SRI SATHYA SAI WORLD YOUTH FESTIVAL 2016 DAY ONE:
SRI SATHYA SAI WORLD YOUTH FESTIVAL 2016 DAY ONE: MORNING SESSION JULY 12, 2016 <https://scontent.fmaa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13686517_1128066583906580_1582453996645385941_n.jpg?oh=43cc94fbef98cc61126a5ab0a1cf5156&oe=58365736> The World Youth Festival 2016 , with a blessings of our beloved Lord, had a grand start in the Sai Kulwanth Hall, the very same hall that was sanctified by the divine with countless darshans, sparshans and sambhashans. The hall this morning was packed to brim. Not sure if they would have even had their breakfast, but all the youth dressed in White were in their seats by 7 am so also were the Sai Sisters dressed in blue sarees on the ladies's side. <https://scontent.fmaa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13620999_1128066790573226_5568711136511887623_n.jpg?oh=3d549cf89083c9e1fb43bb4cec184152&oe=582CC151> The programme started with vedam chantings and close to 150 Youths with orange shawls over them walked into the Sai Kulwanth hall from the Rama gate came to the center, bow down to Swami and took their seats. It was one of it's kind scenes to witness. Just unimaginable how our dear Lord, "Veda Purusha" Himself has brought in the revival of vedas without whom these youths wouldn't have an iota of knowledge about our holy chants. <https://scontent.fmaa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13681027_1128066967239875_3894434302857339224_n.jpg?oh=80259a2e0b81d265b9627c5bd4982209&oe=57ED61DB> The Chief guest for today was the young Minister Mr. Piyush Goyal, the Minister in Mr. Modi's cabinet incharge of Power, Coal and renewable energy. Just as the veda chanting was about to be over, he along with his wife entered into the Sai Kulwanth hall. He had that awe in his face looking at the excellent, vibrant and beautifully decorated Sai Kulwath Hall. <https://scontent.fmaa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13658993_1128067153906523_6774403036186495529_n.jpg?oh=a18be6d9ea474e731df3444164b2eb9d&oe=583125C9> The next thing to happen was representatives from 68 countries, walking up to Swami's Mahasamadhi with their country's flag. Probably Sai Kulwanth Hall is the only place where you can sit next to country's man whose name you wouldn't have heard before. It was just an amazing feeling to see so many countries visiting the spiritual head quarters of the world, Prasanthi Nilayam. As the representatives from each country walked in 2 sisters took turns on the mike to say "Hello" in their language. Excepting Antartica, there were representatives from each continent and every one who were there in Sai Kulwanth hall would have felt the jubilation seeing the multi cultural, multi faith, multi national gathering. After the multi faith prayer, it was the turn of Mr. Shivendra Kumar, the International Youth Co-ordinator who thanked all the youth who spent hours and hours on the internet sharing, planning and conceptualizing the whole Youth Festival where millions of whatsapp messages, photos, videos, music was shared from different nations. He also highlighted the spirit with which this programme is being executed and how the youth were involved in various charitable works taking direct inspiration from Swami. He had a special mention about youth giving up non-vegetarianism and informed the august gathering about a new book which was released which has details of various cuisines from across the world. <https://scontent.fmaa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13620988_1128067290573176_1090609202990199980_n.jpg?oh=e37eda9d58e72813a919b36d4eb39e71&oe=57E97C83> Dr. Narendra Nath Reddy, Chairman of Prasanthi Council spoke in brief the good work done by the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation spread in more than 120 countries. He said the Youth Festival, for the first time was renamed with the word FESTIVAL replacing the word CONFERENCE and starting from this Youth festival, children, who are the future youth, were also given an opportunity to take in this programme. He had a special mention about a special place in Kazakhstan which has a town named as SAIRAM,which also has a river called SAIRAM and also a mountain named as SAIRAM. He thanked the head of Russia Sai Organisation Mr. Valeriy for taking up such a beautiful seva in this SAIRAM town during the month of RAMADAN where 2500 households were served by the Sai Volunteers. He congratulated all the youth, who worked collectively and their efforts were clearly visible in the form of Word Youth Festival today. Amidst cheers he also mentioned about the forth coming grama seva that the International Youth will be participating in 11 villages around Puttaparthi benefitting 2500 house holds. <https://scontent.fmaa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13669113_1128067373906501_4338619683350894468_n.jpg?oh=155bdcf87fe79511f85ffc2ecd16243e&oe=57F9A282> Later All India President of Sri Sathya Sai Organisations, Mr. Nimish Pandya, after thanking the Mr. Piyush Goyal elaborated how Swami spent 90% of His time with the youths as they were the future of the world. He reminded all of us, Swami's famous quotation "LESS LUGGUAGE MORE COMFORT, MAKE TRAVEL A PLEASURE". Mr. Pandya said the only way one would experience this is by forgetting the harm one did for you and the good that you did for others. Mr.Nimish also spoke on 5 Ds and how important it was to practice the last D i.e. Discrimination. He urged the youth to develop the discrimination power so that they become ideal Sai Youth. <https://scontent.fmaa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13669112_1128067640573141_9103369593608167824_n.jpg?oh=93220da5ee10358947ae0e7fd12e18e9&oe=583226E3> The cheif guest for the day, Mr. Piyush Goyal expressed his happiness to be part of such a beautiful event. He remembered the first and only darshan he had of Swami in his life when he came to Prasanthi Nilayam some 15 years ago. He said he didn't get a chance to speak with Swami but he had a soulful darshan. He said when ever he looks at his photos he can still see the twinkle in His eyes and the unique joy in His face. He said, Sri Sathya Sai Baba's life has catalysed immense spiritual growth and he urged all the "misled" youth to come back to the path of love as this is the only path that is approved by God. Taking from where Mr. Nimish Pandya left about the 5 Ds, Mr. Piyush Goyal also added few more Ds which were in Hindi. He spoke about DEH, the body and how important it is to use this body in the right sense and for the whole and soul purpose for which is it gifted to us by God. The next D he spoke on was DESH, the country. He quoted many freedom fighters and how they didn't even care to give up their lives for the country. He urged the Youth to develop that patriotism which is the need of the hour. The last D which he spoke was DAAN, Charity or service which he sadi the Sai world of devotees have been doing in a mass scale. He appreciated the unique programme, VIDYA JYOTHI, a unique programme of Sri Sathya Sai Organisation, where 700 schools will be having a complete revamp by constructing proper buildings, training the teachers, providing basic necessities to the students so that there is a conducive atmosphere created for both the students and teachers to do their duties. The Minister kept the audience in rapt attention with so many beautiful and inspiring quotes from the lives of great men of India like Mahatma Gandhi, Veer savarkar, Bala Gangadhar Tilak and Swami Vivekananda. He also spoke about the electrification project that his government is taking up in more than 500 villages which didn't have power supply till date. The Minister thanked the Trustees, the Prasanthi Council, the devotees for taking up the responsibilty of taking Swami's mission on their shoulders. He stayed through the bhajan sessions and later left for Bangalore. It was indeed a memorable session for the Youth a perfect start to the World Youth Festival 2016 which they have been eagerly looking forward to attend The afternoon session which was a closed session for the Youths started at 1pm where there was quiz programme on Swami and His mission, followed by a play which was intervened with few interviews with dedicated devotees of the Sai Mission and stressing on the topic LOVE IS THE SOURCE. There was also a short talk by brother Aravind and his team where they spoke on the same theme. EVENING PROGRAMME: <https://scontent.fmaa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13659183_1128068480573057_869329195268480127_n.jpg?oh=13277bfd1195b429e7c018d4d5c09d54&oe=57FA9978> The later part of the evening's programme shifted to the Sai Kulwanth Hall where there were talk by Sister Olga Baranova who is Youth Co-ordinator for zone 8, Natioinal youth co-ordinator for Russia with the help of a translator spoke on the importance of seva and shared incidents where Swami inspired her to do seva in rural schools. <https://scontent.fmaa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13619929_1128068773906361_4056310904984914278_n.jpg?oh=f926bbb6f9904cc59dccbf6720563ffa&oe=582F2DF2> Sri. Hariranjan Rao IAS, a senior most bureaucrat, a long time devotee, started his talk, saying even 70,000 horses cannot bring you here unless He wills and urged the devotees not to lose this golden opportunity. Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is considered as one of the top most positions in the Indian Administration and when he actually got into IAS, Sri. Hariranjan said he was in two minds. He was more inclined to settled down in Prasanthi and do Swami's work here. The same evening, there was a laddu prasad distributed in Sai Kulwanth hall and just when he was asking Swami for confirmation, he found the words, MANAVA SEVA IS MADHAVA SEVA (Service to Man is to service to God) on the cover of the sweet. During his tenure as the district collector of Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, he remembered how he worked very hard in building toilets even though many people laughed at him. He thanked Swami for giving a good team who were also on the same page like him. Appreciating his chief minister who always backed him , Sri. Hari ranjan shared details of a closed door meeting which he called as a high power committe with the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Chief justice of High court when they assembled to find a strategy to revamp the education system and the whole team unanimously decided to inculcate Education in Human Values programme which is what Swami started years ago. Being a Sai Devotee, Sri. Hari Ranjan said he always has a big picture of Swami in his office and with His grace, for the last 22 years of his service,he was never asked to do anything wrong. He asked the youth to stick to Swami no matter how difficult the circumstances are. Just imagine oneself prostrating infront of Swami and Swami assuring Bangaru, you go, I will take care. He also asked the Youth not to hesitate to declare that you are Swami's soldier. You just have to walk the path. Just leave everthing success and failure at His lotus feet and see the magic. <https://scontent.fmaa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13619834_1128069020573003_7454277674979225141_n.jpg?oh=c53eb606e6689ef0550ec4dcda81ac48&oe=57F1F961> Later it was the turn of Mr. V.V.S. Lakshman the former cricketer who said Swami had given him so many surprises, right from given an opportunity to play for the country to this wonderful opportunity to be in the Youth Festival 2016. He started his talk explaining how his family consisting of doctors molded him into who he was today. He credited his spiritual upbringing to his paternal grand father who was well versed in Bhagawad gita and because of him he had to know the chapters of the Gita by heart. He said he practiced the 12th chapter of Bhagawad gita in Cricket where the chapter speaks about the jealousy people have on you, how failures and success are part of life. Irrespective of every thing you have to be the same. "Sthitha pragna". He also said how he was in cross roads when he had to choose his career where he was more inclined to become a doctor. On the other hand his cricketing career was also booming. He said it was a tough decision but the inner voice told him to pursue the dream of cricketer but the mind was telling it was a big gamble. Luckily his parents gave the chance for him to pursue his career. He said even though he made a debut in 1996 his career didn't go well. In spite of being a middle order batsman the selectors asked him to open the innings which didn't give him good luck. Lakshman said it was in the year 1997 when the hill view stadium was turned into a cricket stadium just before Swami conducted the UNITY CUP and he was one of the players who came to play in the stadium to assess the conditions. He remembered the interview Swami gave to every one that evening. Swami asked Lakshman if had forgotten what his grand father had taught him. Your mind is clouded because you are thinking that you are controlling everything. Do your duty and leave the results to almighty in spite of learning Gita from grand father. This according to Mr. Lakshman re assured of Swami's omnipresence. Lakshman said ever since Every decision was influenced by Baba. That's when he felt the inner voice was of that Swami. Even when he had to announce his retirement in the year 2012 he followed the inner voice and not even once did he think it was a wrong decision. Mr. Lakshman shared some wonderful incidents with Swami, him and Sachin Tendulkar, about his wife Mrs. Sailaja who from a non-devotee became a staunch devotee, how his son and daughter were named by Swami and so on. What followed was a action packed cultural programme of dance and music which showcased the beautiful cultures around the world. Excellent arrangements were made by the ashram authorities for such a huge gathering. A huge marquee is erected serving delicioius food to all the deligates behind the North buildings. With Pranams at the Lotus feet of our beloved Bhagawan, R. Satish Naik -- --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "saimsg" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
