Onam Festival commences…
Saturday, September 6th, 2014
Prasanthi Nilayam: Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation along with Sri Sathya Sai Trust of Kerala have planned a three-day Onam celebrations in Prasanthi Nilayam, in Bhagawan’s Divine Presence. The three-day festivity commenced yesterday evening with a musical offering preceded by two speeches.
Speaking first, Sri K. Jayakumar, IAS (Retd.), formerly Chief Secretary, Government Of Kerala and currently serving as the Vice Chancellor of Malayalam University narrated the legend of Onam from the mythical past involving Lord Vamana and Emperor Mahabali. From the Prasanthi perspective, Onam is a festival of love, as ‘Bhagawan’ in His infinite love for the Emperor did the otherwise odd action of sending the noble Emperor to the Neitherworld, subduing his ego. There is a Mahabali in everyone of us and Onam comes as a salient reminder to rectify this, eliminating the ego said the erudite speaker, a man with many pens in his pocket.
The second speaker was Sri Mohammed Ali, a religious teacher from Malappuram district, Kerala, also a beneficiary at the Super Specialty Hospital, Whitefield. Mohammed Ali, afer suffering a serious heart ailment at Jedda in Saudi Arabia was rushed to his native state in India for want of medical attention. Unable to afford the tall commercial claims of the medicare outside world, Mohammed Ali, a commoner, was left with no option. As luck would have it, he was directed to the Whitefield hospital wherein he was operated immediately at completely free of charge. Narrating his experience and the rare concern and love that he received, the speaker hailed the Love Of Bhagawan as the prime source and force driving such mammoth free Medicare services helping the poor and downtrodden.
A Carnatic concert by Sri Ramesh Sadashiva and Sri Muralidharan Unni followed next. The artistes were accompanied by Anoop Bhaskar Kanjangad on Violin, Kallekulangara Unnikrishnan on Mrindangam, Palghat Riju Unnikrishnan on Ghatam, Bellikoth P Rajeev Gopal on Mukshankh and Arjun Muralidharan on Vocal.
Earlier, the session commenced at 1700 hrs. with an introductory speech by Dr Ananda Mohan, State Coordinator of SRP, Sri Sathya Sai Rehabilitation Programme for operated patients at the twin hospitals in Whitefield and Prasanthigram. Over 150 patients coming under the SRP are also joining the devotees from Kerala celebrating Onam in Prasanthi Nilayam.
Onam is the prime Kerala festival that marks the homecoming of legendary king of yore, Emperor Mahabali celebrated by Keralites around the world with much devotional fervour. Onam has been one of the major Prasanthi festivals for the past over four decades.
Bhajans continued and ended with Mangala Arathi at 1840 hrs.
II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
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