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Index of earlier Bulletins
Monday, March 31, 2008
The students have completed their examinations and their summer vacations start today. In the evening, the students of the Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music presented their gratitude programme. Bhagawan arrived at 5.50 pm, and after a round of the verandah in His chair, moved to the stage for the programme to commence. The fifty minute programme had songs as well as short speeches and a sitar recital. Bhagawan Blessed the items brought up to Him by the students before accepting Arati and returning to His residence at seven o'clock.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Yesterday, students of the X class and the music college had prayed for a chance to present two programs. Bhagawan saw their cards in the Bhajan Hall while the Bhajans went on, and Blessed them. He said that the X class students could put up their drama on Sunday, and the music college students could present on Monday. So, this evening, the Bhajans did not begin at five o'clock, and a back-drop was put up in the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall, with the title of the drama "Follow the Master". Bhagawan arrived at 5.20 pm, and came into the Bhajan Hall to interact with the students in costumes there. The programme got underway just after 5.30, with Bhagawan coming onstage. The story of Nachiketa was woven into the story of transformation witnessed by some Sai students. After the hour long drama, Swami Blessed the participants with group photographs, walked down from the stage for another set of group photographs and also had a group photograph with the school teachers. The students sang one Bhajan before Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence just before seven o'clock.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Bhagawan came "early" both in the morning and in the evening today - He came to Sai Kulwant Hall at 8.15 am for morning darshan and at 3.50 pm for evening darshan. In the evening, after reaching the verandah, Bhagawan moved through the Bhajan Hall and took another complete round of Sai Kulwant Hall in His chair. Coming to the Bhajan Hall at 4.30, He asked for Bhajans to commence. At 5 pm, He accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Monday, March 24, 2008
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra had come for an audience with Bhagawan on Friday. Today Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living Foundation had an audience with Swami in the morning. In the evening, the concluding day of the Holi celebrations by the Bihar and Jharkhand devotees had programmes by the Sai youth. Bhagawan arrived at 5.20 pm, and after a round of the verandah, moved in His chair towards the Primary School children. Moving in front of them, He took a round of the students before returning to the interview room, emerging just before six o'clock for the cultural programme. The Sai youth sang songs for half an hour, then presented a half-hour skit on the transformation brought about by the Sri Sathya Sai Village Integrated Programme. Prasadam was distributed while Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
The second day of Holi celebrations by devotees from Bihar and Jharkhand was marked with a drama on Shabari by balvikas children. Bhagawan arrived at 5.45 pm, and went into the interview room as the centre of Sai Kulwant Hall was being arranged for the drama. When He emerged a few minutes later, He first called up some Primary School children and gave them cartons of Easter Eggs and other confections to distribute. The fifty-minute drama then began. Bhagawan was pleased with the performance, and Blessed "Shabari" with a chain, granting group photographs to all the participants. Prasadam was distributed as Bhagawan accepted Arati and returned to His residence at seven o'clock.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Devotees from Bihar and Jharkhand had arrived at Prasanthi Nilayam for Holi celebrations, and this evening was the first day of their programmes. Bhagawan arrived at Sai Kulwant Hall at 4.45 pm, welcomed by small children bearing lamps. Once He reached the stage, the programme commenced, with a dance by children while a song on Gayatri was being sung. The musical offerings continued for the next 45 minutes. At the end, Bhagawan Blessed the performers with group photographs and asked them to sing bhajans. Fifteen minutes of their Bhajans followed, till Swami accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Students of the Post-graduate classes at the Sri Sathya Sai University had done well in the All-India GATE exams - Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering. Out of the 30 students who wrote the exam, many got very high percentile scores, and the Sai University students also secured All-India Rank numbers 2 and 4 in Physics and 7 in Biosciences. These students were seated in the Bhajan Hall as Bhagawan came while the Bhajans went on. After interacting for a few minutes there, Bhagawan asked them to move to the stage area, and He went there, asking for the Bhajans to stop and for the Vice-Chancellor to announce the good results of these students. One of the students and Prof. Anil Kumar also spoke, and Swami Blessed one of them with a chain.
Friday, March 14, 2008
The final year undergraduate students of Prasanthi Nilayam were ready with their "gratitude" programme this evening, but since Bhagawan had not explicitly asked them to begin, they sat in the Bhajan Hall with their costumes as the Bhajans began at 5 pm. A short while later, Swami came into the Bhajan Hall. Seeing the boys in costumes, He enquired about their programme, and then asked them to move out to the Sai Kulwant Hall and stage it, stopping the Bhajans with a gentle wave of His hands. The III UG students then performed with Bhagawan seated onstage, for an hour from 5.15 pm. A Skit, short speeches and a dance were all included, along with many songs. Bhagawan Blessed them with group photographs after their programme, then gave a bonus - group photographs for the Hostel teachers too.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Bhagawan has been coming to the Sai Kulwant Hall after Bhajans begin on most days. This morning, He came at 8.45 am and called a group for interviews. In the evening, He went for a drive at 5.20 pm, and returning at 5.50 pm, accepted Arati after ten minutes more of Bhajans. This evening, the sky was unexpectedly overcast, and there were some unseasonal showers after Arati. Yesterday, the Vedam students were instructed to start chanting from 8.30 am, and Bhajans began at 9 o'clock, but Bhagawan arrived only at 11 o'clock, accepting Arati around 11.15.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Bhagawan arrived in His chair this morning a few minutes past seven o'clock, and moving through the Hall, came onstage as the Bhajans went on. After twenty minutes more of spirited Bhajans, Swami asked for the Arati and the Bhajans concluded at 7.45. Prasadam of Tamarind rice and laddoo was distributed to all as Swami watched. He returned to His residence after most of the Sai Kulwant Hall had been served.
In the evening, Bhagawan had a surprise in store for everyone. He arrived at Sai Kulwant Hall while the Bhajans went on at 5.15, and moved around the Bhajan Hall and the verandah in His chair. Later, He moved out to the stage area, and at around half-past six, asked for the Bhajans to stop, and for Mr. Ajit Popat of the UK to speak. After Mr. Popat's twenty minute speech, Bhagawan asked for the microphones and spoke for an hour from His chair. Swami's Discourse stressed on the necessity to do good in order to yield good results. At the end of His Discourse, He asked for a Bhajan to be sung, after which He accepted Arati. After Arati, Swami spoke a couple of words more, on the importance of the "Loka Samastasta Sukhino Bhavantu" chant, and Prof Anil Kumar translated them into the mic before Bhagawan left for His residence.
You can see pictures of the Shivarathri celebrations at the Book Trust website.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
This morning, Bhagawan did not come for darshan. The morning bhajans commenced at 9 o'clock and ended after 45 minutes with Arati. So the Shivarathri celebrations got underway in the evening. Video screens had been set up in Sai Kulwant Hall and a large LED screen was mounted on a truck next to the Ganesh temple, to enable the devotees to see the festivities. Bhagawan came at 5.15 in a new mobile chair and took a round of the Hall while Nadaswaram and Pachavadyam were played by the students along with the Vedic chanting. Just after 5.30 pm, Bhagawan asked Sri V. Srinivasan, the All-India President of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, to speak. After his twenty minute talk, Bhagawan stood up to speak.
Bhagawan spoke standing for ten minutes, then sat down to continue for an hour. He spoke about the trend to divide people based on culture, caste and country, and said that soon all would grow united on these three fronts, in the time of Prema Sai.
After Bhagawan's Discourse, the all-night Bhajans commenced. Swami sat onstage for a few minutes before returning to His residence in the chair. The microphones were switched off at 9 pm, after which group Bhajans continued till morning.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
A dance ballet was planned by the students for the Shivarathri celebrations; Bhagawan instructed that the ballet be performed this evening. As the Bhajans went on in the Sai Kulwant Hall, Bhagawan visited the Bhajan Hall twice and interacted with the performers who were getting ready there. The half-hour programme in Telugu depicted the Puranic episode of the churning of the Ocean, with Lord Shiva consuming the poison to save the world. At the end of the programme, Swami came down from the stage to grant group photographs, interacted with the students and then left for His residence after Arati at around 6.40 pm.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj performed in front of Bhagawan this evening. He was seated in the front of the Bhajan Hall. The Bhajans commenced as usual at 5 pm. Bhagawan arrived in the Bhajan Hall as the second Bhajan was going on, and at the end of that Bhajan, the Hindustani vocal concert began. At the end of the hour-long performance, Bhagawan Blessed the singer and also his accompanists, giving a chain to one of the lady accompanists and interacting with all of them. Swami then asked for Meera Bhajans sung by the music college students. After twenty minutes of their singing, He accepted Arati and returned to His residence.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
The Hyderabad youth were Blessed by Bhagawan to have their musical programme today. Arriving in Sai Kulwant Hall just before five in the evening, Swami moved to the stage after His darshan round and the programme commenced. The hour-long presentation was interspersed with short commentaries in Telugu. Bhagawan Blessed the group profusely after their programme for half an hour, Blessing two of the participants with chains and giving clothes and group photographs to all of them. It was past 6.30 when He returned to Yajur Mandir after Arati.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Bhagawan went for a drive at around ten o'clock this morning, and on His return graced the Poornachandra auditorium where a pictorial exhibition of 50 years of the Sanatana Sarathi magazine had been arranged by the Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust. Bhagawan Blessed the Book Trust staff by moving around the exhibition for an hour and also interacting with them. In the evening, the group from Hyderabad who had come to pray that Bhagawan visit their city was asked to sit on the verandah. Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall by 3.15 pm, and exiting through the main gate, took a round of the Ashram in His car before returning to the Mandir and entering the interview room. He emerged from the interview room at 5.30 pm for programme presented by the final year post-graduate students of Prasanthi Nilayam. Expressing their love and gratitude to their Sai Ma, the students had an hour-long presentation of short speeches in different languages, dances and songs. Bhagawan came down from the stage and took group photographs with them, then returned to His residence after Arati.
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