The year that has gone by witnessed a number of Youth Programmes by various states and even contingents from overseas. Sathya Sai Seva Organisations persistent effort to motivate the youth in India and overseas was with the vision to make every youth an Ideal Sai Youth, Messengers of Sai Love to help light the lamp of love in the heart of humanity, to help awaken the Divinity inherent in humankind and to bring the world together as one family under the Fatherhood of God. Picking the cue from the motivation received from the previous years, the surge seemed to be on as the youth from the state of Andhra Pradesh organized a three day pilgrimage to the valley of peace, bringing a maximum percentage of fresh faces, initiating them into the fraternity to become an Ideal Sai Youth and thus becoming worthy instruments in His Mission Divine.
More than 1,500 youth from the State of Andhra Pradesh, both men and women, all graduates were brought to Prasanthi Nilayam on a three-day pilgrimage starting from 18th June 2009, under the auspices of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Andhra Pradesh. Aptly titled “Prema Vahini”, a musical drama, was on the central theme of Bhagawan’s all conquering love for humanity. At the outset, the cast of the drama offered their obeisance to Bhagawan and a few lady youth members welcomed the Lord offering traditional Poornakumbham. The programme commenced with Bhagawan lighting the lamp on the dais.
It was during the year Sarvajith, Ugadi 2007 that Bhagawan had spoken of a new initiative, a project for village integration, by name, Sri Sathya Sai Village Integration Programme. Speaking on the greater importance of village integration, and the plight of the villages in India, Bhagawan had urged on the necessity for permanent solutions.
“Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization should strive towards resolving long standing problems in villages. They should provide minimum necessities like education, medical services, and supply of basic amenities like water. The service activities conducted by the organization should aim towards eradicating problems from the root to provide permanent solutions to the village hence contributing to the progress of the nation”.
Picking the right notes from His message, the enthusiastic Youth from the state of Andhra Pradesh embarked on various service activities in the villages in line with His instructions and teachings.
The programme began with a declaration by the youth that, “Prema Vahini” was not a figment of imagination; rather it was based on real life incidents and the cast were real grama seva heroes who went into the depths of the problems of the villagers serving them with responsibility knowing well the burden, the accountability of the Badge of Sathya Sai Seva Organisations. The villages, especially Satropalam and Giripuram in Krishna district had been suffering from acute scarcity of drinking water, owing to the presence of saline content. A desalination plant, costing Rs. 15 lakh was commissioned by the state Sri Sathya Sai Organisations solving the misery of drinking water scarcity. Similarly, in some areas of Prakasam district where water fetching facility was not available, construction of water tanks was undertaken by the organization sending the ‘elixir divine’ to the poor hapless villagers. More than eighty houses were constructed, replacing the old model thatched huts with pucca RCC construction providing shelter to the needy. Schools were also constructed in some areas of the districts guiding the young wards to the world of knowledge. The presentation, a medley of different scenes, was weaved compiling the inspirational stories based on the above service activities, adding scenes from the villages, from the illustrious life of Young Sathya Sai disseminating the essential message of Bhagawan’s unbounded love for humanity and the need to practise His often quoted maxim, “Love all Serve all”.
The scene opens with three youth expressing their aspirations to Sarathi, an educated person of leading an affluent and extravagant life. Sarathi who leads a simple life in the village serving the villagers, with his lofty views, prevails upon the three youth to take to the path of service, claiming that Bhagawan has rendered yeoman and selfless service to humanity; one has to emulate Bhagawan in this respect.
In the next scene, little Sathya on hearing the cries of a poor man rushes to him with food. When His mother notices his soiled clothes and asks the reason for it, He tells her that He was helping the villagers by carrying water on His shoulders, suspending two pots on a wooden rod on both the ends. The mother seeing the fame of Little Sathya and hearing people say that He is God, gets worried as to whether He would leave Puttaparthi. Then Sathya promises his mother that he would never leave Puttaparthi.
The three youth resolve to do Grama Seva. Viswanatham, a pious person prays sincerely to Bhagawan for the well-being of the villagers. The villagers have to trudge 6 kms to get water and have to go far-off distances for schooling. They do not have access to good healthcare. Viswanatham has a noble vision to convert salty water into potable water. The scene ends with Viswanatham praying to Bhagawan for providing villagers with adequate amenities.
The drama was punctuated with songs and dances adding glitter to the presentation. In this scene, there is a talk of the desalination plant. Bhagawan is building houses for the cyclone devastated victims of Orissa; He sent relief material to the earthquake affected victims of Gujarat: He has provided drinking water to the city of Chennai. Somebody opines that a desalination plant would cost a lot and pat comes the reply from another that if there is a noble intention, there will be no shortage of financial resources.
The next scene depicts a Sai Youth helping a villager to carry drinking water. They even assure the villagers that they would help in providing drinking water right at their doorstep. The youth tell the villagers that Baba has sent them to construct permanent houses for them. The villagers express their doubt as to how they would bring construction material to this hilly terrain. By Bhagawan’s grace, desalination plant becomes operational and the villagers get drinking water right at their doorstep. The villagers shed tears of joy and ask the youth as to how they could repay the debt to Bhagawan for all His help. A youth tells them that they need to give up their evil qualities by chanting Sai Ram. That is enough gratitude for Bhagawan.
The cast got a coveted opportunity of being photographed with Bhagawn who chose to climb down the aisle blessing the participants. After the distribution of clothes and watches to the cast numbering over 100, prasadam was distributed to the devout congregation. The little girl who cast young Sathya won special accolade from Bhagawan blessing her with a bracelet. Adding a touch of His omnipresence, Bhagawan, before materializing the same told the little one that He would give her a bracelet as her father would be happy who had lost one. A long spell of bhajans by the Youth group followed until Arathi was offered at 7.15 p.m.
A long session, worthy to take note and emulate! Prasanthi continues to emit the spark of spirit of service to the mankind as is exemplified by Bhagawan through His illustrious life, that He lives as ‘His Life as His Message’!
