Puttaparthi Update: November 10th

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November 10th 11:00 am - Nice darshan this morning during bhajans in Sai Kulwant Hall This morning as the bhajans was going on at 9:30 am Swami came on to veranda of the mandir blessing devotees there. After that to everyone's surprise Swami came on to the gent's side giving all the devotees a very good darshan. Swami proceeded to the ladies side giving darshan and finally returned back to mandir. Aarathi began at 10:00 am ending the morning bhajans. Swami came outside mandir after the bhajans again giving devotees who were waiting on the roadside a very nice darshan. November 9th 7:00 pm - Diwali and New Year programs by devotees from Gujarat Programs started at 5:30 pm with Swami's arrival on to the dais. Devotees from Gujarat presented gifts to Swami which

Swami blessed. Beautiful Songs were being sung while the gifts were being brought to Swami. Soon after that the cultural programs began. First was a type of dance called Dandiya. Boys in colorful costumes performed it to very nice songs. Then there was a patriotic song about "Man journey from In-Dependence to Independence". And how even after getting independence for 60 years Indians are still enslaved by their anger, jealously and greed. And how man should strive to become independent of these qualities. Third was a Drama about how a village in Gujarat called Surajpur was helped by Sai Samithi under the rural development scheme, which Swami announced recently. When other NGO left the village for the cities and floods ravaged the village. The Sai Organization in Gujarat came to their help by adopting that village. After the Flood went down they even built a community health center in the village so that they could helps people from surrounding

villages. All this was beautifully dramatized in Sai Kulwant Hall. They even built the community center with cardboard boxes while the dances were going. The performance ended with the performers asking to Swami to bless them this New Year so that they could come even closer to Swami. And offered pranams to Swami. After a while Swami came walking from the dais and took pictures with the performers and while the prasadam was being distributed to all the devotees in Sai Kulwant Hall. Swami presented one of the lead performers with a Golden Chain. After Aarathi Swami left Sai Kulwant Hall for Yajur Mandiram (swami's home) at 6:30 pm ending the Diwali and Gujarathi New Year celebrations. November 9th 10:30 pm - Diwali celebrations in Puttaparthi Sai Kulwant Hall has gotten few more decorations than yesterday. This morning at 9:30 am Sathya Sai Baba came to Sai Kulwant Hall. Swami came in the mobile chair giving the devotees on the ladies side a wonderful darshan on this auspicious day. Swami also blessed few devotees on the veranda of the mandir. Bhajans went on till 9:45 am after aarathi Swami blessed prasadam that was distributed to devotees and left for Yajur Mandiram (swami's home). Ending the morning program for Diwali. November 8th 7:15 pm - Cultural Programs by devotees from Gujarat, part of Diwali celebrations The whole of ashram in Puttaparthi is decorated with colorful ribbons. Sai Kulwant Hall was decorated with Chinese lanterns and other colorful decorations. Evening programs began at 5:00 pm First was a dance performance by the balavikas children from Gujarat. Small children

danced to wonderful songs wearing nice costumes with lights on their heads. Second program was a patriotic dance about India. Before the event began the announcer said how India, which has more than 1000 dialect and many religions co-exist peacefully. We should all strive for peace and harmony. Patriotic songs such as "Sare Jahan Se Aacha" accompanied the dance. Third was a drama about how sai organization seva work inspires an IAS officer. The scene starts with an IAS officer who is on his last day of work. He claims that he will retire and go to United States to leave with his family. So before he goes he visits his hometown. When he returns to his village he sees devotees for sai samithi are doing Grama Seva there. He enquires about Sathya Sai Baba with the devotees who are doing seva and why they were doing seva. He meets the head of the samithi who is his age, and ask him "why are you doing such work that will get you nothing in return at this

age, when you could happily retire". The devotee answer brilliantly with many quotes one of them was "a clock that doesn't work has no use" He also says "Grama Seva is like Nama Seva (Chanting God's Name)". The quotes went so fast it was hard to remember them all. But they were really wonderful and got a loud clap from all the devotees in Sai Kulwant Hall. Once they part their ways, these devotees plan to go to puttaparthi and think of this IAS officer and how wonderful it would be if he could accompany them. But they hear that this IAS officer is now settled in United States with his family. So they come to Puttaparthi once here, to their surprise they see the IAS officer here and he ask them to take him to get a darshan of Swami. And he narrates how he wasted his time earning money that his family spends wastefully and how his wife and children have no need for the father who earned them all that wealth. And he says that, now he sees what he really should do is to help

to others in need and do seva. And goes close to Swami and offers Pranams to Swami (Wish all us could get such close and wonderful darshan of Swami). They also give a wonderful explanation for the meaning of the word "Puttaparthi" it means PUT APART THE I. During the drama they also talked about the Sanathana Sarathi and how its about to reach its Golden Jubilee, Sanathana Sarathi was started in 1958. The drama ended with a wonderful song that went like this. Swami you are in the warmth of the sun Swami you are in the chill of the wind Swami you are in the flight of a bird Etc… it was a nice songs in Hindi. All the performers offered their pranams to Swami. Swami came walking for a little distance and all the performers gathered around Swami and took pictures with Swami. While sitting back in chair Swami blessed all the devotees in Sai Kulwant Hall with his Divine

hand. And all the devotees went up in clapping. Aarathi began at 6:00 pm, prasadam was distributed to all devotees. Swami on his way to Yajur Mandiram (swami's home) stopped the car few times on the ladies side to bless some devotees. Cultural Programs in Puttaparthi by devotees from Gujarat November 7th 6:30 pm - Music program this evening in mandir After a few bhajans there was a music program. Devotional Songs were sung the first song went like this "Sai Ko Salam Mere Baba ko Pranam". After two songs aarathi began, after receiving aarathi Swami left for Yajur Mandiram (swami's home). Prasadam was distributed to all the devotees after the aarathi. November 6th 7:15 pm - Another wonderful performance by devotees from Orissa This evening too the devotees from Orissa had a wonderful program. First was a drama about Lord Jagannath and his adherent devotee. I can't remember the name of the devotee. It was a story about how Lord listens to your prayers no matter where you are. Even when this devotee was ridiculed and made fun of by others, he still kept his devotion to Lord Jagannath and kept on chanting his name. One day

Lord accepts his offering of coconut rice in person. When the devotee tells his wife she too ridicules him. After listening to his devotees prayers Lord Jagannath gives Divine darshan to his devotee and ask him to come to the temple in Puri to watch the festival celebrations. The drama ended with all the performers offering pranams to Swami. After the drama Swami came down from the dais and took pictures with the performers. After that there was an announcement in which the devotees from Orissa requested Swami to come to their land and bless them with Swami's divine blessings. Swami presented one of the boys who performed as Lord Jagannath with a chain. When Swami returned back to the dais after a brief visit inside mandir. There was a dance program by the devotees from Orissa. It was a folk dance from their region. Performers were dressed in colorful costumes and accompanied by musicians with big drums. They danced to wonderful songs in Hindi, Telugu and

in their own language Oriya. After their performance Swami called them and provided them with clothes and blessed each of the performers with Pada Namaskar. While prasadam was being distributed Aarathi began and soon after that Swami left Sai Kulwant Hall for Yajur Mandiram (swami's home). It was 6:00 pm by the time the events ended. The Youth pilgrimage from Orissa will go on till November 9th. November 5th 8:00 pm - Scintillating performance by the devotees from Orissa Sai Kulwant Hall was filled this evening by of huge number of devotees from Orissa, most of the hall was occupied by those devotees wearing light blue scarfs from Orissa. The event began at 5:15 pm with Swami's arrival on to the dais. There was a drama by the devotees, the theme of the drama was to "Make others happy and You will be happy". It was a story about a family who members are eagerly trying to achieve their own selfish goals of becoming an athlete, politician, scientists etc. In the same house there is a child who tries to help others and get his happiness from that. He once comes from school happy and singing Vedas and his family members ask him why he was so happy. He says that he gave his food to his friend Sai who didn't bring any food, so he was happy. When the family members

ask him about his hunger. The boy replies, when you help others, God is Happy and when God is Happy, You will never be Hungry. He says seeing his friend eat and be happy made him forget his hunger. He advices his family members not to strive to achieve selfish goals, but instead try to do seva and helps others which will give them real accomplishment and happiness. After eight years when we revisit the house again all the members who strived and achieved their goals are not happy even after their achievements. They feel like something is missing in all their accomplishments they are not really happy. While the child who has now grown up comes home early from his examinations, the family members ask him about his examinations. He says that he had to miss the final examinations because he had to help a boy on the road who had an accident. By the time he took the boy to the hospital and got him treatment he missed his examinations so returned home. But when his family

members ask him about the examinations he says I lost only a year but I gave the boy his lifetime. And I can always go to examinations next year. Then he also adds that for one year he can do seva in that village while he waits for his examination. After that his family members realize that true happiness can only be had when you serve others. And that is what Sathya Sai Baba has taught us through his life. As Swami says "My life is My Message". Then the drama ended and Swami too pictures with the performers. After that there was an announcement that children will perform a traditional dance from Orissa. This dance is performed in Lord Jagannath temple in Puri during the Durgashtami festivals etc. Six children performed the dance and it was one of the best acrobatic dances I have seen in recent times in mandir. They did all kinds postures, flips and balancing acts while still gracefully dancing. It was a sight to see. The devotees in Sai Kulwant Hall

were clapping for every posture they held and it really was an amazing performance by the children. After their performance the devotees kept of clapping for quite a while showing their appreciation for a scintillating performance. Swami called all the performers and presented them with clothes and took pictures with them, while prasadam was being distributed to devotees. Then there were two bhajans sung by the devotees from Orissa. At 6:30 pm Aarathi began ending the events for the day. After a while Swami left Sai Kulwant Hall for Yajur Mandiram (swami's home). Cultural Programs in Puttaparthi by devotees from Orissa October 29th 7:30 pm - Musical Program by the devotees from Nizamabad District This evening at 5:30 pm Swami came on to the veranda of Sai Kulwant Hall. Even though the weather all day was cloudy and raining. Swami's arrival into Sai Kulwant Hall made it feel bright like a sunny day. Then Devotees from Nizamabad District who are here in huge numbers greeted Swami arrival with loud claps. Some of the members of the Sai Samithis there presented Swami with flowers. Swami lit the

lamp that was brought by the lady Devotees. After giving Pada Namaskar to few devotees from Nizamabad district Swami gave permission to begin the program. The program started with five children performing dance and offering pranams to Swami. During the dance the song they danced to had a wonderful message. The message was "Devotees from all over the world come to Swami to learn the ultimate way to Peace, and they find it with Swami's Divine blessings. The musical program showed all the Divine's Avatars as Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, Lord Shirdi Sai Baba and our very own Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. They even showed some of the miracles each Avatar performed. Beautiful songs and dances accompanied all these events. During Sathya Sai Baba Avatar they showed all the seva

Swami was doing. The 40 minutes long program ended with all the children offering pranams to Swami. After a few minutes to everyone's surprise Swami got up from the chair, huge claps were resounding in Sai Kulwant Hall as Swami came to the children walking and took pictures with them. After that prasadam was distributed, while this was going on Swami called the boy who performed as Lord Krishna and blessed him. Then the devotees from Nizamabad sang few new bhajans. At 6:30 pm Aarathi began four different aarathi's were being taken while the aarathi song was being sung. It was a sight to see Swami between these four aarathi's. Few minutes after that Swami left Sai Kulwant Hall for Yajur Mandiram (swami's home). Ending the events for the day in Puttaparthi. Musical Program in Puttaparthi Courtesy: http://www.puttaparthilive.com