After last night's strenuous activity, slept fitfully till 4:20 am, as the rug was not enough - the rug which You had given had been taken by someone else. After bath etc., we were to assemble in the Canteen and not upstairs. After tea at 6:20, we went for a walk as directed, and returned at 7:20. Apparently this was 20 minutes late - we were supposed to go for the walk from 6 to 7 o'clock. Then we had breakfast and assembled upstairs.
At 8:20, You called us downstairs. More distribution - soap, soap-case, a pen. "Pen kaadu - pencil. Write only once", You said. Most of the conversation was in Hindi for the benefit of the Music college boys and Mr. Krishan Singhal.
At 9 o'clock, bhajans began - we trooped to the bhajan hall and began the bhajans. The group was seated in the corridor next to the bhajan hall, I went inside where the sound system mixer was located. You came there a few minutes later, sat for some time, walked a bit, but I didn't see all that since I was inside. Bhajans went on for an hour.
Then a session with You, 10:15 to 11:00 am. Some more interactions with Mr. Popat. You said, "There are three stages*. In the first stage, when boys come for the first time, 'bahut pyaar' - there would be a lot of love. Then, I punish. Actually it is not punishment, it is testing. Then, boys pyaar sab jaata hai - all the love vanishes!" We were sent for lunch at the Canteen at 11:00 am. After that, there was a 'sightseeing' trip from 12 to 1 o'clock.
We were in two minibuses. You passed us in the car with a "sad face", saying "Ek mein jayega to doosra rota hai. Bada bus hai to ..." "If I get into one, the people in the other one will cry. If it had been a big bus, I could have come with you..." But our minibuses couldn't follow Your car at one place on the way, as a height bar blocked access to vehicles other than cars. We went on some rough roads and joined up just as You were returning from Pillar rock, which was covered with mist.
You gave Sai sir cotton candy to distribute to all of us. Since You returned to Sai Shruthi via the new darshan area entrance, we could line up inside before You reached. Inside, Rjn broke the cotton candy bag when You asked him to, but spilled it right at Your feet! You disparaged the "Canteen" food - "Too many items, kitna loss hota hai - lot of wastage." Again we asked if we could eat with You, again the answer was that on Thursday, we could. You also said that we can go for shopping, then boating, and then, in 3 days, everything would be over, and we could go back. My personal feeling was that You did not appear so keen on staying at Kodai for much longer. We dispersed quickly, in around 15 minutes.
After this outing and all that, everyone was tired, and assembled upstairs after a siesta only at 3:30 pm. At 3:40, it started to rain. Once again, bhajans were at 4:45. I recorded the bhajans as well as the song session inside without instruments. When they asked if they should sing a concert, kacheri, You said, "Kavi sammelan lagana to achcha hai - it would be good to have a poetry reading instead!" After dinner, I took photos of the dining hall etc with Bl, using the camera You had given.
*Your three stages seem to be remarkably consistent right from the 1940s upto the 2000s. Listening to the experiences of old-time devotees, we can trace these very same stages that You put "form-boys" through. Even the books written by devotees, for example Sandweiss's book also describes a similar experience.
I am living the Kodai trip vicariously. Thanks brother!
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