Grand Culmination Of Dasara Festivity…
Saturday, October 4th, 2014
Week-long Dasara celebrations concluded this evening with the final session of Prasanthi Vidwan Mahasabha here in Prasanthi Nilayam. A speech, Divine discourse and a Musical offering were the highlights of this evening’s concluding session.
Earlier, the session commenced at 1645 hrs. with an invocatory Vedic chanting by the students of Easwaramma English Medium High School. Introductory speech followed next. The artist for the evening was Ms Devaki Pandit, a popular classical singer from Mumbai.
Expounding on the all-conquering love of Mother Sai, referring to the brief stint of Veda chanting by the Ajit Popat group from the UK that preceded his speech, Sri Harishankar Bhat, the speaker for the evening, said, with illustrations from some of the lives touched and healed by Bhagawan that, it is on the lap of the Universal Mother that one sets himself free, freeing from all fears. Explaining the purport of the Gayathri Mantra in brief, the young speaker urged his fellow devotees the need to manifest the miracle in everyone’s life by knowing the ‘True Nature’, shining from within, with ‘our’ own Divinity. Sri Harishankar Bhat is an MBA from SSSIHL and is currently serving the Accounts & Purchase section of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, as Sr. Manager.
Divine discourse followed next, played on the public address system, wherein Bhagawan elucidated on the significance of conclusion, “samapthi”, of the Yajna.
Unfolding the mystery of music with her passion and God-given talent, Ms Devaki Pandit began her concert in a most unassuming fashion. Beginning with a Ganesha stuthi in Raag Hamsadhwani, Ms Pandit continued with an array of three Mira Bhajans, namely, Mein Tho Savari Rang Naachi…, Mein Ne Giridhar Ke Ghar Jau…, Paayoji Meiney…, winding up with Prasanthi’s popular “Prema Muditha Manasey Kaho Rama Rama Ram…”.
Ms Pandit was accompanied by Sarvasree Prasad Pandav on Tabla, Niranjan Lele on Harmonium and Nandakumar Baswalkar on Pakhawaj. Ms Devaki Pandit is a popular name in the Indian musical circuit, especially in the genres of playback singing and classical music. Ms Pandit had the rare good fortune of singing for Bhagawan during the 70th and 73rdBirthday celebrations in Prasanthi Nilayam.
Soulful, fast-paced, lively bhajans by the Ajit Poppat’s UK group continued. Even as Prasadam was being distributed, the artist along with accompanists were felicitated. Students from various institutions made a beeline to Bhagawan’s Lotus Feet, presenting their ‘handiwork’ of greetings on the auspicious occasion.
The session concluded with Bhagawan singing “Sathyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma…”. Mangala Arathi at 1845 marked the end of a glorious week-long festivity.
II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
Posted in Prasanthi News |
