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Index of earlier Bulletins
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
This morning, Bhagawan arrived for darshan and later came into the Bhajan Hall a few minutes before nine o'clock. There, He interacted with some of the overseas youth for nearly twenty minutes, and gave them all His robes. He also told the rest of the youth that He would give them all robes in the evening. Swami went into the interview room and Bhajans began soon after, at 9.20 am. Bhagawan returned to the Bhajan Hall and returned to His residence after Arati at 10 am.
In the afternoon, the Sai Youth from all over the world were once again seated separately with their orange scarves. A few minutes after 3 o'clock, Swami's robes were brought from the store-rooms, and distributed to all of the more than thousand youth who remained after the conclusion of the conference two days earlier. Bhagawan arrived at around 4 pm, and came onstage on His chair after His darshan round in the car. Youth from the UK presented their signature musical medley, with a short introduction by Sri Ajit Poppat. At 5 o'clock, while the medley was still going on, Swami went to the interview room, and sent word for Bhajans to begin by the students in the Bhajan Hall. Bhajans began, and Swami arrived in the Bhajan Hall. He asked for some Bhajans with Aalaaps, and sang along with the singers at times. At 5.30 pm, He accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Monday, July 30, 2007
The Book Trust website has a report with pictures on the programme presented by Sai Youth from Europe and Sri Lanka today.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Bhagawan was welcomed into the Sai Kulwant Hall this Gurupoornima morning with a colourful procession led by Swami's new elephant. Bhagawan, resplendent in a yellow robe, arrived in His custom-made Lamborghini darshan vehicle, granting Blessings to the thousands craning to catch a glimpse of the Guru of Gurus. Walking to the stage after reaching the verandah, Swami fed the young elephant calf before He sat down. The Malladi brothers, who had performed earlier at Kodaikanal, were asked to present a Carnatic vocal concert. The songs began at 8.10 am and continued till 9 o'clock, mesmerizing the vast gathering. Swami then called up the students who were ready with a music programme of stotrams and discussed the songs they planned to sing. Distribution of apples as prasadam commenced. Swami asked the senior students to take their places, and called up the children of the Primary School to present the cards they had made for their Lord. As the prasadam distribution drew to a close, Bhagawan accepted Arati at 9.10 am and returned to His residence after Blessing the Gurupoornima cake prepared by the overseas devotees on the verandah.
The afternoon programme commenced at 4.10 pm on Bhagawan's command. Earlier, Swami had given darshan in the car and then had come onstage while the Vedam chanting went on. Former Indian Prime Minister Sri. Deve Gowda was also among the audience in the overflowing Sai Kulwant Hall. Youth from Latin American countries performed a selection of Native American dances and songs for Swami for half an hour. Bhagawan granted the performers group photos with Him. Next was the performance of the Sai International Youth choir. After a few minutes of the choir, the Malladi brothers were again asked to sing onstage. After half an hour of their Carnatic vocals, Bhagawan Blessed them and their families, accepted Arati and returned to His residence, moving slowly in His car and stopping to talk to many people on the way. A report with pictures on the Gurupoornima celebrations is available on the Book Trust website.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
The World Youth conference concluded today, with Bhagawan delivering His Valedictory message in the evening. The European Sai choir presented songs after Bhagawan's Discourse. The Book Trust site has a report with pictures.
Friday, July 27, 2007
The World Youth conference continued today, with speeches in the morning in Bhagawan's presence, later in the two workshop sessions after Swami returned to His residence, and in the evening after Swami returned to Sai Kulwant Hall. The Book Trust site has a report with pictures.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
The Sri Sathya Sai World Youth Conference began with a procession of all the Sai students and Sai Youth led by flags of all nations coming from the Hill-view Stadium to the Sai Kulwant Hall. The procession reached the Hall just as Bhagawan came to the Mandir at 8 o'clock, and in an hour, all the youth in the procession were seated in the Hall. Bhagawan came onstage and lit the ceremonial lamp and the delegates were welcomed by Dr. Michael Goldstein, Chairman of the Prasanthi Council. The next speaker was Sri. Shitu Chudasma of the UK, Youth activities co-ordinator. Bhagawan then Blessed the gathering with His Divine Messge.
After Bhagawan's Discourse, Arati was offered and He returned to His residence. The first workshop of the conference was then held at the Sai Kulwant Hall. Prominent businesswoman Mrs. Mallika Srinivasan and Sri Sanjay Sahani, Principal of the Brindavan Campus of the Sri Sathya Sai University, were the the two speakers of this session. A question-answer session followed, with the two speakers answering queries which had earlier been collected from the delegates. The Conference adjourned for lunch at noon.
The venue for the afternoon events was the Indoor Stadium, with all the delegates gathering there at 2.30 pm. Bhagawan started from the Mandir and arrived there at 4.30 pm to witness an international basketball match between India and Sri Lanka. Uday Shankar's dance troupe provided introductory and half-time visuals. India won the match, Swami left for His residence at 6 o'clock and the proceedings concluded a few minutes later with the players being presented with mementos.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
The Sai Kulwant Hall was colourfully decorated for the Ashadi Ekadasi programme. Bhagawan arrived at 8.30 am to the sounds of traditional Maratha horns and Vedam and came onstage after His darshan round. The programme commenced with a Dindi song, and then a song welcoming Ashadi. Next, two children introduced a song commemorating Sai Geetha. The main programme of the morning, an hour-long programme entitled "Master the Mind and be a Mastermind", followed soon after. The programme was presented in the format of a Quiz show, with the value-based questions and answers being discussed by a panel of role models like Swami Vivekananda. The programme concluded with the ultimate question we must all ask and get an answer from Bhagawan within us, that of "Who am I?". The participants were Blessed by Bhagawan who came down from the stage after the programme for a group photo session.
The evening programme was a musical drama "Jai Jhulelal" by the Balvikas and Youth wing of Thane. The Sindhi community reveres Lord Jhulelal of the 10th century as their saviour, and this year marks the 1000th anniversary of the advent of Jhulelal. The play depicted how Jhulelal, through miraculous interventions, saved the Hindus of the Sindhu region from an intolerant ruler who wanted them to convert to Islam or die. Bhagawan Blessed one of the followers of Jhulelal with a chain at the end of the performance. Prasadam was distributed to all while Bhajans were sung by the Maharashtra devotees. Bhagawan returned to His residence after Arati at 5.30 pm.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
This morning, a dance performance was arranged, themed on Purandharadasa songs. The central part of Sai Kulwant Hall was arranged as the stage for the dance. Bhagawan arrived onstage at 8.40 am after His darshan round, and the programme got underway with a speech in Hindi by Sri Rituraj Maharaj, a young speaker on spiritual topics. His 20 minute speech was followed by the dance recital, which went on till 9.45. Bhagawan Blessed the participants and granted them photographs with Him, and spoke to them for a while onstage while prasadam was being distributed to all. Then He moved to the interview room and emerged after a few minutes to accept Arati and retire to His residence.
The evening programme was a musical feast by the renowned vocalist Sri Hariharan. Bhagawan walked to the interview room after His darshan round, and few minutes later, emerged for the programme which was onstage. After a short introduction by Sri Nimish Pandya of the Maharashtra Sai Seva Organisation, the concert got underway at 4 pm. Sri Hariharan sang some songs in Carnatic style and some in his signature Hindustani style, and also sang his famous fusion remix of "Krishna Nee Begane Baro" from the album 'Colonial Cousins'. After an hour of musical pleasure, Swami called him up and Blessed him and his accompanists. The vocalist got a ring, and the tablist got a chain. The programme continued, with Sai Bhajans this time. Bhagawan went into the interview room and emerged a few minutes later, blessing the whole troupe with shawls. Hariharan's mother too was Blessed with a saree from the Divine hands, after which Swami accepted Arati.
Monday, July 23, 2007
This morning, Bhagawan paid a second visit to the new elephant calf at the Planetarium. The shed of the four-year old calf had been decorated, and it was hoped that Swami would (re-)name her. But the christening was not to be today; Swami watched her for a while and returned to the Mandir a few minutes before 10 o'clock.
The festival season of Gurupoornima got underway in the evening with the first programme of the Ashadi Ekadashi celebrations from Maharashtra with Sri Sumeet Tappoo presenting a vocal concert. Beginning his hour long concert at 4.50 pm when Swami came onstage from the interview room, Sri Tappoo sang many Hindi devotionals, some of which were made popular by his mentor Sri Anup Jalota. Bhagawan was very pleased with His performance and stood up onstage to take photographs with him. Later, He came to the Bhajan Hall and accepted Arati there, once again calling up Sri Tappoo and commending his performance.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
This evening, Bhagawan Blessed everyone with a second darshan round in His chair, and afterwards asked for sweet lime fruits (mosambi) to be distributed as prasadam to all the students and Youth Conference delegates.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Bhagawan came to the Planetarium this morning around 8.30 and spent nearly 45 minutes there. A devotee had brought a small elephant for Swami. As soon as Swami emerged from His car at the rear of the Planetarium, the elephant touched His feet with its tiny trunk! After feeding the elephant with some sugarcane while some priests chanted mantras, Bhagawan returned to the Mandir. In the evening, Bhagawan once again came on a second darshan round in His chair at 4.30 pm. First moving through the Bhajan Hall, Swami took a round of the front part of Sai Kulwant Hall for fifteen minutes before returning to the Bhajan Hall.
Friday, July 20, 2007
This morning, Bhagawan graciously inaugurated the 'Prema Jyoti' exhibition presented by the Prasanthi Digital Studio at the Poornachandra Auditorium. Swami spent more than 90 minutes going through the entire expo viewing each exhibit in all detail and then proceeded to the Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair to accept Arati at 9.45 am. The exhibition opens tomorrow for viewing, initially in the mornings for Ladies and in the evening for Gents after Arati at the Mandir.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
The central part of Sai Kulwant Hall was made up to look like the sea-shore, with boulders and trees scattered around. A group of Canadian devotees were presenting a short drama, 'The Sacred Bridge'. Bhagawan came for evening darshan in the car at 3.30, and after a few minutes, went around in His chair between the students and the stage for nearly 20 minutes, pausing often and taking letters from many. Then, He came into the Bhajan Hall and sat there for a while, talking to some students and teachers there. Then He went to the interview room, and emerged after five o'clock to move to the stage. The Canadian programme got underway at 5.10 pm with Veda chanting. Their skit depicted the sacred name of Rama making the rocks float and hold up the bridge to Lanka, with Sri Rama installing Lord Shiva as Ramalingeshwara. Bhagawan gave clothes and padanamaskar to the participants at the end of the drama and asked them to sing bhajans. After twenty minutes, He asked the students to start leading the Bhajans. At 6.30 pm, Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
All the devotees in Sai Kulwant Hall were Blessed with a long darshan this evening, too. After 10 minutes in the interview room after His darshan round, Swami emerged at ten minutes past four and went around in His chair for half an hour. Starting with the lady delegates for the upcoming World Youth Conference, Bhagawan moved in front of the students and then took an anti-clockwise round of the gents' side before moving once again through the students to the ladies' side. He returned to the students' block and came up to the stage using the central ramp, and then moved through the Bhajan Hall from the rear before returning to the interview room.
The School of Business Management, Accounting and Finance of the Sri Sathya Sai University is conducting a Workshop on the effect of Globalization on Human Resource Management in India. Many leading lights from Indian Industry are participating in the Workshop being held at the Prasanthi Nilayam campus.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Bhagawan granted an extended darshan session this evening. After alighting from the car near the interview room, He came down the upper verandah in His chair and moved slowly around the Sai Kulwant Hall between the stage area and the students, moving about for more than fifteen minutes.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
The Music college students were ready with a presentation of songs this evening, and Bhagawan came directly to the stage after His darshan round in the car. The hour-long presentation included a sitar recital and also short solo pieces by the Tabla and Mridangam. As the programme concluded at 4.45, Swami presented a chain to one of the percussionists. Bhajans were in the Bhajan Hall soon after.
Friday, July 13, 2007
After evening Bhajans, Swami Blessed the Prasanthi Digital Studio team who had set up a preview of the 'Prema Jyoti' exhibition in the Poornachandra Auditorium. After Arati, Bhagawan returned to His abode, and almost immediately came in His chair to the Poornachandra, entering by the stage entrance. He pressed a button to light up the first few glow-signs. The water-project panels were set up for viewing, and Swami went around them for more than twenty minutes while the Digital Studio team narrated the background of each panel. The Poornachandra is being readied for the exhibition which is likely to commence next week.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
This evening, the devotees from Medak presented a musical programme. Bhagawan granted Darshan in the car and was at the Verandah by 3.30 pm. After a fifteen minute interaction there with the Prasanthi Council chairman Dr. Michael Goldstein, Swami moved to the stage. He called up a small girl from the group and materialized a chain for her. The programme got underway soon after. At 4.40, the songs concluded, and bhajans began at the Sai Kulwant Hall itself. Once again, Swami indicated to the students to sing bhajans with Aalaaps, and later a couple of Meera bhajans, too. Aarathi was offered at 5.30 pm and Bhagawan returned to His residence.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Five thousand devotees from the Medak district of Andhra Pradesh had arrived yesterday on a Parthi Yatra, and half of Sai Kulwant Hall was packed with the orange-scarved group. This evening, they were to present a dance drama and have a procession in the Divine Presence. Bhagawan arrived onstage after His darshan round, and the programme got underway at 3.45 pm with the dance-drama "Amma" portraying the divine qualities of the Mother. Swami came down from the stage after the forty minute drama and had a group photo session with the Balvikas children who participated, and then went to the interview room. At five o'clock, He emerged, and after coming onstage, Blessed the presenters of the drama with clothes. A half hour rally procession followed at 5.15, with small groups coming up from the Sai Kulwant main entrance, presenting dances or songs in front of Bhagawan who was onstage, and then moving to the side of the Hall. Various themes like grama seva and Swami's water project were presented in the rally. As the rally went on, the heavens opened up with a quick downpour. Bhajans were sung for fifteen minutes after the rally with Bhagawan seated onstage after which Arati was offered and Bhagawan returned to His residence.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Bhagawan chose to walk this evening, instead of moving about in His chair after His darshan round in the car. He walked to the interview room at four o'clock, and a few minutes later, walked to the Bhajan Hall. After a few minutes seated there, He walked to the stage area and sat there for around twenty minutes, listening to the Vedic chants and interacting with some students who offered Him letters before walking back to the interview room. Bhajans were as usual at five o'clock.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
A three-day conference on the role of Women in Information Technology was being hosted by the Anantapur campus of the University, and today the valedictory day of the conference was held at Prasanthi Nilayam at the Conference Hall next to the Book Trust building in the Ashram. The Anantapur students were ready with a musical presentation in the evening, and the first year MBA students of Prasanthi Nilayam were ready with a skit, too. But after His darshan round, Swami went into the interview room and called in many small groups one by one for interviews. As five o'clock neared, the chances of the students' programmes dimmed. Finally, Swami came out of the interview room to the Bhajan Hall, and asked for Bhajans to begin.
As Bhagawan came into the Bhajan Hall, He saw the card about their programme offered by one of the MBA boys and also some of the students dressed in costumes, but after a brief interaction, asked them to sit down. Bhajans commenced. After the first Bhajan, Swami indicated that He wanted Bhajans with Aalaaps to be sung. Accordingly, the Bhajan singers sang "Mohabbat ki kami...", "Madhava Mohana Shyama Gopala...", "Tum ho Ananth Nath Bhagawan..." and so on. Halfway through the Bhajan session, Swami called up the Vice Chancellor and had a discussion with him. Then, five minutes later, He asked for the Bhajans to stop and for the drama students to go outside!
The MBA students began their skit at 5.30 pm. Their skit brought out the importance of humility in a truely educated person, and highlighted the nature of true progress as against mere accumulation of material tinsel and trash. After their forty minute presentation, Swami Blessed them with group photographs. Next was the turn of the Anantapur students. They prayed to Bhagawan to come to Anantapur in their melodious thirty minute presentation, through songs like Meera's "Mhare Ghar Aaoji". At 6.45, Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
This evening, after His darshan round in the car, Bhagawan indicated that He would be speaking to the remaining members of the group from the Southeast region of the United States. The group were called into the Bhajan Hall and Bhagawan was with them for more than an hour. Bhajans were as usual by the students, later.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Bhagawan Blessed everyone with another long session of darshan this evening. After His round in the car, He emerged from the interview room a few minutes past four o'clock, and made a round of the upper verandah on His chair, entering the Bhajan Hall from the rear and going up the aisle. Later, He moved to the stage area from the front door of the Bhajan Hall, and sat there interacting with a few students while the Vedam went on. At 4.50 pm, He asked for the Vedam to stop and for the Bhajan to begin in the Bhajan Hall. He sat onstage for ten minutes more before moving to the Bhajan Hall for the rest of the Bhajans.
Monday, July 2, 2007
This evening, the devotees from the Southeast region of the USA who had come on a Parthi pilgrimage presented a musical programme. They were seated in the centre of the Sai Kulwant Hall before Bhagawan arrived for evening darshan, and Swami came onstage after His darshan round in the car. Their forty minute presentation got underway with a short speech of introduction wherein they pleaded with Bhagawan to visit their country and appease their spiritual hunger. Some of the songs were sung mainly by young children, and some by the whole group. Bhagawan was very pleased with their performance and asked them to sing bhajans after the songs were completed, at 5.15 pm. He then went into the interview room and emerged half an hour later with students carrying brilliantly coloured sarees for the ladies and safari cloth for the gents. Swami sat and watched the distribution, and went around the entire group in His chair. Once He returned to the stage, Arati was offered and Bhagawan returned to His residence.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
This evening, the Bhajan group students were ready with a music programme. When Bhagawan came on a round of Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair, He interacted with them, and shortly afterwards, at 4.10 pm, the programme began when Bhagawan was seated onstage with a short introduction by the Vice-Chancellor. "Vighna Vinashaka Lambodara" in Hindustani style began the presentation. A few Meera bhajans which had not been sung here before were interspersed with some evergreen numbers like "Shankara Nadashareera Para" and others. Fifty minutes later, they concluded with "Manishini Madhavuni Cheya". Bhagawan called them up one by one and Blessed them with clothes. Swami then asked for an encore: they sang "Madhura Mohana", following which He accepted Arati and retired for the day.
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