Letters from India

97. Akhanda Bhajan, Convocation, Birthday - Nov 1988

Akhanda Bhajan, Convocation, Birthday

 November 8-25, 1988

Prasanthi Nilayam

Sai Ram,

Dipavali, the festival of lights went off nicely on November 9th. Swami gave a discourse in the evening - unfortunately only students were allowed in the Mandir, so all of us had to listen from outside.

Afterward, there were fireworks by the Mandir. Sai watched all from the verandah. It was loud and smoky. Mostly just poppers for an hour or 1½ hour, with two or three colored fireworks only. Swami had said that we should think of each popper as the demon of ignorance being destroyed

For three days (8-9-10 November) many people burned lights in front of their houses after the evening function. Even our round building was illuminated with lights.

Then on November 11th we were removed from our room and placed in the famous foreigners Hall. I got a nice place, Hall 15, place number 122 (all the halls have spaces of pre-determined size painted on the floor, with numbers). I am settled nicely until the halls are locked up!

It was very, very noisy at first, with a group of giggly teenagers laughing during day and night, and a poor innocent retarded girl who made a constant yells and yelps and various animal noises. But Swami took care; within a few days the kind office gave the girl and her mother a room, and the teenagers quieted down.

We all share kerosene stoves (three of them). People rotate buying kerosene. So I'm continuing to cook mostly. Now I have tea for breakfast and dinner, and eat rice-veggie-soup (in one pot) at lunch.

Akhanda bhajan went off well. Again, only college students were allowed in the Mandir. Swami spent a surprising amount of time in the Mandir, hours and hours. He walked around the ladies once during the 24 hours, and twice He skipped all, even gents, only doing a Ganesh pradakshina around the middle circle, looking lovingly at us from afar. The time He went around, He went far, far and did not take letters or allow namaskar.

Swami put me in front row, my first for weeks. He hadn’t looked at me for so long. As He went by (far, not looking and mumbling “wait” to someone) I gave a moan inside, “always wait!” Suddenly He turned and gave me a slightly disappointed look, as if saying, “Why are you mumbling, why can't you wait a little longer?” The first grand look after months!

Later that afternoon Venkamma gave me truly magic rice. After eating it I felt so, so happy inside!

Akhanda bhajan ended and prasad (sweet rice and spicy yellow rice) was given to all. Swami blessed it all, by taking a cup of water in one hand and sprinkling water on all the buckets of food, with the other hand! I don’t remember Him blessing like that before. After, I felt like eating some more prasad, and when I went to Venkamma to say goodnight, she suddenly handed me a big lump of her sweet. :-)

The money you sent (now Rs 2,500) should last me 5-6 months.

The crowds are more this year, because there was a Silver Anniversary of Seva Dal Conference/Bal Vikas Rally. Swami gave a nice discourse on November 21st.

On Birthday morning, believe it or not, there was Darshan and I was front row! I happened to be at the right place at the right time! Swami came out, was full of Power & Divinity. He looked pointedly but walked far from all.

They had one huge boat with one chair hiiiiigh on top. They forced Swami to climb the steep, steep stairs all the way up (it looked as if He had trouble!) then sit in the chair whilst the students blissfully sang, “Sai is the charioteer of our life” bhajans. Poor Swami (ha, ha) looked like He was holding His breath and biting His tongue, trying to bear the experience. He did look endearing up there high, high in the air, all alone on the boat (it had wheels so it must’ve been a lushly decorated lorry or something). The last time He endured such a “boater” experience was on 59th Birthday in Hill View Stadium. (This is 63rd B-day.)

Then, He left to visit the parent’s Samadhi as on every year (which we never see cuz only relatives can go inside). Venkamma told me about it – first He gave namaskar to all relatives, then garlanded the samadhis, then broke coconuts, then took arathi and left.

Because I saw Darshan, I could not get into the Poornachandra hall. It was full. All the people were already sitting inside the Poornachandra when He gave Darshan in the Darshan compound and sat in the boat. So, from outside I somehow saw Him sit in the high blue chair in the Poornachandra, for bhajans. Then He gave His Divine B-day discourse.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t catch a word of it because of the noise outside. So I sat somewhere far. Sooo many people. Poornachandra hall was overflowing, crowds outside were full, all around the ashram from Ganesha statue to the halls, were streaming with the ocean of humanity. Maybe Swami kept me out to see such sights. Since 60th I haven’t seen so many people!

Night was jhoola – He swung a full hour while Indian bhajans were sung by P. Susheela, a famous Indian singer. He wore silk and looked Divine (He sat in jhoola but didn’t put His legs up).

The day before was the Convocation. There was a Bal Vikas rally in the morning, and procession/talks/giving of awards; Sai’s Discourse was in the evening - Swami wore the purple velvet robe again this year!

Swami made it an electric festival this year! He put up huge light shows over all the stores – moving electric figures, all many times life-size. Also Swami’s quotes in blazing lights. Not only that, but there was also huge electric structures with flashing light designs, built around the entire back of Mandir/shops/Sarva Dharma pillar area. Plus naturally, the Mandir was decorated with lights.

Venkamma has been kind to me lately. She doesn’t hit me much anymore. Now she loves calling me affectionate abuse words. Her favorite is “Talakai” – literally it’s “over your head”! I've heard Swami say that to people in darshan too!

On B-day eve she suddenly called me in, laid a leaf for me on the concrete floor of her room (I hadn’t eaten because I wasn’t in the mood to cook and too many lines for canteen food), and she gave me tons of rice and yummy sambar.

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.

Love,

Divya