Sai Ram,
Its Ganesha Chaturthi time again which ends, in Puttaparthi, with the immersion of Ganesha of the 3rd day.
Vinayaka Chaturthi which started on September 1st can last up to 10 days. It is believed that during this time, Ganesha descends to Earth. Ganesha blessings are asked for including the removing of obstacles.
Special Ganesha statues are purchased or constructed for this occasion. At the end of 3,5,7 or 10-day period these statues are thrown into a body of water such as a river, lake or ocean. Vinayaka is asked to return again next year.
People are asked to use clay statues because they were environmental friendly.
It is a big celebration throughout India and in other countries.
Decorations were placed on Main Street and on some of the side streets. Lights with some of them blinking added to the joyous atmosphere.
Inside the ashram, the various Ganesha Statues were very busy. They had been decorated and people flocked to them. The main one by the entrance was busy for days as people prayed and broke coconuts.
Thursday – September 1. There were two excellent musical programs presented by the students in honor of Vinayaka (Ganesha) Chaturthi.
In the morning, for 45 minutes students sang special hymns to Ganesha and Carnatic pieces with interludes in English and Hindi.
Afterwards, students from Prasanthi Nilayam and Anantapur led bhajans for 15 minutes.
In the evening, it was the music college students who continued with the tributes to Ganesha. Their program was “Naada Brahmarpanam”. The music was interspersed with English, Hindi and Telegu comments. The audience loved it especially as they joined in with some of the songs.
Both morning and evening were examples of musical excellence filled with devotion to Ganesha who is really Sai.
Those who came to praise Ganesha got a strong dose of Baba as his vibration and Love permeated the hall.
Friday – September 2. Today there were considerably less people. I was surprised.
Wednesday and Thursday were national holidays. Today was a workday. Although tomorrow is an immersion day in many places including Puttaparthi, it may also be a workday. Today was Rudram, bhajans, arati and darshan.
Saturday – September 3. Today was the big day. The various tents setups with Ganesha statues in them provided free food. Later Ganesha was taken with big fanfare of beating drums and other instruments as well as throwing of kumkum powder of different colors and singing to a place of immersion.
In Kulwant Hall bunting and other hanging item that could interfere with the Ganesh procession in the afternoon had been removed by morning. The morning crowd was much less than expect in the hall but plenty of people continued to stop at the Ganesh statue at the entrance gate.
The afternoon had as its excitement the Ganesh procession. We wondered: Would it be as good as last year? Would there be as many? How would the reverence of the evening compare? This being the first time without the physical Baba but also knowing that Sai is always presence in Kulwant Hall.
All of these thoughts were answered. The procession was as good as last year. There seemed to be about the same number of chariots and palanquins. The reverence was inspiring. Everyone and everything was there.
The parade of floats came through the double gate on the men’s side and up the center driveway. They lined up along the white line on both the men and women’s side. Next was a procession of all the people involved and other students singing as they went around the mandir once returning to their spots. Following this there was a special dance performance to Ganesha.
The final procession before leaving the hall for immersion was to go up the center white tile toward the MahaSamadhi, say prayers, get blessed by the chief priest and leave.
Afterwards, bhajans continued until arati at 6. A great evening. Everything went well.
I am sure that Sai walked among the floats while they were stationary blessing them and the students.
RadioSai has part of the morning and evening programs on video and photos of all
the Ganesh floats at:
http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_09/01SEPT11/ganesh_chaturthi_video.htm
Sunday – September 4. In the early morning there was extra cleaning to be done on some of the streets outside the ashram from the debris and residues from Saturday. Kumkum powder has stained the streets. I guess it will take a nice rain to clean that.
The morning darshan was nice but the crowd was less than was expected.
A big screen was set up on both sides to show photos and videos.
Today was San Sannidhi day which is when several special events took place between Sai and the students. It was a special day for Baba to interact with students.
It still is.
The program consisted of 3 speakers who spoke for about 15 minutes each followed by a special music program. The songs that were sung had Baba stories in between.
At the same time a video showed scenes from Baba’s darshan over the years and at different places.
The speeches were devotional and uplifting. The songs were inspiring and soulful. The last one was Baba leading the bhajan which everyone joined in singing and clapping.
The first speaker spoke about the special relationship between Baba and his students. The second dealt with Baba’s mission of service to man is service to God.
The third person spoke about his personal interaction with Baba. Everyone can be a Sai student by surrendering to Sai and knowing that whatever happens is for own good.
In other news:
With all the talk about Ganesha, Elephant Day in Thailand, which was March 13th, was worth mentioning with pictures attached. Elephants are fed with banana trees, sugarcane and fruit during a feeding ceremony on the grounds at the Maesa elephant camp in Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand. The ceremony was held to mark the country's 'Elephant Day' participated by nearly 100 elephants. Elephant are recognized as the national animal of Thailand.
On Friday – September 9th will be Onam which is a major holiday in Kerala. Keeping with the tradition of recent years, many devotees from Kerala will choose to celebrate it in Prasanthi Nilayam. There are many special programs line up for the next week. Attached is the schedule.
A friend told me that that a lecturer had stated that he and/or others had seen Baba sitting on the Samadhi.
Also, there are various reports of Baba coming to people at darshan where only that person see him while those around the person don’t. In one case, a person was cured of mouth cancer while in the other the person took padanamaskar.
This is the time to come to Prasanthi. Everything is normal. However, blessings and contacts with Sai have increased. Come now before you lose this special opportunity. In years to come, every part of the ashram will be crowded. Come now! Enjoy the solitude and have special contact with Sai.
Attached is a special report that RadioSai did about this important holiday including Baba’s messages and experiences by students. Also, there is a story about Buddha, Baba and enlightenment.
Victor Kanu of Sierra Leone died on Saturday, September 3rd. At Baba’s request, he founded the Sathya Sai School of Ndola, Zambia. He was a long time staunch devotee of Baba. He had many illnesses but kept going. He was almost completely blind but didn’t care anymore because he could no longer see the physical Baba.
He had returned to Sierra Leone to dedicate a Sai Baba Center on September 2nd. The next day he suffered a massive heart attack. Attached is Radio Sai interview in July 2005.
Request to everyone writing to me: Until further notice, I need to have everyone put their email address after their name in the body of the email.
Thought for the Day
1 September 2011
Vinayaka is the embodiment of intelligence. You will be confronted with many Vighnas (obstacles) in the journey of life. Prayers offered to Ganapathi - who is better known as Vighneswara - will help you by removing such obstacles and minimising impediments. Love is the most important element in life. Through love alone you can unify the world. It is the absence of love that is the cause of hatred. It is this hatred that is undermining human nature. Despite the fact that it is difficult to nourish hatred, while it is easier to foster love, people are engaged in doing what is difficult. From today, give up Swaartha (selfishness); turn your mind towards the Parartha (Supreme), lead a life of Yadaartha (Truth) and sanctify your lives. Place your faith in God and do your duty to the best of your ability. Saturate yourself with love and share it with all. If you earn the love of God even to the slightest extent, you will experience infinite joy.
Baba
Thought for the Day
29 August 2011
Develop faith in God. All names are His - Rama, Krishna, Christ or any other name. Every man is the embodiment of the Divine. True human relations can grow only when this truth is recognised. The first stage is where you recognise "I am in the Light." Next, when you realise, "The Light is in me," and finally when you realise, "I am the Light." "I" represents love and light represents Jnana (Supreme Wisdom). When love and light become one, there is Realisation. Love should come from within, not be enforced from outside.
Baba
Thought for the Day
17 January 2011
So long as attachment persists to the material body and possessions, worship of a material symbol is necessary. It is but a means. But many decry idol-worship as a superstition. This is not correct. We will find it impossible to love God or adore Him unless we meditate on some Form. That is a necessary stage in the process of living. One has to accept it as such. A tree’s value is estimated with reference to its fruits. To experience the Divine Principle, idol worship is and has been a great help to many.
Baba
Its Ganesha Chaturthi time again which ends, in Puttaparthi, with the immersion of Ganesha of the 3rd day.
Vinayaka Chaturthi which started on September 1st can last up to 10 days. It is believed that during this time, Ganesha descends to Earth. Ganesha blessings are asked for including the removing of obstacles.
Special Ganesha statues are purchased or constructed for this occasion. At the end of 3,5,7 or 10-day period these statues are thrown into a body of water such as a river, lake or ocean. Vinayaka is asked to return again next year.
People are asked to use clay statues because they were environmental friendly.
It is a big celebration throughout India and in other countries.
Decorations were placed on Main Street and on some of the side streets. Lights with some of them blinking added to the joyous atmosphere.
Inside the ashram, the various Ganesha Statues were very busy. They had been decorated and people flocked to them. The main one by the entrance was busy for days as people prayed and broke coconuts.
Thursday – September 1. There were two excellent musical programs presented by the students in honor of Vinayaka (Ganesha) Chaturthi.
In the morning, for 45 minutes students sang special hymns to Ganesha and Carnatic pieces with interludes in English and Hindi.
Afterwards, students from Prasanthi Nilayam and Anantapur led bhajans for 15 minutes.
In the evening, it was the music college students who continued with the tributes to Ganesha. Their program was “Naada Brahmarpanam”. The music was interspersed with English, Hindi and Telegu comments. The audience loved it especially as they joined in with some of the songs.
Both morning and evening were examples of musical excellence filled with devotion to Ganesha who is really Sai.
Those who came to praise Ganesha got a strong dose of Baba as his vibration and Love permeated the hall.
Friday – September 2. Today there were considerably less people. I was surprised.
Wednesday and Thursday were national holidays. Today was a workday. Although tomorrow is an immersion day in many places including Puttaparthi, it may also be a workday. Today was Rudram, bhajans, arati and darshan.
Saturday – September 3. Today was the big day. The various tents setups with Ganesha statues in them provided free food. Later Ganesha was taken with big fanfare of beating drums and other instruments as well as throwing of kumkum powder of different colors and singing to a place of immersion.
In Kulwant Hall bunting and other hanging item that could interfere with the Ganesh procession in the afternoon had been removed by morning. The morning crowd was much less than expect in the hall but plenty of people continued to stop at the Ganesh statue at the entrance gate.
The afternoon had as its excitement the Ganesh procession. We wondered: Would it be as good as last year? Would there be as many? How would the reverence of the evening compare? This being the first time without the physical Baba but also knowing that Sai is always presence in Kulwant Hall.
All of these thoughts were answered. The procession was as good as last year. There seemed to be about the same number of chariots and palanquins. The reverence was inspiring. Everyone and everything was there.
The parade of floats came through the double gate on the men’s side and up the center driveway. They lined up along the white line on both the men and women’s side. Next was a procession of all the people involved and other students singing as they went around the mandir once returning to their spots. Following this there was a special dance performance to Ganesha.
The final procession before leaving the hall for immersion was to go up the center white tile toward the MahaSamadhi, say prayers, get blessed by the chief priest and leave.
Afterwards, bhajans continued until arati at 6. A great evening. Everything went well.
I am sure that Sai walked among the floats while they were stationary blessing them and the students.
RadioSai has part of the morning and evening programs on video and photos of all
the Ganesh floats at:
http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_09/01SEPT11/ganesh_chaturthi_video.htm
Sunday – September 4. In the early morning there was extra cleaning to be done on some of the streets outside the ashram from the debris and residues from Saturday. Kumkum powder has stained the streets. I guess it will take a nice rain to clean that.
The morning darshan was nice but the crowd was less than was expected.
A big screen was set up on both sides to show photos and videos.
Today was San Sannidhi day which is when several special events took place between Sai and the students. It was a special day for Baba to interact with students.
It still is.
The program consisted of 3 speakers who spoke for about 15 minutes each followed by a special music program. The songs that were sung had Baba stories in between.
At the same time a video showed scenes from Baba’s darshan over the years and at different places.
The speeches were devotional and uplifting. The songs were inspiring and soulful. The last one was Baba leading the bhajan which everyone joined in singing and clapping.
The first speaker spoke about the special relationship between Baba and his students. The second dealt with Baba’s mission of service to man is service to God.
The third person spoke about his personal interaction with Baba. Everyone can be a Sai student by surrendering to Sai and knowing that whatever happens is for own good.
In other news:
With all the talk about Ganesha, Elephant Day in Thailand, which was March 13th, was worth mentioning with pictures attached. Elephants are fed with banana trees, sugarcane and fruit during a feeding ceremony on the grounds at the Maesa elephant camp in Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand. The ceremony was held to mark the country's 'Elephant Day' participated by nearly 100 elephants. Elephant are recognized as the national animal of Thailand.
On Friday – September 9th will be Onam which is a major holiday in Kerala. Keeping with the tradition of recent years, many devotees from Kerala will choose to celebrate it in Prasanthi Nilayam. There are many special programs line up for the next week. Attached is the schedule.
A friend told me that that a lecturer had stated that he and/or others had seen Baba sitting on the Samadhi.
Also, there are various reports of Baba coming to people at darshan where only that person see him while those around the person don’t. In one case, a person was cured of mouth cancer while in the other the person took padanamaskar.
This is the time to come to Prasanthi. Everything is normal. However, blessings and contacts with Sai have increased. Come now before you lose this special opportunity. In years to come, every part of the ashram will be crowded. Come now! Enjoy the solitude and have special contact with Sai.
Attached is a special report that RadioSai did about this important holiday including Baba’s messages and experiences by students. Also, there is a story about Buddha, Baba and enlightenment.
Victor Kanu of Sierra Leone died on Saturday, September 3rd. At Baba’s request, he founded the Sathya Sai School of Ndola, Zambia. He was a long time staunch devotee of Baba. He had many illnesses but kept going. He was almost completely blind but didn’t care anymore because he could no longer see the physical Baba.
He had returned to Sierra Leone to dedicate a Sai Baba Center on September 2nd. The next day he suffered a massive heart attack. Attached is Radio Sai interview in July 2005.
Request to everyone writing to me: Until further notice, I need to have everyone put their email address after their name in the body of the email.
Thought for the Day
1 September 2011
Vinayaka is the embodiment of intelligence. You will be confronted with many Vighnas (obstacles) in the journey of life. Prayers offered to Ganapathi - who is better known as Vighneswara - will help you by removing such obstacles and minimising impediments. Love is the most important element in life. Through love alone you can unify the world. It is the absence of love that is the cause of hatred. It is this hatred that is undermining human nature. Despite the fact that it is difficult to nourish hatred, while it is easier to foster love, people are engaged in doing what is difficult. From today, give up Swaartha (selfishness); turn your mind towards the Parartha (Supreme), lead a life of Yadaartha (Truth) and sanctify your lives. Place your faith in God and do your duty to the best of your ability. Saturate yourself with love and share it with all. If you earn the love of God even to the slightest extent, you will experience infinite joy.
Baba
Thought for the Day
29 August 2011
Develop faith in God. All names are His - Rama, Krishna, Christ or any other name. Every man is the embodiment of the Divine. True human relations can grow only when this truth is recognised. The first stage is where you recognise "I am in the Light." Next, when you realise, "The Light is in me," and finally when you realise, "I am the Light." "I" represents love and light represents Jnana (Supreme Wisdom). When love and light become one, there is Realisation. Love should come from within, not be enforced from outside.
Baba
Thought for the Day
17 January 2011
So long as attachment persists to the material body and possessions, worship of a material symbol is necessary. It is but a means. But many decry idol-worship as a superstition. This is not correct. We will find it impossible to love God or adore Him unless we meditate on some Form. That is a necessary stage in the process of living. One has to accept it as such. A tree’s value is estimated with reference to its fruits. To experience the Divine Principle, idol worship is and has been a great help to many.
Baba
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