Down the memory lane with Swami

Pranams at the lotus feet of our Dear Swami, that’s how we used to call him, that’s how we continue to call him even today. Supreme Sai Ram to all the brothers and sisters of the Sai family. I would like to share an anecdote before I take you all down the memory lane. It was, I remember well between 1967 and 1970, when a group from Chebrolu from Andhra Pradesh happened to be called for an interview by Swami, then. So, that family went in. Now, How do I know? In the year 2000 as I was sitting waiting for darshan in Sai Kulwant hall, a group sat next to me, we fell into conversation and I discovered that their mother and my mother were good old friends in good old days. She told me that her mother was the one who was called for the interview. You know what she asked after the interview? Swami, please remember that lady came to Sai fold around 1950, the new mandir, Prashanthi mandir was just then built. They had come then, so, she asked Swami as such within the last 15, 17 years, the proximity we enjoyed with you is becoming lesser and lesser. The conversations we had with you are becoming rarer and rarer. Now my question to you Swami is what will the Devotees do in future. What was the concern of a Mother? You know what Swami  said? Vinu Bangaru,chepputanu vinu,listen to me. I will tell you ‘munmundu’ in future, when I am not seen in the physical form amongst you, in future, when I am not seen in the physical form amongst you, bhaktulu, the devotees will sit in the groups and Prashanthi Nilayam avaranamu the campus of Prashanthi Nilayam of course we have made it into Sai Kulwanth hall now, gumpulu gumpulu ga koorchoni,People will sit in groups and in his own words..Swami muchatlu muchatinchukuntaru ..they will be talking about Swami’s mahimas, leelas, experiences amongst themselves. Friends, what are we gathered here today for? This is our Swami, now, then,later, all the three are covered. I would like you to take down the memory lane that’s how I named the narration of my experiences…it’s not yesterday, it’s not day before yesterday, it’s not last year…it is nearly seven decades because and before that I want to ask you,I want to do one more thing. It is Kabir, correct me if I am wrong. He is supposed to have asked by somebody if both your Guru and God come and stand in front of you,Whom are you going to offer your first reverences to? He asked and Kabir is supposed to have said It is to my Guru who showed the God to me and today he is going to borrow his words. Today, If I am going to stand before you and share a couple of thoughts couple of experiences of mine with you the credit should go the credit should go to our elders. Most of them are merged in him. A couple of them are still here. Even today they wait for me to go and talk to them about good old days,that is the impact. So, remembering our elders who not only when but, they made it a point to take all their kit and kin with them. So, Swami himself use to call ‘Bengaluru gumpu’,he never said Bangalore devotees, he used to call ‘Bengaluru gumpu. We went in groups, God knows whether those uncles and aunts those days ever had the responsibilities we have today. They made it a point to go as often as often as possible to him. Then when they started their journey? It was 1943 December, they did not go to Puttaparthi they have not heard about Sai Baba, they never had any idea of this. They went just to Ananthapur ,my grandfather one Mr. Narayana Sharma, his wife Smt. Savithramma and their only daughter Shanta who is today 85 years. She very much wanted to come today, unfortunately she couldn’t. So with them I went,where? to Ananthapur not to Puttaparthi. We went there. We went to visit cousin of my grandfather. When we landed there we get the information here here a seventeen year old boy had started announcing himself to be Sai Baba and he says he has come to redeem the world, Oh God!! A seventeen old year boy where Puttaparthi from Ananthapur it as nearly 42-45 kilometers away and our people have no interest whatsoever. Going after a boy who declares himself to be the redeemer in 1943, but this was my grandfather said we didn’t go, he drew us to him. He had decided, he drew us to him ..how? Some people neighbors who were exposed to Sai Baba they came and dinned into my grandma’s ears, so we went to Puttaparthi, all hassles and what not. From Ananthapur to reach Puttaparthi  where do you go and land? In the great Karanam Subbamma’s house. Is it a coincidence? Or was it pre-determined? take it as you like it. Because Karanam Subbamma and her co-sister happened to me for god forsaken relatives of my grandmother.I don’t know how they were related. But, we went and landed in Subbamma’s house and what has Swami done? He had left his home and had come and decided to stay in Karanam Subbama’s house. What a coincidence? But I could not even imagine. I was too small young girl. I did not know. Now I keep thinking about all the things. So this Karanam Subbamma was so impressed with her long term relatives to come, Swami veellu vachinaru..Bengalauru nunchi, she wanted to introduce these people to Swami. You know what Swami said naku antha telusu. Oh God! We have not yet seen him ‘ayanaku antha telusu’. This is the drama begun.

In 1943 December in Puttaparthi in Karanam Subbamma’s house well. We stayed nearly for three weeks. Elders were all the time involved in talking to him knowing about him, me I was happy playing outside with the other kids around. I never knew about Swami or God or any such thing. I was happy as I was. Two things made me sit up. I want to share with you and a other thing I want to tell you is Karanam Subbamma’s house was down to earth ordinary house, no furniture, no dining tables nothing of that sort. So, for meals we had to sit on the ground, Swami too and being the youngest I had the privilege to sit next to him, how do you like that? I will pat on my back now. So, the other two girls were a little older. So, when you sit with him you listen to his jokes, his comments wonderful, wonderful. One thing that struck me and holds me is one day when they had served all the items,you know leaves, he sits, leaf is spread for us also. Grandmothers come and serve us whatever items are made and ‘aranginchandi, come on start they tell and Swami says no,you have forgotten one item,we have cooked,we have served and this fellow who have not even come to the kitchen tells us that they have forgotten, they went, enti Swami antha vaddichinamu, they look at the leaves..no you have forgotten one item…go…these all the old women go into the Kitchen and they discovered coconut chutney which was prepared and kept on the grinding stone of the olden days you know. I said my God this Swami know where chutney can be kept that was my first introduction to Swami. Couple of days later my grandfather comes running says come, come, what for?  He want to take me to Swami. When I go there, come on..namaskaram cheyyi.. come on do namaskar. Then he introduces…she is my granddaughter Swami. My sons first daughter..ayyo naku telusulevayya.. I know man..I know there are two more sisters of hers..three daughters for your son and their dot nela is in the family way. She is going to get a baby boy and delivery will be going to be difficult and I am going to stand by her you tell them to name him after me. My God, I was gasping. I never knew my mother was carrying. You know that introduction to him who knows everything and anything, boys, the deepest impression I think one can have. Ok, we stayed for some more time..that Pongal came and other formalities of our hindu families..everything went through..we came away January 3^rd week to Bangalore. And Swami comes to Bangalore in 1944 may be February that was his first visit; he comes directly to my Grandfathers house. Please remember our people were very very ordinary people, very ordinary people, cannot boast of any conveniences those days in Bangalore, So, Swami had to come by third class compartment by train and from railway station to Chamarajpet residence by a jatka gadi, you know what a jatka gadi is? a horse drawn gadi of those days. There were no autos or any such thing. He lent himself that’s the beau, that’s the permanent impact he stayed in our house and later some other people also came to know, so it started. I got my brother in 1944 March and we named him Sai Prasad and these grandparents informed all our kit and kin, mothers side, fathers side, all the whole entire group would rush wherever Swami was these people would rush. Like that journey to Parthi started.

Any time anything they would cook up reason, if there is no festival they would create situations so that they could go to Parthi. What was it that they were attracted so much to? Parthi, first of all you know he was with us, he used to the bhajan two times. It is all continued till 1945 only in Karanam Subbamma’s house only, bhajans, bhojan and all sort of things everything it went in Karanam Subbammas house. In 1955 if I remember December was the old mandir opened. By that time crowd became more and more , more and more, this Subbammas house is not enough. So, she herself gave the land and then they built the house. People from Bangalore, Chennai and also Kuppam they were increasing.

There are two incidents I want to share with you. Every time they would go, our elders my mother, aunt and all they would stay for two weeks, three weeks, four weeks and sometimes 6 weeks also, don’t ask me what their husbands did, they had to cooperate. So, before they left they would cry three days from the before they have to leave Parthi would be in tears. The oncoming separation was too much for them to bear. This went on working on my mother’s mind so much that once she composed a song on the pangs of separation. She had composed the song in the dream and that morning Swami from the old mandir comes to Kamalamma’s house to see that these people are given a farewell. He comes all the way and the roads were not there, they were only lanes, you remember he comes there and all these aunts and you know they were all excited, one more namaskar, one more talk with Swami that was the boosting. Then my grandmother says come and sing the song you composed in the dream sundara just pause, then my mother starts singing all herself  no one has heard it till she completes the song Swami takes over, he starts singing and this part composition. We were the most unfortunates ones because we never have pens, we never have recording thing, nothing , nothing only ears and eyes to see and enjoy here and enjoy that was the time when the song is sang. It had about 10 verses each verse he dealt, the advice of a mother to her daughter when she is going away to her husband’s house, How to stay? How to live with your elders? How to live with your brothers-in-law’s and sister-in-law’s and all that thing you know. He went on singing and everyone was crying. You know we will go Swami see that we sing see that we come back here , that is our prayer and he says go, be a good girl, look after your people, that’s the relationship, the mother and the daughter. Isn’t the statement that Swami’s love is the love of thousand mothers? Ok, now this was going on like that. Now the night before he left that Karanam Subbammas house to shift permanently to the old mandir, after dinner he sits…Subbamma I want to sleep with all of you here. I am going away to that mandir no, I was here for the last 5 years So,  I would like to, you should imagine these people jumping up and down. All the women on one side, all the men on one side and he sleeps in the middle and before sleeping a lot of chit chat that I would call. That was the way he gave the proximity. Now, when I use the word proximity, it is not sitting in the first row it was mental, emotional, physical. That was the impact..Every one of us would feel my God, How do I leave Swami and go because he was so close to me  and the same thing was felt by every person you know,That’s the beauty. Now, this reminds me of another thing. 1965 that period Shivarathri was there he wanting to be with his devotees is my point. Shivarathri was there…this grandmother was there…we used to call her Madam Hitler…that was the capacity. She had ordered for a set of cooks to come to cook all the prasadam on Shivarathri, next morning all of them have to be fed. Those fellows gave a slip. They never came. So my mother, my grandmother, what shall we do?  What shall we do? How do we prepare? How do we prepare? So much the crowd and all that. So, shivarathri  day the early morning the Saturday morning my mother is in the room there..Swami comes at the portico..Sundaramma..Swami, then she comes running out..’vanta vaallu vachesare’…who is that vanta vaallu? You look..chudu chudu he says and when you turn that side you know who that vanta vaallu were the cooks? Dr. Padmanabhan the great, his elder brother Dr. Srinivsasa Murthy and my father who would not even keep the glass on his table. We have to go and receive it after he drinks the coffee, that was my father and other three or four uncles all of them they had just then come. They were just trying to take out the shoes and then you know get ready to walk into the ashram and this swami says..vanta vallu vachinaru..emi Swami idi? My mother says, what’s happening to you? Nuvvu gammunua undu…vallu chetaru… em chestaru. We know…the drama was so good friends I am back in those good old days. Those fellows all the six of them you know all my uncles they were taken to the kitchen and under the supervision of my wonderful grandmother they had to lift those huge vessels of rice and Sambar and all that. They did everything because Swami and that was not the end of it and these people said at least we can help them and all the thing was over and lunch all the leaves after the mangala aarathi, leaves were all spread..everywhere we were sitting Swami had to go upstairs for lunch they Swami says ‘’nenu eroju na bhaktulu vanta chesaru kada..valla tone bhojanam chesta” my devotees have cooked meal I want to stay with them and eat. My God! You should have seen that excitement. A table was kept and Swami sat on that and all the people around sitting and enjoying..see this is Swami. This is Swami… This is Swami …he wants us to go,  he used to say ‘meerantha naa varu’, you are all mine, ’nannu mee vanniga chesukokudadu’.. can you bear it? We are all his I believe and he request us ‘nannu mee vaadiga chesukondi’…you make me yours. It’s not just standing there and saying Sai Ram and then going, we will have to make him ours, How?  He shows. And old mandir was a real paradise for those of us who were there was no interview room, there was no darshan time, there were no rules and regulations for bhajans, only those people should in the front and no mikes and no instruments, nothing, nothing and nothing. It was a contact between the divinity and the devotee through song that was the beauty. And there were no these namavalis then, song which song anybody’s song whether it is Tyagaraja  or Bhadradri Rama dasa, or Puranadara dasa or Basavannanavaru and even our everybody, anybody. And some of the devotees were smarter folks also they would compose songs such wonderful song. What was the content of the song? All the leelas they happen to see, they would put in the form of a song, there was no documentation. Once they have taken a book to note down what he was saying..’neeku pattinda book pichi’ he said..You too got hold of writing in a book, you are also got infected with the madness he said ‘mastakamlo pettuko..pustakamlo vaddu’  I am a very honest student, I never wrote down anything all that my mastakam gives me I am going to share with you. So, the bhajans they would describe all the leelas, mahimas which happened. So, even if I was not in Parthi in person I knew what he did that day when he went with somebody to Chitravathi. The song would tell us. And we as a group were ever hungry for a song, that’s an advantage given to us by our elders. They were musically oriented. They kept learning songs. I will tell you one day, my mother harikatha the persons who sing songs and go begging you know on the roads, one lady was going the song she was singing was wonderful. So, my mother goes and says, please come in, that lady got frightened because this lady would do something. So she got her home and copied the song from her and learned because she wanted to sing it to Bhagawan. So, anybody anywhere any song they learn, they wanted to sing for him. And what will he do? ‘kotha patalu unnaya’?  The minute you enter Parthi he would ask ‘kotha patalu unnaya’?  padandi, finish. Bhajan need not be there at all. Sit and sing for him and he would listen. That was the contact between the divinity and the devotee. How many songs? We sisters are almost called mad guys, because wherever we are we will get humming, singing and enjoying those songs with so full of messages, so full of leelas, so songs were the main and Swami himself would sit in the pata mandiram. There was a slab on which OM was engraved. Swami would sit on it, to his right the men folks, to his left the women. He would say ‘a pata padu..e pata padu’, he would dictate and these people have to sing and these devotees were smart I am telling you . Any problem or any such thing they have faced , why did you do that for us Swami  would be the content of the song, they would question why? When you can go and eat Sabari’s fruit, when you can go and bless Ahalya, when you can go to Vidhura’s  house why can’t you come and accept my dish Swami was  the content of the song.  Immediately he would answer you follow the sadhana as they would come a song in reply. I tell you it is beyond…. Then elders enjoy singing Bhajan and all what did he do? All 5,6,7,8 year old children and he would thrust us out less less trouble for them. It was only my grandmother the poor thing, she had all the love and affection for us. So, for feeding us she would mix sambar, rice and yoghurt rice in two big vessels and her physcology I will tell you they had to hold the hand like this…big ball of sambar rice or big ball of curd rice and if there was chutney available he would put it there. Then they had to sit and eat. It will take some time no .big ball…her analogy is she can go around and give all the waiting children, so that by the time she comes back we would be ready. But between two children one hand would come suddenly he would have given them just then she would shout..just now I fed you..How fast you eat? Swami would laugh hahaha!! He would come in between, sit between put his hands he wanted to be a child among children. Not only that we children we were smart cookies we girls usually want to play the gillata, mane aata, so want to play mane aata in Puttaparthi also. So we used to build house,  our houses were all small you know not befitting for Swami to come that was our interpretation. So, we build Sakammas house, so we built her house. When Sakammas house is built Swami’s room has to be there because we have seem Sakammas house only when Swami is there. So you build small area for Swamis room or one girl runs back to the room gets a invitation of some function cut out the Swam’s picture and puts it.  Swami’s bed is ready. And other girl will make another photo sit like this, bhajan hall is ready. This was our own cooked up game and we are all so absorbed and happy..’pillalu em chestunnaru’? from behind,  he would come and stand behind us , kids what are you doing? Oh God! we used to sheepishly swami, Illaata adutunnamu, we were dumb creatures. Swami mane aata ..’evarri illu kattinaru’? He would not say ok go, whose house did you build? Swami, Sakammas house. Chudura ra Krishna, he tells the person who walks with him ..’ee pillalaku aatallonu Swami chintane ra’ that was like arise, awake and stop not till you reach the goal of Vivekananda. So next day onwards nagaratnamma house this house and that house he didn’t come but that motivation strengthening the faith, deepening the devotion I call it.And we were very very smart.If mother puts kolam what you call it Rangoli they would do it .we wanted to do it also , so we would ..he would come and stand behind with some devotees that rishikesh Swami Sivananda what you call it shisya sadanandam with him he is standing, we know we were completely absorbed in rangoli ..’chudu sadanandam pillalu entha baga muggu pedutunnaru,  paper cut chesi paste chesi undi kadu’ you know why I am telling all these things , the way he came down to our level in order to lift us up , in how many ways, friends it goes on beyond imagination. Once what he said some problem was there I got  very angry , I could not become angry with anybody, I got angry with only Swami. Because he was available, but he was in Puttaparthi, I got so angry because I was disappointed in my program. In could not utter a word in front of my people, my mother would have taken me to task, so the safest place is get into the bathroom, bolt and blah..blah and blah..I howled at him…you cannot help me, you only help the rich people this that…that..everything that I could think of and then I wept for a while and then I came out, I did not utter a word to anybody finished ..After about two weeks I get a letter of result saying that I got a seat in Bangalore central college for B.Sc (Honors) or such thing.I had to come away from Mysore to Bangalore. I stayed in my uncle’s house.  Then we heard that Swami had come to our Sudha Raghunath Vasan Venkatraman their house, so with the two aunties I go there I have forgotten happily that I have scolded him, it was ok for me now. I go and stand there..There was no Darshan time Swami would come on and on..people collect that, he opened the door walks glaring at me he is coming towards me ..What happened to him all of a sudden? I didn’t know… what’s wrong?  Why is he glaring at me?  He comes and stands and says ‘ayana..antha muginchava? Inka baki pettukoni unnava?’. Em Swami, I have forgotten, Emi Swami I asked him ..’entha tittedi nanni? nenem chesti neeku, nannu enduku antha tittinavu? Then I realized my god …’thappu ayya swami..please tappu ayya’ then my aunt comes to my aid ‘Swami, adi tittlu kadu Swami, adi nindastuti’ I didn’t know what it was. Adi nindastuti. Then I had to do some research, when Prahalada was saved, hiranya kashipu was killed by Narasimha, he would not come out of that ugrarupaya  I believe this is what I heard later. Laxmi, Narada were all trying to plead to come down.no he was doing…then Laxmi called Prahalada and said you praise him, he will become normal. So, Prahalada starts saying the prayer then suddenly, this is the story we read that in movies. That day this lady’s statement ‘adi titlu kadu Swami, adi nindastuti’ had such an impact..’chudu bangaru, he pulled down, then he tells me ‘chudu bangaru, kopam techukoku, you should not get angry even if you happen to get angry don’t give freedom to your tongue. If and when you give freedom to your tongue , you will regret for life. So, Swami kopam pattukoku ..see that’s how he not only he talks sweetly and then pats our back and says blah..blah..go no, he corrects us, only we have to lend ourselves and take his correction.

One more thing we all have gone to Parthi in a bus. About 50-60 people, ours is a wonderful big gang I tell you 20-30 aunts and uncles and children and all old people…bus load. We go there stay there happily for three days and we are all expecting that Swami will call us for interview, that was the thing and always he called all these 120 people together into the room and we also adjusted you know, because we wanted to hear. We all wanted to hear together, because we never want to miss, so we would all go and that day look, he calls only the husband and wife and these husband and wife  have happily forgotten their children, only those two go, Swami has forgotten us, parents also have forgotten us and only those two go. We were looking, what’s happening? Who is going to care for us? This went on, second couple, third couple, fourth couple..Problem is getting…we have to do something. Then I am supposed to be the ring leader of our group also. So, what happened, when the last but one couple went I just sign language you know, all of you get behind me, so they all joined behind me, I walked stood near the interview room …new Mandir. Then my mother hitler again and Padmanabhan and another..hey don’t start creating all this mischief..get back..Swami has not called you, that is your luck, get back. He said you just keep quiet..I told you. This is between Swami and me you don’t interfere, hold it, then the last couple interview got over, the door opened those two came out grinning away to glory behind them Swami sees we are about 25-30 children all were standing like this grinning away to glory..’ ’meekantha na meekantha korikala?’ interview for all of you. You all wanted to, yes Swami, So he said ‘randi’ the next I looked at my mother and uncle and , so we all went in. He stands at the door, let’s all of us in and then ‘kurchondi..kurchondi’, very religiously and very obediently we all sat. Then he locks the door not even an adult ant could enter, bandh , only we and Swami sits ..Swami kurchondi. Andaru kurchondi, he sits on the chair. He looks at all of us..ha..our age group I tell you from an LKG child up to the B.Sc child. That was our group. Then Swami says ‘adanandi emi mee korikalu’ what do you want to ask me? Ask..in kannada we call peddu shikamani..duds of first order. We didn’t know what to ask. We never ever had that occasion and we did not have anything to ask and knows everything. What does they do ask? So grinning away’adagandi emi korikalu..adagandi…emi adagandi ledu’sitting then he looks at all of us by that time my cousin who is sitting next to me pokes me from the back, hey ask for the results, what happens? Like a stupid, I spoke ‘Swami memantha konthamandi board exam kattinamu Swami ..maa result emavutundi’ we have given board exam ..7^th standard about 4 or 5, 10th standard about 3 or 4, then intermediate not intermediate..PUC, no it was intermediate, BA degree and all classes were there. Swami, maa result emavutundi? Sheepishly grinning I asked him, then he looks into each one of our eyes, oh God, we were shivering, he looks at everyone and says ha andaru pass avuratu, okaru tappa, everyone will pass but for one. God, this is inviting trouble, you or me or you or you who? And he would never continue ha antha namaskaralu chesukondi. With all sad face we all did namaskar, then he took Vibhuthi put all on the faces and ‘inka vellandi’. Friends, that was the first time and last time we ever ever asked him for results. What a way to teach, if we have done well, the result is in our hands, if we have not done, what will he do? What a simple statement. It never occurred to us and then later he calls my mother and says ‘chudu Sundaramma..when kalpavruksham vachi mundu nilabadi em kavala?’ wish fulfilling tree will come and stand before and says what do you want? And these people ask me for coffee powder Sundaramma.. How do you like it? That was the first and last time our group ever asked him for the result. Study, do well,  result will keep searching you, don’t ask him and bother him for results.

Our uncle as a youngster had a hernia problem. He had the hernia problem, he himself was not aware. Once he went to see Swami, in somebody’s house ..Nagaratnamma house or whose ever house it was with his father. And there Swami comes then pats his abdomen here …’niku ikkada noppi undi kadu?’ who went and told him? God knows? Sit, ‘nenu chusukuntanu le after’ 6 months, both the son and the father go to Parthi then this man was sitting for Bhajan in the old mandir..he comes and pats his back and says ra..We call him bapu..he went..he went behind Swami, Swami takes him to his bed room where he makes him lie on his back, materializes a knife, how do you like it? So, the hernia was taken out and then he comes out and calls Kasturi or somebody else, you are not able to hear what? So, he calls and says ikkada okka bed arrange cheyyi. Abbayi knocham rest teesukonniyi. This is yoga kshemam vahamyaham. There are severa,several, several I ant go into the details. One very very interesting emphatic, eye opening miracle I want to share with you. It was again Dusshera our Bangalore gumpu you know our uncles and aunts. Nearly 50-60 members ..they are planning to go together and Parthi those days old Mandir time, until 50 we could not get a match box or salt available in that place. We had to carry even that with us. So, these people all stalwarts they plan a Parthi program, fifty people some children and all, they say, let us not get down at Penukonda. Then just the n this Hindu, muslim galata was going on the eve of independence lots of problems  no safety, so these people you know wisdom personified, they said they would go to the next station than Penukonda. Beyond Penukonda there is a place called Makajipalli, these people said we will arrive in Makajipalli. There we will engage 8 bullock carts for your information eight bullock carts to accommodate these 50-60 people. Then from Makajipalli to Puttaparthi travel by bullock cart, adventure. Actually when I think now  Makajipalli, Penukonda and Kothacheruvu form a triangle almost .So, they had taken one cook.  40 to 45 women and 20-25 children and then only three men poor fellows only three men. One of them was my grandfather, one was one uncle and the other fellow was a cook because we were very very well planned. We wanted to take a cook so that he will be all the time cooking, we are not going to cook because we want to be with Swami, so that cook was also there. And the carts came they came to that Kothacheruvu eeru..that is the river even now it is there. So, we need to do is to cross the river and go to the other side of the Kothacheruvu village. The river if I remember correctly 12-15 feet wide that’s all, but the banks were very sloppy, you understand my this thing sloppy. So the cart that comes there will have to go down like this, cross the river go up and go to the level. When the carts reached that spot, these bullock cart fellows they started talking with each other in their language. It’s not possible to go’. Why?  The river was in spate. The river has come to almost to the level of the ground and they said forget going to Puttaparthi, the carts cannot be taken across the river.When my grandmother told you know‘what are you talking?’  We have been coming to Puttaparthi since the last 5 years. Then when the argument was going on, to the right side they see about 8 , we as youngsters call them negros, where will the negros come there, they were so dark, very hefty, turdy tall men, eight of them sitting there and these people the cart men said ‘chudandi  veellu chudnandi’ , they were pointing to our elders. Then that fellow said ‘what do they want?’ …’emiti vaalla gola?’what are they doing? What is their problem? Then these cart fellows said, they want to cross the river and go to Puttaparthi today, it’s impossible, the river is in floods. Then they take out that thing, shake it, come and stand near these cart fellows ‘entha istaru?’ how much will you give? The accent and the face, I can’t forget. How much will you give? How much should we give, some twenty rupees or so they must have asked for one cart. Our people very economical, very intelligent they dilly-dallied and made it to ten rupees per cart. So, they have to give ten rupees per cart to take them across the river in spate. When what they did? They said ‘ andaru digandi’they made all the people get down. Our people though more after emotion than science, so fat ones all the four ones in one cart, kids in one cart like that it was not evenly balanced. So these fellows come, later as I grow up I analyze, they pulled everybody down and they rearranged the passengers for each cart. My God! These people are going to do something for us; they are pulling us out of the cart. What are they going to do? Then they come…4 in the cart is here, 4 to the left of the cart, 4 to the right of the cart, you know what they did? They have their shoulders to the beam to the bullock cart, so four of them two in front of the wheel, two behind the wheel. Same way two there, that side they would give their left shoulders, this side they would give their right shoulders and not only that, and I tell you there was no Sai Ram those days. Sai Ram theme only after the Delhi people came. Till then we had only one word Swami. Swami, Swami, Swami, Swami was our chant and these fellows gave their shoulders and then they screeched and howling sound you know it’s frightening to remember also. All were shouting. This strategy is when they screech and shout and start running the bulls will get frightened they start running away thinking that some wild animal will come. When they run this people run, so the cart is moving not only that they get into the water, bull starts swimming these fellows with the wind swim and took the cart to the other side. Can you believe it? And  I was a science teacher and I will give you the details, the cart did not cross it went nearly sixty degrees this side the force of the water, so one cart goes, when the cart is going people in the cart close their eyes Swami, Swami, Swami the people on this side, are we going through that? Swami, Swami, Swami. This was the drama, it was around 4’o clock or so 4:30, then cart by cart, cart by cart the cart goes like this, it becomes like this they will blink. These people should we go like this? The drama was over, all the carts were there and those 8 fellows ‘padeyandi dabbu’ throw the money at us. These people humbly placed not more only eighty rupees to them. These people are seeing they went and disappeared. In their anxiety they did not even note it that was the saddest part of the episode. They didn’t note, those fellows came only to carry them across and they disappeared. Then we go further, the carts would go faster because the weight is all balanced well the carts were about two to three for long, the sky became so dark and it started drizzling. We were still on the border of Kotha Cheruvu. We had to go to Puttaparthi. What to do? What to do? My God! ‘enduku Swami mamalni ila pariksha chestaru?’ that is the only thing they could do. At that time an 18-20 year old boy walks in front of us. He holds his dhoti like this has a torch comes and stands in front of us and says ‘ekkadiki velutunnaru?’. Where are you going at this hour? Meeru Puttaparthi povala. The basic fear was this muslims would attack us the hindus. For the muslims the hindus would attack them. That was the common problem both had. So we could not trust anybody and everybody who comes there. ‘Memu Puttaparthi ki povalayya ..ippudu poyedaniki kadu’ you can’t go? It’s pouring. Wait, he just runs and comes back with the keys of the school building which is by the side. He opens the school door asked us all to stay there for the night. Then, ‘intha mandi pillalu unnaru..bhojanam emaina unda leda? Look at the concern. They our people are very well prepared, carrying loads of food for out night. ‘Bhojanam undayya ..pillalu, palu’ he runs and gets a pot full of hot milk. ‘teesukondi antha pandukoni podduna lechi velluduru’ I never knew that we should thank him. Anyway we accepted it, we stayed there that night. Next morning he comes at about 5:30 itself with hot milk for the children. I don’t what these people said, we got to the carts and then we moved on, the sky was clear and everybody rejunevated, we raced to Puttaparthi without any hassle any more. And even as we reached the entrance that day happened to be the first day of Dusshera. Our wonderful elders had miscalculated and started an amavaysa day we should not, so amavaysa day taught us a lesson I should say. The next day was Dusshera It should have started. No sign of any Dusshera there, then some people were sending ‘meerena..meerena’ what memena? ‘meerena Bengaluru bhakhtulu’ yes, what’s wrong? Swami has been telling since yesterday morning ‘na bhakhtulu tondaralo chikkukuni unnaru’ My devotees are caught in problems. I must go, I must go. So, he went in for a trance around 3:30, we never knew we have heard that he would go in trance. We never knew that he would come in trance for our sake. So, he went in trance from between 3:30 to 5:30 he was in trance, he did not come out of the room at all. Then ‘papam, thondarlo chikkukunnaru chala kastapadutunnaru’. Then again at 5:30 he goes into trance, then 6:30 no food, nothing he goes , those people told us, otherwise how do we know? They said, ‘Swami chala cheptunnaru amma’ Swami said his devotees, meerena? Are you those devotees? How do we know we are them? Later, Swami comes out ‘antha kshemanga vachinaru kadu?’ All of you reached safely no. Em Swami idi, our people you know ‘ponile nenu untiga nenu chusukuntiga’ then we connect his words and interpretation. Oh! Bhagavantha! ‘Yoga Kshemam Vahamyaham’. Is it the way you did for us? Friends, We have never ever excused us for given him that pain of carrying eight carts. This is Swami! It will go on and on. And quickly I want to tell you one thing. He took my grandfather Narayanan Sharma, my father’s father to the river bed. He used to say ‘Sharma, chudu chudu..em chusedi’ river water was very clear not like that of today. Chitravathi river was wonderfully clean and full of water. He shows the ‘Dasavathara’ ..the Dasavathara in the running water. Scene after scene this man got so bewildered. Dasavathara in the running water shown by a seventeen old year boy. Can you believe it? We have to because it was our own grandfather who did. That was for him and to my grandfather that is my mother’s father he shows him the third eye. Oh God! That man became possessed. Swami said put him in the room. Don’t let him come to me, if he touches me, finish. So, my grandfather was locked in the room for three days. Fed with food and water through the door and we were all lying in the verandah that time. Suddenly in the middle of the night, Sai Rama, Sai Rama one person starts running around Prashanthi Nilayam. A mad man has come, that was our first reaction. That was Honappa Bhagavatha. Have you heard his name? Who is he? The great actor, singer harikatha dasa Honappa Bhagavatha. He showed an avatar to him. These were the ways he ___complete the sentence.

Now, my granbdfather in the same situation, Swami had gone away, the mandir was built, the flooring was yet to be done, lot of work was going on. My grandfather was very ritualistic about pooja, arthi and all. He would go from the old mandir to the new mandir offer Aarthi. Sometimes the people the workers they would ring the bell, the third door, the gents entrance bell was there. Somebody had to stand there and had to ring the bell this man would stand near the sanctum sanctorum and give Aarthi. That particular day, nobody was available. How can we forego the Aarthi? So, my grandfather worked. He got a large piece of camphor and the match box ready. He ran near the bell, swung it with full force so that it will ring for some time and then he ran back to his place started doing the Aarthi and he thought if the bell becomes slower, ringing of the bell becomes slower, he will keep the Aarthi down run again, ring the bell. Then you know, this is his strategy. Then he started taking the Aarthi ‘om jay jagadeesha hari..” not a small song quite a lengthy song. This man started singing, goes on singing looks at the bell, bell is swinging away to glory. By the time the first verse and half verse was over anandaashalu. Swami, nee Aarthi ki nuvve bell kottukovala ayya? He asked. You have to ring the bell for your own Aarthi, what a pity Swami? The old mandir people are saying why is the bell ringing so loud? They were curious. Parthi was very prashantham those days. Not noisy like today. so, those people heard and said, My God! This is the lesson for us. Thatha, they used to call my grandfather thatha, thatha from tomorrow onwards everytime you go for Aarthi one of us will come. How does he teach lessons sir? How does he teach lessons to us the great devotees?

And one more thing Vanabhojananu.  He used to take us to the river bed ‘chitravathi’ and our people the boys like you were used to get every excited and the girls we were not anyways bad. The elders said ‘Swami, we will spend the whole day there in chitravathi river bed. Who is going to give us the food? We will cook food. So, they planned and carried all the provision they took there and they cooked the food then you can also see Swami there, this is the photo of 50’s, you can’t help. Swami goes and our people they were very very ritualistic, what do you call it orthodoxy, we should not eat food with everybody and you know we have to cook our own food. Brahmins  agreed. I should not use the word. So, they cooked it separately and the others cooked it separately. Swami went to both the groups and took the food, he sat and ate. By the time he finished, all of us are having food then boys hats off to them. Swami, why can’t we have uyyala? What do you call it ? Jula. So, they cut a branch of one tree, tied it with some cot, all you know such country level Jula, they build it and then Swami was asked to sit on it and everybody swinging him to glory. Then you know what my mother and aunts did, we must have nice jula songs. So they started composing Jula songs, this was the type of Chitravathi leela mahimalu. After that is over, ‘konda ekkuthama?’ He would motivate people. Shall we climb the hill? Yes Swami, Yes Swami. So, all of them started to climb the hill. So, we climbed the hill, all the men, young boys like you run behind Swami, Swami was the fastest runner, put his foot here there and he is at the top. These boys try to reach him and we tried to manage. But, on the ladies side there was a trench, you know what a trench is? A l pit  ong pit, they could not cross over it and our aunts and other elders you know one baby in the fist, one baby in the hand you know they have to carry children. So, they were stuck on this side. Youngsters, men folks and Swami went away to the other side. So mine one grand mother ‘Swami, emi idi?’ she shouts from this side to him. ‘Emi, nenu vasta, nenu unnaga’. I am there no. so, he comes running down and then he stands on one side of the trench, he lends his hand like that and helps the ladies to cross over. Can you believe it? Now, all these ladies, one after the other one by one they all crossed over. And then they went up kalpavruksha whatever you wish for you get. So, he used to get many many things let us not go into that. Then my grandmother gives one more call and says Swami ‘emi utta idi datisthe chaladu Swami. It’s not enough if you help us cross this trench. You have to help us cross this bhavasagara Swami. What a prayer? And what a situation? Well, what a person?  Hats off to her again. ‘Andikegani vacchindedi’. The assurance, for that sake I have come. I helped you to cross, come we will go. Friends, how can we forget? Come down it is already 6’o clock, everybody come down as fast as possible. ‘undandi vasta’ again he goes up my God!, some of the boys ran after him, then he goes suddenly he hears a voice, kanipistunda  kanipistunda emi ekkada near the kalpavruksha tree a whirling wheel, you know I compare even today this crackers when you play for Diwali, that Vishnu chakra you have seen, that’s what we used to do. God knows what types of crackers you have nowadays. That Vishnu chakra it would be whirling with all you know, it was like that a huge one two feet diameter, right in the middle, Swami face that chakra is going Swirling away, then he asks kanapadutunda? Many of them said, Yes Swami, kanapadindi, meeru vacheyandi. We did not want Swami there. But, unfortunate souls were there. Swami, maaku kanapadadu. Ayyo karmane..everybody was saying, but some of them can’t see. Then he says ‘ippudu chudandi’ then I realized. Even for Arjuna, he couldn’t see the Vishwaroopa he had to give a special eye to see. May be these devotees were given special eyes to see that chakra. Anyways, Swami thank you for the wonderful wonderful experience.Now, you have seen that right in front of Ganesha temple there is a naga mantapa, whatever they call it, we call it naga mantapam. That was opened by, that was built by my uncles, my father’s brother and my father’s sister’s husband. When they did they wanted to do elsewhere. Swami said, you do here only. So that was the function done in 1953 or so in the new mandir. But one poem how Swami tests you I want to tell you. ‘idigo, e naga pujaku meeru naatho cherukuntara?’ because the birthday crowd was there swelling. In order to feed them all, we have to have enough strength. So, Swami asked them ‘will you join me?’ or should I join you? That was the question. Will you join me? Or should I join you? My aunts were very smart. Swami a river or a pool can go to the ocean Swami, ocean can’t come to this. So, we will join you. How do you like it? So, Swami said yeah ‘chestam’. The way he went in procession round the Prashanthi Nilayam three times with the uncles who carried that naga stone, statues. And all the rituals were followed. Then he came on, he materialized a metallic plate he put in. Then after that, Aarthi was given, the garland specially got from Bangalore from neck to toes. Everything is there, now to Swami’s left and right is my uncle, my father’s brother and his wife, to the right is my father’s sister and her husband. Then ‘photo teesukuntam Swami’ so, they got the photograph taken and then my uncle you know very very special program it is. So, he never trusted the photographers of Bangalore, so he mailed it to Madras, Chennai to get that developed in the best possible way. And the film went to Madras, after one week or so the photo came, these four people with their mother opened it, they got a shock of their life. Because, you see the circle there that circle near the garland there was the hood of the sarpa. There was the hood, so these people my God where did it come from. We were there, we were so close. So they ran to Parthi. They said Swami, ‘idi em Swami idi?’mee poojaku naagappa trupti chendi vachinadu. When he went to, he felt very happy with your Pooja, so he came. But we didn’t see Swami. None of us saw, if it was visible but for me all of you would have run away. This is Swami. That’s naga pratishta. Friends, when we go there when we see the naga’s being worshipped morning till evening day in and day out, what a boon he gave us. Do offer him, that’s one thing I am really really happy.

The last and the most important is ‘Akhanda Bhajan’. Now the main attraction for our group to go to Parthi on and on was Bhajan.. Bhajan, Bhajan, Bhajan. Nothing else. Now these Bhajans those days were songs. So, every possible language every possible method, every possible type we would sing, he would sing, it was wonderfully wonderful. Now, our people coming away to Bangalore till they went to Parthi the next time, there won’t be any Bhajan. They felt miserably miserable. They said, why can’t we have weekly Bhajans in our own houses? So it started, six families, by turn Bhajan from 6 to 8’o clock. Now it was a family involvement. Husbands have to come from the office. The children need to go from the schools and these women would go from the houses, collect together and sing Bhajans. And the Bhajans went on. They were happy, they never went and told Swami we are doing a Bhajan now. We did it for our own boy. After about three or four months one of the ladies that lady is Ankamma her choultry is in Magdi. I will come to it later. That lady, she said Sundaramma why don’t you come to our house for Bhajans once please in our house and do bhajans in our house, because Swami likes our Bhajan so much. She said, yeah its Thursday..its bhajan we can go. So, these people went Bhajan over. After four or five days Swami had come to Bangalore. As usual, my mother went to have his Darshan. He came at her glaring ‘ekkada poyintivi?’ ..Thursday, where had you been on Thursday. Why Swami? I went for Bhajan. No, I came to your house; such a big lock was dangling on your door. I went to Subadramma’s, I went to Janakamma’s, I went to Lalithammas house, I went to Susheelamma’s, I went to Jaya devamma’s house, six families. All the houses are such big locks dangling. Where had you been? My mother was a smart lady. Swami, artha maindi. Tappu telisindi. We understood our mistake. Next time, from today onwards we will never go anywhere on Thursday for Bhajan. So,these people analyzed I tell you smart aunties, If he come and sees the lock on the door on a Thursday, if the door is open, he should come in, isn’t it? For our Thursday bhajans. Simple analysis. He can come and see the lock and go, why can’t he come and enter the house also. But how do we know? That he has come. They had a solution also. A flower will fall. So, if the flower used to fall, to show his arrival how should we sit for Bhajan? Concentration, no turning this side, because I don’t want to be told. ‘ee poolu padaledu, chudaleda?’ no I had to see it personally first hand. Sometimes only one petal would fall. One time only the flower would move. Like this he kept us so concentrated, so occupied, and so involved doing Thursday bhajans. And I am again I am proud of my elders, they said children also should learn. So the last half an hour all tiny tots, we would be allowed to sing Bhajans. How we sang God knows. But we sang, it’s a total family participation. This went on and on. One year was getting over I was rushing through. When one year is coming they all said we must celebrate, one year’s consistent Bhajan we have done we should celebrate for our own self. How do we do? How do we do? The house which is tolerably bigger amongst the six houses will be the venue. Then this ration was a problem. They would give only weekly grains to us. No provision, no grocery was sold in the shops. So, these people said one week’s grocery, one week’s ration we will give it for this function. That too we have to manage with that, we can’t get. We are not moneyed people, so give five five rupees for Puja articles, six houses you know thirty rupees that should be enough. And all the elders will not have the food, autonomy. Only the youngsters will be fed. Friday morning prasadam we will all have. This was the plan. But more than all this we must have a wick a special wick and that wick has to kept in an earthen lid and then gold and we have to burn the lamp with only ghee. And what should be the wick? 365 days in a year. So 365 wicks you make thin ones, wind them then keep it. All this was their plan, nobody told. Then they sent my mother and my grandfather used to go and get blessings from Baba and come. He used to go, Swami is in old mandir. Hey Sundaramma, em vachesinaru..randi..em samacharam? Swami we are going to do Akhanda Bhajan, we want your blessings. What, you are going to do my Akhanda Bhajans? And you don’t want me, you want my blessings what is this? Swami asked no no Swami. If you come, it will be very difficult for us to control the crowd, it is very difficult for us to manage. So, don’t come. Give us the blessings, ayyo chudu ..IGP(Inspector general of police) one Mr. Ranjoth Singh then it was Karnataka not Bangalore..no..it was Mysore. So, the IGP was standing, chudu Ranjoth Singh ‘nenu vachindede Bhajana ku, nenu vachindede bhaktiki’ see Ranjoth Singh, I have come only for Bhakthi. I have come only for Bhajan. These people are wanting to do 24 hour Bhajan and they don’t want me to go, tell them. Swami requesting IGP to tell. ‘Yaku Sundaramma’ you don’t understand, you keep quiet. No Swami, if you come lot of people will come, how do we manage? We are like to be humiliated, please don’t come, give us Prasad. Then that Ankamma in whose we did Bhajan one day, Sundaramma our choultry is free, we will give you please do it there. You don’t understand, commutation and all that will be very difficult, you keep quiet. My mother snubbed her then Ranjoth Singh says I will give you a jeep and a driver, keep quiet, please. Oh God! The problem is becoming from back to whatever you call it. There was one Mr. Venkatappa florist in city market. He was there, Sundaramma, I will do the decoration, please don’t say no. And then Nagamani amma she was the daughter in law of Poornayya, Dewan of Mysore. She said Sundaramma, none of us had a big photograph also. Namma manele doddu photo ide. I will give you that please, this is going to be, then my mother sits in front of Swami listen to me Swami don’t humiliate us. Our honor has to be guarded, promise me, then you can come. Sundaramma ‘ne kalpavrikshame vachinanu, vastunannu, neekemi tondara?’ why are you worried, I am a wish fulfilling tree, I am coming. Oh, these two people had no go. They both came back listening to these all the other members said my God, this is agni pariksha. They very heartily sort of heartily donated one more weeks ration. One more week we can go fasting doesn’t matter. So they did, Swami arrives on Wednesday itself can you baited..to Magadi road choultry by himself. Somebody brought him and the best part was Swami is talking, elders were talking, people coming with bag and baggage and trunks and what not groups. So our elders said no no, this is a private function, no invitations are sent, this is a private function please. Why are you bothered? Swami came to dream in the last night and told us to come, so we have come. Then also my mother Swami give me permission let me go to the city, make some arrangements you are thrusting a big problem on my head. Pichi Sundaramma, the way he would address her, ayyo Sundaramma kalpavrukshame vachhi nee mundara nilichi unte why should you go here and there? Go, go the minute your bags become empty getting them to me is your duty, filling them is my duty, forget all this. Go, Anandanga bhajana cheyyi Sundaramma. What more do you expect from friends? That twenty four hour bhajan went on oh god, it was heaven. The songs went on without a break. Our very very scrupulous, one bhajan is getting over, the last line being sung, the second song shoots up, because there should not be a break because it is Akhanda bhakana not khanda bhajana. Twenty four hour Bhajan went on, he was wonderfully happy, he stayed there throughout. Next morning the hall is crowded, we have to give Prasad. My grandmother she comes, Swami come,  he was about 20-22 years and my grandmother was nearly 50-60 years, she would call him come and go like this like a young boy. Swami come, first see the crowd, have a look at this crowd. After mangala Aarthi, we were supposed to feed them all, come with me to the kitchen, Swami takes it to the kitchen, these are the items which we can and have prepared. Don’t get us humiliated see akshayam, she orders Swami to say akshayam and Swami like an obedient boy   akshayam akshayam akshayam vesuko po, endarikaina vaddicchu, po, that was akhanda bhajan. The third year, he have another challenge, second year he didn’t come, Sundaramma, will you be able to sing only Sai hare, baba hare for 24 hours?  Oh God! Till then only songs we were singing. And now he wants us to sing only Sai hare, baba hare for twenty four hours. Try chestam Swami, I told you know my mother was, then she calls her friends and all come on and they were equally challenging. One fast Sai hare first.. Sathya Sai Hare Sai hare Sai Baba hare… baba hare jai baba hare jai baba hare jai baba hare jai sai hare sathya sai hare hare..only sai baba hare twenty four hours . You know what our people did? They composed Sai hare baba hare hundred ragas different different tunes and these people Swami had not expected. Next morning he comes and sits there he is blinking away to glory these people are singing sai hare after sai hare twenty four hours that was the challenge given to us and that was how we took it and then Swami says ‘chala anandanga undi Sundaramma, kani andariki idi pattadu..sai hare sai hare sai hare..next time nunchi anni devundla peru cheppandi’. How do you like it?

And one more Akhanda Bhajan I tell you about 1969 or 1970 I was not there I was in rishi valley these people there is one lady among us called Manipal Shyam  who is the composer of ‘paramam pavithram baba viboothim’ that’s the lady who did. I just told hey Mani. Vibhooti melo bhajane madu bhagavatgita mele madu. But that bhajan turned out to be a hit and accepted by Bhagawan. So that lady had composed wonderful wonderful bhajans I tell you you will all fall for it I know fully well. Those bhajans she had composed and our people will sing it every Thursday for five weeks before Akhanda Bhajan, learn and rehearse it, because we have to present it well. And when they were sitting and rehearsing the sister there where is she go..ha she is my first sister she felt so carried away by the beautiful tunes and then by that time Swami would move about. After the bhajan started he would sit for sometime go there go here come back like that continuously he will not listen so she made a statement Mani, we will tie up to the chair this time, these bhajans are so beautiful he has to sit and listen to it. we will tie him up to a chair. And the other girls Yashoda tied him up Krishna to a chair. They are tying Krishna to a chair, we will do that ha ha ha. They all laughed and that was over I didn’t know. Then, After that the bhajan started, it was in Golden jubilee hall Lal bagh. I never heard one bhajan because I came that morning the other story the bhajan starts evening hall was crowded outside the whole lalbagh area was crowded and Dr. Chander who is Dr. Sundaresans father  he was also a ortho, Swami there is going to be a stampede. What shall we do? They are all wanting to come in. what will I do? he said. No Swami, you have to listen to us. Come on, tell me Swami, you climb on to the top of the ambassador car; you sit on that so that everybody can have a look. How do you like it? So, this man gets a chair lifts Swami to climb get up on the chair then on to the bonnet on to the top of the ambassador car, then he puts a chair there then Swami sits there and the crowd went mad, the hillock you know which was on the side of the golden jubilee hall in Lalbagh. It’s a sloppy hillock people were all there, everybody started screaming Sathya Sai Baba ki jai, Sai Baba ki Jai and Swami sits there and the bhajan inside is wonderfully wonderfully wonderful.  Now I see Swami  I too have not told bhajan before he too not heard before. He sees looks at me and says the bhajans are very good in sign language, I get motivated. I run to the verandah hey this Bhajan Swami likes keep singing this then they started singing second time then I come he says there are so many other bhajans why are you taking out, get last. So the bhajans were really beautiful after 7:30 or so he came and sat inside that was then he made a statement. These devotees when they sing soul stirring bhajans they tie me up with their bhajans. Bhagavantham I forget whether I am the divinity and they are devotees. Or they are divinity and I am the devotee. That is the strength of the Bhajan. How do you like friends? This is what Swami sang and the bhajan went on and of course we have to satisfy like that next morning after winding up after the Aarthi we go our group is given special time to spend with him and Swami he sitting on a chair we all go in, voice has become hoarse 24 hours non-stop bhajans you know continuously singing. So then he says ‘randi randi’ we all went in ha kurchuni bhajan cheyandi. Have you heard? 24 hours we have sung sung and sung and here he asks bhajan cheyandi I thought something is wrong. With him or me and we were thinking and then my sister said Swami, throat is hoarse, I can’t even, I can’t, ikkada ra she goes, he materializes vibhuthi gives her go put it in water drink it and come. God she takes the vibhuthi, goes to the kitchen, puts it into the water and the voice has become original, so she comes and sings..ha padandi bhajanlu. So one after the other they are singing all the new compositions, he is enjoying the and in the middle he asks me adena? Is that the bhajan? I don’t know is it that or not and then by the time 6 or 7 bhajans were sung our girls I know I told they were very smart they all started emotional. We said we will tie him up to a chair, he himself ties him to the chair and sits and listens to the bhajan Swami, then Swami asks Mrs. Ratan Lal who happened to be there, Ratan Lal ‘veelantha enduku edustunnaru’ why are they all crying? That lady innocently says muhje nahi malum Swami, Mrs. Ratan Lal. ‘Idi edupu kadu idi anandashulu’ but what do you expect friends and everybody is carried away. That was bhajan. Twenty five years we did one day he announces in the same golden jubilee hardly six to eight families are the loka Kalyana they did this  Akhanda Bhajan for 25 long years. I am very pleased. I am satisfied naku chala truptiga undi. Inka meeru veliginche okka deepam henceforth will light the whole globe. This Akhanda bhajan will become global bhajan ‘mee bhajana naaku chala santhoshamichindi bangaru, chala santhosham’.  How do you like it?  The Akhanda bhajan in order to satisfy ourselves which our adults started as a past time in their own house has been elevated up to the global bhajan and he says I am happy. What more do we need than to please him? So Akhanda Bhajan we good bye. Then my sister asked Swami, if the elders are not able to do why not we? We will carry on Swami that was positive approach, you know what he said, ‘bangaru bhajanaku pedda chinna, ada maga ledu undadu, bhakthi margam andaru samanulu, mee seva naku trupti nichindi, chalu’. This is the great Akhanda Bhajan. 25 long years we did it with full zeal and he gave us the maximum joy one can ever dream of. In one sequence he says Sundaramma, ‘bhaktulaku bhagavantudi ki avinabhava sambandham’  the relationship between the divinity and the devotee is not to be altered. It is there but if devotees ‘bhaktula anandame na aharamu’ he has told many times but one sentence he said if you are milk I am the whiteness of the milk, can anyone separate the milk from whiteness? That is the avinabhava sambandham. So, friends I am highly overjoyed I should say for you people giving me the joy of re living. Every incident I have gone through several more no time to share with you each and every incident is etched in our brain so much that we are, but he will never say he is not there. He is with us..intane, ventane, jantane we feel him we feel him he gets it done even today. So, he is hrudayastayi. Sathya Sai nee hrudaya sthayi ayi unda pichi bayamulu neekenduku, why should you be afraid of all the small things that’s the thing. Anyway Thank you all, very very much for giving me this chance of reliving the good old days. Thank you very much!!