Condensing multiple days into a single page, since the content is limited.
1992-11-16 - Monday - Terrific dream just before 4 AM - first Swami walked across a sea of devotees to talk to a foreigner near me. I appeared to be somewhere near the (Sarvadharma) Stupa (at Prasanthi Nilayam), but no wall for the mandir. White robe. The "next day", I was doing some mic work on the portico, holding a live mic in my hand. Swami came to me and talked for 2-3 minutes, in unintelligible "Kannada". He was talking of lung capacity. Many boys drew in breaths. (I think up to this point is the contents of the dream.)
Swami had given all Parthi boys sweets on His star Birthday! Another day, He showed them all a photo of Him in short pants! Though Vijaya Sai and Rajesh "Jesus" Grover cut lunch and waited, no afternoon darshan (from the balcony, just for us students who could hang around the Mandir) - rains. Night sleep interrupted by mosquitoes, rain - under an arch on gents' side.
1992-11-17 - Tuesday - Yesterday, Swami gave me padanamaskar and talked to "Nil" Kumar Sir (this was another one of His nicknames for him) on Shoonyam and Poornam. (Emptiness or nothingness or vacuum and completeness.) Did half assignment and (read Nara Narayana) Gufa (book). I bought 7 photos of Swami from Panja (a former classmate of mine). Rs 5 each. Swami is coming along the middle (aisle) of boys, I got padanamaskar.
(This photo is captioned in my album as "20 Oct 1995, clothes for all boys". So Swami is walking down the aisle purposefully. In the events mentioned in Nov 1992, He was walking casually, slowly ...)
Last batch of boys came (from Brindavan) + Warden Sir. I'm trying to make my clothes last without washing - 3 days each! Bought a mat (to sit on the floor) as I'd left mine at Brindavan. Mani (my room leader, 2 years senior) told me he had rinsed and hung (up to dry) the clothes I had (forgotten and) left in Ariel (detergent).
Assisted Veda Narayanan Sir - inside the Bhajan hall - in polishing (afternoon) and decorating (night) the idols of Krishna, Sita, Rama for tomorrow's rathotsavam. Sikki got me a white dhoti from Parthi Hostel if I need for Vedam. Mani gave me someone's red dhoti (silk).
1992-11-18 - Wednesday - Rathotsavam - No morning bath, had at 11:45. After interviews, Swami said, "Vedam boys in Bhajan Hall." We chanted for some time there, then the procession arrived at 9, we left (in pants) for the Pedda Venkappa Raju Kalyana Mantapam (Paata Mandir), returned by 10:15.
Screenshot from this video. This is probably from another year, not 1992.
Swami had left for Institute Auditorium for seeing the (Convocation) drama rehearsal. (Vijaya Sai reports it was a flop). When He returned, Arati, then balcony darshan outside and inside Mandir - Swami saw Kshitij playing harmonium for "Narayana Narayana". Swami was happy as boys didn't crowd Him.
Evening darshan was early, a little rain. Maynard Ferguson + band (with a very fat man) - "Very happy, Swami" + guffaw, interview. Then (interview) for drama boys. Swami walked inside the Bhajan hall, till the end (of the hall), and returned. Also along the middle (aisle of the portico). Samuel Sandweiss's film crew, of Summer Course acquaintance, is back.
Comments
Post a Comment
Comments will be moderated. If you wish to contact me, you can email me at hn_88 at rediffmail dot com.