80^th Birthday Celebrations

Our Lord’s 80^th birthday celebrations was an occasion that none of the devotees would like to miss; so did members of the

Hyderabad Youth Group. After months of negotiations with their bosses for leave and two weeks before the birthday more than 100 youth from the twin-cities were on their way to Parthi, all charged up to participate and contribute to the celebrations.

South Indian Canteen was seized minutes after we arrived and handed back to the regulars only after the Nov 25. This was a great opportunity to work with brothers from within and outside the state. Our hands were filled with work for the rest of the stay, but the mind was focused on the one thing we were all there for …..GOD!

We were thrilled to take up the responsibility of food distribution for the entire event. The task of our food transport committee was to engage youth in the delivery of the Upmas, sweets and colored rice to various distribution points, which included: Hostels, Hospital, Railway Station, other canteens (for Sevadals),and designated food courts. The latter was further subdivided

All in all, we could actively keep about   9 trucks and tractors quite busy  throughout the day – which to us meant dropping breakfast at  4 am in the morning and picking up “empties” till 11 pm at night.

Often we reached home at 12 or 1 am in the night and had to return to duty the same morning sharply at 3:45 am! No doubt we slept very little, we ran a lot, we shivered in the cold, we lifted heavy vessels, we spilled hot food on ourselves, we ran into things and hurt ourselves, we accidentally pushed each other and astonishingly, we did our part as if in some sort of trance. Throughout the duty we were surprisingly unmindful of the birthday Darshan or bhajan activities. Our world was food and its timely distribution to the devotees. Despite enduring some of the so-called “hardships” – which, by the way, never appeared to us as such – and, despite not having a chance to even glimpse Bhagawan, even for a moment during those famous birthday days, we never felt saddened or felt deprived of anything. The thrill of Seva,

There was an incident worthy of mention which involved one of the younger Sai Brothers. With rain water all over the canteen floor his feet soaked for a long time to the extent that they turned white in color and wrinkled. He was busy delivering food in-time to all the canteens, collecting the empties, and not to forget the melodious Bhajans sung on the delivery vehicles. We met him at around 11:30 pm when all the work was done. He was sitting alone on the steps that led to the canteen and was visibly in terrible pain which he realized only after he fulfilled his duties for that day. He was in that state since morning, but the "movement" did not stop. The sense of duty overpowered his temporary pain and his senses were pushed to deliver things that they wouldn't have had on any other day. It was a great learning experience to work amongst such simple yet great souls. 

At home we would seek help to lift an empty gas cylinder or for that matter a study chair, but here the potential multiplied multifold.  Very “heavy” vessels needed not more than 5 Sai Children; Sai's name did the magic. 

On the Birthday itself we had our personal time with Swami when we cut the cake in the canteen and sang the Birthday song with a tinge of moisture in the eye. We knew He was there!

After the wonderful service activity we had Swami’s Darshan to our Heart’s content and returned to Hyderabad with yet another set of unforgettable memories. Thank You Lord!