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Index of earlier Bulletins
Sunday, November 30, 2008
The last few days have been quiet at Prasanthi Nilayam. Bhagawan has been coming to Sai Kulwant Hall in the evenings and some groups were blessed with interviews. This morning, Swami returned to His residence after 10.30 accepting Arati concluding the morning Bhajan, and a few minutes later went to the Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust where He inaugurated their new Annexe. You can see pictures of His visit on the Book Trust website.
Monday, November 24, 2008
This evening, the Tamil Nadu Balvikas children were to perform a dance drama in Sai Kulwant Hall. Bhagawan arrived for darshan in His chair at 5.20 pm, and after His darshan round, went into the interview room. From there, He emerged to come onstage and start the drama at 5.45 pm. After the 70 minute drama, Swami came down from the stage and blessed the children with group photographs. Prasadam was distributed, and Swami accepted Arati at 7 o'clock before returning to His residence.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Bhagawan blessed the overflowing Sai Kulwant Hall in a white robe this morning, as the 83rd year of His advent dawned. The procession to Sai Kulwant Hall began from Yajur Mandir at 9.45 am, led by the bands of the Primary School, the Anantapur campus and the Prasanthi Nilayam campus, with Vedam chanting students from the Primary School, Higher Secondary School and the University. Bhagawan was seated on a raised chair covered with golden cloth. Once Swami reached the stage, He heard the four bands perform 'Happy Birthday' and other tunes before moving to the verandah to bless the cakes assembled there. Once He returned to the stage, He asked for Bhajans to begin at 10.30. Prasadam was distributed. The large number of people who could not enter the Sai Kulwant Hall had darshan moving across the Gopuram gate, and accepted prasadam there. Bhagawan accepted Arati at 11 o'clock before returning to His residence.
The evening programme commenced with Bhagawan arriving from His residence at 5.40 pm. Once He reached the stage, He asked Prof Anil Kumar to speak a few words in Telugu and to introduce the speakers for the evening. Sri. V. Srinivasan, All India President of the Sai Organisations spoke first, and was followed at 6.15 pm by Sri. Ajit Popat of the UK. Bhagawan delivered His Birthday message at 6.55 pm, in which He declared that the Muddenahalli educational institution would come under the Sri Sathya Sai University within a year. After nearly an hour, He concluded by singing the Bhajan 'Rama Rama Rama Sita' and accepted Arati at 7.50 pm before returning to His residence.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The 27th convocation of the Sri Sathya Sai University was scheduled for this evening. The procession from Bhagawan's residence to the Sai Kulwant Hall led by the bands from the Anantapur campus and the Prasanthi Nilayam campus of the University began at 3.45 pm, and in a short while, Bhagawan entered the Hall in His chair clad in a maroon robe. He was flanked on the stage by the office-bearers of the University. The function proceeded in the conventional manner, with the Vice-chancellor Prof. Vishwanath Pandit presenting the graduands of the year, with the gold medal winners and recipients of PhDs being called up by Principal of the Prasanthi Nilayam campus, Prof. U. S. Rao. The convocation address was by Prof. G. Venkataraman, following which Bhagawan gave His benedictory address seated onstage for forty-five minutes at 5.20 pm. The proceedings concluded with the National Anthem just before 6.15 pm. The convocation drama presented by the students of the University got underway at the Poornachandra auditorium at seven o'clock after Bhagawan arrived there. After the drama, Swami blessed the participants with group photographs onstage before accepting Arati and retiring for the day at 8.20 pm. An announcement was made about breakfast and lunch being provided tomorrow free to all as Bhagawan's prasadam.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Last evening, Bhagawan saw the dress rehearsal of the convocation drama at the Poornachandra auditorium from 4.30 to 5.30 pm before coming to the Bhajan Hall to accept Arati after Bhajans. Today, He distributed sarees both in the morning and the evening as extended Bhajan sessions went on. In the morning, He called groups like the Primary school teachers and so on into the Bhajan Hall and distributed there, while in the evening, He went around the Sai Kulwant Hall giving sarees. He also distributed a few sarees in the Bhajan Hall.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Ladies' day at Prasanthi Nilayam began with the traditional Suprabhatam being sung by Smt. P. Susheela just before 5.30 am. The vedam chanting around the Mandir was also by the ladies. Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall at 9.30 am in a procession led by the girls bands of the Anantapur campus of the Sri Sathya Sai University and the Primary School, along with Vedam chanting students, as a welcome song was aired. Fifteen minutes later, when Bhagawan reached the stage, the programme for the day began with a ten-minute introduction by Mrs. Chetana Raju. The two speakers of the morning were Dr. (Mrs) Ankhi Mukherjee, former student of the Sri Sathya Sai University and Lecturer in the Universty of Oxford and Mrs. Sylvia Alden, who is a member of the Central Council of the Sai Organisation in the USA with a Masters in Special Education. After their talks, the materials kept in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall were distributed to the needy. Solar LED lanterns, water purifiers, rugs and other items useful for the rural folk were passed on to the recipients drawn from various parts of Anantapur district. After prasadam distribution, Bhagawan accepted Arati at 11.10 before returning to His residence.
In the evening, once again Bhagawan was ushered into Sai Kulwant Hall in a procession, with another welcome song played over the speakers, at 5 pm. When He reached the Mandir, He moved to the Bhajan Hall where the children from the Primary school were ready in costumes for their programme this evening. After a brief interaction with them, Swami came onstage and started the programme for the evening. Smt. Sunitha and troupe presented devotional songs for an hour and Bhagawan blessed them with clothes before the programme by the Primary School children began at 6.20 pm. Their 70 minute dance-drama brought out the glory of Sai down the ages from Krita Yuga till the present, with video projections on the back-drop adding to the narrative. Swami was very pleased with their performance and went down among them for group photographs before returning to His residence after Arati at 7.40 pm.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The traditional Rathotsavam in which the idols of Rama Lakshmana Sita along with Venugopala Swami are taken from the Mandir to the Kalyanamantapam in Puttaparthi was held this morning. Bhagawan arrived at Sai Kulwant Hall after blessing the baby elephant Gita near His residence and after a darshan round in His chair, went inside a few minutes before 9.30 am. The procession led by Vedam chanting students began soon after, and as they came near the stage, Bhagawan arrived there to send them to the Gopuram gate. He then moved to the Gopuram gate to see off the procession and then returned to the Mandir and asked for Bhajans to begin a few minutes before 10 o'clock. At 10.30, He accepted Arati and returned to His residence. In the evening, Bhagawan arrived after the Bhajans began at five o'clock. He moved down the verandah in the chair and entered the Bhajan Hall from the rear door. Moving to the front of the Bhajan Hall, He sat there for a while before going on another round of darshan and returning to the Bhajan Hall to accept Arati and retire for the day.
Monday, November 17, 2008
This morning dawned bright and sunny. The Stadium was filled with devotees by 9 o'clock for the conclusion of the three day Yagnam. Bhagawan left His residence shortly after 9.30 and alighted from His car to arrive at the stage in the Golden Chariot, moving all the way down the stadium in a procession, blessing everyone on the way. By 10 o'clock, He was onstage, and the Poornahuti got underway after all the distinguished religious figures onstage like heads of Kanchi Peetham, Sri Siddaganga Muth of Tumkur and many others had a brief interaction with Him. The Poornahuti function concluded, and the centurion Dr. Sivakumara Swamigalu of Tumkur gave a brief talk before Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to Yajur Mandir at 11 o'clock.
At 5.30 in the evening, Bhagawan arrived at Sai Kulwant Hall while the priests finished rituals leading up to the 'Rukmini Kalyanam' function. After a brief visit to the interview room, Swami sat onstage as the priests finished the marriage ceremony of Sri Krishna with Rukmini Devi. After the ceremony concluded, Bhagawan blessed the priests with gifts of clocks and then went on a round in His chair before the devotional songs by Ms. Mahalakshmi Iyer and party began onstage at 6.45. Forty-five minutes later, Bhagawan asked them to remain onstage, and called up the Malladi brothers to have their concert for the next 45 minutes. Swami then blessed the concert artistes with clothes, accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 8.15 pm.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
This morning, Bhagawan arrived at the venue of the Yagnam in the Stadium at 9.30 as the skies showered a fine spray of rain. Additions paraphernalia there were two huge elephants who were to lead the procession tomorrow. After spending an hour there moving around the stage and blessing the participants, He accepted Arati and returned to His residence. One of the distinguished persons onstage for today's function was Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji of Mysore. In the evening, He arrived at Sai Kulwant Hall at 4.45 pm while the Abhisheka puja was going on for the deities onstage. After His darshan round in the chair, Swami sat there till the ceremonies concluded before starting the speeches an hour later. Pancha Sahasravadhani Sri. M. Mohan garu spoke on the story of Sri Krishna's birth for around 45 minutes. Bhagawan blessed him with a chain and clothes before the next presentation, which was a concert by the Malladi brothers along with their father. They offered a CD produced by them to be released by Bhagawan and a song from it was played before their hour-long programme, following which Swami accepted Arati at 7.45 pm before returning to His residence.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
The venue for the three-day Sahasra Chandra Darshana Mahotsava Yagnam commencing this morning is the extended Shanthi Vedika Stage at the Vidyagiri Stadium. Seating for the vast gathering has been arranged on the ground in addition to the galleries by spreading green matting. Giant LED screens and strategically placed TV monitors helped all to have a ring-side view of the proceedings. At 7.45, the priests began the chants. Bhagawan arrived at 8.45 and was welcomed onstage with the Poorna Kumbham amidst chanting by the priests and the students. After spending more than 90 minutes going around the different parts of the stage and blessing the entire congregation, Swami accepted Arati and returned to Yajur Mandir. The priests continued the rituals at the Shanthi Vedika, and after a lunch break, did more ceremonies at 3.30 pm.
In the afternoon, Bhagawan arrived at Sai Kulwant Hall at 5.20 pm. After 15 minutes, the speaker for the day was introduced. Dr. Rajagopala Chakravarthy spoke for an hour on the stories of Ambareesa and Kuchela, with references to nuances from other Shastras. Bhagawan blessed the speaker with a chain and clothes before the singers for the next programme came onstage. The Priya sisters began their concert at 6.30 pm and sang devotionally for nearly an hour. Swami blessed them and their accompanists with clothes before accepting Arati and returning to His residence at 7.30 pm.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Bhagawan arrived at 4 o'clock this evening in His chair to Sai Kulwant Hall. The priests who were to conduct the Sahasra Chandra Darshana Mahotsavam ceremony from tomorrow were seated in front of the stage. Clothes and other ceremonial materials for them were brought out. After Swami's blessings, Sri Adikesavulu Naidu, chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, distributed the items to the more than 120 priests. The Bhagavatha Saptaham speech for today began after the distribution at 5.15 pm. Dr. K. Ramanujacharya narrated the stories of Dhruva and the churning of the ocean, bringing out the inner meanings of the Puranic stories. As the speaker concluded at 6.30 pm, Bhagawan blessed him with a chain before accepting Arati and returning to His residence in the car. An announcement was made about the programme commencing tomorrow at 7.30 am in the Vidyagiri Stadium. The priests moved to the stadium, where they completed preliminary rituals onstage. www.radiosai.org is readying to carry video web streams of the highlights of the ceremonies over the next three days.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
This evening Bhagawan came for darshan to Sai Kulwant hall at 5.25 pm, and after a few minutes in the interview room, He began the proceedings onstage at 5.40 pm. This evening's speaker was the one who had done the introductions on earlier days. Prof. Anil Kumar introduced him to the gathering today. Sri Santosh Kumar Shastri is the resident scholar or Asthaana Pandita of the Sarada Peetham, and is also CEO of Sri Venkateswara Bhakthi Channel, the TV channel run by Tirupati Devasthanam. The 32 year old scholar spoke feelingly on the Gajendra Moksha story. Bhagawan once again blessed the speaker with a chain before accepting Arati and returning to His residence.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Yesterday and today, the Bhagavatha Saptaham continued with scholarly talks by Sahasravadhani Garikipati Narasimha Rao garu and Tribhasha Sahasravadhani V. Padmakar garu respectively. Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant hall after five o'clock and began the proceedings with the puja by the Tirupati priests for a few moments followed by the speeched in Telugu for around an hour. Yesterday's topics were the prayers of Kunti and Parikshit along with the episode of the Varaha Avatar. Today's speech dwelt on Prahlada's story. Swami blessed both the speakers with chains before accepting Arati and returning to His residence. This evening, an announcement was made after Arati about concluding of the two-week village service programme by the students with the distribution taking place at Prasanthi Nilayam tomorrow.
Monday, November 10, 2008
This evening, the seven day Bhagavatha Saptaham got underway at Prasanthi Nilayam. In the morning, Swami came to Sai Kulwant Hall at 10.30 and the icon of Venugopala Swami kept onstage was consecrated with Pujas by the priests from Tirupati. Swami then went to the Stadium before returning to Yajur Mandir. In the evening, Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall at 5.10 pm, and after a full round of Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair, once again moved through the ladies' side, picking up ladies and telling them to be seated on the verandah. When He reached the mandir, He asked these ladies to move to the Bhajan Hall. He entered the Bhajan Hall and interacted with them, and asked for some more ladies to be called. Soon, all the ladies from overseas were making a beeline for the Bhajan Hall. Bhagawan blessed more than 250 of them with sarees, granting them padanamaskar and a moment of interaction, for nearly an hour. He then came onstage, where the Saptaham was to commence. The priests did a brief ceremony and Swami moved across the stage to observe the Idol. After a short introduction in Telugu, Brahmasri Dr. Nagaphani Sharma garu took the stage with his Bhagavatha narration. Interspersed with songs and poems, the scholar described the glory of Sai in mellifluous Telugu for an hour. After the oration, it was 7.30 pm when Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Global Akhanda Bhajan which began last evening at six o'clock concluded this evening at 6 pm. Bhagawan came in the morning at 9.30 and sat in the Bhajan Hall while the Bhajans went on before going to the College Auditorium at 10.30. There He saw the rehearsal of the Convocation drama by the students for an hour before returning to His residence. In the evening, He came at 4.30 pm to Sai Kulwant Hall. He moved down the Bhajan Hall aisle and sat onstage for a while before sitting in the bhajan hall for the last few minutes of the Bhajan. At five minutes to six, He asked for the Bhajan with 'Sri Raghavam' Alap. After Arati, Swami watched as the prasadam of laddoos and tamarind rice was distributed, and those in the bhajan hall partook the prasadam after a collective 'Brahmarpanam' chant. When He moved out, the Prmary school students chanted again before He returned to His residence.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
The 24 hour Global Akhanda Bhajan commenced this evening at six o'clock. Bhagawan arrived for darshan at 4.30 pm, and after a brief visit to the Bhajan hall, sat onstage for an hour listening to the Vedic chants before coming to the Bhajan Hall to light the ceremonial lamp and start the Bhajan at 6.00 pm. He sat there listening to the Bhajans for an hour before returning to His residence.
On Thursday, Bhagawan had asked the students who were thorough with the entire Rudram to come to the Mandir in the morning. Even after the morning Bhajans concluded, Swami had not arrived, and the students continued to wait. Finally, He arrived at 11.30 and blessed them all individually with orange dhoties while they chanted full-throatedly on the verandah. Swami then went to the stadium before returning to His residence after noon. Another event this week was the visit of the leader of the Opposition (in the Indian Parliament) Sri L. K. Advani for an audience with Bhagawan.
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Grama Seva programme began on the first of November. Bhagawan arrived at 10.40 am as the Bhajans went on, and went for a drive. When He returned after half an hour the students circumambulated the Mandir and left for the Village Service. Yesterday and today, Bhagawan did not come for morning darshan. So, the students left for grama seva at 8.30 and 9.00 am respectively, In the evenings, Bhagawan has been coming a few minutes before the Bhajans begin at five o'clock, sitting for a few minutes onstage, and then moving inside. This morning He also visited the Hillview Stadium a few minutes before 11 o'clock.
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