It was a wonderful time to be here. The suspense of waiting to see the MahaSamadhi, wondering what it actually looked like, will it do justice to what Sai Baba really was and would anything spectacular happen at the moment of dedication or after.
A week of nonstop activities led up to the Guru Poornima celebration and the dedication. The Young Adult world conference ended with enthusiasm and rededication to continue Baba’s messages by translating them into action.
Guru Poornima was celebrated almost exactly as if Baba was still in the physical body. Everyone behaved as though Baba was sitting in his chair watching them.
Thursday – 14 July was the first day of the 3 day Guru Poornima celebration. Of course the hall was nicely decorated with a sense of simplicity and elegance. The morning was peaceful, quiet and energetic especially with the soothing music of the Malladi Brothers who are known for their Carnatic music and have played here many times. We were transported to another dimension.
All performers faced Baba and the MahaSamadhi.
Meanwhile at the young adult conference, several more speakers were heard before breaking into groups. In the afternoon a summary of various discussion groups were presented and ended with another speaker.
It was great to be here. Even with the hall being crowded and some inconveniences, there was no place else in the universe I rather be. Baba presence was strongly felt.
In the evening, there were considerably more people and more decorations. The hall was almost full. Many people arrived that day. There seemed to be a sense of excitement. It was a special time.
There were very nice speeches by Young Adults: Shitu Chudasama and Daniel Strauss. This conference was blessed by Baba last November. It was by, for and of the youth. The 440 leaders that attended were very active in youth programs. One goal is to develop leaders for the future.
They were followed, by youth from 16 countries, with an hour performance combining voices and instruments with intense energy moving us to another level of peace and joy. Even the invisibles came and enjoyed. Baba was happy.
Tomorrow will be the birth of a major event that will eventually become bigger than Birthday.
Friday – 15 July was the historic day. The ashram was crowded. With many vips here, police presence was everywhere. The sniffer dog even smelled on the verandah and in the mandir. There was even police presence in front of the residence.
As usual you had to come early to get a seat. The overflow crowd was allowed to go to the Poornachandra where there was a video hookup. There was also live television coverage throughout India.
It was nice coming into the hall looking at the mandir and not seeing a high wall blocking the view. What was seen was an 8 foot red curtain that went around the area where the actual MahaSamadhi was.
Around 6:00 A.M. a yagna and prayers were performed by a group of priest. The yagna was on the women’s side of the verandah just outside the curtains.
At 7:30 Vedic chanting started leading to that special moment when the curtain would be opened and the MahaSamadhi dedicated. At 8:00 A.M. exactly, the curtained opened to see one priest on each side of the Samadhi waving lights and chanting. It lasted a few minutes.
We saw a simple but elegant setting. The MahaSamadhi was white marble – 9 feet by 6 feet and 26 inches high in the center of a 6 inches high white marble platform, 21 feet by 12 feet with what some gold like trimmings.
The 2 large pillars that have been supporting the porch roof have been covered with the same white marble and had some decorations. The floor area has been redone in white marble. The two sides of the verandah next to the Samadhi have been done in green marble with white trimmings (See Photos).
Love All Serve All was inscribed in the front. Special lamp on the back wall on each side of Baba’s photo gave the area a special holy effect.
The dedication was followed by university students singing praises of Baba mixed with personal experiences. They glorified the many wonders of Sai.
Afterwards, there were two speakers, Leonardo Gutter from Argentina and Nimish Pandya from Mumbai. Leonardo spoke about the 4 great blessings of devotees: To be born as a human being, to be a contemporary of the Avatar, to be aware of His divinity and to be His chosen instrument.
Nimish noted that no one has ever inspired millions of people around the world to serve others as Sai Baba has done including the many projects he has completed and left as a legacy.
After bhajans and arathi at 10:30, there was Darshan which took several hours until everyone had a chance to view the MahaSamadhi. Many seva dals were needed. Everything was orderly.
Students and vocal artists sang songs for the occasion as people waited in line. Afterwards, there was a recording of “Sai Gayatri”.
This is still the practice. When viewing the MahaSamadhi is allowed the recording of “Sai Gayatri” is played.
As we left the ashram with prasad, we noticed that on Main Street just outside the Ganesh Gate there were reporters. Many of them with TV cameras. It was crowded on Main Street with shops and eateries doing a good business. It was nice to see Puttaparthi this way.
Afternoon darshan was less crowded. The program was unusual with two superb musical groups. Aruna Sairam and Hansraj Hans.
Arun Sairam has the rare ability to have a voice that when in sings in different styles it sounds as though that was its native language. She switched from Carnatic to Bengali to Bhajans. People wanted more of her inspiring performance.
Hansraj Hans, who performed for Baba when he visited Delhi, did Sufi music that had the whole place rocking. During one long song there were parts that had everyone clapping. Hansraj also put his whole self into the music. It was about 6:30 with the song going on for about 10 minutes, maybe even longer, when people noticed a rainbow (See Photos). I was told that this tune was an ancient one which has not been sung, maybe for centuries.
What was strange about it is that it rained for only a few minutes which made it possible for the rainbow to appear. It seemed as though Baba had it rained just enough so the rainbows would appear. The photos show that there were 2 rainbows for a while over most of Puttaparthi. From Kulwant Hall we could see only a small part but it was enough to tell us that Baba was happy and blessing all of us.
This evening Kulwant Hall became heaven itself. The joy, love and music elevated the vibration of everyone to a higher state as they were experiencing devotional ecstasy
It was a blessing – grace – to have been there.
Saturday – 16 July. The morning consisted of a special musical program by university alumni which as usual was filled with love, devotion, praises and gratitude for Baba. The crowd which was light at the beginning became considerably larger. It was clear that many were there for the Samadhi Darshan.
The evening was the highlight of the 3 day celebration. It was the performance of a musical dance drama called “Saint Avvaiyar” by the Bal Vikas children of Tamil Nadu. The choice of this story was excellent for the occasion but it was the intensity and devotion of the performance that was so spectacular. It was beyond devotional. I thought that Baba would appear to bless them.
Avvai as a small child who because of her devotion to god did not want to bound by marriage. She seeked and received the boon of old age from Lord Ganesha. She could now roam teaching the power of chastity, truth and good living.
She affected many lives and the play included thanks to Baba for sending so many people like her. After many years, she wanted to drop her body, Shiva appeared to remove her last drop of ego. She goes to Kailasa.
Attached are two pictures of Sai Baba, a press release by the Central Trust as well as a photo of Baba’s image on the full moon on Guru Poornima which was seen by different people. For 40 years people have been seeing Baba image on the moon especially the full moon. It is always nice when people see it especially on special occasions.
Also, Souljourns is now available on www.Youtube.com/Souljourns for better reception and as usual on www.vimeo.com/Souljourns! So now you can watch on your iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry + others. Ted Henry has just completed the 4th interview with Sunder Iyer who was student of Baba’s schools and his personal assistant.
RadioSai has videos of the Guru Poornima celebration:
http://media.radiosai.org/www/#
Thought for the Day
15 July 2011
Guru Poornima is the day when you decide to become masters of your senses and intellect, emotions and passions, thoughts and feelings through Sadhana (spiritual discipline). Even during Dhyana (meditation), the ego will disturb you. Hence, offer yourself fully to God. This total dedication cannot emerge from scholarship. A scholar can be polluted by ego; he delights in putting pros and cons against each other; he raises doubts and disturbs faith, mixing the secular with the spiritual in order to extract worldly gain. But you must offer prayers to God to attain spiritual progress. Therefore, engage yourselves in Sadhana (spiritual practices) without delay. Cultivate virtues; be free from evil habits, thoughts, words and deeds. Grow in love and greet everyone with love. This is the way to Ananda (joy).
Baba
Thought for the Day
14 July 2011
Guru Poornima or Vyaasa Poornima is a holy day, which must be celebrated with prayer and sincere repentance, arising from love for God to attain your own perfection. You should celebrate today with prayer and contrition, for they alone can cleanse the heart, and not by feasting or fasting, which affect only the body. The mind of man is compared to the moon, for it is as wayward as the moon, with its swing from brightness to darkness. On this full moon day, the mind too has to be bright, effulgent and cool. Vyaasa was born with a great urge for spiritual uplift and he entered into deep study and Sadhana (spiritual practices) even as a child. He acquired such divine wisdom and glory that he is identified with God Himself. He stands out as the Loka Guru (World Teacher) for he codified the Vedic hymns, prepared spiritual treatises for the people whom he loved to educate and raised their awareness so they could aspire to realize God.
Baba
Thought for the Day
13 July 2011
Guru Poornima is dedicated for thanksgiving to the Guru, for, the Moon (the presiding deity of the mind) today is full, clear, cool and bright! He has no blemish or dullness that diminishes his glow. The Guru too is pictured and praised today as unblemished, bright and affectionate. He is tolerant and truly peaceful. He is the living example and embodiment of the virtues he desires us to develop. He removes the faults in vision and destroys the darkness of ignorance. He reveals the Aathma (Divinity) to the individual and makes him free. Hence Guru Poornima is dedicated to such Divine Gurus. In fact, God, the God within, is the Guru of Gurus. His Grace can make the blind see, the lame walk and the dumb speak. By a mere touch, He can demolish the sins of the past and create peace and joy. Vyaasa is the first Guru who demarcated the path and the goal. So he is associated with the Poornima (full moon) day.
No comments:
Post a Comment