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Krishna Janmastami at Prasanthi,
August 2002 Notes from
April on her visit to Prasanthi Nilayam during Krishna Janmastami
31 Aug 02 Saturday
My Dears, Today was the
celebration of Krishna Janmastami at Prashanti. I went early to
the morning token lines just in case the crowds somehow got bigger
overnight, but they didn’t. It was like a large Sunday in terms of
the number of devotees. The hall was not full (at least not on the
ladies side). When I got inside after passing through security and
took a seat, I looked to see what decorations had been put up
during the night.
The veranda had gold decorations
(with red) hanging from the edge of the roof. There were red and
gold metallic garlands as well. Under the roof of the veranda were
many hanging ornaments of gold and red also. The same gold and red
decorations were hung on the balconies and along the roof edge of
the Poornachandra. Metallic garlands of red, gold and green had
been hung in various designs on the fence that surrounds the hall.
The entry gates each had a bunch of banana leaves (gathered at the
middle and tied) on either side. The ceiling of the hall had
various types of multicolored hanging decorations including red
and yellow V and U shaped flags draped across and along the sides
of the main driveway. On the veranda was a shoulder high statue of
Krishna (blue) with a white garland. The Ganesh statue in the
middle had a lovely fresh multi-colored garland. The two front
pillars were wrapped in gold ribbon that created diamond shapes.
These pillars also had red ornaments hanging down from the top.
Swami’s red swivel chair was in the middle front of the veranda
with a white pillow and two white handkerchiefs. There were also
some flat, woven, red and white decorations hanging on the windows
and walls of the mandir. The VIP men had seats on either side of
the front portion of the veranda facing in toward Swami’s chair.
Some of the VIP ladies had been given seats (in white plastic
chairs and on the floor) near the base of the veranda stairs.
All the Sai students had come for
the celebration and were seated in front near the veranda as usual.
The female students from Anantapur College had also come for the
occasion. The decorations were elegant and tasteful. Two video
cameras were set up to document the event. A ceremonial band (all
female, dressed in purple) had begun to play around 5:45 am. They
were seated on the veranda near the mandir wall. They stopped
playing around 6:20 am and left the veranda. There was no more
music until darshan which began at 7 am. The ceremonial music
began again, this time it came from the loud speakers.
Swami came slowly into the hall (wearing
His usual orange robe) looking out over the crowd. He walked about
half way through the ladies section before He stopped to speak to
a woman on the aisle (His left). At the end of the ladies, He
stopped and spent a few moments looking over at the men and the
male students (raising the energy with both hands) before He
turned up the driveway to the veranda. He had to walk through the
male students to get there, but they happily obliged making a path
for Him. When He reached the veranda, three oms came over the loud
speakers and music began over the loud speakers - singing by some
of the male students. Swami stood looking over the students and
the VIPs to the East side of the hall for sometime, then He walked
to the West side and stood looking out over the younger students
and the ladies before He headed over to His chair. The singing
continued. Swami sat in His chair and listened as the students
entertained Him with their songs – many about Krishna). The songs
would stop rather abruptly, then start again. I was never sure
when the program was ending or if it was just a pause between
songs!
Swami kept time with the beat of
the music, tapping on the arm of the chair and swaying
occasionally. At 7:40 am, a ceremonial band outside the hall could
be heard over singing of the students in the hall. Swami got up
out of His chair and stood waiting for something. Finally, I could
see that it was a procession with Sai Gita at the front.
She came lumbering through the
main double gates (where the Rama statue is located) into the hall
magnificently dressed in a red and gold outfit (blanket). She had
on her long dangling silver earrings (they hang from her ears and
almost touch the ground) and a colorful faceplate. She was
followed by a group of young men dressed as gopi’s (cow herders).
They had various colored cloth bands tied around their heads and
brought several cows with them. The ceremonial music and the
students singing Krishna bhajans were both going on at the same
time, creating quite a loud mix of sound. Sai Gita stopped at the
place where the driveway and the main aisle intersect. You could
tell she was so happy and excited to see Swami. He came down from
the veranda to pet and feed her. Cameras flashed. At this point,
many of the ladies in the hall decided to get on their feet to see
Swami and Sai Gita. The seva dals had quite a job getting them
reseated, but somehow they managed. After feeding Sai Gita a few
food balls (these food balls are the size of a brown coconut),
Swami walked behind her where the cows and gopis waited. He
blessed and fed the cows as more cameras flashed. There were so
many men in the driveway, that they completely surrounded the cows
and Swami. It was difficult to see what was going on, plus the
devotees still kept getting on their feet to see, blocking the
view at times.
At 8:00 am Swami finished with
the cows and walked back up the driveway to the veranda. Sai Gita,
the cows and the gopis waited in the driveway. Just before Swami
reached the veranda, He was met by two boys dressed in costumes as
Krishna and Arjuna. They looked really great! Swami made vibuthi
for them and had photos taken of the three of them (Swami in the
middle). Finally Swami was back on the veranda and prasad in big
silver bowls was brought out of the mandir by the college boys.
Swami stood on the veranda directing the distribution. There was
plenty to go around, so it wasn’t long before I had a sweet in my
hand (the kind that has silver foil and nuts). Sai Gita saw Swami
on the veranda and began to raise her trunk up to Him. She
repeated this several times. It was so endearing to see the love
between them When the prasad was almost finished being distributed,
the mandir priest lit the arti lamp in the driveway and waved it
at the cows and Sai Gita. Bhajans continued.
Sai Gita trumpeted several times
and the sacred conch was blown. Swami sat in His red swivel chair
amidst all this action. Sai Gita continued to raise her trunk to
Swami and to the crowd. Finally the mandir priest came over with
the arti lamp and Swami lit it along with a couple of others and
we began to sing the closing prayers arti and lokas. Then, Swami
decided to walk back down the driveway to Sai Gita and held her
trunk and patted her lovingly. She was in heaven. Cameras flashed.
The sweetness of seeing Swami giving Sai Gita such loving,
personal attention and caresses touched everyone’s heart. Then
Swami headed back up to the veranda and into His office, just as
we finished singing the lokas. An announcement was made over the
public address system: On the occasion of Krishna Janmastami, our
most beloved Bhagavan has graciously consented to bless us with
His divine discourse in Sai Kulwant Hall at 3:00 pm. this
afternoon. Sai Ram. There was clapping for this. It was 8:30 am.
Since Swami was not in sight, the hall began to buzz with activity
as devotees began to leave or moved to different seats. The ladies
ceremonial band began to play right outside the gate that leads to
the Poornachandra Auditorium. The cows and the gopis had left via
the main double gates, where they had entered. Sai Gita backed up
until she was halfway down the driveway. She stopped there. The
other ceremonial band began to play. So there were two bands
playing at once. At 8:45 am, Swami began to walk out via the side
aisle with His assistant following. At the first pillar past the
veranda, He stopped to light an arti lamp for the head of the
Anantapur College. As Swami walked down the aisle, He smiled
sweetly and blessed all items on His right for the Anantapure
College students in the front row. As the ceremonial band played "Govinda
Krishna Jai" Swami walked out of the hall. The ladies band stopped
playing abruptly – mid-song, because Swami stopped for a moment to
be with them. Swami then continued to his quarters and the band
began to play again. Darshan was over.
After leaving the hall, I thought
I might see Sai Gita as she walked out of the ashram and over to
her enclosure (which is down the road to the South). So, I walked
out of the ashram as the ceremonial band (the males) and Sai Gita
were slowly leaving Sai Kulwant Hall from the side gate. I
positioned myself directly across the street from the Ganesh gate
so I had an excellent view. The ceremonial band continued to play
as the procession came through the ashram gate. Male seva dals
were trying to keep the devotees back so Sai Gita could walk
through the crowd. But, everyone wanted to touch her and get close.
Some came up quickly patted her and ran back, others touched her
feet. By the way, her toenails were painted red and her feet were
painted yellow. She was really quite the beautiful lady! As she
came out the gate, a group of devotees followed her up the street.
The band stopped their music and then it was just Sai Gita walking
slowly amidst her admirers, who were still trying to pat her and
touch her as she made her back to her "home". She did not seem
perturbed by all the people so closely surrounding her. She was
very patient and even seemed to enjoy the attention. So ended the
morning celebration of Krishna Janmastami 2002.
At His Feet – Love, April
Source:
http://www.geocities.com/saicenter_us/snl/snl_101502.htm |
