Letters from India - Part 2

54. A Family Wedding, Indian Movies & Sivarathri - Jan & Feb 1993

A Family Wedding

January 29, 1993

Prasanthi Nilayam

Dear Parents,

Swami did the wedding of His younger brother’s son (Janakiram's son Ratnakar) on January 28th. I didn’t want to go because of the crowd, etc., but Amma (Venkamma) wanted me to take part in it so she forced me to go in the car that was sent for her! She also gathered others so we were eight people in the tiny car that was meant only for her! The back seat holds barely 3 people but she stuffed in five large grown-ups. She had to sit on our laps!

Once there, there were hundreds, even thousands, of people – the guests all in heavy gold silk saris and villagers also in simple cotton, come to stare at the event!

There were video cameras everywhere, loud drums beating, crowds talking and the wedding mantras being chanted, all at once!

Actually, this is the very last wedding of the children of Swami’s direct siblings (Swami has two brothers and two sisters, and between them there are 14 children, this is the very last child to be married). So it went off very grandly. From now on, it’s the grandchildren that will be the center of family weddings!

Swami came in the middle of the wedding and sat in a special chair off the stage. I was in a place I could see Him (pre-planned)! He spent most of the time looking about and talking to those beside Him. (Like most others who had come for the wedding!)

Swami kept motioning the cameras to film the wedding, but they simply wouldn’t turn the floodlights off Him. Anyway, two or three other cameras were already filming the wedding so the camera on Swami refused to budge, even though Swami kept ordering them to. Yes – who obeys Swami? Who listens to Him? Not devotees, not office people and not even cameramen. Yet He never loses His calm, never displays anything but utmost peace and patience. Not like Shirdi Sai who used to grow wild even without outside reason!

Finally Swami leaped up and went to the stage – He created mangala sutra and gave it to the groom, directing him to put it on the bride. After, the groom garlanded the bride and visa versa. Next they hauled in an enormous garland for Swami, which was at least twice as big as Swami! He of course refused to wear it.

Swami then took photos with the wedding party. He went off the stage and watched for some more time, then left when it was nearing the end.

Love,

Divya

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Seeing Movies with Venkamma

February 4, 1993

Prasanthi Nilayam

Dear Parents,

Yesterday I went to Anantapur. They allowed me to extend visa only three months, as per Delhi telegram. So I have visa now until 2 May 1993. Delhi people wrote me a letter saying that they are coming to Prasanthi Nilayam on 18 February. Then, they said, they will give instructions on how I can get Entry Visa. Probably, just to go out of the country! Anyway we will see.

The night before I went to Anantapur (on the last day of my visa 2 February), I got first line. Swami came and stood long in front of me. For the first time ever, I could touch both His feet at once. He was very kind! And who knows what lays ahead for me? Maybe He is preparing me for it! If only He could just give nice attention with no strings (karma) attached!

Again, on the day after I went to Anantapur, I got first line. Swami came close and placed His bare left foot right in front of me. It was almost as if He was lifting it up for me to take namaskar. Yes - you never know when He will show compassion and when He will be “merciless”.