Sai Darshan News & Photos: Prasanthi Nilayam 18th 2005: ...today the week-long celebrations commenced with the traditional Rathotsavam. Swami came at 8.a.m.

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News & latest Photos Prasanthi Nilayam 18th 2005: "...today the week-long

celebrations commenced with the traditional Rathotsavam. Swami came at

8.a.m..." also collageof photographs from Rathotsavam & Swami plus Kulwant

hall 80 couples and Swami..." more Subscribe to Group for

Latest Sai Baba News & latest Pictures Sai News: Prasanthi Nilayam 18th Nov.

2005 <<back to Sai News click on the picture (left) to see large size collage

of RathotsavamDear devotees, Sai Ram! According to SBOI group source: today

the week-long celebrations commenced with the traditional Rathotsavam. Swami

came at 8.a.m in the morning to bless all for His darshan and commenced the

Rathotsavam (Chariot Festival). The Rathotsavam (Chariot Festival) at

Prasanthi Nilayam is a tradition that goes back five decades to the early

1950's. On this day, the students of Bhagawan, chanting Vedic incantations and

singing Bhajans, lead a procession with the idol of Lord Krishna on a rath

(chariot) and the idols of Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Mother Sita on a palanquin,

to the Old Mandir or what is now the Kalyana Mantapam, in the village of

Puttaparthi. After worship is offered to the deities, the idols of Rama,

Lakshmana and Sita return to the Mandir. Later, in the evening, the idols are

taken out in a procession in the village of Puttaparthi, amidst joyous

celebration by the villagers. Also from today 18th Nov. and up until 24th Nov.

Free food (quick meals) will be provided to all devotees. Therefore South

Indian canteen will be full of activity and Sevadal will continue working

round the clock to prepare the food and keep the supply of necessary green

groceries, rice, dal etc in full flow, already many truck loads of food has

arrived.click on the picture (left) to see large size collage of Rathotsavam

Sacred past: Swami’s dance performance at Kothacheravu, during the Rathotsavam

festival. Before long, a professional dramatic troupe visited the area and

enacted some musical plays that attracted mammoth audiences. They put up their

stage at Bukkapatnam, and later moved to Puttaparthi, Kothacheruvu,

Elumalapalli and other big villages and their performances became the talk of

the entire district. They had a girl dancer, with the stage name of

Rishyendramani, who combined, in a series of dance items, both gymnastics and

music. Her piece de resistance was a dance, in which, keeping track of the

timing and the tune she danced with a bottle balanced on her head, bent low,

sat, and laid herself on the floor, with her back up, bit with her teeth a

kerchief placed on a matchbox on the floor, and with the kerchief between her

teeth sat back again rose, and stood, with the bottle still balanced on the

head! A pretty difficult assignment indeed! By long practice, she had trained

herself for this tortuous feat. No wonder, she won the applause of the people

wherever she did it.

 

Sathyanarayana went with others to witness the plays of these professionals and,

he too saw this item. Later, after he came home, he tried to do it himself and ,

to the surprise of all, he could do it without much ado! When the elders asked

to be shown this new item in Sathya's repertory, he withdrew within himself and

hesitated. But, the news got abroad and some enterprising young men persuaded

him to agree to dance the famous feat, at Kothacheravu, during the Rathotsavam

and Cattle Fair. They had the temerity to announce that the famous

Rishyendramani herself will appear in the play, for they felt so confident that

Sathya will not disappoint them or the audience. The sisters dressed the brother

as girl, completed the hairdo and personal decoration and took him to

Kothacheruvu. Pedda Venkapa Raju who heard about the audacity became suddenly

afraid to the consequences of the foolhardy adventure into which Sathya was

inveigled. The curtain rose; Rishyendramani tripped her way into the Durbar

Hall of Kamsa; the audience was too wild with excitement to note any

difference; the famous dance piece began; Sathya had improved upon it and

substituted a needle, in place of the kerchief; it was lifted by the eyelids!

Yes; the 'Rishyendramani' of that day, did it!!

Exclusive cards: Sai Baba's 80th birthday E greeting cards - Free!

Images Swami performing 80 marriages!

 

SBOI has also released a collection of 18 rare & beautiful pictures of Swami. An

80th birthday tribute, we encourage everyone to visit this page and enjoy

charming Sai. Also, spread the joy by sending this photo link to your fellow

devotees.http://www..com/rare_pictures_of_sai_baba_1.htm

 

Email to SBOI at -

 

Sai Darshan News: 10th Nov 11th Nov 12th Nov. 13th Nov. 14th 15th 16th

part -1 16th Nov part 2 FUNCTIONS AT PRASANTHI NILAYAM FROM 17TH NOVEMBER 2005

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