Parthi Yatra of East and West Godavari Districts - June 27-29, 2009

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June 27, 2009 – Parthi Yatra of East and West Godavari Beneficiaries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The people from the Tribal Agency areas of the East and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh arrived at Prasanthi Nilayam on their first ever Parthi Yatra (pilgrimage to Puttaparthi) on June 27, 2009. More than 900 of them had gathered to express their deep love and gratitude to Swami for gifting them life and livelihood. The work that has been done by the volunteers of the Sathya Sai Organisation in the hilly tribal areas of Godavari where inhabitants still live by hunting and collecting forest fruits and flowers in the dense and dark jungles is so phenomenal that it has to be attributed to sheer human perseverance backed by Divine Love. Please read our cover story “The Copious Stream of Pure Love†to know more about this incredible work.The Mandir had been decorated by the people from Godavari with festoons and banners. The opening banner read,

"Salutations from the residents of the hills" in Telugu. Swami arrived for darshan at 3:50 p.m. During the darshan rounds, He looked up quite a few times, presumably at the decorations that hung in the Sai Kulwant Hall. The students had not yet arrived and so there was a vast empty space in the centre. This turned out to be a blessing of sorts for the devotees as Swami's gaze was always on them. Swami took a complete round and then moved to the stage. Sitting on the stage, swaying to the Vedic chants and looking so beautiful, Swami granted to these simple devotees from the hills what they had pined for – His sublime darshan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lord of Love arrives to witness a festival of love

 

 

The eager devotees are thrilled to present their offerings and seek His blessings

At about 4:30 p.m., He asked for the programme to begin. As has become the 'norm' now, tens of people from the ladies’ and gents’ side came forward to offer bouquets, lamp-lighting candles, roses, cards et al. Of late, this in itself takes up about 10-15 minutes. So Swami gently told many of them to be seated and granted abhayahastha to assuage their expectant hearts. He accepted the offerings from a few people and the message seemed clear - "Begin the programme! I am very eager to see it!" And thus is was that Dr. Bhaskar Rao, a medical doctor by profession and a veteran devotee cum active functionary of the Organisation dilated at length on the Sri Sathya Sai Village Integrated Programme (SSSVIP) programmes being implemented by the Organisation in these districts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A continous stream of Sai Grace

 

 

Dr. Bhaskar Rao introduces the programme

As he spoke, it became increasingly clear that the name SSSVIP was no coincidence. Swami has literally outlined every detail for the uplift and welfare of the village people. God taking so much interest and showering immense love on anyone definitely makes them VIPs! The Sai Organisation in these hilly areas have taken up 44 out of more than 400 villages in the first phase and have literally transformed them into ideal villages envisaged by Swami. You can read more about this in Part-1 and Part-2 of the June 2009 H2H cover story. After the 25 minute speech, which was both enlightening and moving, Dr. Bhaskar Rao concluded with a prayer that Swami visit the Godavari districts. Swami immediately said, "I will." The

profundity of this little statement was discovered over the next two days also as incidents where Swami had been seen in the hills were narrated!

 

 

 

 

 

To begin the procession, a tribal, decked in all traditional finery and holding a decorated insignia, came forward and spoke aloud expressing his gratitude to Swami. The Lord smiled and in the meanwhile, a little boy went up to Him with a plate containing a scroll. Swami looked at it keenly and rolling it back, He blessed him and lovingly pulled his cheeks, much to the joy of everyone assembled. Then, like in the kingly days of yore, people came forward offering Swami the plants and produce of their fertile hills. The forest products were all placed on the steps in front of Swami.

 

 

 

 

 

A love story - so sweet, so sublime!

After that the traditional dances unfurled gracefully in the Divine Presence. To start with, a group of youth beating drums performed the ‘Konda Reddla Dappu Vinyasam’, an art featuring synchronization of their drum beats. The next was ‘Koyadorala Kommu Nrithyam’ by the Koya tribals who were dressed with bull horns. They locked horns with each other in mock combat. The Garga dance, performed by the villagers to appease the goddess of the village, was constituted by people balancing small containers on their heads. Stilt walking by children and the traditional Kolattam dance (dancing with sticks) was performed with élan by these villagers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swami is happy and moved...

 

 

The tribals perform with all their heart

Next was the peacock dance performed extremely well by a little girl. It will not be an exaggeration to say that the viewers felt that there was a peacock that looked like a girl and not the other way! The theme of that was simple like all others. Hunters try to kill the peacock which rushes to take refuge at Swami's feet. This act has a transforming influence on the hunters. It went down very well with the audience and Swami seemed so happy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The final dance was so touching as it depicted the river, Mother Godavari, requesting Swami to bless her with the touch of His Lotus Feet and relieve her from the burden of sins of all the devotees bathing in her!(It is believed that a holy dip in the Godavari washes away ones sins.)Swami made a brief visit to the interview room and when He came out, white cloth pieces and sarees also were brought and stacked behind Him. The dances were done wholly by the tribals and featured both boys and girls performing separately. The whole programme was backed by beautiful and apt music and soul stirring commentary.There came a point when Swami seemed thrilled with joy. This happened when the narrator explained as to how the police inspector of the area had said, "Your Baba is really God. He has eradicated naxalism from our area. And He has done it not with any of the weapons that we use, but with sheer Love." Naxalism is a result of the growing

divide between the haves and have nots where the latter desperately take to radical measures for survival.

 

 

"Mother Godavari" offers her salutations

Swami once again demonstrated for all to experience and imbibe the power and transforming ability of love and selfless service.Swami saw that all the children had been seated at the back. He asked them to move front near the stage. The children came and sat in supreme discipline and Swami so lovingly moved down the stage. He went up and down the path in between the children asking many of them their names and age. It was such a lovely scene. As the youth and children reached out to His feet, Swami also reached out to bless them by placing His hands on their heads. His arms were all the while extended, blessing the tribals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love flows and overflows...

 

 

The innocent tribals are awe-struck

Swami then sat for group photos with them. He told the photographers that He would bless the girls also with the photo opportunity. The simple-minded tribals just sat in reverence and awe as Swami advised them to make a place for Him in the middle.After that, Bhagavan moved to the stage. White cloth pieces for the boys and sarees for the girls were blessed for distribution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loving gifts from the Lord

 

 

The chance of a lifetime

Prasadam distribution also began simultaneously. Swami enquired about the next day's programme as bhajans by devotees continued to fill the air. At 6:15 p.m., Swami received aarthi and as the mantra for Universal Peace was being chanted, He raised both His hands in blessings. With a loving smile and words expressing His happiness, Swami retired for the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 28, 2009 – Parthi Yatra of East and West Godavari Beneficiaries – Day Two

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The grateful inhabitants of the hills of East Godavari district continued their “Parthi Yatra†(pilgrimage to Puttaparthi) with another evening filled with Love and devotion. Ladies who were to be recipients of sewing machines were seated in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall alongside one volunteer. Swami arrived at 4:35 p.m. and moved into the ladies side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.. As Swami passed through the centre, He asked one of the ladies as to what the drama was about. She did not have an idea about it and Swami moved on. After completing the gents’ side, He moved towards the interview room via the eastern entrance to the Mandir portico and all the former students of Swami’s University who sit there had a wonderful opportunity of darshan, sparshan and sambashan. Swami arrived on the stage at 5:15 p.m. and immediately asked a student seated nearby as to where the drama for the day was! When the student told Him that a distribution was scheduled first, Swami asked for that event to begin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The coordinators offered their obeisances to Swami and began to read out the names of the beneficiaries and the villages they hailed from. As this was done, each recipient beneficiary rose and offered salutations to Swami from his/her place and sat in the allocated positions. Volunteers presented them with their sewing machines. The whole event was complete in a matter of minutes and Swami was visibly impressed with the efficiency and professionalism with which it was conducted. He also told the coordinator, "The distribution was very good and done well." It is a well known saying about self-reliance, "Instead of giving a man a fish, teach him how to fish." Here the sevadals members had gone a step ahead and also gifted the people with a "fishing rod" as many of the tribals had begun to earn their livelihood by stitching, which seemed "tailor made" for them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next part of the programme was a musical drama entitled, "Uppongi Poyindi Godavari." The kids performing the drama moved upto Swami and made the initial offerings. Swami blessed them and after a couple of sevadals offered flowers to Swami, the drama began. The opening was with a lilting song which transported one to the waters of the river Godavari and literally made one feel the fresh and cool breeze against one's face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The drama was about the meeting between two tribals and a Sai volunteer in Prashanthi Nilayam. The tribals recount the innumerable blessings that Swami has so lovingly bestowed upon them and state that they have arrived at Prashanthi to express their gratitude, for what else could they do? Swami was engrossed in the drama throughout and one could see the different emotions move across His face during the course of the drama.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.. It also depicted two incidents where Swami moved amidst the tribals of Godavari. The first one was in Kodada where Swami arrived and promised the tribals pure water to drink. Today, at exactly the spot depicted by Him, there stand the taps of the Sathya Sai Drinking Water Project. The other incident occured at Rampachodavaram in a village called Sripuram where Swami appeared and provided materials to an old woman for reconstructing her home! Before that, He had blessed the same woman and cured her fever. He even had tea at that village! We see our Lord seated on the chair, giving darshans and enjoying bhajans. Our Swami, in the meanwhile, is traversing the globe and providing support and succour to the needy millions. Hasn't He declared, "If you need Me, you deserve Me?†Listening to these experiences, a thrill ran through one's being and Swami also seemed so moved as the tribals poured forth their love and gratitude to

Him. The entire drama was populated with melodious and devotion filled song. When the song stated, "Touching the holy soil of Prashanthi, our lives have been sanctified…"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swami appeared very moved and He smiled at the students sitting nearby. A Burrakatha was also presented by tiny tots. Swami was appreciative of it and as it concluded, He looked at the three University students who had done the previous few Burrakathas and seemed to say, "Did you see how well they did it?" The drama soon concluded and Swami asked for bhajans. The students were about to begin singing when Swami indicated that He wanted the tribal people to sing. Swami moved into the interview room as the girls from Godavari district began to sing bhajans and songs.When He came out, there were white cloth pieces and sarees that were brought out. Swami asked for the person who was heading all the work being done. When the person moved to Swami, He materialized a gold ring for him. The ring appeared a little tight and when he told that to Swami, the Lord smiled and immediately materialized another ring on the spot for him! He

also told him to keep the first ring with him. The director of the drama, Mr. Prakash Rao requested, "Swami, so much has been done in these areas. If by your Grace, coffee plantations are cultivated, there will be good livelihood for the tribals." Swami assured him that coffee plantations would definitely arrive in those hilly areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swami then moved down the ramp and granted the privilege of group photos to all the participants of the drama. He materialized a ring to another active worker of the organization on His rounds! Then, moving into the children, Swami interacted with a few of them. He also blessed the sarees and white cloth pieces to be distributed to all of them. He sat witnessing the distribution in front of tribals below the stage for quite some time. Moving up the stage, He blessed the prasadam to be distributed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the photographers handed Him a picture of the "dual-ringed" Sevadal worker being blessed by Him! Swami called him and handed over the photo to him even as he exulted in joy. Swami then asked for the aarthi but He continued to sit even after the aarthi was complete. He told the coordinator that He was very happy. Watching the scene before His eyes, He felt great joy He said. Sitting like that for about five minutes, it appeared as though Swami was leaving very reluctantly.

 

 

 

 

 

Blessed indeed are these innocent tribals that they have so completely won over the Lord's heart. Swami retired at about 7:10 p.m! After that, Mr. Balaraju, the Minister for Tribal Welfare, who had witnessed the evening's programme, rose from his seat; he was a thrilled man. He said that he wanted to know more about the project which had made such an unbelievable impact on the tribal people. He seemed annoyed that the people in his ministry had not updated him about such wonderful work. To top it all, he promised that he would work to get coffee plantations in the hilly regions, and do his little bit for the magnificent project. Indeed wonderful are the ways of the Lord. Co-incidences are indeed miracles where God chooses to be anonymous!

 

June 29, 2009 – Parthi Yatra of East and West Godavari Districts – Day Three

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 29, 2009 happened to be the final day of the Parthi pilgrimage of the devotees and tribal people from East and West Godavari district. In the evening as Swami arrived for darshan, a gentle smile danced on His face. Swami, of late, has a new surprise in His treasury of uncertainty. He arrives from Yajur Mandir with little Vibhuti packets. As He is moving through the devotees, He throws a packet or two to those whom He knows need it and there is such a joyous surprise. And Swami, for the past few days, has been giving these packets to little kids who seem to carry the burden of their whole families in the letters they hold in their tiny palms! When Swami smiles at them and lovingly throws the Vibhuti packets, they rush to Him, give the letters and taking a quick padanamaskar, return to their place. It’s a very sweet scene and must be witnessed to experience it completely. On that day too, three kids were recipients of this

‘Vibhuti Grace’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moving through the ladies side, Swami reached the marbled area of the Mandir. This had been completely occupied by the tribal folk. Swami collected letters from many devotees on the gents’ side and completing the rounds, reached the stage. As He arrived on the stage, He was chanting the Vedas along with all the students! As soon as He was seated in the centre of the stage, He asked a student nearby as to what the programme for the day was. He told that there was "temple-key distribution" followed by speeches. Swami asked immediately for the speeches to begin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

.. Swami knew, of course, that the speakers were the tribals who were not used to facing a huge gathering, definitely not a crowd of this proportion. So He did something so sweet and lovely. The mike was placed before the speaker and he began to speak looking at Swami. He expressed his gratitude at all that Swami was doing, and the Lord on His part kept nodding and reciprocating to the person. In this manner, what was to be a speech transformed into a heart to heart conversation between Lord and devotee! Swami said that He would take care of all the unfulfilled aspirations and granted His abhayahastha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next 'speaker' was a tribal woman, Nagamani. The word speech has been put in between apostrophes for she spoke in the language of music!She sang a song that she had specially composed on the bountiful Grace Swami had showered on the Godavari villages. It was moving and the students began to play the harmonium and tabla too as accompaniments.As she concluded her 'speech' of five minutes, Swami beckoned her to the stage and materialized a gold chain for her. He also presented a saree to her as a token of His Grace. Swami then asked for the other part of the programme to commence. Mr. P. Vardhana Rao, Education Wing co-ordinator for SSSVIP, East Godavari District listed out the achievements of the Organisation under the Project, making a mention of the eight fold service scheme.

 

 

 

 

 

Nagamani offers her sweet music to her dear Sai

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He prayed to Swami to hand over the keys for the four Integrated Village Service Centres, five Rama temples, one Shiva temple and a mini rice mill that had been constructed for the villagers. At this time, another beautiful scene took place. The devotees who had sponsored and initiated the construction activities were all staunch devotees of Swami and Bhagavan became nostalgic as He heard their names being announced.Mr. Dandamudi Venkata Rama Rao who had constructed the temple at village Mareedumilli was a dedicated devotee about whom Swami had once written in a letter, "Ramarao is a blessed soul who has taken birth only due to some karmic balance. He has a pure mind, heart and intellect. His relationship with Swami is at the Atmic level." Mr. Ramarao's son came up to receive the keys along with the tribals' chief when Swami 'recognised' him and said that He had named him when he was small! The family of Mr. Seetharamaiah, the first

superintendent at the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital at Puttaparthi, had initiated temple building at the village G. M. Valasa. Similarly Mr. Sai Ravi Sekhar from village Madicherla, and Thuraga Rama Murthy from the village Gunjigudem were the blessed names to be read out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. P. Vardhana Rao conducted the distribution ceremony with elan

 

 

 

Sai was only too eager togive, give and give

 

 

 

 

 

As the announcements were on, people came up to Swami and collected the keys. Swami immensely blessed every one of them and gifted them with lovely smiles. At the end of the distribution, Swami asked the students to sing bhajans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was something so special in the bhajans rendered that day. And that was due to the communion of the flavours of simple devotion that seemed laden heavily in the air and that of Divine grace. Swami seemed lost in a trance as some of the bhajans were sung and the devotees were in a clapping and singing frenzy. In between the bhajans, Swami was given a photograph of Him gifting the golden chain to the tribal woman Nagamani. Swami called the lady and gave her the picture. She was so happy and fell at Swami's feet before returning to her place. The wonderful bhajan session went on for about 35-40 minutes as prasadam was blessed and distributed to all assembled. Swami assured all the girijans (mountain dwellers) that He would complete any of the remaining works. Then, blessing everyone, Swami received aarthi and retired to Yajur

Mandir.

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