Happy Diwali to All , November 9th 10:30 pm - Diwali celebrations in Puttaparthi

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Happy Diwali to All 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. Click here to see more pictures of the Program

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