, Mrs. Srinivasan highlighted on the role of women in society, quoting Bhagawan from His Divine discourses. Living a life following the path of Righteousness, practising human values is what women should follow, said Mrs. Srinivasasn.
Speaking on women welfare, the speaker stressed on the need to initiate service activities aimed at women upliftment. With Bhagawan physically absent, we must ensure that we are worthy of His love by strictly adhering to His teachings, said the speaker before ending her speech with a pledge that "we" would be ever with Sai.  The second programme for the session was "Prayer of Gratitude", a colourful dance skit by the tiny tots from Primary School. The programme was a collective offering of gratitude for all that Bhagawan has been for them, for the humanity. Attributeless Divine He Was…He Is…incarnated in human form that, these tiny tots offered tears of gratitude, calling various attributes of their attributeless Divine. The prayer was to listen to their heartfelt prayer. An interesting scene at Kailasha, with Bhagawan conversing to Sage Narada evinced greater enthusiasm in the assembly. Answering to Narada's prayer, to accede to the prayer of humanity granting them darshan, Bhagawan enlightened the sage, in poetic telugu, that His body belonged to humanity and He would ever respond to heartfelt prayer of love. An audio clip of Bhagawan's discourse airing this message was also relayed.  A Carnatic vocal concert by Ms. Bhagyalakshmi Suresh followed. Beginning with an invocatory piece, "Mahaganapathim…" Ms. Bhagyalakshmi burst into four more compositions treating the audience with a perfect Ladies' Day feast. She sang like enjoying a direct audience with The Lord, with the soul of her music bursting directly at Bhagawan at the Sanctum Sanctorum and dispersing into each and every heart present in the hall enveloping the entire audience. As she burst into singing solos one after one, without any interludes of commentary, it turned out to be a rare Carnatic treat for the twilight's assembly.  A short video presentation titled "a snapshot of progress…" on the evolution of Easwaramma Women'a Welfare Trust followed. Bhajans by Higher Secondary girls continued for the next fifteen minutes. Bringing curtains close they sang their hearts out, "Aao Pyaare Nayan Hamaare…", an invocatory bhajan calling out Beloved Swami. Artistes, accompanists and the Primary School children were felicitated before Mangala Arathi offering at 1900 hrs. Prasadam was distributed to the entire assembly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| THOUGHT FOR THE DAY as written at Prasanthi Nilayam Today | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Photo Updates - Darshan News & Prasanthi Events |
2011-11-20
Ladies’ Day in The Divine Presence…Bhagawans 86th Birthday Celebrations
2011-11-18
PHOTOS & UPDATE -18th Nov. 2011 -Sri Sathya Sai Baba's 86th Birthday updates
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Music Concert by Sumitra Guha…Kabir Das's composition 'Moko Kahan Doondey Re Bande…Main to tere paas mein'… meaning, "Where do you search Me? I'm right here with you" echoed in Prasanthi Nilayam serving the right message for the assemblage of devotees reassuring Beloved Bhagawan's unceasing presence amidst us, this evenining here in Prasanthi Nilayam. On the third day of the ongoing Birthday Celebrations, this evening there was a Hindustani Vocal Concert by well-known vocalist and exponent of Indian Classical Music, Padma Shri Ms. Sumitra Guha. A rare breed and champion proponent of Indian Classical Music around the world, Ms. Guha had an ealier stint in Prasanthi Nilayam, singing in Bhagawan's physical presence in 2005. Her concerts are counted as 'experiences' that bear the stamp of exclusive musical devotion. This evening, Ms. Guha began her concert with her own composition on Lord Krishna "Kaise jaaun tumhare paas O Giridhari" in Raag Hamsadhwani, in Teen Taal, a prelude to a scnitillating hour of Hindustani devotional. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh the seasoned artiste chose to sing a Telugu Poem, a composition of Bhakta Kavi Pothana, "Mandara Makaranda Maadhuryamunadelu" that was followed by a Meera Bhajan, a favourite piece of Bhagawan, " Kahan Kahan Jao Therey Saath…". The Kabir Vani 'Moko Kahan Doondey Re Bande…Main to tere paas mein' followed, sung with elan and great devotional feeling. As her honeyed voice rendered the air, singing the most meaningful lines, audience sat in silence, many immersed in their own mislaid world of nostalgic days with Beloved Mother Sai.  The next piece was one of Annamacharya, 'Narayana Jaya Namo Namaha', before the concluding song, a bhajan styled in Hindustani, "Govinda Bolo Gopala Bolo…". Ms. Guha, siging with her soothing, piercing voice with facile tonal variations excelled with her devotional approach over professional mode, transmuting the general mood of the evening into devotional ecstasy. For the audience, it was a totally different experience, with the versatile singer exhibiting precision and clarity, singing with devotional fervour. Ms. Guha was accomapnied by Sri Nishikant Barodekar on Tabla, Harish on Keyboard and Sridhar on Violin. At the end of the concert, artistes were feliciated by Senior Trust officials. Bhajans by Prasanthi and Anantapur Campuses followed for the next fifteen minutes and Mangala Arathi was offered at 1815 hrs. Prasadam was distributed to the entire assemblage of devotees. 19th November is Annual Ladies' Day. An announcement to this effect was made; the programme would commence at 0830 hrs. in the morning. Celestial Marriage and Rathotsavam…November 18 is a marked day in Puttaparthi, for religious fanfare and piety coupled with devotional pomp among village folks, as this is the day when Lord Rama and Mother Sita would go in a procession along with Venugopala Swami from the Mandir in Prasanthi Nilayam to the Peddavenkama Raju Kalyana Mandapam, near Hanuman Temple. This symbolic procession has been in practice eversince its inception dates back 1980s. Over the years Bhagawan would personally bless the occasion in the bhajan hall as the deities were taken out in procession. Highlight of this morning function was the Celestial Marriage of Divine Couple, Lord Sri Ramachandra and Mother Sita performed with religious rites, in Sai Kulwant Hall. The function began at 0820 hrs. after 20 mts. of Veda chanting.  After invocatory chanting, the officiating priest explained the greater significance of the function, especially that of conducting the marriage in the Divine Presence of Beloved Bhagawan. The chanting went on and various offerings pertaining to the rituals followed. Upanayanam, sacred thread ceremony of the bridegroom followed by Kanyadanam (giving away the bride) was performed amidst chanting before the final ceremony, The Divine Marriage, was conducted by tying of Mangala Sutra around the neck of the bride.  The entire function was linked to the Sathya Sai Saga as the priest went on repeating the connection and greater significance at frequent intervals. It is for the first time after its inception the Divine Marriage is conducted in Sai Kulwant Hall, witnessed by an assembly of devotees. Over the years the function used to be inside the bhajan hall, in the immediate Divine Presence of Bhagawan. Mangala Arathi to the Divine couple was offered before the the deities were taken out in procession along with that of Lord Venugopala Swami. Subsequently, the deities were mounted on the main chariot at the gopuram gate amidst devotional exuberance. Upon mounting the deities, coconuts were broken and arathi was offered before they were taken out along the road in procession.  Ecstatic mood of the village folk dancing to the tune of drumbeats, breaking coconuts and offering arathi enroute, was evidential of the religious fervour attached to the festivity. Vedam and Bhajans group from Prasanthi led the procession. The Venugopala Swami idol was mounted at the Pedda Venkama Raju Kalyanamandapam before return journey commenced, carrying the Sita Rama idols, a custom that has been in place ever since the Chariot Festival was introduced in Parthi. Venugopala Swami would go on a round of the entire village before returning to Prasanthi Mandir in the night.  Earlier, outside the Prasanthi gates, enthusiastic Parthi folks were up quite early, sprucing up and decorating the entire road between Prasanthi Mandir and Pedda Venkamaraju Kalyana Mandapam. Women devotees were seen engaged in painting the road with 'Rangoli'. « A musical drama by Muddenahalli students - 17th Nov..… - Music Concert by Sumitra Guha 18th Nov… » | ||||||||||||||||||
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2011-11-17
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s 86th Birthday updates Day 1 & 2 16Nov. & 17th Nov. Photos Video – Updates
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