Krishna Janmashtami celebrations in Parthi

[Guest guest]

Jai Sri Krishna

 

Sai Ram,

 

Wishing all a very Happy, Blessed and Blissful Sri Krishna

Janmashtami.

 

Yesterday (26 Aug) being Gokula Ashtami, both morning and evening

bhajans were filled with Krishna bhajans. The whole Sai Kulwant Hall

was resounding with Krishna, Madhava, Gopala, Govinda, Madhusudhana,

Keshava, Narayana, Sai Hari, etc.

 

When we went in for afternoon Darshan, the Sai Kulwant hall was half

decorated with colourful flags, buntings, Chinese lanterns, flowers,

etc. In the afternoon, Swami distributed prasadam – paalgoa to all

devotees. What a sweet treat! Then after bhajans, Prof Anil Kumar

announced that tomorrow on the auspicious occasion of Krishna

Janmashtami Swami would be granting us His Darshan at 8.30am.

 

This morning (27 August) when we entered the Sai Kulwant Hall at

6.30am, it looked so magnificent and beautiful, being fully

decorated. Every pillar, ceiling, dais, interview room, driveway,

etc was decorated. We were in Gokulam! We were just awaiting the

arrival of our Sai Krishna. The Mangala Vadhyam, Thavil, Nadaswaram

and veda chanting started at 7.35 am and we knew our Swami was

coming. We chanted the Narayana Upanishad, Shivopasana, Durga

Suktam, Purusha Suktam, Narayana Suktam, Surya Upanishad, Rudram,

etc. Swami was in His orange robe and He was seated in the Toyota

Porte. The car drove past slowly and we had excellent Darshan of our

Sai Gopala. Swami looked beautiful and sweet. The car then drove

past Swami's students, the male side and again towards His

students. We all had excellent Darshan. The Sai Kulwant Hall was

packed to the brim with devotees waiting outside to have a glimpse

of their Sai Narayana. Swami, the Omniscient and Compassionate Lord

instructed Sathyajit, His driver to drive our through the Hall's

driveway so that the devotees outside could also get His Darshan.

You should have heard them gasp, clap and scream. Outside the

driveway, Swami's elephant Sai Gita, His cows and calves from

Gokulam were waiting for him.

 

After being outside giving Darshan for half an hour, we heard the

saxophone, mangala vadhyam, Nadaswaram and Thavil being played and

the musicians were walking up the driveway. Swami students clad in

red dhothis were reciting Vedas and Krishna bhajans were also being

led by His students. They were leading Sai Gita, the cows and the

calves into the Sai Kulwant Hall. Sai Gita was decorated from back

to her feet. She had a beautiful silk red cloth on her back. She

wore large silver anklets. Her tusk and trunk were also decorated.

She is really getting old. You can see the skin around her ears,

face and mouth have gone whitish pink – a sign of old age. Every few

seconds, she was putting her trunk up and trumpeting. She wanted to

see her Lord!

 

The cows and calves from Gokulam were also decorated in red blue

silk cloth and had their horns painted green and red. They were

also mooing away as they wanted to see their cowherd boy – Sai

Gopala.

 

After about 10 minutes, Swami's car came up the driveway. Sai Gita

had her trunk up as a sign of welcoming Swami into the hall.

Swami's car drove to the verandah. Once on the verandah, Swami came

out in His "car seat cum sofa" and He was pushed to the dais where

we all got a head to leg glimpse cum Darshan of our Dear Sai

Krishna. We were all gopees and gopikas in Gokulam having Darshan

of our Sai Krishna on this blessed Krishna Janmashtami Day. To make

all of us happy, Swami sat on His car seat on the dais for a good 30

minutes.

 

While Swami was seated on the dais, two of His male students dressed

as Krishna and Balarama went up to Swami to get His blessings and

talk to him. It was a good 5 minutes conversation. Then a few of

His male students dressed as Gopikaas – cowherds came up to Swami

and they had 2 rabbits, 2 white doves, a peacock and a brown calf in

their hands. Swami blessed all of them and Swami let the 2 white

doves fly free into the hall. We all clapped and gasped!

 

Then Swami's students carried prasadam – seedai vadai, in big silver

basins for Swami to bless. Swami blessed the prasadam and it was

distributed to all of us. As usual, on the ladies' side everyone

clamoured for prasadam.

 

Sai Gita was then led to the dais where Her Lord Sri Hari fed her

with apples with His own hands! What a lucky elephant! We all

clapped as we were happy for Sai Gita. How gifted she is! Then, we

burst out laughing, while some gasped, as Sai Gita urinated right in

front of Swami – with her back turned against Swami of course! Man,

she had a full bladder – i mean buckets and buckets! Sevadals were

hurrying here and there trying to find rugs, cloth, mops, etc. to

wipe the wading pool! If they could, they would have brought a

carpet! We were amused. Sai Gita, though a great devotee of the

Lord, sure has some lessons to learn in toilet etiquette! Then, Sai

Gita, the Gokulam cows and calves were led back by the Gopikas

(students) to their sheds through the driveway. Aarathi was then

sung while Swami was on the dais. No bhajans!

 

Just then, a sheikh and his entourage of about 10 male VIPs from the

middle east with his very curious always clicking away camera man

walked up the driveway and were then lead into the interview room,

where Swami granted them a long 45 minutes interview.

 

After the interview, we thought there would be bhajans, but no. At

10.30am, the Toyota Porte was driven to the verandah where Swami was

led from the interview room to the car. Aarathi was sung again and

Swami's car headed for His residence. Then Aunty Muni of the

primary school and Mrs Gopalswami of Anantapur campus did aarathi

for Swami and took a whole coconut in the hand and did aarathi for

Swami. This is to remove any evil eye that has been set on Swami.

 

It was quite a low key Krishna Janmashtami celebrations this year.

We are praying that Swami will bless us with His Divine Discourse

this afternoon. Will keep all of you posted

 

With Krishna,

saras