《Letters from Shanti Ashram, India》10. Swami Omkar's Centenary Celebrations
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Swami Omkar’s Centenary Celebrations
January 10, 1995
Dear Parents,
Divya conveys her namaskars. Things are going on swiftly here. The festivities started on 6 January. Swami Chidananda of Rishikesh arrived here on the 8th. Every day he is giving talks in the Mandir from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. He is thin and small like another Gandhi – and he radiates such a powerful spiritual Presence, that one is verily carried away on his blissful spiritual carpet, upon seeing him! And his words are drops of nectar, spoken softly and sweetly. He learned Telugu like me so it is simple baby-Telugu, very easy to follow. He immerses us in the Presence of God at his every breath. He mostly talks only how God is everywhere, how that Bliss and Love are inside us, interpenetrating every cell inside and outside us. The Bliss he feels then overwhelms us also!
There are also daily speeches by other prominent Swamis and representatives from different religions, from 3-4:30 PM and 6-7:30 PM every day. Jnaneswari sits for all these sessions, even though not many people come. Only about 100 people come to the talks. Although they have made grand arrangements for the celebrations, the ashram is not drawing big crowds like in Prasanthi Nilayam.
On the 6th they started the Akhanda Bhajan. This means 24-hour a day chanting of “Hare Rama Hare Krishna” mantra, in various tunes and speeds (according to who is leading), constantly until 21 January. It is put on loud-speakers! So we hear it loud and clear, with cymbals, drums and harmonium, all the day and night. Loud speakers have been installed all over the 100 acres, so there is no getting away from it. Can you imagine??! Never mind – let us have the holy ‘moksha mantra’ ringing in our ears day and night for 16 days – then afterwards we again can enjoy God in silence!
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Jeeyar Swami here assigned duties to all the residents. His first idea for me was to sell books. But I told him that I didn’t want the responsibility of keeping correct accounts. Then he suggested I serve food to VIPs. So I had to tell him how I have been clumsy from a young age and it might not be good if rice and rasam dropped onto the silk saris of the VIPs! So then he said maybe I could direct the cleaning of the exhibition site. I told him maybe I could manage that. But the day before the festivities started, he told me that my duty would be to help the girl Aruna in the kitchen. Later I found out that Aruna had asked for me, because she liked me. So now I am here in the inner kitchen - setting the table, refilling pots of rice and vegetables, scrubbing and cleaning up spilt things - like I was doing in Prasanthi Nilayam! But never mind - for 15 months I have been quiet and unmoving, I can manage busy seva for a mere two weeks. Good practice to see God in everything, as Chidananda is stressing!
Only a select few are allowed to eat in Jnaneswari’s dining room (she eats separately, inside): very old devotees of the ashram, plus some special guests like the men who serve and live with Swami Chidananda. It is very busy from 6 AM till 3 PM, and again from 8-10 PM (their dinner time!); from 3-7 PM it is mostly free. Plus Jnaneswari is letting me come for Chidananda’s speeches in the morning.
The atmosphere here is very happy – people are smiling everywhere, old friends meeting and new groups wandering about seeing the ashram. Jnaneswari is busy all day meeting people on the verandah, giving joy to all and inspiring people with her presence. Sai devotees are coming in large numbers, they have bhajan sessions and some make speeches also (some remember me from Prasanthi Nilayam and ask for me!).
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No other foreigners have come, except one German devotee – the same one that was in my room in Anandashram (whom I felt uncomfortable around, in the beginning). This time I didn’t even have to try, I felt spontaneous happiness at seeing another embodiment of the Divine! Also the Delhi lady (who was also in Anandashram) is in our house – so three of us now. After the 21st, I will move into the new cottage Jnaneswari is giving me.
Although Jnaneswari is very busy, she still has time to smile and say a few words to me several times every day. Just to look in her eyes, one verily forgets the world and experiences the Divine! On New Year’s day I had a wonderful dream where Sai was sitting in front of me, very close and vivid, lovingly talking with me, then His form kept changing into Jnaneswari’s and back again!
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.
Love,
Divya
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