A Unique Walk-Through – Through The Life Of Sai…
Saturday, November 21st, 2015
The word commitment finds its fulfillment in the International Sai Youth. Notwithstanding their duties, responsibilities, the innumerable tasks and undertakings of their professional and personal lives, they are there, almost duplicating lives in full measure for every single Sai cause. ‘Living far away from Prasanthi Nilayam, they live lives full of Prasanthi’, observed an onlooker, commenting on the stupendous allegiance to commitment and all-out dedication of this international brand of volunteers.
The reference above is a general one, about an international fraternity of dedicated volunteers, be it children, youth or adult, who, quite often pool themselves under the banner of International Sai Organization for its multifarious projects while delivering with their precisional best. The latest expression in their list of noble ventures is a most educative exhibition on the Life and Teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai, thrown open last evening here, in Prasanthi Nilayam.
This display marvellously attempts to illustrate – the Labour Of Love of the Ultimate Divine Persona, while delightfully being accomplished through a ‘labour of love’ by His own children, the Youth and the Adult, from around the world,
The untitled Exhibition is a virtual ‘walk-through’, an enlightening journey that meanders through the most matchlessly illustrious life of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. After a look over from the periphery, browsing through His Life in time-line, as one enters into the inner ring, there are 4-hearts representing the four important wings of activities of SSIO, identified as Looking Within (Love), Practical Spirituality (How to Love), Service (Heart of Service), Service (Activities). All the four wings converge at the centre, pointing towards One Heart-Centre, significantly represented by a Tree.
Symbolical of the spiritual Truth, man, after traversing his life through the exterior, journeys through to the inner realms only to find himself within. The exhibition speaks of this ultimate journey of man from himself to Himself. From the Sai parlance, when one walks-through His Life and Messages, one is endowed with ample wisdom laden with service opportunities that ultimately opens one up to the Inner Reality, that of – I Am I.
As one strolls through, there are artworks in plenty defining and describing ‘how to cultivate love’ and ‘how to remove obstacles that come in the way of love’, apart from various service initiatives, namely – MediCare, SocioCare, EduCare, Disaster Relief and Saving the Environment, to name a few. Distinct from other traditional exhibitions, here one finds an innovative touch, an interactive ‘theatre’ platform promising multifarious shows like live music performances, talks, musings, etc. Anyone is free to walk in and share, condition being creditable, shareable material.
There are also many interactive avenues throughout the exhibition, presenting a refreshing ‘learning’ touch to the visiting devotees, including children. A mention is to be made as regards the ‘hand of healing’ under the section that covers MediCare, SocioCare, Disaster Relief, etc. Here the visitors are provided with blank ‘paper hands’ with a request to pen their ‘good wishes’ meant for the patients at Bhagawan’s Temple Of Healing. At the end, these messages will find their ‘home’ back at the hospital, for the patients to collectively receive and heal.
Typical of human birth, this exhibition took nine months to deliver. The Project conceived and directed by Bhagawan Himself had its origin in early January this year. The task was assigned to the Events Committee under the leadership of the former National Youth Coordinator of USA.. “The project practically took off in March (when ideation began) and now in November, it is a reality,” said the Young Adult, speaking on the intricacies of this herculean Labour of Love over the past nine months. Thanking the Sai Youth for their stupendous effort done in compiling the Pre-World Conference material, which came in handy, she also acknowledged the participation and contribution of every single zone of the International Sai Organization. Segment-wise projects were allotted to different zones and tasks were accomplished well within time. She reminded, “This is a collective mission, with the youth and the adults coming together for a Sai cause.”
And, what about the talent and expertise, apart from the mass contribution from various zones?
“Measurements were taken to millimeter precision,” said the Project in-charge detailing the architectural and aesthetic attention given to the task in hand. , introducing a charming and angelic German lady, a Finnish settled in Germany, who accomplished the task of measuring every minute detail to millimeter precision, in July, gearing up the campaign. She is a colour expert, as the Project in-charge fondly calls her – my ‘colour police’ – whose expertise is evidently portrayed in the number of ‘colourful’ panels exhibited with an aesthetic touch, throughout the exhibition.
Another Young Adult, from Australia, an architect by profession, worked on the architectural front tirelessly over the months, making the blue-print a reality. It deserves a mention here that the entire outlay of design was conceived by Swami Himself vide His able instrument.
The exhibition asks you to Zoom Out, as you enter and once you scan through His Life with a heart full of concentration and devotion, you are asked gradually to Zoom In… zooming into His projects, and further to the Source, the Tree – Sri Sathya Sai HimSelf.
His Creation is His Labour of Love… As a dedicated offering, when we recreate ‘His Labour of Love’ with our labour of love… it is love that meets with That Love…to become one with…with The Only Love!!!
Senior office bearers of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Sathya Sai Seva Organizations – India and Overseas and members from Prasanthi Counsil were present during the inaugural function. After a complete round of inspection, Sri K Chakravarthi, IAS (Retd.), Managing Trustee of SSSCT, had a word of appreciation for the yeomen efforts. He said, “We are beholden to you for having spent ample time in bringing Swami’s teachings in an intelligible format and enabling us to revisit and experience them.” “Very innovative, inspiring and informative!”
As one comes out, with a freshened feeling of greater awareness, one is led to what is called a ‘façade booth’, a large 100 percent PVC free, eco-friendly material banner of the size 18 x 4 meters, covering the entire entrance arena. It is unique as this sheet covers the entire exhibition material in thumbnail forms, 249 in number, leaving a mosaic view of Bhagawan’s watchful eyes in the backdrop. It does serve as a ‘FaceBook’ or simply as a book cover, explaining the prospectus inside. Clarifying the same, the man behind this innovative work said, “The idea is to speak about the mammoth work being done by the SSIO, all around the world, bringing the same in print.”
It is a collective effort, of the Youth and the Adult, a must watch, a unique exhibition, call it an innovative ‘Multimedia Book’, wherein one finds many pages, each page diverse from the other, yet claims a united thread, that being Sai – The Inner Self.
One is assured of plenty of material to study, grasp, assimilate and be aware of. This one-of-a-kind exhibition is a colossal education in itself…as well as a immensely enlightening experience, where one can enjoy very interesting briefing by the exuberant and ever committed team members, whose names we would like to mention but cannot owing to our own discipline.
(The Exhibition is held at the Satsangh Hall, Gr. Floor, next to the Book Trust building. It is open from 0900 hrs until 15 hrs and again from 1800 hrs until 2100 hrs, from 21st to 27th November)
II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
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