The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust Odisha Flood Rehabilitation Project had an immense positive effect on that area. Over 700 youth from the state came on a pilgrimage to thank Bhagawan, and they put on a display of the internationally acclaimed dance form in "Odissi", staging 'Dashavathar'. This was followed by the play, "Flood of Love".

For more details, see sssbpt.org/pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/orissa2010.html.

The Canadian pilgrimage group presented a 35 minute programme had six songs, each with many verses. Bhajans by the Canadian troupe continued for the next half-an-hour until Bhagawan nodded for Mangala Arathi. In the meantime, sarees and safari pieces were distributed to the entire contingent. Upon accepting Arathi, Bhagawan retired, as prasadam was distributed to the entire assemblage.

For more details, see sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/darshanupdateAug2010.html.

A play by the SSE children of Canada. A young school boy is excited by the school olympics and wants to participate in the winter olympics, but he is handicapped. His parents encourage him to pursue his ambitions, narrating six inspirational, true stories to instill hope in him. The stories exhibit Sai Ideals and His Teaching that all are living embodiments of Love, possessing highest innate potential.

For more details, see sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/darshanupdateAug2010.html.

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Over 240 devotees from the West Indies --Aruba, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, etc. came to Prasanthi Nilayam. Here, after a short Vedic chanting, they sing with a decidedly Caribbean flavor, including Harry Belafonte's "Island in the Sun". Then, we have a wonderful concert on steelpan drums, which are claimed to have originated in the Caribbean. The program ends with a few bhajans and Arathi.

For more details, see www.sssbpt.org/pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/wi2010.html.

300 devotees from 12 North European countries were in Prasanthi Nilayam. Before their North European Choir sang, Bhagawan speaks to several of them, materializing a necklace for a lady. The beautiful singing is in six different languages. Part I ends with Handel's Hallelujah chorus. Part II displays a lot of interactions with Bhagawan.

For more pictures and details, visit www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/ne2010.html.

The Tamil Nadu bal vikas and youth stage a dance drama, which takes one back into the times of Lord Krishna to project into future to witness the Avataric Mission in the Kali Yuga as envisioned by the Lord Himself. The presentation was interspersed with meaningful 'padyams', melodiously sung. Slide shows and audio clips from Bhagawan's divine discourses also served the presentation to emphasize various points that the drama made about Bhagawan's mission. After the performance, Bhagawan spends a great deal of time talking to the chldren and youth.

For more pictures and details, visit sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/sypy2010.html.

Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Mandir, Dharmakshetra, Mumbai, stages a dance drama on the life of one of the state's spiritual giants, Bhakta Ramdas.

Afterward, Bhagawan talks with the officials about the programme, and He asks for safari cloth to be given to the participating boys. The "trainer" is called onstage and blessed with a materialised ring. Then bhajans begin. After 2-3 bhajans Arathi takes place over Bhagawan's raised palms, blessing the concourse with a double abhayahastha. Bhagawan also poses for photos with the Coming onstage.

For more pictures and details, visit www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/ashadi2010report.html.

This presentation by the balvikas children from Thane district of Maharashtra echoes the Truth that the Cosmic Concert of Creation had started with the Trinity, and thus the Universe was born in the eternal raga of life set to the talam of time ---it was dance accompanied by music.

For more details visit sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/ashadi2010report.html.

The Sai Organization of Maharashtra and Goa present a dance-music drama titled Veda Math Gayathri ---Gayathri, the Mother of the Vedas. You can find out more about the meaning of the Gayathri here.

Afer the play, gifts are given, Swami, poses for pictures, and gives darshan to part of the women's section again. Then we have Arathi.

For more pictures and details, visit www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/ashadi2010report.html.

"Vratham" means "vow". The Sathya Narayana Vratham is a ritual performed for wealth, education, prosperity, offspring, success, etc. It is often performed on Ekadashi, as it is here, with 1108 couples taking part. As the priest mentioned in his Telugu speech, the ritual was being conducted for the well-being of all the beings in the worlds (Samasta loka sukhino bhavantu).

The legend is that Sage Naradha was distressed at the misery of men in this world, and Lord Vishnu said that this ritual, performed to Lord Sathyanarayana, would relieve people of their troubles.

Bhagawan enters Sai Kulwant Hall almost at the conclusion of the ritual and sits through Arathi and prasadam distribution.

For more details, see sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/alwarfestivalreport.html. For more videos with Sathya Sai Baba, see sathyasai.org.

As the Russians sing, Bhagawan talks to them and showers them with gifts. One sung, by a lady, praises Allah.

Bhajans by Russians follow, and then Arathi. Afterward, Bhagawan personally gives away clothes to participants, coming to Him in disciplined order. At the end, Bhagawan asked the group to sing bhajans and after one bhajan another Arathi follows before Bhagawan retires.

The skit is story of a young Russian who travels around the world to collect songs on God. Wherever he goes, to his surprise, he hears the name "Sai". He learns of the Kali Yuga Avatar Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and His all encompassing Divinity. Every new country he visits gives him fresh insights into Sai.

He ends up in Puttaparthi and finds a group of children singing the glory of His name. It turns out that the children learnt the song from their parents, whom he had met in his travels.

For more details, visit sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/russia02.html.

A small parade of the Russian-speaking countries sets the stage for a singing performance that captures the hearts of all those in Sai Kulwant Hall. Singing joyfully, with lots of drifting and tilting and swaying, they sing in unison in Russian tongue, with power packed expressions reflecting on their faces making merry on the evening, rejoicing in the presence of the Ultimate Presence! Intermixed with songs from that area of the world were bhajans. Bhagawan materializes a golden chain for the Lady Conductor to the loud cheering of Sai Kulwant Hall.

For more details, visit sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/russia01.html.

The US children perform a play about the American Native Indian perspective on spirituality, using the medicine wheel. The native indians believe that rocks, trees, earth, animals, fish --all are our relations and have to be used and treated with respect.

We hear Ruben, a native indian, chant at the beginning of the play. Click here to see a picture of George Walking Bear handing Swami a rose.

For more details, kindly visit, www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/us02.html.

The USA Choir --over 100 people in the choir and orchestra-- sing nine songs before Swami. Old favorites are heard, like "America the Beautiful", "Deep river", and Handel's Hallelujah chorus, as well as new ones like "Joy, there'll be joy, joy, joy, joy, joy!"

The words of the last song express the prayers of all in Sai Kulwant Hall to Swami: "Let the rain of Your Presence fall on me, everywhere that I go, with every breath I take."

For more details, visit www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/uschoir2010.html.

Approx. 700 devotees from the United States visited Prasanthi Nilayam starting 23 June, one of many pilgrimages in summer 2010. Here, they sing a wide variety of songs in Sai Kulwant Hall, from newer songs like Love All, Serve All to old favorites like Shalu Shalom Yerushalayim. One song states the feeling of all on this pilgrimage: Our God Is An Awesome God.

For more details, visit www.sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/uspilgrimage2010%201.html.