Latest News from Prashanti Nilayam

[Guest guest]

Source: http://pavanaputra.tripod.com/news/prasanthi-news.htm

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Latest News from Prashanti Nilayam

 

Lovingly shared by Gerald of Ojai

 

Posted on 29-10-2003

 

Sai Ram,

 

10-28-03

 

Tuesday Morning: Today is the start of a three day conference-

seminar on the "Promoting Values Education and Ethics" sponsored by

the United Grant Commission at their jubilee meeting for Vice

Chancellors of universities in India.

 

Red carpets were laid from the driveway outside the women's entrance

to the center of the hall and from the center driveway to the

verandah. There were some vertical green, white and orange streamers

on the mandir on both sides of the center. There were flowers on two

of the post, on the verandah and over the verandah.

 

Two silver lectern were placed on the verandah outside of the

railing, one in the center and the other closer to the women's side.

 

The Anantapur girls and the Brindivan boys were there. I think they

will be here for the entire conference

 

Baba came at 7:35 going into the interview room. Meanwhile his car

was parked on the men's side of the mandir, next to it.

 

At 7:40, about 20 young boys, primary school age, wearing red

outfits lead a procession into the hall while chanting. Following

them were three pundits of young adult age and about 24 vice

chancellors and others.

 

The young boys sat down center going toward the women's side in

front of the mandir. The three pundits went up onto the verandah

from the men's side. The dignitaries proceeded up the center of the

verandah to chairs that had been place in a row from the men's to

the women's side. Baba chair was in the center.

 

Baba came out and everyone sat down. There were four speakers and

then Baba spoke for 50 minutes. He elevated the conference to level

higher than human values.

 

The Indian national anthem was sung with everyone standing including

Baba. He told the college boys that they should always sing the

anthem with pride and joy and to have the same in their country.

 

Prasad was passed out.

 

Baba spoke with a few people in his interview room. The vice

chancellors went to Baba's apartment for meetings.

 

Tuesday Afternoon: The red carpet from the verandah to the driveway

was removed. The other one stayed. There were white plastic(?)

chairs set up on the verandah where the VIP's normally sit. They

were facing the women's side instead of being aimed more to the

front. The vice chancellors sat there.

 

When Baba came they all stood up. He greeted each one and they

seemed happy to see him. Baba sat down in one of those white chairs.

It was front row next to the railing. He was facing the center of

the verandah where people spoke.

 

There was one lectern with two microphones. The subject was Gramma

Seva. The speakers spoke about the history of seva, their

experiences and the results of seva. They were all college students.

and I think a teacher was the moderator. The students spoke in pairs

with one speaking, stopping while the other spoke. It went back and

forth. There were, I believe five speakers, but depending on the

topic there were different combinations. They spoke about ten to

fifteen minutes each time.

 

When all was finished, Baba spoke with these students for about ten

minutes with the vice chancellors listening in but everyone guessing

what was being said. There was silence.

 

Next, there was 3 to 4 telegu ragas that as usual were beautiful and

uplifting.

 

Baba stood up. All the vice chancellors did too. Three women

chancellors came to Baba. He gave everyone a gift. It was in a bag.

 

It is nice to see the vice chancellors showing their respect by

standing.

 

There were also about 25 boys, I think teenagers, who are part of

Baba's project of putting money in the family's name and they live

off the interest. They were praised because they do seva.

 

Gerald