SHREE SHIRDI SAI UTSAV SYDNEY 2001

I had this intense desire to visit Shirdi for the last 5 months, but now I can say that, my desire has been fulfilled and I got more than I asked for. There were hundreds of devotees registered and attended the festival all eagerly waiting to see and listen to the spiritual discourses by Sri Chandrabanu Satpathyji, some of us from south India had not heard of him, but the journey sure was rewarding.

Satpathyji's discourse was full of spiritual analysis of the mystery of this universe its cause and effect. The beauty of his discourse was, he was able to reach all people in simple language that found its mark in everyone's heart and mind. As the shrine was full, the organisers had put up a tent with close-circuit television so the people can sit and relax while watching the proceedings in the temple live. The three day event included four traditional aarthis as held in Shirdi, Sai pravachans, Bhajans, Sai naam jap, and children’s activities and a night of beautiful bhajans with Sri Manhar Udhas and local talent Sri Avijeet Sarkar.

SAI UTSAV brings to one's mind Rama navami festival held in Shirdi during Baba's time, as described in 6th Chapter of Sri Sai Satcharitha where each devotee was allocated certain work which they did with complete devotion and faith without any social and professional distinction between them. Annadanam was carried on a large scale, as was done by Radhakrishamai as described in Sai Satcharita, during Baba’s time, so also those who had come to attend the festival in Sydney were fed to their hearts content with the most nutritious and delicious food, all prepared by the volunteers. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were prepared by the devotees and distributed by volunteers to everyone.

At Sydney Sai Utsav, one experienced the selfless love. This was similar to the practical demonstration of the experience Sri Das Ganu got from Kaka’s maid in Bombay on the significance of Isha Upanishad. (Sri Sai Satcharitra Ch. 20). The experience is one that of faith, commitment and compassion to the Lord and community. He bestows everything that one experiences and one's duty is to be an instrument in His divine hands. As the time passed, the following questions were also answered:

1. Why would a group of devotees who performed bhajans every week taking turn at homes think of forming a society to build a Shirdi Sai temple in Sydney. They would have been better off satisfying their own spiritual needs without having to go to the trouble of trying to build a temple where every Sai devotee would have the opportunity of offering their worship to BABA.

2. Why would people want to spend their personal time and money, in sponsoring the festival paying rent for the building in which BABA is shrine. As a person entangled in this world I would personally think... Why should I spend money for somebody else’s pleasure? I would be better off spending money in putting a deposit on couple of properties.

3. Why should they waste their time in organising things for others when they can relax with their families, go for a holiday, or work during holidays to earn extra income, do overtime to get extra pay or do gardening and pull out the weeds which are everywhere in the garden?

4. Why would they cook food for somebody whom they have never seen in their life before or do not get along well at all, why would they feed them?

5. Why would they fly over from one continent to another continent to help somebody organise festival for which they have had some experience before? Wouldn’t you think that the person is crazy to go out of the way to do a favour for someone who is not a relative, and who would do a favour to a relative in present world?

If everybody had thought the same way as the above, then we would not have known Sai BABA whom we all love most. Had Bapu Saheb Buti not spent his money to construct the Samadhi Mandir, perhaps Shirdi would not have gained importance as one of the holy pilgrim places. BABA’s name would not be known to us, and BABA would have been forgotten as being one among the many of the Witch Doctors, or quacks. It is the selfless love and faith exhibited then and now that made people come forward so confidently in organising this Utsav. Or rather, it is BABA in their hearts that has skillfully organised things as usual and made the event a success just as he had done with Ramanavami festival in Shirdi and Construction of Samadhi mandir or writing of Sai Satcharitra. Bow to BABA who resides in the heart of these people and so skillfully carried out the work and provided us all Sai Devotees in Australia to experience the spiritual ecstasy lasting over the span of three days.

On the evening of 9 June, bhajans by Sri Manhar Udhas at Townhall brought a new light to my concept of bhajans. Manhar ji was singing “Raham Nazar Karo” accompanied by Guru Sri Satpathy Ji, when Manharji broke down. Manharji could not sing the last stanza, he was so emotionally shaken, there were tears in his eyes, just as the Sattwic emotions moved the Durendher Brothers as described in Chapter 50 of Sai Satcharita, so was Manhar Udhas effected. At once, the significance of doing bhajans or prayers has dawned on those witnessed this extraordinary expression of Sai bhakthi. Remarkably after attending this UTSAV this attendee has noticed a change. Saidarbar and the devout gathering will find the bhajans and activities more rewarding and spiritually more fulfilling. It is striking to know how effective the singing with emotion concentration could be in bring peace and contentment the lost souls.

The venue for Sai UTSAV was at the 420 Liverpool Rd. On Monday, Sai murthi prathishtapana was performed with due devotion. The air was thick with incense smoke and charged with devotional ecstasy and tension, the devotees were moved and there were tears of joy, bliss, happiness and love for BABA running down their eyes. The day of murthi Sthapana 11th of June was a memorable day. It is memorable because there was group abhishekam performed; Lord Sainath has come to Australia to bless us, His children.

The MASTER has a great plan for Sai Devotees here in Australia and this is just a stepping stone to it. I can not wait to see the mystery of BABA’s leela or miracle unravel in Sydney, to make Shree Shirdi Sai Sansthan Sydney a full-fledged functional and spiritual organisation. Saidarbar will remain ever grateful to BABA, for providing with this opportunity to attend Sai UTSAV. I would also take this opportunity to thank those organisers, without them I would not have had his opportunity to witness such a marvelous function. They deserve a standing ovation for a commendable job. They have carried on fantastic work assigned to them by BABA, how lucky they are to be chosen as HIS instruments for His work, it sure has made me a new person, with new positive outlook towards one and all. It is a start, a new beginning and I pray BABA to keep up the momentum of this change so that Saidarbar would be used as HIS instrument in serving HIM by serving HIS devotees.

Sairam