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The 'Russian' representation had a photo album titled, "Beloved Swami in Ukraine" containing 62 images illustrating all-round service activiities by the Sai Organisation helping the poor and the needy in the country. Bhagawan flipped through each and every leaf of the album, scanning through all the photographs, in between seeking some clarifications. This is an extension of the 'Divine Romance' that was on show a week ago, wherein devotees from the Russian speaking countries made merry of His immediate presence singing their hearts out unto Him. Eversince, Bhagawan has been quite pleasingly entertaining the Russian representative who would invariably be sitting with bunches of letters from devotees or vibhuti packets (for distribution among devotees) for blessings.
 

Coming onstage, with Veda chanting on, Bhagawan sat through as hundreds of varkaris, who have arrived from Dharmavaram after a symbolic walk representing the Pandharpur tradition, were seated in the front block, wearing typical Marata headgear. Adding to the festive flavour on thie penultimate Ashadi evening, soon heaven opened up sprinkling light shower over Prasanthi.

Veda chanting stopped at 1800 hrs. as indicated by Bhagawan, and, as bhajans began, Bhagawan moved off the dais, soon to return in five minutes. As the session progressed more and more varkaris arrived and Bhagawan, who was watching over, sent word to make them comfortbaly seated in the Sai Kulwant Hall. Half-an-hour into the bhajans, Bhagawan moved Himself to the left block of the dais, more towards the gents' side, and He sat through till 1840 hrs. when He called for Mangala Arathi.

An announcement about the Ashadi Ekadashi celebrations for tomorrow morning followed. Tomorrow morning, Balvikas children from the state of Maharashtra would be staging a programme entitled "Veda Matha Gayathri" followed by an evening programme entitled "Natya Veda". Yet another programme, a dance drama on the life of Samartha Ramdas would be staged by the students from Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar, Dharmakshetra on the day after, 22 July.

After a pause, watching over prasadam distribution, Bhagawan moved off the dais to get into His car, retiring for the day.  Samastha Lokaaha Sukhino Bhavanthu

Monday, July 19, 2010 - Sai News & Photo Updates :  With Maharashtra' s 'iconic' cultural symbol, Ashadi Ekadashi, in the offing, Puttaparthi is already smelling the festive flavour. Being the first day of the proposed four day festivity, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Maharashtra has organised to assemble over two hundred beneficiaries of the Jaipur Foot Camp, as part of the Medical Seva, that had been on from July 14 to July 18 in Prasanthi Nilayam.

Emerging at 1730 hrs. to a poornakumbha swagatham by devotees from Maharashtra, Bhagawan was ushered into the hall in a Vedam procession led by the Youth of Maharashtra. Completing a full round of darshan, Bhagawan came onstage at 1745 hrs. , round of Ganesha, not before blessing many, enroute, in the lower portico. Veda chanting reached a higher pitch as Bhagawan lighted the lamp marking the commencement of Ashadi celebrations 2010.

Veda chanting stopped soon as Mr. Nimish Pandya took over, introducing the significance of the occasion. Calling the occasion 'extra special', wherein Bhagawan showers His Divine benediction, Mr. Pandya sounded that in His Divine presence it is 'everyday festivity'. These are the occasions that come as 'extra special', said Mr. Pandya while expressing gratitude to Bhagawan for the love and guidance unto the the hundreds who were specially seated, recipients of His touch of grace! Two hundred and twenty nine lives, both men and women from neighbouring districts, have been affected out of this camp, celebrating 85th year of His Advent!
 

As Bhagawan sat onstage, these beneficiaries were brought unto the dais to receive blessings. Two lucky souls, who were given artificial limbs demonstrated 'walking' without any help, as normal as they would otherways be, to a round of applause from the assemblage of devotees. They were lucky to demonstrate the same in presence of the Mighty One, the "Master Mind" of the "Fairy Tale" of their lives! ...and Bhagawan sat smiling at their good fortune!

It was 1810 hrs. and Bhagawan indicated for bhajans to begin. Half-an-hour into the session, at 1840 hrs, Bhagawan indicated for Mangala Arathi, upon which, Bhagawan moved off the dais to retire to Yajur Mandiram, at 1845 hrs.

Earlier, upon emerging from " His Residence" at 1700 hrs., Bhagawan moved into the Poornachandra Auditorium, wherein 29 Medical Ambulances were kept ready for Divine Blessings. These Ambulances, twenty of them, were already pressed into service activities, going into different districts in Maharashtra rendering service to the needy, while nine of them were new ones. Blessing the project, Bhagawan went around the fleet of ambulances before getting into one of them 'supervising' the facilities inside.

A video show on the medical seva was arranged and Bhagawan sat through watching the presentation. Hundreds of men and women who are active in medical seva were also present during the occasion. After spending almost half-an-hour inside the auditorium Bhagawan moved off, moving into Sai Kulwant Hall.  Samastha Lokaaha Sukhino Bhavanthu