Neyveli Skandasubramanian : ‘Playing for bhajans improved my skill’

Neyveli Skandasubramanian : ‘Playing for bhajans improved my skill’
V. BALASUBRAMANIAN

Over the years, encouraged by his gurus and fellow musicians, Neyveli Skandasubramanian has become one of the most sought after mridangam players. Impeccably dressed, he can be identified at once thanks to the sacred ash and vermilion on his forehead and his broad smile. Skandasubramaniam recalls some memorable moments in his musical journey.

Early years and basic training…

My father B.Y. Sundararajan learnt mridangam from Poovalur Venkatraman (a disciple of Palani Subramania Pillai). Compelling family circumstances made him take up a teacher’s job in Neyveli. His unfulfilled desire of becoming a mridangam player was in a way responsible for what I am today. Neyveli Balasubramaniam spotted my love for rhythm and put me under Tiruvarur Krishnamurthy of AIR Pondy, who was frequenting Neyveli to conduct classes. In a year, there were only four or five classes. But I would continue practising. Then there was a lull for four years. But my father was determined and took me to Tiruvarur Krishnamurthy’s house at Pondy. Soon classes began during weekends and holidays. The only difference was I had to travel to Pondy every time. Playing for Srirangam Ranganathan’s vocals regularly helped immensely. Also, my sister, a qualified musician, would sing at home so that I could practise.

My days in Neyveli…

Even as a child, my mother would take me and my sister to all concerts in Neyveli along with my grandmother, who was a good singer. I have listened to many veterans. Music was always my first choice when compared to games in the township. I would never miss concerts even during exams. Competing with my sister, I would run to the main gate to grab the concert notice for the month when it was being distributed. Listening to concerts in AIR was another highlight.

Most memorable Neyveli concert…

D.K. Jayaraman’s performance with T. Rukmini and R. Ramesh is still etched in mind. We were in awe as we had listened to him only on AIR. That day, we never wanted the concert to end. The way he encouraged young R. Ramesh was something incredible.

The influence of Pudukottai Sanjeevi Bhagavatar…

Regular bhajans and annual Radha Kalyanam were part and parcel of Neyveli life. Pudukottai Sanjeevi Bhagavatar would stay in our house when he came to participate in the Radha Kalyanam festival. It was he who made me play for his bhajans. I received my first ever sambhavanai of Rs.75 from him. Playing for bhajans regularly improved my skill, what with varied style, different talams and tunes and long hours of non-stop playing.

Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam and an important decision…

After completing DME, I immediately got a job. Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam, a nephew of my first guru, knew me even during my Neyveli days. After convincing my parents, he made me take up mridangam full time. Then I moved to Madras. His words of encouragement helped me overcome my initial diffidence in a new atmosphere. His mother T.R. Aanandavalli sang a lot for my practice sessions. Bhaktavatsalam made me participate in several competitions and in the first year of my entry, I won prizes at The Music Academy, IFAS and MFAC . Incidentally I got the Government scholarship to learn mridangam under him.

Professional life…

Winning competitions earned me a few concerts. My guru also recommended me to many artistes, and sabhas. S.V. Krishnan of Raga Sudha boosted my morale by featuring me at least twice a month. One such concert for Rajee Gopalakrishnan really pushed my career ahead. My maiden tour abroad was with her, arranged by Cleveland Sundaram. Playing for veena vidwan K.S. Narayanaswamy in the presence of M.S. Subbulakshmi is something I will cherish forever. At the end of the concert, Veenai Vasu virtually lifted me from the stage on his shoulders, showering praises.

My association with Sudha Ragunathan…

After playing at a few concerts for Sudha Ragunathan, there was a gap. Then, all of a sudden, she called me up and asked me to accompany her. There was no turning back after that. Accompanying her for concerts, there has not been a place that I have not visited both within India and abroad.

Encouragement from other vidwans…

O.S.Thiagarajan is a big source of inspiration and so is T.V. Sankaranarayanan. Playing for Priya Sisters, Nithyasree Mahadevan, Sikkil Gurucharan and many others regularly, has helped me adapt to different styles.

Love for Tiruppugazh…

Our house in Neyveli would always ring with Tiruppugazh. My parents, brothers and sisters were all good at it. These hymns of Arunagirinathar are the ultimate statement on rhythm. Taking part with T.V. Sundaravalli in her Tiruppugazh concerts and albums has been soul satisfying.

Most cherished moments…

The blessings I received from Kanchi Paramacharya when he released the first Tiruppugazh CD of T.V. Sundaravalli at the Mutt and the pat on my cheeks from Sathya Sai Baba after I played with Priya Sisters in Puttaparthi… I will never forget those moments.

Approach to concerts…

On the days I have concerts, I get up early and set my mind for the evening’s concert. Tuning myself to the style of the artist whom I am going to accompany that evening goes on the whole day. By the time I leave my house, I am all set. On concert days I never undertake any domestic work. Non-concert days are reserved for my family.

The Hindu Reference

With love for the Baba

With love for the Baba

A grand event was staged to celebrate Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Baba‘s 84th birthday.

To celebrate the 84th birthday of Puttaparthi Sri Satya Sai Baba, a five-day festival of music was organised. Several associations of his devotees, followers and members of the city seva samithi in association with the pupils and teachers of Sri Satya Sai Vidya Vihar in MVP Colony, organised the festival of music, dance and drama.

The ballet Sree Paadaalu scripted and directed by M. Prakasa Rao, staged on the penultimate evening on last Sunday was the highlight of the festival.

Enacted by about five scores of pupils of the Sri Satya Sai Vidya Vihara on the imposing stage, attracted a very large gathering. It depicted the story, how a very prideful scientist who was an atheist got totally reformed after coming to know about Sathya Sai Baba from one of his staunch devotees whom he came across by chance.

As was advised by the devotee, he went along with him on a pilgrimage to get ethically worthy enough to visit Prasanthi Nilayam, the abode of Sathya SaiBaba at Puttaparthi and fall on his feet to get blessed by him for deliverance from the ill effects of the sinful life that he had led.

Visualisation as to how his desire gets fulfilled marked the grand finale of the ballet. All dialogues in prose and lyrical form for all the dramatis-personae were perfectly rendered by professionals (evocatively, musically, melodiously and aesthetically) and were pre-recorded. Makeup, sound and stage management were admirably accomplished. No wonder, watching the ballet, spell bindingly turned out to be an enthralling and elated experience.

The Hindu Reference

Bharathanjali: Senior personalities in the art field felicitated

Bharathanjali: Senior personalities in the art field felicitated

It was Sri Sathya Sai Baba‘s 84th birthday this Monday and it is a ritual by Acharya Choodamani Anitha Guha where she felicitates and honors exponents in the field of arts for their commendable contribution. The awards were conferred upon by Dr.Pappu Venugopala Rao, Secretary, Music Academy and Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy, Founder, Director, Bharathalaya. What started as honoring young artists 8 years ago has now turned to the older people. Says the ever-smiling Anitha Guha, “Being an ardent Sathya Sai Baba devotee, I try following his saying ‘Love all, Serve all’. This is something that I can do to my artistic family from my side and it is not an award function. It is just a thanksgiving function from Bharathanjali to the doyens of the art field.”

This year being the completion of 20 years of Bharathanjali and 10 years of Bharathanjali trust, around 8 personalities like Yagna Raman, Former Secretary, Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Karthik Rajagopal, Founder-Secretary, Vice President, Karthik Fine Arts, D.S.Ramanujam, Former Secretary, Karthik Fine Arts, Leela Sekar, Chairperson, I.D.A, R.Srinivasan, Senior Executive IOC (Retd.), Member, LAC, TTD, Chennai, Nandini Ramani, Bharatanatyam Exponent, Managing Trustee- Dr.V.Raghavan Centre for Performing Arts, K.Hariprasad, Lecturer in Vocal Music, Kalakshetra, Dr.Gayatri Kannan, Principal of Nrithyodaya. The title given to each awardee was uniquely titled by Anitha Guha herself like Sathya Parama Kala Poshaka Sundaram, Sathya Gandharva Gana Sundaram and Sathya Gana Kokila Sundaram. “These people have been with us helping with our productions from time immemorial and that is why I thought of felicitating them.”

Coming to Anitha Guha’s function and going back home without seeing a dance performance from Bharathanjali sounds ridiculous. Students with the perfect Nritha and Abhinaya gave a few performances which kept the audience in rapt attention. One fact what quite evident and true, Anitha Guha is definitely a boon to the artistic community as she has groomed her students very well.

Chennai Online Reference

Baba’s birthday a low-key affair

Baba’s birthday a low-key affair
Express News Service
First Published : 24 Nov 2009 03:48:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 24 Nov 2009 11:08:59 AM IST

PUTTAPARTHI: The 84th birthday celebrations of Sri Satya Sai Baba were held at Sai Kulwant Hall in Prashanti Nilayam in Puttaparthi. Saibaba has formally cut the cake to mark his birthday in the presence of several dignitaries and thousands of devotees who thronged to witness the celebrations.

This time around, Sathya Sai Baba did not speak nor give any message.

The entire celebrations were a low-key affair. Malgudi brothers entertained the audience with their bhajans.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan attended the function with his family members.

Tourism Minister J Geeta Reddy, Puttaparthi MLA Palle Raghunatha Reddy, former Supreme Court Justice PN Bhagawati, TTD chairman DK Audikesavulu Naidu. Additional DGP Sivanarayana, former DGP HJ Dora, former cricketer EAS Prasanna, TVS Group head Srinivasan, Mallika Srinivasan, noted Sitar player Pandit Ravishankar, District Collector B Janardhan Reddy, Anantapur Range DIG BL Sujatha Rao, SP MK Singh, actresses Anjali Devi, Krishnakumari, Janaki, Jamuna, playback singer Suseela and a host of other celebrities participated.

There were less number of foreign devotees this year for the birthday celebrations may be due to economic recession and the recent floods. NT Chowdary and Dr Damoder arranged for free food for the devotees.

The district SP made elaborate police bandobast in Puttaparthi.

Express Buzz Reference

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An enchanting evening of ragas and talas
TNN 24 November 2009, 05:13am IST

BANGALORE: The Goddesses of Carnatic music and dance left audience hooked to their seats at Ambedkar Bhavan. The musical evening, part of the ‘Bangalore Festival’ had the audience swaying to ragas and talas.

Monday saw mesmerizing performances from Carnatic music singer Sudha Raghunathan and Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer, and accomplished actress, Shobhana.

It was Sudha who set the pace for the evening. She began with preludes in Sanskrit, seeking the blessings of lord Ganesha and Krishna. The ragas she sang left listeners lost in a melodious world.

When she picked the high note, the packed audience echoed with applause. She also rendered a bhajan to Sathya Sai Baba, as it was his birthday on Monday.

After one hour of pure bliss, Padma Shri Shobhana took centrestage. She began with a varnam and she also danced to a bhajan from one of her Hindi movies. Her troupe, which performed a ballet, regaled the rasikas as well. A music lover and dancer herself, Vani Ganapathy kept on clapping and encouraging both her contemporaries. She expressed delight in attending the cultural festival. At the end of the programme, music and dance lovers went home craving for more.

Times Of India Reference

Also see:
- Sudha Raghunathan And Sathya Sai Baba

Sundararupaya – Old Rare Pictures Of Baba V

Sundararupaya – Old Rare Pictures Of Baba V

Rare Picture Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: I did not like the fulsome praises with which you flooded Me in the Address which was read out when this meeting started. I am yours and you are mine. This is a family get together. As a matter of fact all the gatherings that I meet are family gatherings. The entire mankind is My family. It sounds very improper when a member of the family is extolled by another before the rest. This is a habit, a ceremony that is borrowed from political life, where politicians are given addresses wherein they are praised. So that some benefits may accrue to the place which they are visiting and which present those praises.

Rare Photograph Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: Swami’s will is firm. No one can alter it. Swami’s glory, fame and sacredness has not been achieved through publicity. They are the results of Swami’s actions. I have no concern with publicity. Action alone counts. What is achieved through publicity will disappear through publicity. Sai will not be affected by propaganda. The world may be affected by propaganda but Sai will remain the same. Many of you are pained by the calumny. Some papers are indulging in disregarding Me. Many are urging that something should be done about it. But I am holding everyone back because that is the best way to deal with praise and blame. The ocean knows no overflowing or drying up. It is ever full, ever majestic, ever unconcerned.

Old Picture Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: I have been advising you to do good to others, to make others happy, to help others live comfortably. This is called Sat Karma (beneficial acts). Now, these papers that live on falsehood are able to scrape together a little money from the people with low tastes. The people who spread such fantastic absurdities, knowing them to be false and knowing that they are manufactured by their own brains, get joy out of this exercise. Do not stop them from it, for without spending a single naya paisa, you are now able to give them joy. Let them revel in their own mind. Joy is what one desires from one’s own mind. When the mind is vicious, it derives joy from vicious things. when it is pure. Only purity can give it joy.

Rare Image Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: I have no other purpose than this: To lead you to the path of Ananda. I have no special attachment to Vidwan Mahasabha because I have established it. All sabhas, sanyasis and individuals that do the same task, according to their capacity and means are dear to Me. I do not call upon you to cultivate faith in Me or worship Me. I want only that you should cultivate faith in yourselves and worship the Lord who is utilizing you as His instrument.

Old Photograph Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: In this manner, all my thoughts are devoted to promoting the good of others. Is any Government or wealthy person thinking along these lines? None at all. When such sacred things are being done, jealousy rises its head in some persons. This is the outcome of their sins. These envious folk will not do anything good themselves, nor will they allow others to do good. This is not a human quality. A true human being should be filled with large-hearted sentiments.

Rare Photo Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: My Power is immeasurable. My Truth is Inexplicable, unfathomable. I am announcing this about Me, for, the need has arisen. But, what I am doing now is only a gift of a visiting card! Let Me tell you that emphatic declarations of the Truth by the Avatars were made so clearly and unmistakably only by Krishna. Inspite of the declaration, you will notice that in the career of Krishna, He underwent defeat with his efforts and endeavours, on a few occasions, though you must also notice that those defeats too were part of the Drama which He had planned and which He Himself had directed. When many kings pleaded with Him to avert the war with the Kauravas, He confessed that his mission to the Kaurava court for ensuring peace had ‘failed’! But He had not willed that He should succeed. He had decided that the war would be waged. His mission was intended to punish the greed and the iniquity of the Kauravas and so condemn them before the world. But, I must tell you, that during this Sai Avatar, there is no place for even such a “Drama” with scenes of defeat and failures. What I will, must take place. What I plan must succeed. I am truth. And truth has no need to hesitate, or fear, or bend.

Rare Pic Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: You do not realise your boon in getting Me as the guide. I shall not rest until I reform all of you. The basement of My work has been completed. Now the structure will rise upon it. I go round the world along with no paraphernalia and no publicity, because I am established in My own Glory, in My own Truth. I have Atmic relationship with all, and so I am always succeeding.

- Visit The Sathya Sai Baba Official Website

Sundararupaya – Rare Pictures Of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba:
Set 01 – Set 02 – Set 03 – Set 04 – Set 05 – Set 06 – Set 07 – Set 08
Set 09 – Set 10 – Set 11 – Set 12 – Set 13 – Set 14 – Set 15

Satya Sai Baba Celebrates 84th Birthday

Satya Sai Baba Celebrates 84th Birthday

Many believe that Sathya Sai Baba is a divine human form on the earth. As one of his miracles, the Baba once created Shiva Lingas and Gold chains for his devotees. He has lakhs of devotees in and outside India. His services to mankind are in many ways.

CJ: V GOPALA KRISHNA
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 15:17:04 IST

Devotees of Godman Sri Satya Sai Baba celebrated his 84th birthday in a grand manner in Prasanti Nilayam of Puttaparti. The incarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, the Sathya Sai Baba was born on November 23, 1926, in a tiny village of Puttapathi in Anantapur district.

Many believe that Sathya Sai Baba is a divine human form on the earth. As one of his miracles, the Baba once created Shiva Lingas and Gold chains for his devotees. He has lakhs of devotees in and outside India. His services to mankind are in many ways, particularly in the fields of education and health.

He has started a university of higher learning, apart from a super speciality hospital in Puttaparthi, where poor people of Andhra Pradesh are given free treatment for heart related and other important ailments. He has also funded many drinking water projects in the districts of Rayalaseema.

Sri Satya Saibaba says that there is only one nation that is humanity, one religion that is love, one language that is the language of the heart and only one God. He asks men why they live in fear, asking them to put their faith in him. He also mentions that transformation starts from individual and it changes the world, while, right thoughts always leads to right direction as well as action. He says that he has come here to give the key of happiness (anandam).

MeriNews Reference

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Sai Baba Birthday Celebrations 2009
Today is Sathya Sai Baba’s Birthday. Sathya Sai Baba was born on 23 November 1926. He has said that he is the re-incarnation of the fakir and saint, Sai Baba of Shirdi.

He is a South Indian guru, religious figure, and educator. He was born to Eswaramma and Peddavenkama Raju in the remote village of Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, India.

His special talents were for drama, music, poetry and acting. He was even writing songs for the village opera at the age of eight. There are numerous stories of plays, poems, dances and songs he wrote as a child.

24 Masti Reference

Education without values serves none: Baba

Education without values serves none: Baba
Express News Service
First Published : 23 Nov 2009 03:27:00 AM IST

PUTTAPARTHI: Higher education should not be pursued with an aim to amass wealth and get power.

It should be done for selfless service to the society, says Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

Addressing students at the 28th convocation of Sri Sathya Sai University at Sai Kulwanth Hall in Prasanthi Nilayam today, Sathya Sai Baba said the real purpose of education is served, when the needy are helped and the society gets the benefit. Love is all powerful and with it the world can be won. One should remember that education without values serves none and good conduct is far more valuable than wealth. There is no greater education or love than that of mother’s love. There is also no greater degree than love, he said.

Emphasising that what one learns through education should be used for the good of society, he said the greater meaning of education is love towards fellow humans and all living beings in the universe. Education is physical and educare is spiritual knowledge.

Expressing concern over the increased rat race for the worldly pursuit, he advised students to learn Sanatana Dharmas, which are truth, love and non-violence. “Love is God and it is in every living being. Inner satisfaction is far more worthy than physical satisfaction.” He advised people to reduce the use of cellphone which has become a hindrance to love and respect to people. “Instead of bringing people together, it is widening the gap among them,” he observed.

In his convocation address, Samuel Sandweiss of University of California, who is also the author of ‘Saibaba: The Holyman and Psychiatrist’, ‘Spirit and Mind’ and ‘With Love Man is God’, elaborated on the purpose and value of education in the context of spiritual needs of human beings.

He said education is the very process which lays the foundation for Dharma (Righteousness) by removing ignorance and letting the self inner shine. Citing examples of the earliest universities Oxford, Salamanca and Soroban in Europe and Nalanda and Taxila in ancient India, he said these institutions had deep religious and presumably spiritual foundations. He lauded the growth achieved by Sri Sathya Sai University and its endeavour for social welfare.

Varsity Vice-Chancellor Vishwanath Pandit presented a report. In all, 21 students received gold medals from the hands of Sri Sathya Saibaba.

District Collector P Janardhan Reddy, SP MK Singh, Puttaparthi MLA P Raghunath Reddy and others were present.

Express Buzz Reference

Break Free Of Rituals And Abstractions

Break Free Of Rituals And Abstractions
Shammi Paranjape
23 November 2009, 12:00am IST

The Srimad Bhagavatam lit a new path to the Divine, free from binding ritual and esoteric abstractions. On the one hand, it portrayed the majesty and might, the mahatmya of the Supreme Being. On the other, it revealed the tantalising possibility of blissful communion with Him in a loving relationship. In doing so, the Bhagavatam introduced the liberating and transcendental gospel of bhakti yoga.

Nothing pleases God as much as devotion. How dear bhaktas or devotees and their bhakti or devotion are to the Lord can be gleaned from the declaration in the Srimad Bhagavatam, that it is for the love of devotees that God takes form from time to time. Sathya Sai Baba says:

“The Avatar or Form Incarnate on earth is only the concretisation of the yearning of seekers. They are the prime cause. The cow secretes milk for the sustenance of the calf. It is the chief beneficiary. But others too benefit from that milk. So along with the sustenance of the bhaktas, other incidental benefits also accrue, such as fostering of dharma.” ~Sathya Sai Baba

Srimad Bhagavatam belongs to the class of Hindu scriptures known as the Puranas, and enlightens humanity on the sacred mystery of incarnations. The mystical life of the divine enchanter Krishna is finely detailed in the Bhagavatam, inspiring devotion in human hearts. Though the concept of devotion is as old as the Vedas, the Bhagavatam introduced the concept of a personal god with countless attributes who could be adored and worshipped as ‘one’s own’, in the form of child, parent, master, friend, or beloved.

The word ‘bhakti’ is derived from the root ‘bhaj’, which has several meanings to serve, to honour, to love, to adore. According to Narada, the great theoretician of bhakti, it is the wholehearted and supreme love of God, obtaining which the devotee feels he has gained the highest attainment in life, as also unalloyed bliss. Sandilya has expressed bhakti as ‘unabated and unslackening attachment to God.’

The Bhagavatam expands the frontiers of bhakti and states, ”When all energies of mind, organs of knowledge and of action become concentrated as a unified mental mode, directed to the Supreme Being, spontaneous like an instinct and devoid of any extraneous motives, the resulting state of mind is bhakti. It is superior even to mukti. Like fire it burns away the soul’s sheath of ignorance.”

Bhakti is divine engagement with the Supreme; it draws upon the highest energies of the soul. It calls for incessant yearning from a purified heart, soaked in devotion. Krishna said of the gopis, blessed souls who attained to this state and whose total devotion for Krishna is at the centre of the Bhagavatam: “They never learnt the Vedas, they never served any teacher, they practised no austerity, but by association with holiness and love alone they attained to Me.”

Sathya Sai Baba says:

“Devotion is the supreme state that man can attain. It is bhakti that proves the eternal truth, Tat Twam Asi Thou Art That that the devotee and God are one.” ~ Sathya Sai Baba

The Bhagavatam too declares bhakti to be the highest gift of God, bestowed on aspirants more rarely than mukti itself. No wonder then that the bhakta is ready to forego even the pleasures of Vaikuntha and the goal of mukti itself, for the ineffable delight of loving his Lord.

Today is Sathya Sai Baba’s birthday.

Times Of India Reference

Sai Baba In The News – November 2009

Sai Baba In The News – November 2009

Aswamedha Trust in service of the poor
Express News Service
First Published : 22 Nov 2009 03:55:00 AM IST

ANANTAPUR: Inspired by Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Mother Teresa, Aswamedha Charitable Trust, the brain child of NT Chowdary was founded in 2007 to sponsor education of poor students in drought-prone Anantapur district.

The trust helps poor students, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, to pursue higher education. It also provides free coaching for Public Service Commission examinations, ICET etc.

Scholarships are also being provided to the students pursuing MBA, MCA, B.Tech, MBBS, degree, Inter and nursing courses. So far 850 students were given scholarships.

Group insurance facility was also extended to 850 students by the Trust.

Differently abled and mentally challenged students are also being taken care by the Spandana Orphanage and the the Trust has donated Rs.50,000 to the orphanage. The trust has provided mid-day meals to nearly 650 students for a period of 45 days and donated Rs 2 lakh to NTR Trust through Governor ND Tiwari.

In order to eliminate corruption from the society, the District Collector N Sreedhar had organised a 3K Run on anticorruption in Anantapur. The trust distributed biscuit packets and fruits to those participated in the run. It donated Rs 2.5 lakh to the Teachers Associations and Unions.

Under Anantha Pratibha programme, 300 students have been provided help to secure admission in corporate colleges.

Free coaching for clerks recruitment examination in State Bank of India was given for 600 candidates by the Trust.

Expess Buzz Reference

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Blood donation camp held at Civil Hospital
Ludhiana: Shri Sathya Sai Baba Sewa Samithy, a non-governmental organisation, organised a blood donation camp at Civil Hospital on Saturday. Sanjay Sondhi, a member of the NGO, said the camp was held as a part of birthday of Shri Sathya Sai Baba.

Indian Express Reference

Women’s day held

Women’s day held
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 19 2009: Women’s day was observed today in rememberance of the mother of Bhagvan Sathya Sai Baba, Easwarammam, at Shri Sathya Sai Mandir located at Mantripukhri under the aegis of Mahila Vibhag Shri Satya Sai Organisation, Manipur today.

The occasion was graced by ex-chairperson of Social Welfare Advisory Board, Manipur, S Satyabhama as the chief guest.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr G Ibemhal, State Mahila Spiritual Coordinator, underlined that the day has been celebrated to boost the moral value of the women since 1995 .

S Satyabhama said more lawlessness has prevailed in the state due to negligence in worshipping gods.

She said, the land will become more peaceful when the people devoted more on their respective beliefs.

The chief guest has also inaugurated a textile fair on the occasion.

Various songs were also presented by artistes today at the celebration programme.

E Pao! Reference