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Celebration Time!


Celebration time for all of us on this planet
By K.Balu

Jai Gurudev.
The whole world it appeared was waiting for the ART OF LIVING SILVER
JUBILEE celebrations to happen at Bangalore from 17th
to 19th February 2006.I am just giving a bird`s eye
view of all that happened on those 3 wonderful days.
I left from Chennai on 15th February to be one day
ahead.The Bangalore mail left Chennai with lots of
devotees.My compartment had a majority of Aolites from
West Bengal.They were all wearing their ID cards and
badges which made it easy to communicate to them that
we are all of the same family.
The music troupe from Chennai was also travelling by
the same train.As the train reached Bangalore very
early in the cold morning we had enough time to chat
with some but every one was so eager to reach the
site of the celebration,Jakkur airfield.
The information counter volunteers at the city station
informed that buses had been arranged from the 17th
morning from all points of the city.
On the 17th morning we left by the first bus from
Baswehwaranagar where I stayed with my brother.All the
first trip buses left at the same time by 10am.By the
time we reached Jakkur airfield the Morning vedic
ceremony was in full swing and we could just hear the
chants since we could not enter the pandal due to the
heavy crowd.We satisfied our appetite by other
means,ice creams and so on.
The afternoon food was almost like a working lunch and
though there was a very heavy crowd it was managed
with all the ease of the usual AOL volunteer,no fuss,
no shouting no nothing.Wonderful and affectionate
though under very heavy strain.
The evening function was compered by Vikram Hazra.The
crowd must have been several lakhs and I was satisfied
sitting near a TV screen.There were several TV screens
and it was possible to view every programme without
hindrance.
On the second day,the crowd was still more.I reached
home only at 2 am or so.Anyway my energy level was so
high and never felt tired .On an average we would have
walked almost 10kms daily.
On the grand MahaKriya day 19th February,Gurudev
started with the usual Ujjai breathing,Bhastrica and
finally the Kriya.His words were so affectionate ,
tears started flowing down my cheeks for no reason.
The dance and music programme afterwards was all
splendour.I am sure some one else will write about it.
On the 20th February was the day of Rudra abisheka and
we all reached the Ashram at 11 am.The Rudra abisheka
was also performed at Jakkur but since we reached home
very late on the previous day we prefered to go to the
Ashram instead of Jakkur.
After the rudraabisheka was over by 1.00pm the bhajans
started.Many in the pandal swayed to the delightful
music,Shiva Om and several other compositions.We all
prayed that Guruji should come there and suddenly it
was announced that Guruji was coming there and within
a few moments it was announced again that Guruji was
not coming there.Of course Guruji was at Jakkur in the
evening in all his splendour and divinity.I know
something inside me has changed after the great
event.So it would have been for the several lakhs who
congregated there on those eventful days.Thank you
Guruji.
Jai Gurudev.
K.Balu.Chennai.





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