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The session continued for next forty minutes, with "Bolo Narayana Jai Jai Viththala... " being the concluding bhajan. Mangala Arathi was offered at 0941 hrs. and upon accepting Arathi, Bhagawan moved off the dais to glide into the ladies' end, retiring for the session at 0950 hrs.

This evening that was made cooler after a spell of afternoon rains, upon making an early entry at 1637 hrs., Bhagawan went for a complete round before coming onstage at 1649 hrs., round of Ganesha. Veda chanting continued till 1700 hrs. when Bhagawan indicated for bhajans to commence. Half an hour into the bhajan, Bhagawan asked for "aalaap" bhajan resulting in a high pitch aalaap "Allaho Akbar..." singing the bhajan, "Rama Hare Hari Naam Bolo..."

The session prolonged till 1855 hrs. when Bhagawan accepted Mangala Arathi. Asking for an encore of "Samastha Lokaaha...", repeatedly for the second continuous session., Bhagawan continued to sit for some more time watching over the assembly as prasadam was being distributed. At 1905 hrs. Bhagawan moved off the dais heading into the interview room. After 40 mts., Bhagawan emerged at 1845 hrs. to glide into the ladies' end, retiring for the day.

Exiting in half-an-hour, just after half-past-eight, through the rear entrance, Bhagawan spent sometime on the lower portico, accepting letters and casting His benediction upon many, before moving onstage at 0837 hrs. to loud chants of Vedam.

Sunday audience had the enterprising children from Primary School, apart from senior students, who joined the Vedam lead en masse, as indicated by Bhagawan, resulting in a crescendo, reverberating the hall and entire Prasanthi, emitting subtle vibrations all around.

Bhagawan sat through the next almost half-an-hour presiding over the Vedam session before indicating for Mangala Arathi at 0905 hrs.

Blessing the students, blessing the concourse with abhayahastha, off He moved from the dais, enroute interacting with some, before retiring for the session at ten past nine.

In the evening, it was yet another 'early entry' as Bhagawan emerged to come into the hall just after 1630 hrs. to the chants of Vedam. The hall appeared half empty with students were still to arrive while the Primary children were just making it to the hall.

Being the second day of the East Godavari Programme, the 'centre stage' was set for another cultural programme. A backdrop with Bhagawan in various postures, from His yester years, with a lounge in River Godavari, signifying the 'golden olden days' when Bhagawan had travelled from Rajahmundry to Bhadrachalam boating for three long days, was set in the centre. Bhagawan, while gliding past, showed keen interest in the same and was seen explained by one of the seniors about the same.

Scanning the devoted assembly, Bhagawan moved along, slowing down at the students' block, blessing some of them with closer interaction. Primary children got special attention as Bhagawan paused for a while watching them chanting the Veda, resulting a crescendo in volume, as the innocent ones made a full throated attempt, en masse. Spending sometime at the block, moving along, Bhagawan came onto the portico. Moving further through the lower portico, this time at a slower pace, patiently listening and blessing many, Bhagawan moved into the bhajan hall through the rear entrance.

Exiting through the main entrance Bhagawan came onstage at 1700 hrs. Soon Veda chanting stopped as Bhagawan indicated for the programme proceedings to begin.

Initial intro on the programme followed, with representatives coming onstage seeking blessings. Some of the selected old devotees, most of them octogenarians, who were the recipients of boundless Divine Grace in those olden days when Bhagawan visited their homes. Launch of SSSVIP website came next that was followed by a gratitude speech and an ensemble of cultural presentation tagged to many an activity taken up by the Organisation for the upliftment of the tribals in the region.

Sri Sathya Sai Navaratnamala was the first item that was chanted by the tribal children, who sang the customised composition to existing popular tunes, raining Gratitude to Master Beloved suffused with devotion in its purest essence. Colourful dance sessions bringing forth cultural essence of tribals from the district, explicitly showing up their gratitude and devotion to Bhagawan followed, that included chakka bhajan, peacock- snake dance to conclude with an innovative dance programme, an expression of joy at the rail facility to Prasanthi Nilayam.

Next half-an-hour witnessed the tribal children singing bhajans while Bhagawan moved off the dais into the interview room. As bhajans continued Bhagawan emerged yet again, at 1835 hrs., to come onstage in next five minutes, round of Ganesha. After the bhajan session got over, there was a pause of silence when Bhagawan sat through watching over, interacting with some of the seniors from the group, passing on some instructions. Clothes distribution to the children followed and in due course of time Bhagawan moved down the aisle to pose for a photo session with the children.

It was obvious that His compassion was filling and fulfilling. Bhagawan, upon coming onstage after the photo session, moved down yet again to pose with the girls, moving among them in between the disciplined rows followed by the boys to come back onstage at 1910 hrs. Bhagawan asked for Mangala Arathi in next couple of minutes and upon accepting Arathi, off He moved from the dais, retiring to Yajur Mandiram. Prasadam was distributed to the entire assemblage before the Arathi offering.

Over 600 tribals and another thousand, approximately, devotees have joined the three day Parthi Yathra that concluded with this evening's cultural programme. In the meanwhile, the second batch of US devotees has arrived in Prasanthi Nilayam and is already busy engaged in rehearsal sessions expecting to show up in His Divine Presence. The group is scheduled to stay for next ten days starting from tomorrow.

Upon accepting Arathi, Bhagawan called a few boys unto Him, in turns, interacting and blessing them while creating Vibhuti Prasadam for two of them. Moving off the dais at 1005 hrs., Bhagawan blessed some more enroute, before gliding past the aisle to the ladies' end retiring for the session.

With the arrival of a huge group of devotees from East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, Prasanthi Mandir bore a mini-festive look with tasteful decorations adorning the 'centre stage'. While a colourful balloon arch welcomes The Lord at the centre facing the dais, colour parasols take place on both side of the 3rd block, heralding auspiciousness and festivity. Colourful buntings and flowers were decked onstage as well, reminiscent of a festive occasion. A huge arch with writing,"Giridhari Sannidhikki Girijanula Parthi Yathra" (meaning tribal's pilgrimage to the Abode of The Lord) has been erected at the east Prasanthi pathway leading from the Ganesha temple end, welcoming the devotees. The group is expected to show up with a cultural presentation later in the evening.

Evening: On a cloudy evening, that was slowly waning, that was made damp owing to early evening drizzle, Prasanthi had a special group of six hundred, of tribal origin, awaiting Bhagawan to grant them Darshan!

And, as if He was keen to grant them what they desired for, Bhagawan emerged five minute after an initial bustle at 1830 hrs., that indicated His imminent arrival. It was 1835 hrs. and tickling thousands of vocal cords resounded three omkars, invoking the Divine into the august assembly of the twilight.

Coming into the hall to take a detour from the centre pathway, Bhagawan came onstage in next two minutes, through the aisle at the front block leading unto the dais directly.
 

Veda chanting concluded in next three minutes as the proceedings for the evening was to commence. Representatives from the visiting group made a beeline unto the dais with various offerings, starting with Poornakumbham, symbolically signifying a traditional 'Welcome to The Lord'. Among the various things presented included an album comprising of photographs of Bhagawan's various visits to East Godavari, 18 in all, starting from early 1960s.

The programme for the evening, entitled Navavidha Bhakta Kusumanjali, a musical dance ballet by Balvikas and Youth of tribal origin from the district, was a depiction of various forms of devotion as discoursed and taught by Bhagawan. The presentation was interwoven with various incidents and teachings of Bhagawan along with glimpses from the lives of illustrious devotees. This absorbing presentation had all the elements of the East Godavari culture, explicitly showing up their gratitude and devotion to Bhagawan. The programme was interspersed with colourful dance sequences and soulful rendering and the entire presentation was reminiscent of the golden olden days of Bhagawan.

At the end of the one hour programme, as the participants converged at the front block in disciplined order to the background score of mellifluous devotional piece hailing The Lord of Parthi, Bhagawan, blessing the lot with abhayahastha, indicated for Mangala Arathi, at 1945 hrs.

Greater benediction in the form of a photo session was in the offing. Upon accepting Arathi, Bhagawan moved down the aisle to pose for a coveted photo session with the orderly disciplined tribal children and youth, granting them the picture of their lives! A photo with 'Devudu' Himself!

At 1955 hrs. Bhagawan moved off the dais not before blessing the entire concourse with abhayahastha. A small round of interaction ensued before Bhagawan moved down the aisle leading to the ladies' end retiring for the day. Laddu Prasadam was distributed ot the entire assembly before Bhagawan retiring for the day.

Text & photo source:  Radiosai.org Prasanthi Diary, sssbpt.org -  Sri Sathya Sai Media Foundation - h2hsai.org
web layout - photo design : saibabaofindia. com & SBOI group.