Ganesh Chaturthi Celebration at Prasanthi Nilayam
Prasanthi Nilayam, September 1, 2011: Thousands of devotees on Thursday celebrated the auspicious Ganesh Chaturthi festival with much fervor at Prasanthi Nilayam.
In the morning, the students of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning offered a string of hymns attributed to Lord Ganesha. Singing special hymns propitiating the Lord, Who is hailed as 'Prathama Vandana', the students regaled the audience with devotional music for the next forty-five minutes. The musical offering had interludes of commentary in English and Hindi alternatively. After a forty-five minutes programme, students from Prasanthi Nilayam and Anantapur Campus sang bhajans for fifteen minutes before Mangala Arathi was offered at 0930 hrs.
In the evening, the students from Sri Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music, Prasanthi Nilayam, offered a programme entitled, "Naada Brahmarpanam". At the end of the programme, the musicians moved forward to the Mahasamadhi to offer their gratitude to Bhagawan. The forty-five minute programme was followed by bhajans before Arathi was offered at 1800 hrs.
Prasanthi Nilayam, September 3, 2011: Today, Saturday, on the third day of the grand Ganesh Chaturthi festival, scores of Ganesha idols on chariots were taken out in a procession to the Sai Kulwant Hall before retreating for the immersion ceremony, marking the culmination of the grand celebration in Prasanthi Nilayam since the past 3 days.
The procession that started from various Prasanthi locations, mainly from the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning and Sri Sathya Sai Schools, arrived at the Sai Kulwant Hall at 1610 hrs. After the entry of the last chariot, Vedam chanting began. The fleet of twenty-five Ganesha idols displayed various themes and were colourfully adorned. Some of the themes were the Phoenix Bird Ganesha, Garuda Vahana Ganesha, Helicopter Ganesha, Swan Ganesha, Garden Ganesha, and Butterfly Ganesha. The students of the Higher Secondary School then presented a ceremonial dance, invoking Lord Ganesha to return also in the following year.
As each Ganesha idol was brought to the Sanctum Sanctorum, the Chief Priest offered Mangala Arathi to each Ganesha idol as it started on its journey towards the immersion ghat. The procession concluded at 1715 hrs, followed by bhajans and Arathi, which concluded at 1800 hrs.
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