Alumni Meet – The Genesis & The Journey

The Blossoming Buds

To sit before Bhagawan on New Year day in the magical garden of His love, brings to life Bhagawan’s words from many years ago – “You are flowers in God’s garden, stars in God’s sky…”. Today, each New Year day is the most awaited day of the year for alumni when all of us rush to experience the thrill of Bhagawan’s blessings and love. This garden has blossomed one bud at a time, and all the tending and care has been Bhagawan’s.

The inspiration for the annual meet came from Bhagawan, and the instruments He used to make it a reality were the senior alumni residing in Puttaparthi. In the nineties, after morning interviews, Bhagawan frequently spent time interacting with them. Energized by Bhagawan’s shower of love, they shared the happenings in Puttaparthi via letters with other alumni outside. The purse strings of divine love were open, and responses from alumni all over started pouring in. Shortly, a dedicated post box was created, and a semi-formal newsletter began circulating. Bhagawan had planted the seeds, and now the tender buds were beginning to blossom!

Alumni Service Camps

In 1995, with Bhagawan’s love and a prayer in their hearts, a group of sixty alumni came together to plan seva activities around the hallowed precincts of Puttaparthi. Many times, during His interactions with alumni, Bhagawan had stressed on “village adoption”. The goal provided by Bhagawan was very clear: to ensure holistic development of the entire village. Motivated thus by the Lord, Appalavandala Palli was chosen as the location for the first service activity. In conjunction with village elders and leaders, wide-ranging seva activities were undertaken, from a medical camp to Narayan Seva,

At this nascent stage, Bhagawan guided the seva activity through His direct involvement and meticulous attention to detail. He would caution that service is never to others but to one’s own self and hence must not become something to boast about. Sometimes He would send elder devotees to independently visit and report on the proceedings of the seva camps. Responding to His guidance and involvement, alumni service activities started to expand. Within a few years, three major medical camps were being held regularly – two near Puttaparthi and one close to Brindavan.

On one occasion, village folk who benefitted from the village adoption came to the mandir to express their gratitude to Bhagawan. Some of them thanked Bhagawan for sending ‘His boys’ to take care of their needs. Bhagawan’s smiling response was “It is My responsibility to you!” In so saying, Bhagawan let alumni realize that in the seva work they were undertaking, in reality they were merely His instruments! The villagers then prayed for the water supply project to be extended to their village as well. On Bhagawan’s instructions, their wish was fulfilled.

Another occasion saw tense moments when a pregnant woman undergoing labor pains was brought to the camp. By Bhagawan’s grace a few lady doctors were present, and after a few moments of heart-stopping anxiety, a lovely child was born. Both the mother and baby came through the experience beautifully. Indeed, in these remote villages lacking basic medical facilities, Bhagawan showed that no one is beyond the reach of His protective care. At the same time, Bhagawan would also caution and guide. In 1997, alumni updated Bhagawan about the success of an eye camp organized in Kothacheruvu. Bhagawan, however, emphasized the need for caution in organizing such camps. Such surgeries should be carried out in the hospitals at Puttaparthi, He said, to take care of any post-surgery complications. He also stressed the importance of providing simple preventive care tips to villagers. Bhagawan would share examples from His own daily routine that could be followed by anyone for general good health.

As momentum started to build, water purification and tree plantation programs were added to the roster of seva activity. Other initiatives included rural employment drives, gober gas plant distribution, temple renovation, tree plantation, and veterinary camps.

Alumni Bhajan group

In 2002, the alumni Bhajan group prayed to Bhagawan to allow them to perform in His divine presence. Bhagawan kept them guessing till the last moment before finally giving His permission. The program that followed was soul-stirring, and the audience was treated to a sumptuous musical feast. Bhagawan was very happy, and He blessed each member of the Bhajan group, bathing them in a cascade of His grace and love. Since then, a musical performance has become a defacto feature of every alumni meet.

As an expression of their deep gratitude to the Lord, in 2003 the alumni Bhajan group offered at Bhagawan’s lotus feet a recording of Bhajans titled “A Bridge Across Time”. The title was apt, as the melodious submission sought to turn back the clock to the days when, as students, they sang Bhajans inside the mandir. The day before offering the recording, alumni offered a card to Bhagawan listing the songs. The next day, they thought their efforts had borne fruit when Bhagawan accepted the recording. But Bhagawan was ready for more; and He asked for six of the songs listed in their card to be sung in His presence! Needless to say, such attention thrilled each member of the group. No wonder fourteen volumes of the musical series have since been offered to the Lord.

Alumni Brass Band

On the morning of January 1st, 2006, students of the university brass band were fortunate to put up a program in the Sai Kulwant Hall in Bhagawan’s physical presence. Across the hall stood a few alumni who had been part of the very same band during their student days. As they watched the members of the band perform, a fledgling prayer then nestling in their hearts found wings – “Bhagawan, we yearn to play before you. Kindly bless our prayers to come true.” In this prayer lay the genesis of the alumni brass band.

But several challenges had to be met – the first lay in procuring the elaborate array of band instruments. Relentless efforts and sincere prayers were finally rewarded by the Lord in His own inimitable style. One set of unused brass instruments was discovered in Shivam, Bhagawan’s mandir at Hyderabad. The caretakers were kind enough to lend these instruments to alumni. Another set of instruments was sourced from Brindavan. The Brindavan college authorities graciously made available whatever brass instruments they had. Even after being blessed with instruments from Brindavan and Shivam, some key pieces were still missing. Bhagawan’s unseen hand was at work as the last piece of the instrument puzzle fell into place. The university band at Puttaparthi had just been blessed with a new set of instruments. The university authorities in Puttaparthi were kind enough to let alumni use the old instruments in a musical offering to Bhagawan.

With the instruments arranged for and with less than two months for the forthcoming alumni meet, most alumni band members realized they hadn’t played a single note since their student days. Far from playing melodies, coaxing any sound out of the instruments itself initially seemed to be a tall order. But slowly and steadily, things began to take shape. A week prior to January 1st, 2007 the first ever ensemble of the alumni band met in Puttaparthi and practiced hard. During the same period, a card was offered to Bhagawan to seek His blessings to play for Him on New Year’s morning. And Bhagawan’s first words struck a resonant note of grace and love that needed no further explanation “Instruments ekkadaninchi vacchindi?” (Where did the instruments come from?)

And on the morning of January 1st, 2007, after a year of hustle, bustle, and struggle, what many people had thought impossible was made possible. Out flowed the pieces, Maha Ganapathim, Sri Rama Sharanam Mama, Bala Gopal and Star Wars. Bhagawan’s blissful smile of acknowledgement came to be the crowning moment for the alumni band.

Alumni Vedam group

On Jan 1st 2002, twelve alumni who were part of the vedam group prayed to Bhagawan for the precious chance to chant in the divine presence. The Lord, however, had other plans. It was a test of determination and faith for these alumni. Knowing that Bhagawan’s delays were not His denials, they persisted year after year. The cherished chance was finally conferred in the year 2007 – after a five-year wait! The alumni vedam group was granted the privilege to lead Bhagawan’s procession into the Sai Kulwant hall on New Year’s Day. Bhagawan’s hand was at work even prior to this. During the practice sessions that year, an alumnus in the group felt that they should strengthen their repertoire of chants with additional mantras. The group practiced hard. That year, Bhagawan did ask for unexpected and numerous stops in the chanting, so the additional practice really helped!

The subsequent year, the vedam group could not include the increasing number of alumni interested in being part of the procession. In 2009, the vedam group again had more candidates than available slots for chanting. Many thought that they would not get the opportunity that year as well, however the Lord willed otherwise! As Bhagawan agreed to address alumni in the Poorna Chandra auditorium, the boys who could not chant vedam the previous day got the opportunity to receive Bhagawan into Poorna Chandra – and none of the alumni vedam batch were left out.

Bhagawan’s Personal Interactions

In 2002, a group of alumni were conducting seva in a remote village in the run-up to the alumni meet. The village was not easily accessible; at many points there was not even the semblance of a road leading up to it. A small vehicle was deputed to ferry a limited number of alumni and camp material to the village. After their seva was complete, this group was waiting for their pick- up to return to the ashram. While waiting, they noticed a temple with idols of Lord Rama, Lakshmana, Hanuman and mother Sita. It was close to the evening Bhajan time, so they decided to hold a Bhajan session in that temple. The first Bhajan the group chose to sing was “Ramam Bhajo“, as that was a Rama temple. They then noticed an elderly villager observing the happenings from a distance. Soon he joined the group and whole heartedly participated in the Bhajans. Once Bhajans were over, boys requested this village elder to give arathi to the Lord’s idols.

After arathi, this elder revealed that he had been a classmate of Bhagawan’s! Even more startling was his revelation that twenty-five years ago, Bhagawan had revitalised the very temple they were in, by procuring and installing the idols there. At that time He had mentioned “My boys will come here! “Further, Bhagawan had also sung the same Bhajan – “Ramam Bhajo” back then. This revelation was a powerful reminder of the omniscient Lord who is indeed kalateetaya – beyond time. On their return to the ashram that evening, this group of alumni was surprised to hear others in the mandir describe the occurrences from their camp that day. They then learnt that those details had been shared by Bhagawan, who had described each seva activity carried out in the village, the travails faced by the alumni in reaching the place, and also the Bhajan session that they conducted!

From the humble beginnings of the first annual meet in the year 2000 to the most recent one, Bhagawan’s personal interactions remain the treasure alumni carry back in their hearts. It has been a journey of indescribable sweetness, for such has been the extent of love showered by Sai. Bhagawan would many a time ask alumni “Who is your leader?” and they would reply in chorus, “Bhagawan, You are our leader.” These moments of love were immensely enjoyed by the Lord and His students alike. Once, current students were distributing prasadam in the mandir and it had not yet reached the place where alumni were seated. Bhagawan happened to ask some alumni whether they had received the prasadam. Their reply was “Bhagawan, not yet – but it is coming.” Bhagawan then called one of the students managing the distribution and said “Why are you first giving the prasadam to (current) students before the old students? There is no difference between old and new– all are one.”

During the third meet, Bhagawan blessed alumni by speaking to them separately in the Bhajan hall. Bhagawan remarked “You should come every year – that gives Me Ananda.” The Lord’s benediction elated and thrilled the assembled alumni. Bhagawan spoke to alumni again during the fourth meet.

By 2009, more than five hundred alumni from around the world gathered in Prashanti Nilayam. Alumni prayed to Bhagawan for holding a convention in the Poorna Chandra hall. Bhagawan consented to the prayers thus “You can have it (the convention) anywhere you like, I will certainly come!” That year He allocated fifty three rooms as accommodation for alumni with families, in addition to the old Hostel and a shed for alumni to stay in and use. Ever the ideal host, Bhagawan got the auditorium decorated and the stage neatly done. Bhagawan personally invited senior leaders of Sai organization for the convention to speak with alumni. A few alumni asked Bhagawan what they should do to express their gratitude to Him. Bhagawan replied “Having spent time with Me, share the joy you received and the message you heard with all – that would be a measure of your gratitude to Me.”

Thus, the extent of Bhagawan’s involvement has become deeper each passing year! The Alumni Meet represents a divine love story between the Creator and His works. And in such a love story, we all have been blessed to play our parts in an epochal chapter.

In the Treta yuga, all it took was a spirit of service and surrender for a squirrel to be blessed with the pride of place in folklore by the Lord. It is not our accomplishments, but the earnestness of our efforts that will mightily please the Lord. Legend has it that Lord Rama, pleased with its efforts, blessed the humble squirrel with a pat on its back. Similarly, our lives would have gained purport and consummation if, pleased with our heartfelt efforts, Bhagawan smiles and says – “I am happy.”