UP, Uttarakhand Parthi Yatra…
Thursday, October 11th, 2012
Youth from twin North Indian States of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand presented a vibrant ‘Sufi Musical’ offering on 9 October evening in Prasanthi Nilayam. The programme was organised as part of a 4-day Parthi Teerth Yatra by the devotees from the twin states. Over 1100 devotees from the states participated in the holy pilgrimage. This was for the first time the State Organisation has organised a Parthi Teerth Yatra. A good percentage of the pilgrims were first timers in Prasanthi Nilayam, that included some lepers from the leper colony in Lucknow.
Sufi songs often reflect the pure state of one’s mind and are focused on one’s love towards God, calling Him as Beloved. The Musical Offering by the Youth of Lucknow was a compilation of Sufi devotionals, tailor-made for Prasanthi Nilayam. Akin to the style of singing in Dargas of Muslim Peers, the programme had five Qawwalis, singing paeans to, exalting the Lord as Beloved. Beginning with an invocation on Lord Ganesha with the song Jai Ganesh Jai Sai Deva… the youth continued with another four numbers singing for fifty minutes. The other numbers were Sanson Ki Mala Pe…, Piya Ali…Piya Ali…, Tuu Maane Ya Maane Merey Sai…, Allah Hoon…Allah Hoon…, etc. The youth, 12 in number, were clad in spotless white with white typical headgear.
Earlier, the programme commenced at 1700 hrs. with an introductory speech by Sri Rajiv Chopra, State President of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations for the twin states. Offering rich gratitude to Bhagawan for His benediction in bringing thousands of devotees to the Holy Abode, he touched upon the exalted ‘Divine’ status of the twin states that had the rare boon of hosting the preceding two Avatars, Bhagawan Sri Rama and Bhagawan Sri Krishna apart from hosting 2 Dhams, Badrinath and Kedarnath and Holy Rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathi. The State President also briefed about various service activities taken up by the State Organisations.
In the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh and 17 districts of Uttarakhand, devotees under the auspices of Sathya Sai Seva Organisations are engaged in various service activities spreading over 147 Samities and 94 Bhajan Mandalis. Programmes like Nitya Annadanam, National Narayan Seva, SSSVIP, Blood Donation Camps and Eye Camps are being carried out in many districts regularly and the state cadres of the Organisation is ever ready and vigilant to reach out on emergency in the eventuality of any Natural Calamity.
The twin state(s) hold the rare unparalleled privilege of “being the Holy Birth Land of two Divine Incarnations, Bhagawan Sri Ram and Bhagawan Sri Krishna apart from housing many renowned pilgrim centres, namely, the Ghats of Varanasi and the Sangam (confluence) of the Holy Ganga Yamuna Saraswathi Rivers in Prayag, Allahabad known as Triveni Sangam. Holy Ganga and Yamuna originate from Gangotri and Yamunotri respectively, from Uttarakhand. Two of the Himalayan Dhams Badrinath and Kedarnath from Uttarakhand are most renowned among Holy pilgrim centres in India. Popularly known as Deva Bhoomi, the land of the Gods, the state(s) had the rare celestial boon of hosting the present day Avatar twice with His Divine visits. Apart from that, the state(s) also host some of the most popular Muslim worship centres, Jama Masjid, Fatehpur Sikri near Agra and Deva Sharif near Lucknow.
During the four-days Parthi Teerth Yatra, different sets of devotees were also engaged in various service activities at various points in Ashram. Special talks, Satsangh, were also arranged for the devotees, every evening, with Prof Anil Kumar, Dr Piyush Srivasatava and Dr Shashank Shah sharing rich experience with Bhagawan. Group of devotees were also taken to important places in and around the Ashram.
Earlier, in the preceding evening, on 8 October, devotees from the states took out a huge procession, Shobha Yatra, in the main road outside the Ashram precincts. The Shobha Yatra that began at the Hanuman Temple junction at 1815 hrs. culminated with Mangala Arathi at Ganesh Gate. The one hour procession was attended by thousands of devotees, both men and women.
II Samasta Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
Posted in Reports |
