Report on Tamil New Year Day and Vishu Celebrations 11-14 April 2004

[Guest guest]

Source: http://www.srisathyasai.org.in/pages/vishu_Tamil_04_report.htm

 

India is a land of rich and diverse cultures. The varied traditions and forms of

dance and music, drama and literature from different regions of the country all

form part of the proud heritage of this land. And the uniqueness of the

festivities at the Lotus Feet of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is that one gets

to see the different facets of Indian culture and also those from all over the

world.Devotees from the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala celebrated their New

Year Day with their Lord at the Brindavan Ashram in Bangalore. The

celebrations, held between 11-14th of April, coincided with a state level

conference of the youth wing of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Kerala.

About 3000 youth delegates, both men and women, attended the conference and

were addressed by some of the students and staff members of the Sri Sathya Sai

Institute of Higher Learning as well as senior members of the Seva

Organization.The inaugural session of the conference was held on the morning of

11th April in the Sai Ramesh Krishan Hall. After the delegates welcomed

Bhagawan into their midst with songs, Prof. Mukundan, the President of the Sri

Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Kerala addressed the gathering. He reminded the

youth of the reason that they had all gathered at the Lotus Feet of Bhagawan –

to taste His Love and to have to glimpse of His glory so that they may undergo

a transformation in their attitudes and outlook. He was followed by Sri Sanjay

Mahalingam, a student of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, who

spoke on the importance of

holding on to the Lord’s Feet. He said that when the fisherman casts his net

into the sea, it is the fish that swim close to his feet that never get caught

in the net. Similarly, when the Lord casts His net of Maya (Illusion), there

can be no safer place than at His Lotus Feet.Bhagawan then began His Divine

Discourse by saying that it is foolish to search for God when He is present

everywhere. He said that it is most important to understand and develop the

confidence that God is always working for our welfare. He said that it is He

who grants us the devotion and the strength, and when God is sparing no effort

to work for our good, we must also perform actions that please God. He also

said that everyone must aspire for darshan, sparshan and

discourse for the youth conference"

src="http://www.srisathyasai.org.in/images/DSC02813_tn.jpg" width="150"

align="left" border="1">sambhashan with God and also elaborated on the benefits

of these three types of blessings.After the Discourse, the delegates adjourned

to the Sai Krishan Kalyana Mantapam for the subsequent sessions of the

conference. In the evening, the youth of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city

of Kerala, presented a drama titled, “The Ultimate Solution”. The drama

depicted how the practice of the human values enunciated by Bhagawan is the

only answer to the various ills that beset modern day society.On the morning of

12th April, Bhagawan graciously granted darshan and also sat for a few Bhajans.

The evening session witnessed a music programme by renowned artistes from

Kerala.The following morning, on the occasion of the Tamil New Year Day,

singers from the Sundaram Bhajan group (Sundaram is Bhagawan’s

residence at Chennai) led Bhajans in the Sai Ramesh Krishan Hall. The evening

began with a sweet welcome speech in Sanskrit by a young boy which was

simultaneously translated into English. This was followed by a music programme

by the Sundaram Bhajan singers, in which they exhibited their virtuosity in

different styles of music ranging from Carnatic and light classical music to

qawaali and even western classical.The following day, 14th April was ‘Vishu’,

the Kerala New Year Day, and in the evening there was a concert by a music

troupe from Kerala. They began with the melodious Navaragamalika varnam

“Valachi Vachi”, with the violin and the flute as the lead instruments. They

followed it up with the famous piece, “Vatapi Ganapathim” and a detailed

exposition of the Thyagaraja kirthana, “Nagumomu”. The highlight of the

programme was the taniavartanam (exposition of the taala or rhythm by the

percussionists) involving nine instruments which included even the panchavadyam

instruments unique to the state of Kerala. Bhagawan joined the audience in

applauding the artistes at the end of this thrilling performance. The concert

concluded with the Bhajan, “Deva Devottama Deena Samrakshaka”.Bhagawan

descended the stage and feted the musicians by presenting them with clothes.

Then there followed some enchanting moments when Bhagawan commanded one of the

musicians to sing a kirthana, while He stood smiling in front of him and even

joined him in singing “Jagadodharana”, a composition by Saint Purandaradasa.At

the end of the festivities, which left everyone with so many pleasant memories,

if there was one thing that stood out as one looked back, it was the exemplary

discipline exhibited by the Kerala youth. They chanted the Sai Gayathri as they

waited for Bhagawan’s darshan in the Sai Ramesh Krishan Hall, and also before

every workshop session in the Kalyana Mantapam. The orderly manner in which the

three thousand strong contingent queued for darshan and also filed out of the

hall after the programmes was indeed worthy of praise and a measure of how well

the youth have absorbed Bhagawan’s message of duty, devotion and

discipline.Jai Sai Ram!

 

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