Report on the Tamil New Year and Vishu Celebrations: 11-14 April 2004

[Guest guest]

REPORT ON THE TAMIL NEW YEAR DAY AND VISHU CELEBRATIONS:

11-14 APRIL, 2004

 

http://www.srisathyasai.org.in/pages/vishu_Tamil_04_report.htm

 

India is a land of rich and diverse cultures. The varied traditions

and forms of dance and music, drama and literature from different

regions of the country all form part of the proud heritage of this

land. And the uniqueness of the festivities at the Lotus Feet of

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is that one gets to see the different

facets of Indian culture and also those from all over the world.

 

Devotees from the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala celebrated their

New Year Day with their Lord at the Brindavan Ashram in Bangalore.

The celebrations, held between 11-14th of April, coincided with a

state level conference of the youth wing of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva

Organisation, Kerala. About 3000 youth delegates, both men and

women, attended the conference and were addressed by some of the

students and staff members of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher

Learning as well as senior members of the Seva Organization.

 

The inaugural session of the conference was held on the morning of

11th April in the Sai Ramesh Krishan Hall. After the delegates

welcomed Bhagawan into their midst with songs, Prof. Mukundan, the

President of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Kerala addressed

the gathering. He reminded the youth of the reason that they had all

gathered at the Lotus Feet of Bhagawan – to taste His Love and to

have to glimpse of His glory so that they may undergo a

transformation in their attitudes and outlook. He was followed by

Sri Sanjay Mahalingam, a student of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of

Higher Learning, who spoke on the importance of holding on to the

Lord's Feet. He said that when the fisherman casts his net into the

sea, it is the fish that swim close to his feet that never get

caught in the net. Similarly, when the Lord casts His net of Maya

(Illusion), there can be no safer place than at His Lotus Feet.

 

Bhagawan then began His Divine Discourse by saying that it is

foolish to search for God when He is present everywhere. He said

that it is most important to understand and develop the confidence

that God is always working for our welfare. He said that it is He

who grants us the devotion and the strength, and when God is sparing

no effort to work for our good, we must also perform actions that

please God. He also said that everyone must aspire for darshan,

sparshan and sambhashan with God and also elaborated on the benefits

of these three types of blessings.

 

After the Discourse, the delegates adjourned to the Sai Krishan

Kalyana Mantapam for the subsequent sessions of the conference. In

the evening, the youth of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of

Kerala, presented a drama titled, "The Ultimate Solution". The drama

depicted how the practice of the human values enunciated by Bhagawan

is the only answer to the various ills that beset modern day society.

 

On the morning of 12th April, Bhagawan graciously granted darshan

and also sat for a few Bhajans. The evening session witnessed a

music programme by renowned artistes from Kerala.

 

The following morning, on the occasion of the Tamil New Year Day,

singers from the Sundaram Bhajan group (Sundaram is Bhagawan's

residence at Chennai) led Bhajans in the Sai Ramesh Krishan Hall.

The evening began with a sweet welcome speech in Sanskrit by a young

boy which was simultaneously translated into English. This was

followed by a music programme by the Sundaram Bhajan singers, in

which they exhibited their virtuosity in different styles of music

ranging from Carnatic and light classical music to qawaali and even

western classical.

 

The following day, 14th April was `Vishu', the Kerala New Year Day,

and in the evening there was a concert by a music troupe from

Kerala. They began with the melodious Navaragamalika varnam "Valachi

Vachi", with the violin and the flute as the lead instruments. They

followed it up with the famous piece, "Vatapi Ganapathim" and a

detailed exposition of the Thyagaraja kirthana, "Nagumomu". The

highlight of the programme was the taniavartanam (exposition of the

taala or rhythm by the percussionists) involving nine instruments

which included even the panchavadyam instruments unique to the state

of Kerala. Bhagawan joined the audience in applauding the artistes

at the end of this thrilling performance. The concert concluded with

the Bhajan, "Deva Devottama Deena Samrakshaka".

 

Bhagawan descended the stage and feted the musicians by presenting

them with clothes. Then there followed some enchanting moments when

Bhagawan commanded one of the musicians to sing a kirthana, while He

stood smiling in front of him and even joined him in

singing "Jagadodharana", a composition by Saint Purandaradasa.

 

At the end of the festivities, which left everyone with so many

pleasant memories, if there was one thing that stood out as one

looked back, it was the exemplary discipline exhibited by the Kerala

youth. They chanted the Sai Gayathri as they waited for Bhagawan's

darshan in the Sai Ramesh Krishan Hall, and also before every

workshop session in the Kalyana Mantapam. The orderly manner in

which the three thousand strong contingent queued for darshan and

also filed out of the hall after the programmes was indeed worthy of

praise and a measure of how well the youth have absorbed Bhagawan's

message of duty, devotion and discipline.

 

Jai Sai Ram!