Letters from India - Part 2

69. Sari Giveaway - Nov 1993

Sari Giveaway

November 19-21, 1993

Prasanthi Nilayam

Dear Parents,

Divya conveys her namaskars.

Swami has started giving away saris, as usual (in November every year). On the 15th He gave to the people of the Gokulam and to all the students of Anantapur college. On the 16th, He gave Namaskar and vibhuti to the Seva Dal people who worked this month.

The lecturer’s wives were sitting in a separate section, expecting Swami would give them saris. But what did He do? As He went back to the Poornachandra at 8 AM He said, “Very bad – always talking, talking, talking.” When He came for bhajan He ignored them; and when He returned to the Poornachandra after lunch He said, “HA! Now you all can go and eat!” No saris! In the evening also they sat, but He ignored them.

On the 17th in the morning He gave saris to Anantapur college teachers. Then, He gave to the lecturer’s wives also – heavy silk saris as usual. Two ladies wanted white – so He called them separately and gave them white silk saris with a big red border.

Seeing the white ones being given, one lecturer’s wife ran up and handed her sari back to Swami, saying she wanted white instead! Very bold! Swami took back the sari but didn’t give her a white one, and seemed to say, “If you don’t like the one I gave then you don’t get anything.” She pleaded and He argued, a couple of times He started to walk away without giving her anything! Finally He threw her a thin pink silk sari, and left. Now she had to be satisfied with a colored, lesser quality sari! This lady is big and rounded all over, and always wears see-through thin polyester white saris. Very indecent – plus usually only widows wear white, and she is happily married. Maybe Swami was complaining that she always wore white!

On the 17th evening He distributed white saris to the staff of Super Specialty Hospital, colored cotton to the older convent girls and to the permanent Darshan-line volunteers. He also gave to the convent teachers. Here, He did a lot of picking of colors. He just didn’t give from the top of the stack. No one requested certain colors; Swami Himself chose the correct colors for each person.

On 18th morning it was Rama’s wedding day. Every year they do pujas in the Mandir to the statues of Rama & Sita, Krishna and one other. No one is allowed inside, only the pundits. After puja, the idols are taken in procession around the village. As they go out, Swami usually follows walking behind. At the main gate, He gets on the chariot that the statues are put on, breaks coconuts and they do arathi to Swami. Then He returns, and Venkamma always did arathi to Him as He reached the verandah. This has been the routine for numerous years.

Now that Venkamma is gone, as next in line her sister Paramatma was on the verandah with arathi tray ready, as the statues left on procession. But what happened? Swami didn’t go with the idols! He marched straight to the Poornachandra! The sister was left alone. I thought it was a nice tribute to Amma. She loved Rama so much and this was her big event of the year: to do arathi to Swami in front of everyone. So, now there is no Venkamma and Swami didn’t accept arathi from His other sister; and didn’t even go out with the idols!

The 70 marriages that Swami had planned to do on 70th birthday, He decided to do this year! All the couples and relatives were in the Poornachandra hall sitting in rows, ready. No one else was allowed. We waited an hour, 8 to 9 AM, then some people were allowed in, VIPs and school children, and some of the public. But it was a big commotion and noisy confusion. I was smushed on all sides.

Swami came and gave Namaskar to all the couples. Then He went inside (backstage). At 10:30 AM it was announced that the pujari couldn’t get a helicopter ride from Bangalore, and he’d be a little late.

Well I had thought it would be auspicious to see Swami preside over a mass marriage. But by then, I was dizzy and feeling exhausted (I had come at 5 AM to lines), so I left. Many others let. I'm not sure when the pujari came or how the marriages were perfumed – but by 1 PM when I came out for shopping, all was over.

In the evening He gave saris to Canteen workers and a few ladies who do rangoli and flower decorations.

On 20th morning He gave saris to the small hospital staff. He scolded them, “Always leaving the patients and coming to Darshan! Very bad! Doctors are very bad!” He refused to give saris to three doctors – one was a doc who is famous for always being in first row both in Darshan & Mandir for bhajan, and always leaving duty for Darshan.

On the 20th evening, there was a function in Poornachandra Hall. There were talks by others then Swami gave His discourse. He drank water several times and when He began, His voice seemed very hoarse (scratchy). He was careful to put the glass of water far, when He sang the song. During Dasara, once during a song He waved His hand and the glass of water spilled over! He kept singing, but spent the rest of the bhajan soaking up the spilled water (on the table in front of Him) with His handkerchief!

There is a Human Values Conference now, thus the Poornachandra program. For the last three days the delegates have gotten special sitting inside the compound.

Hope you are all healthy & happy. Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.

Love,

Divya