Sai Baba News: February 24-26, 2008 - Sai Students

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February 26, 2008 There was a small sea of turbans in Kulwant hall as devotees from the Nilgiris and Ooty had been given permission by Swami to put up a programme that they had come prepared with. A huge backdrop with the Sai mandir in Ooty adorning it had been raised. The participants in today's programme were all members of the Badaga tribe living in the Nilgiris. Swami came out for darshan and as He went through the Kulwant hall, His eyes seemed glued to the "visitors" from the blue mountains.He went around and then got down in the portico. He came straight out and asked for the programme to begin. There was an eager anticipation on His face. The elders came to Him and offered roses and other items for blessings. He blessed them all and then the programme began. the scheduled programme was the drama - Markandeya in traditional tribal art form. There was a narrative in the beginning that explained the whole drama

in detail. Then the drama began with a dancing Lord Ganesha. It was like a complete dance drama and the dance consisted of only a few very simple steps. Swami seemed to watch the drama in all attention. The narrative was in loud singing form in Tamil accompanied by some basic percussion. The manner in which Markandeya's parents long for a son was depicted very elaborately and for almost 20 minutes after the drama started, Markandeya had not made his appearance. Swami was many times explaining the happenings to the boys seated next to Him. Truly, Swami is the greatest patron of folk arts and rural skills and talents. Many times, the depictions may not seem "up to the mark" for a sophisticated mind, but they communicate the eternal values and are a strong binding force in the communities and the villages - the qualities that Swami likes most about any presentation.Swami was very moved when Lord Shiva appeared from the Linga to annihilate death itself and save his

devotee Markandeya. As the drama concluded and the actors bowed to Swami, He called the actor who played the role of Markandeya and created a 108 beads japamala for him. After that, the floodgates opened. Swami said that He would go down the stage and interact with the devotees. He got up from the chair and walked down. He blessed all the actors and told them to cluster around Him so that all would come well in the group picture. Everyone were so simple minded that they did not seem to understand what to do. They were overwhelmed by His presence. Everyone was diving at His feet and looking at His face. Swami asked for sarees to be brought. On the chair, He then went to the ladies side and distributed it to all the Ooty devotees. There was a huge onrush to receive the divine gift. Almost everyone got paadanamaskar. He then gifted all the gents with dhoties. He sat watching as the distribution went on. He spoke quite a lot with many of the devotees. He also said that He

would visit them all soon. Conferring joy on all Swami received Aarthi and left.Click here to view pictures of the programme. February 24, 2008 The 3rd year Undergraduate students from the Brindavan campus of the Institute had arrived to Parthi in keeping with a very noble and holy tradition - the Gratitude programme. Studying in Swami's college is such a boon and the blessings that shower upon the students is in such abundance that when its time to step out of the Institute portals an overwhelming feeling fills the being of every student. As he/she nostalgically recalls the beautiful way in which Swami has been with him/her, guiding, guarding and sharing all the joys and sorrows, a smile steaks across the face and a tear courses down the cheek. The multifarious meanings and feelings carried by that single word - Swami -

become evident and the impending parting from the physical proximity of dear Bhagawan makes the heart feel as it has never felt before. The summation and external expression of all these feelings, thoughts and emotions is the Gratitude programme. The word "programme" has been used by the force of sheer habit. It is more of a personal and heartfelt conversation between the Lord and a devotee, a Mother and her child, a Guru and his dear disciple.The students sat waiting for Swami to arrive. Swami came out at about 5:15 pm and everyone sat up alert. Swami went around for the darshan rounds and then as He came out of the car in the portico, He exchanged a few words with the warden of the Brindavan hostel. Then He came out and sat on the stage and asked for the students to begin. What took place over the next 40 minutes or so was the free flow of Love from both sides. The children just poured forth their Love and Gratitude and the Mother for once was at the receiving

end! Songs of gratitude, love and remembrances filled the air as the boys sang out in unison. As they say, there are no barriers of language for Love. In fact, the different languages, like the various flowers in a bouquet, filled up the atmosphere with their own sweet scented fragrances as boys from the Kasmir to Kanyakumari, Assam to Gujrat attempted to put into words the grandeur and bliss of their Love filled experience with their Swami. Hindi, English, Telugu, Tulu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, Nepali were some of the flowers presented in the evening's beautiful bouquet.There was a particular popular song which said, "Whatever the child ever feels, Oh mother, you know it even before that feeling has been felt right?" The boy sang it out soulfully and everyone watched this unfolding of Love with smiles of admiration. Stories of how Swami filled those desolate lonely hours with joy and mirth; of how He stood by His children in the most challenging of times;

of how though He was physically far away, He cherished them in His heart and of how they felt Him with them every time they needed Him were regaled. Some of the students had lost their parents early in life and Swami had filled that void with His Love and Grace. There were also portions where the students celebrated the Truth that Swami was always there for them.There was a depiction from the Ramayana adding physical colour to an emotionally colourful evening.It is indeed a very difficult task to capture what exactly happened in "programmes" such as these because many times, nay most of the times, it is a conversation between Swami and the child. The evening ended on a note of pangs of separation from the Lord as the students prayed to Swami to come to Brindavan. So strong was the pining and desperate the pangs of separation that Swami's eyes seemed to well up with tears. He said, "I will come. I will definitely come. Am also waiting to come." Banners in Telugu and

English opened up. To the boy who so soulfully and poetically had expressed the drought in Brindavan due to Swami's physical absence, Swami materialized a beautiful gold chain. He called out for Rama and Lakshmana and using their support walked down the stage. He then came down from the stage and posed for what we may call family photographs. He received letters by the dozens and almost every boy got a chance to take padanamaskar. Swami went on stage and again posed for photos with small groups of boys. As Prasadam - laddoos - were brought, Swami personally distributed the sweet to each boy. Those laddoos must have been the sweetest for they were dripping with His Love and were gifted with His smile! Swami the gave the same to all the teachers from Brindavan who had accompanied the boys to Parthi. After saturating all hearts with joy and bliss divine, Swami received Aarthi and retired for the day.Click here to view pictures of the programme. Source: http://www.saistudents.org/