DARSHAN UPDATE WITH PHOTOS - SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 2011

Sun, Jan 2, 2011: Where love reigns supreme everyone comes to Prasanthi returns filled and fulfilled. This evening, prior to the normal darshan round, Poornachandra Auditorium witnessed a special session, wherein alumni along with immediate family members assembled to receive Divine Blessings.

Entering in at 1800 hrs. Bhagawan spent an hour in the auditorium blessing the 'privileged folks' with close Darshan and Padanamaskar. Expressing grateful thanks to Bhagawan for His all out love and compassion and continued blessings, two of the former students, Dr. Mayur Pandya and Kota Shivakumar, shared the podium, with short speeches in English and Telugu respectively, before Bhagawan set out to move among the students and family members. At the end, Mangala Arathi was offered before Bhagawan left the auditorium, close to 1900 hrs.

Back in Sai Kulwant bhajan session was on. Emerging at 1900 hrs. in His car, granting Divine Darshan, Bhagawan took a detour to Verandah after cutting across from the ladies' end. Moving on stage Bhagawan accepted Mangala Arathi at 1905 hrs. Blessing birthday boys, interacting with a couple of bhajan boys, Bhagawan spent a few minutes on stage before blessing the assembly with Abhayahasta. Leaving the dais Bhagawan moved in to the Bhajan hall where a special group from Team Vidya Vahini along with a set of school children were awaiting His arrival.

The group appraised Bhagawan of the various developments of the project. Interacting with and blessing the group, Bhagawan came out of the hall through the rear entrance. Cutting across the upper verandah Bhagawan blessed many senior devotees before boarding His car to retire to Yajur Mandiram at 1950 hrs.

Sat, Jan 1, 2011: On this New Year evening, The Lord who is beyond Time, Lord of Timelessness was ushered into the Sai Kulwant Hall in a regal procession, apt for The Divinity! The entrance gate at the rear western end, leading from Yajur Mandiram, there was a huge arch with wordings, "Om Sai Kalaatheethaaya Namaha!", hailing the attributeless, timeless Divinity! This was a session earmarked for the alumni of SSSIHL, an annual affair they eagerly await, to come back to the portals.

The New Year dawned and the waiting for the evening, for the first glance of The Lord found its fulfilment at 1910 hrs. when Bhagawan was ushered into the Sai Kulwant Hall by a host of procession by the alumni comprising of flag bearers, Vedam Boys and Poornakumbham; while Parasols and Venchamarams (yak tail fans) added on to the colour spectacle granting the procession a religious flavour, in the backdrop there were sound bytes of soulful tunes of a welcome song.

Arriving on to the Verandah and blessing the cake for the occasion by the students, Bahgawan moved on stage for a round of applause from the capacity audience. On the stage, Bhagawan lit the lamp before cutting a special cake by the Alumni. Assuming the Seat of The Divine, Bhagawan blessed the organisers for the commencement of the proceedings.

A musical offering was in the offing and announcements in Telugu and English followed. The programme got off with the Alumni Brass Band presenting an interesting musical piece, a Ganesha Stuthi, that had adaptation from one of the popular numbers.

Children of Sai they are, they would often sing Love Songs to Mother Sai during their college days. Evoking nostalgic memoirs of of those golden past, they erupted with the beauty of a song, "Oh Sai Maa...Priyamaina Maa...." so meaningful for the occasion!

The Lord who played all 'silly games' with His students... for His students, watching them growing and glowing, came in for adoration with lavish praise heaped unto Him when intermittent commentary pushed the session forward. Some more numbers followed including a Qawwali before they switched over to bhajans as commanded by Bhagawan. All the songs were tuned to the the theme of Love, "The Bond Of Love" between Mother Sai and Her Children, "Prema Bandham!"

Bhajans continued for the next twenty minutes and the White Army took over with blessed prasadam went for distribution. At 2040 hrs. Bhagawan accepted Mangala Arathi. In between Bhagawan blessed one of the alumni with a materialised golden chain.

Blessing the entire concourse with Abhayahastha Bhagawan left for Yajur Mandiram at 2045 hrs.

Earlier, upon emerging from Yajur Mandiram at 1700 hrs., Bhagawan went into Poornachandra Auditorium granting darshan to the thousands assembled there.

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