Prasanthi Bulletin , Friday, November 23, 2007

November 24, 2007

Prasanthi Bulletin Index of earlier Bulletins Friday, November 23, 2007 Bhagawan's 82nd Birthday celebrations began just after 9 am with the procession starting from Bhagawan's residence to Sai Kulwant Hall. The Bands of Primary School girls, Anantapur girls, Primary School boys and Prasanthi Nilayam boys led the Vedam chanting students who preceded Bhagawan who arrived in His chair. After a full round of the packed Sai Kulwant Hall, Swami came onto the verandah where He Blessed the various

Birthday cakes till He came onstage at 9.35 am. The Malladi brothers sang for Bhagawan accompanied by their father. After a couple of songs, Prof Anil Kumar was asked to make an announcement. The anointing ceremony which Bhagawan had discontinued long back was being reinstated. Six distinguished couples were called up to the dais one by one and anointed Bhagawan's hair with flowers dipped in scented oil with the accompaniment of Vedic chants. The vocal concert of the Malladi brothers continued after the anointing. Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence along with the four bands at 11 am. The evening programme commenced with Bhagawan arriving in His chair into Sai Kulwant Hall to the accompaniment of Vedam chanting and Panchavadyam. After His darshan round, Swami came onstage and asked the Malladi brothers to sing again. Their hour-long Carnatic concert commenced at 5.45 pm. At the end of their concert, Bhagawan Blessed their father with a chain. Next

was the turn of Sri Hariharan to sing. He sang some ghazals and some Carnatic songs too. Bhagawan Blessed him with a ring after an hour of singing, then asked him to sing a last song. Concluding with the Bhajan "Janani Maa", Sri Hariharan's concert was followed by Arati. Bhagawan took group photos with both the groups of singers as Arati went on and returned to His residence after 8 o'clock. Thursday, November 22, 2007 This morning, Bhagawan came to the Sai Kulwant Hall as the Bhajans went on, after 9.30 am. After sitting in the Bhajan Hall for nearly half an hour, He accepted Arati and returned to His residence. At 1.45 pm, Bhagawan once again came to the Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair to check out the preparations made for the Sri Sathya Sai University's 26th Convocation. After fine-tuning the arrangements, Swami returned to His residence and emerged later for the convocation. The Convocation procession

was led by the University Brass band into the Sai Kulwant Hall at 3.30 pm. Bhagawan was resplendent in a white robe for the occasion. Sharing the stage with Bhagawan and the University governing body members and deans was Justice Bhagawati, former Chief Justice of India. The Vice-Chancellor delivered his welcome address, Bhagawan stood to say "I declare the Convocation open", and the graduands of the year were administered the Convocation Oath. The gold medal winners and PhD recipients came up to Bhagawan to receive His benediction and their medals. Bhagawan stood up to deliver His Convocation Address at 4.15 pm. Swami exhorted the youth to never hate anyone, to greet even those who are considered as enemies, to win over enmity with Love. Bhagawan concluded by saying that the way the students can make Him happy is by making their parents happy. Bhagawan commended the service activities being done by the alumni of the University in the USA, and called up Dr. Michael

Goldstein, chairman of the Prasanthi Council, to speak a few lines on the activities of the former students of Bhagawan in the International Sai Organisation. The National Anthem concluded the Convocation. Before leaving the dais, Swami spoke a few words about Sri Bhagawati's faith and love for Bhagawan, and also made him speak a few words into His own microphone. The Convocation procession then moved out of the Hall and Bhagawan returned to His residence at 5.30 pm. The drama presented by the students of the Sai University was the concluding item of the day. Bhagawan arrived onstage at the Poornachandra auditorium by 5.45, and in ten minutes' time the drama was underway there. Bhagawan was very pleased with the hour-long drama which had several songs and a dance sequence, which depicted the transformation of hearts through grama seva, Bhagawan's Hospitals and Radio Sai Global Harmony. Coming onstage in His chair after the performance, Swami Blessed the

participants with a group photograph before accepting Arati and retiring for the day. Wednesday, November 21, 2007 This morning, Bhagawan showered abundant grace on the ladies. Arriving at Sai Kulwant Hall a few minutes after the Bhajans began at 9 o'clock, Swami started distributing sarees, moving around the ladies' side in His chair. And the distribution went on for nearly an hour! At the end, Bhagawan moved to the Bhajan Hall, sat there for a couple of Bhajans, accepted Arati and returned to His residence. Later, at 11 o'clock, Swami arrived at the Poornachandra auditorium to watch the final dress rehearsal of the convocation drama to be staged tomorrow. It was 12.45 when Bhagawan returned to His residence. A vocal concert by Sri T M Krishna was the programme of the evening. Swami came onstage after His darshan round in the chair, sat there for ten minutes listening to the Vedam chanting, and moved to the

interview room via the Eastern side of the stage. He emerged a few minutes later and came onstage once again, and the programme commenced at five minutes to five. As the concert went on, Swami moved to the interview room. The singer noticed Bhagawan's absence and started singing Carnatic songs with lyrics like "When will we have the darshan of the Lord of Chidambaram", "Mother, will you not listen to my call and talk to me?" and so on. Swami returned onstage, called up the singer and his accompanists and showered a lot of Love them. He gave rings to three of them, gave them shawls, gave them prasadam, took photographs with them, talking to them for more than ten minutes before accepting Arati. He then called up some of the student singers and introduced them, then asked them to sing! The students sang three songs and a bhajan as instructed by Swami, then again came onstage for more interaction, after which Swami returned to His residence at 7.15 pm. Prof. Anil Kumar made

an announcement about the 26th convocation ceremony of the Sai University to be held tomorrow. Tuesday, November 20, 2007 This morning, Sai Kulwant Hall witnessed the inauguration of the two day Workshp on Parenting organised by the Education wing of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation. Swami came onstage and lit the ceremonial lamp at 9.30 am. A vedic invocation and three short speeches followed, by ladies who spearhead the Balvikas and Parenting initiatives of the Sai Organisation. At 10 o'clock, the speeches concluded, Bhagawan asked for Bhajans to begin in the Sai Kulwant Hall itself, and He accepted Arati after twenty minutes. During the Arati, Bhagawan Blessed the speakers of the day with sarees. The evening programme was a music concert by renowned vocalist Sri Pankaj Udhas and party. Bhagawan came to Sai Kulwant Hall at 5.30 pm, and after a round of the Hall in the chair, came onstage and the concert

commenced. The ninety minute concert concluded with a spirited instrumental piece after Bhagawan Blessed the artistes with shawls. Swami accepted Arati at 7.10, but instead of directly going to His residence, made a second slow round of the students accepting many letters and then moved through the ladies to reach His residence at 7.30 pm. Monday, November 19, 2007 This day is celebrated as Ladies' day at Prasanthi Nilayam every year, with all the programmes and daily activities being carried out by ladies. The Suprabhatam was chanted by Smt. P. Susheela, the early morning Veda Parayanam was by the Anantapur women students. Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair a few minutes after 9 o'clock, preceded by the Primary School and Anantapur bands. When Swami reached the centre of the Hall, He stopped there and asked for the "Go daan" ceremony to begin. 150 cows were being gifted to deserving families from

nearby villages. The cows came up to where Swami was seated, the recipients also came up to Him, received His Blessings and moved out of the gate. Twenty minutes later, the function concluded, Swami arrived onstage and asked for the Bhajans by the lady singers of Sundaram to begin. After 40 minutes of Bhajans, Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence. On His way, at the Mandir verandah, He Blessed the giant cake made for the occasion topped with Goddess Saraswati. The stage was decorated with pillars of mirrors with candles providing illumination. Banners with flower motifs and cloth buntings lent colour to the Sai Kulwant Hall. The evening programme of ladies' day got underway with Bhagawan arriving in His car at 4.20 pm with the two bands preceding Him. Swami asked for the car to stop near the stage and came onstage in His chair. The proceedings consisted of two talks followed by a vocal concert and a dance by Primary School students. The first

speaker was Dr. (Mrs.) Hymavathi Reddy from the USA, and the second was renowned thespian Sowcar Janaki. Smt. Nithyasree Mahadevan sang for Bhagawan for 40 minutes before the young Primary School girls enthralled the audience with their dance depicting the story of young Sai. At the end of their dance, Swami had group photos with the group, flanked by two "Sai"s who depicted Him in the dance. Blessing everyone with His Abhayahasta, Bhagawan left for His residence after Arati at 6.35 pm.

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