Parthi Update 23-11-2005 (Evening Session)

[Guest guest]

mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> HERE WE ARE… EVENING SESSION

New Roman'"> !!! HA

mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">PPY BIR

Roman'">THDAY TO

normal"> BELOV

FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">ED SWAMI !!!

COLOR: maroon; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New

Roman'">Sairam. The experience that we all had this evening is unforgettable.

We have never witnessed something like this ever before. We have been literally

transported into some other world. We will now try to take you through a feel of

this experience, though words will surely fail to do that.

maroon; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">We assemble

in the Shanti Vedika grounds on the green mats by 3.45 p.m. The programme is

scheduled to begin at 5.00 p.m. The clouds are still hanging heavily in the sky

and the possibility of a heavy downpour cannot be ruled out. However, devotees

throng in oblivious of these possibilities. A light drizzle continues as we

await Swami's

arrival to the stadium. An elegant tent like shelter has been set up on the

stage to protect the artistes from the drizzle. It is 4.25 p.m. Crowds are

still pouring in. Videos of earlier celebrations are being projected on the

giant screens to keep the public engaged. It is 4.50 p.m. and the procession

begins. Colourful dances with vibrant music lead the presentation. Dance

troupes hail from different states of India and exhibit their cultural items as

they proceed along the central red pathway. The band teams from the Primary

School and Prasanthi Nilayam Campus come behind these dances. The last

contingent of the convoy is a Bhangra dance troupe from the

Higher Secondary School. A wonderful song in Telugu is being played on the

system. Puttina Roju Sai Puttina Roju; Satyam Dharmam Shanti Premalaku Panduga

Roju, Happy Birthday to You Bhagawan Sri Sai Ram. Swami is wearing a yellow

colour robe. At sharp 5.00 p.m., He reaches the dais. The chair rolls out of

the Toyota Porte and moves onto the lift in front of the dais. Up goes the lift

and Swami enters the stage. When the curtain parts, we see Bhagawan sitting on

an exquisite silver throne that has an umbrella extending from it - also in

silver, like a chariot. The throne has a green velvet cushion contrasting with

Swami's yellow robe. Looks just too good!

FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> Pandit Shiv Kumar

Sharma and other artistes seek His Blessings. It is 5.10 p.m. Actor Sai Kumar

starts the compering. He glorifies the Sai Avataar highlighting the yeoman

service rendered by Bhagawan to humanity. He then welcomes

the first artiste to take over the stage. It is none other than Pandit Shiv

Kumar Sharma and his son Rahul Sharma. Panditji offers his Koti Pranaams to

Swami. The stage has been brightly lit. The lotus petals in the background

are beautifully illuminated with a rose colour light. Above the stage on a

metal structure, a number of lights are arranged to add colour to the show.

Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma has performed even on Swami's 60th and 70th Birthday.

He considers this as his greatest fortune. Melodious Santoor charges the air in

the stadium. After a scintillating performance, he concludes his fascinating

piece with ‘Baba We Love You’ chorus. The whole stadium breaks into applause.

The next artiste is Ustad Amjad Ali Khan on the Sarod with his sons Amaan and

Ayaan. The clock strikes 5.30 as they take over the stage. His first piece is

titled 'Truth' and is specially composed for Bhagawan's Birthday. The second

piece is Ragupati Raghava Raja Ram. The audience receives the performance very

well. The backdrop on the dais where Swami is seated is visible clearly to

us. There are pillars dividing the backdrop into arches with floral decorations

on the top of the arches. The opening leading to the backstage has been made

up very professionally with silk and flowers. The next artiste is Begum

Parveen Sultana - the queen of Hindustani Classical Music. She has had the

privilege of performing on most of Swami's Birthdays. She sings her common hit

songs – Sai Tero Maya Aparampaar, Payoji Mene Nama Ratana Dhana Payo and Sai

Ram Sai Ram Sumirana Karo. As she concludes, the evening light gets dimmer. All

the decorative lights in the stadium come on. Above the hill we find cute

coconut trees made of just lights. The Ad Block and Museum on the hill are

illuminated with colours that keep changing from time to time. Looks majestic!

At

Roman'">6.10 p.m. the Laser Show commences. The green Laser beams emanate from

the top of the stage on the Ladies Gallery side and stretch out across the

stadium creating all sorts of patterns and shapes. The show goes on accompanied

by the music from ‘Mission Impossible’. All the people are thrilled and start

clapping. As this show goes on, the other lights are put off. At

14pt; COLOR: maroon; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New

Roman'">6.15 p.m. Sai Kumar welcomes Smt. Kavita Krishnamurthy and her husband

Dr. L. Subramanian onto the stage. The first item is Vataapi

Ganapatim Bhaje Ham on the violin by Dr. L. Subramanian. Swami keeps beat with

His hand as the tune is played. This is followed by a Birthday song specially

composed for the occasion. The uniqueness here is that 80 students from the Sri

Sathya Sai University join the artistes in chorus. The song goes something like

this – Baba we seek Your

Blessings, Bhagawan Satya Sai Baba – You are the Guiding Light – Happy Birthday

to You. At 6.40 p.m. Swami goes backstage for a while. Meanwhile, the singer

Dana Gillespie, very well known to all Sai devotees, takes over the stage. Sai

Kumar requests all the people to be

seated saying that Swami will come onto the stage in a while. He asks the people

not to be worried about the drizzle as by Swami’s Grace nothing would happen to

anybody. Dana Gillespie begins her presentation at 6.50 p.m. She sings two

pieces – The Rose of my Heart and The Promise. The final

performance is by Richa Sharma who sings a Bhajan in her unique style. The

moment she completes her performance, the lights in the stadium go dim and the

Laser show begins once again. This time there are many more laser beams

spreading across the stadium from even the Hanuman hill top. Thousands of beams

spread crazily across the grounds but with flawless precision. Some beams stop

abruptly in mid air with a dot while others form patterns on whatever they

strike. Loud music with heart throbbing beats fill the air. Suddenly from

nowhere, rockets spring into the skies and burst forth with colourful stars.

The rockets were blasted off from the college campus and also from the Ad Block

Hills. For the next 15 minutes or so we all are gripped with awe and wonder.

FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> The display of

fireworks is too spectacular. The frequency with which they are shot into the

sky and their bursting forth into clusters of colourful sparks – red, green,

gold, silver…all this leave us wonderstruck. Soon the sky is full of smoke but

then piercing this smoke the rockets go through and emerge with bright sparks.

We literally feel that we are watching the Big Bang. It looks as though

galaxies after galaxies are exploding and imploding, thus giving birth to the

Universe.

Roman'"> All the while, Bhagawan keeps watching the display in the sky,

possibly laughing at our wonder and surprise at this seemingly great display.

After all for Him, this would be something like lighting a small match stick.

For He is the One who is the source of the Big Bang. He is the power in all

these crackers and also the splendour inherent in their manifestation.

COLOR: maroon; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New

Roman'">After this brilliant presentation of fireworks, all the artistes came

down from the stage and walk upto the Shanti Vedika dais and go onto the dais

towards Bhagawan. The screen comes down. But we can see Swami interacting with

them for a long time. At 7.30 p.m. Bhagawan’s chair rolls onto the lift. As

Swami descends in the lift, just as He descended onto this earth 79 years back,

He

Blesses all with His Abhaya Hasta. He then gets into the car. As the car starts

its journey towards the Mandir, once gain there is a short display of crackers

in the night sky. All this while, another song specially composed for the

occasion is being played on the system. Aashayen Mile Dil Ki, Ummide Hasen Dil

Ki….As the Toyota Porte glides along the pathway, we catch our last glimpse of

His beautiful face on this holy day. Surprisingly, the drizzle that is on all

this while suddenly stops. It seems as though Mother Nature has put on her A/c

so long as the programme is on – for the audience. The moment the programme is

over and the audience starts leaving, she promptly switches off the A/c.

Another important point is that even though there is a drizzle all along, it is

so beautiful. It is neither too light nor too heavy. The drops fall on us like

dew drops and settle down like pearls on our faces and body. It is Bhagawan’s

way of Prasadam distribution!! We feel as though Swami has cleansed all our

bodies and minds and given us a fresh lease of life. As the car moves out of

the stadium, the crowds start dispersing to their destinations. We return to

the Hostel with a feeling of immense joy and fulfillment. Expressing gratitude

to Bhagawan for having given us an opportunity to witness such a grand event we

also pay our silent gratitude to the coordinators of this mega event who

have planned every bit of it so meticulously. There were a hundred odd things to

be planned and executed. All of it went on with clockwork precision and with no

lapses whatsoever. It is all due to His Love and Grace. Let us all surrender

ourselves at the Lotus Feet of this compassionate Lord and as a mark of our

Love for Him, let us all make every possible attempt to follow His Message and

Teachings to redeem our lives and to bring that lovely smile on His face.

justify"> Sairam. A Anantha VijayaH.No.247Nizarapar RoadChandmari

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