One with Sai @ Brindavan _ October 2013 edition

Uyyala loguma... Sri Sathya Sai.... Ananda Daayi... that was fitting finale to a truly bliSSful evening. 
The song remained with me well into the evening. I got home & googled the song to get few beautiful renditions by others..... *

As I stepped out of Sai Ramesh Hall, I picked up the prasad 'package' - laddu and Swami's Photo. 
- Laddus always most welcome... :)
- Photo... felt blessed, Swami's both Hands raised in 'abhaya-hasta'. 

• I presumed (how often we jump to conclusions) it was 2014 calendar, on the other side. But I was more than pleasantly surprised to find Sai Gayatri and Gayatri Mantra printed on the reverse. It was a gentle reminder from Swami to keep focus on Gayatri-chanting, I have been trying these days. He is guiding..
• Then the quote under the photo really hit me... 'IMMORTALITY IS THE FRUIT OF SACRIFICE' ( all in bold, caps!) That was a response to a query I was carrying during the day, on my professional front. He is guiding... 

Two students of Bhagwan, from Anantpur campus, helped us spent the evening, '(One) with Sai'!

The evening got off to a divine start with veda recitation. Then the group took the stage. 
- They started off with a Ganesh sthuthi and then, a Guru song. 
- Maa by Jagjit Singh was then the next one. A beautiful devotional-song by the ghazal maestro was brilliantly sung by the duo.
- Janani maa is one of the popular bhajans at PSN campus, thanks to some great student-singers. Sri Hariharan, also a ghazal maestro, sang it in front of Bhagwan and the DVD is very popular. 
- The next song's alaap was brilliant, and the song too...
- Madhava Murali and Vittala bhajans got the entire audience to sing along, with wonderful support from the audience
- Mujh ko tera sahara chahiye was a prayer from every one of us. 
- The English song, You are the Lord of my heart and soul was delivered with great finesse. 
- Then, the masterpiece... Uyyala loguma Sri Sathya Sai...

The sisters sang in multiple languages (hindi, bengali or oriya, tamil, telugu, english, etc). It was pure devotional singling. No introduction (or gyaan!), except two sentences during the entire program. ('God is nearest of near, dearest of dear'... Wow!)

The singers, Vidya and Satya, and the group gave the program of highest quality. They were fortunate to be blessed with the opportunity to sing for Bhagwan. We were doubly blessed to listen to a beautiful musical offering... 

At the cost of repetetion, Music is God. 

bliSSfully!

Check out updates on the program @ 
https://www.facebook.com/BrindavanWhitefieldPrograms


* http://www.youtube.com/Uyyala Loguma Sri Sathya Sai

ONE With SAI at Brindavan

Prashanthi Nilayam witnessed this evening a well rendered Hindustani classical Music programme, " Tansen Samaroh" . This offering was made by the Students & Staff of Mirpuri College of Music, Prasanthi Nilayam.

At Brindavan, Bangalore, it was a Carnatic-musical offering by Sri ‘Mandolin’ U Srinivas and group.

--  Weather was just ideal for the program at Sai Ramesh Hall. Clear sky and cool breeze indicated Nature was ready for a special edition of One With Sai.

-- This monthly event, completed two years now, it was shared as part of intro. A proof of Divine Grace.

-- Sri U Srinivas (US) is perhaps soft-spoken by nature. Wizards like him do not need to talk, as their work speaks for itself. This great musician helped us re-discover the instrument, Mandolin.  His name is now associated with the instrument, such is his greatness. (a la 'xerox' for photocopy!)

-- Today, when he spoke very briefly, in between the music, the narration was short and sweet. He started off saying, his music was all Divine Grace. Swami’s vidya alone. 

-- He gets nervous ahead of every performance, he shared. Is that not another sign of greatness?

1. He started off with ‘Vathapi Ganapathi’ in Hamsadhwani raga. A popular song, the hall was alive to this invocation of Lord Ganesha.

2. The second piece was Siddhinchina, a Thyagaraja keertana. Sri US mentioned how Swami would sing the song very fast, of course maintaining all elements of music ! ‘Music is Divinity’ after all !

3. Sree Rama Padam was the next.

4. Before starting the next offering, Ninnu vina, a Thyagaraja keerthana, Sri US mentioned that was one of Bhagwan’s ‘favourite’ songs.

Also, Sri US shared how once Swami asked him to increase the tempo, mid-way. He could never forget it, he added !!

5.  Saamaja, in Hindola raga, was the next offering. Sri US shared how Swami once advised them to make sure the music reached one & all, a farmer or pandit, all should enjoy – that was real music.

6. Raghu vamsa sudha, Purandaradasa’s Venkita Chalapathi, were the next two songs.

7. Thereafter, two beautiful bhajans, Arunachala Siva and Hara Hara Mahadeva…

He reiterated they would never end any program without couple of bhajans. He also added he and his family entirely owed everything to Bhagwan’s Grace alone. (in Tamil, he said, Swami's 'bhiksha'!)

Daya Sagara was the next song and the compassionate Lord blessed when the garland fell from the Statue of Lord Krishna. (photo attached). Yet another proof of Divine Grace, which a monkey mind keeps looking for !

The program concluded with Bhasma bhooshitanga Sai….

There are different ways to spend a Sunday evening. Moreso for people who live from 'week-end to week-end' ! This was one of the best ways. The music lovers got veritable a treat.

The five great musicians on stage thoroughly enjoyed a disciplined and knowledgeable audience. They got a huge applause, which continued for few minutes at the end and also during the session. Sri US took the audience to a different world and were ‘One With Sai’ during the entire session.

Samastha Lokah Sukhono Bhavanthu…