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The devotees from Prakasam district
had arrived and it was their second Parthi Yathra. (Pilgrimage to Puttaparthi) As
has become customary nowadays, they had a drama ready which they wished to present
before Swami and Swami had permitted them to put it up this evening. The bold
backdrop announced the intended programme, "Prema Sankranthi." It was 4:45pm when
Swami arrived and He went around the whole hall granting darshan. When HE neared the
centre of the hall, He looked at the backdrop and the assemblage of the flag-bearing
kids with childlike curiosity! After a brief visit to the interview room, Swami came
on stage and asked for the programme to begin.
The first part of any programme at Puttaparthi is the floral offerings to Swami!
this was no exception. An abundance of roses along with their bearers headed to
Swami and Swami patiently and lovingly blessed them all. The cards carrying the
details of the programme also were presented to Him. After blessing about 10-15
people who had moved onstage, Swami seemed very eager to see the actual drama! He
commanded that the drama begin and thats exactly what happened. The opening was made
by the appearance of the many illustrious "sons of the soil" from Prakasam district.
That was followed by the play in which the protagonist is a headmaster who is
immersed in teaching true value education to all his students. The drama moves
towards the scene where some of the parents of his students come up to him with
complaints that he is trying to make their children into religious zealots.
A sudden turn of events in which one of the students gets both his legs damaged in a
motor accident brings to the fore the price of disobedience and the value of values.
In the ti8me of tragedy, the headmaster and all his students tend and nurse the
victim with love and brotherhood. The power of their care is such that the boy who
had previously given up all hopes of ever getting mobile in his life again, "stands
on his own feet" and moves about in the joy of having got back his mobility. Now
praises are heaped on the headmaster and he makes no secret of his source of
inspiration and life - Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The entire drama was
interspersed with songs and dances containing His message.
Swami watched the drama completely except for the brief visit He made to the
interview room. Many times, people may wonder as to why Swami goes into the
interview room in the middle of a programme. When He goes into the interview room,
it is because He wants to surprise His children with His bounty! At the end of the
programmes, it is a common sight to see Swami gifting the participants with cloth
pieces, sarees, watches or photo frames. When He goes inside, He picks the tokens of
Love that He wants to distribute to all the participants. He personally chooses the
gifts and having satisfied Himself that everything is in order, He comes back and
resumes watching the programme. As far as the drama is concerned, there is nothing
that He doesn't know. The drama that He sees in front is actually a small drama in
His bigger drama called Life! He watches our dramas to shower joy on the
participants and bless all the devotees with valuable darshan.
As soon as the drama concluded, Swami moved down the stage and posed for photos with
all the children. He told the photographers to move to the left and right and ensure
that every child gets properly covered. Then He began to distribute T shirts for all
the participants. He took out a T shirt and called one of the boys from the
programme. He held it out and checked whether the measurement was okay! This act
roused the crowd into appreciative applause. Swami said that the T shirts were a
little bigger for the smaller children and so He gifted them with cloth pieces that
could be stitched. To some of the elderly participants, Swami gave dhoties. To a few
others, He gifted Safari cloth pieces. To each one, He gave what was necessary. (And
isn't that what God always does?) As this was going on, the devotees started
bhajans. The bhajans culminated with prasadam distribution and Aarthi. Swami however
asked the students to sing the 'Sri Raghavam' bhajan with Alaap, and some more
bhajans by the students followed. Fifteen minutes later, Swami left for His
residence as Arati was offered again. Thus ended a memorable day of the Parthi yatra
for the devotees of Prakasam district.
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The second day's programme, on the 13th of February, was a distribution of
necessary equipment to the needy. The centre of Sai Kulwant Hall was filled with
items for distribution to the needy: irons, electrician kits, wet-grinders,
bicycles, push-carts and more, arranged by devotees from Prakasam district. Bhagawan
came for darshan at 4.10 pm and went into the interview room. After half an hour, He
came onstage and moved down among the materials for distribution, interacting with
some of the Sai youth seated there. He personally had a look at all of the items and
blessed many of them with His touch. The youth with whom He spoke and blessed were
all lost in the joy of having those precious moments with Him.
Paraskavedekatriaphobia is a very common phenomenon though the word is rarely used.
It is the fear of Friday the 13th - considered as the unluckiest day. But with God,
anything and any day becomes lucky. Just ask the youth from Prakasam district about
their memories of Friday the 13th. If you understand "machine language" ask the
equipment standing at the centre of Kulwant hall as to what the day meant for them.
The answer will be unanimous! Swami returned onstage and then asked for the
proceedings to begin. It began with Prof. Anil Kumar relating the His-story of
Prakasam district and moving Swami into a mood of nostalgia. As always, his speech
was liberally sprinkled with humor and feelings. Swami began by smiling, then was
moved into laughter and finally there were tears that fell out of His eyes as He
laughed whole heartedly when the professor narrated as to how Swami had to teach the
bhajan mandalis in the district how to clap. "You seem to be killing mosquitoes
rather than keep rhythm to the bhajans", He had said! Ask the professor what he
feels about Friday the 13th and he will speak of the wonderful good fortune it
brings!
After the 15 minute speech, the names of the recipients of the various utility items
were read out and they came up to the front to receive them. They placed roses near
Swami's feet as a token of their gratitude to Him. Though there were a few
volunteers manning the area near Swami, many of the recipients, in their
overwhelming sense of gratitude and Love for Him, rushed forward and placed the rose
at His feet as He sweetly smiled and blessed them. Their faces spoke of the joy they
felt within. The day turned out to be very lucky for them! As the distribution
concluded, the leader of the group from Prakasam district spoke next, also in
Telugu, about the service activities being done there. Having concluded, he
requested Swami to speak. The Lord just smiled. Had He not spoken in Hi own way to
each and every one of the people seated there?
The items for distribution were then moved away from the centre of the Hall. Swami
indicated with a slight movement of His eyes for the boys to start bhajans. That
small eye movement led to a huge movement as all the students rushed to occupy the
now vacant marble blocks and began bhajans. It is popularly said that we speak very
loudly when we are angry because anger makes our hearts very very far! At the same
time, when in love, we speak so softly for love brings our hearts together. The Love
that we share with Swami is so intense that even slight indications are understood
between each other! And that was how the bhajans began and Swami sat through a few of
them, rhythmically moving and smiling. It was 6 pm when Swami accepted Aarthi. At
that time, one of the members of the youth jumped up and seemed to rush to Swami. He
was quelled by the security. However, Swami asked one of the students next to
Him, "What does he want?" The lad wanted padanamaskar. Swami called him and told him
to take padanamaskar. That lad was in highest bliss and he cried shamelessly at
Swami's feet. Ask him how Friday the 13th was and that will summarize how days with
God are!
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