(Welcome from New Zealand, Aotearoa, which Swami has called New Sailand!)
The madding crowd had lined up in the streets expecting Car Darshan. However, the inner voice told “Come at 5pm”, so I ignored those lined up for Car Darshan and made my way up to the Ganesh Gate. The generator was going and I could hear chanting as I entered the Ashram.
When I got inside, I could see the video cameras on the porch so I knew there was a program on tonight. Inside the darshan hall, I observed the right hand side of the veranda-area (in front of the interview room) was populated by ladies wearing a blue garment of some kind. On the other side of the porch I saw that the space usually taken by Sai University Professors was filled with the New Zealand Men, with their distinctive scarves. 182 strong New Zealand choir, which, on the mens side, has spilled over off the porch and onto the steps in front of the veranda. The New Zealand Group has 254 members, many who have come for the first time.
Very shortly after I sat down, Swami came to the front of the porch and gave darshan. A forest of hands went up in pranams, and Swami looked over the assembled devotees. Swami then reversed and went down the path to the darshan hall and went across to a group of ladies in aquamarine blue sarees, where he paused and spoke to some. Then, Swami went to the ladies side of the darshan hall and spoke to some ladies in the front row; he was there for quite some time. I saw two ladies get up and approach Swami.
Swami then went along the ladies side for some distance, and turned in and went past all the chair ladies. At the top, he turned and spoke to some ladies right at that top corner area and accepted some letters. Swami then returned to the veranda, passing the New Zealand ladies, and returned to his place at the front of the porch.
The New Zealand Choirmaster approached Swami and offered him the evening’s program of devotional singing. He then took his place just below the walkway off the centre of the porch, as half the choir was on Swami’s left; the other half were on Swami’s right.
Before I go any further, I think I would like to describe the dress of the New Zealand ladies; at first it looked like a blue and white saree, but closer examination revealed it was a traditional New Zealand garment, principally blue, with a white border and traditional markings in the white border; something a cross between an academic robe and a low backed traditional dress. It was a very attractive garment.
For the first song, the lady choir leader approached Swami and asked for permission to sing Karanga Mai. For this, the lady stood alone on the porch, and sang without a microphone, and made some traditional gesture with her hands as she sang.
Karanga Mai,
Karanga Mai Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba,
Karanga Mai ra
This song summonsed all the ancestors from Aotearoa (New Zealand) to the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The karanga draws the wairua (spirit) in all of us to join with Swami and Taranga Whenua (the people of India) in divine bliss. That the lady did this without a microphone, yet was heard throughout the darshan hall is testimony to the power of the Karanga Mai. Well done, I thought.
The next two songs involved the choir singing with hand actions. Most of you may have seen the Haka, where New Zealand sportsmen and women perform a chant with actions. These songs were somewhat similar to that, except every member in the choir was seated and performing hand actions as they sang. Swami was full attention to the ladies as they sang with their hand actions.
The first hand action song was E Nga Iwi, Listen to the people. The actions in the song depicted the calling of the people to return to God.
E nga iwiw
E nga iwiw e karanga e te iwi
It is difficult to describe, but to observe the hand actions along with the singing gave it a profound sense of calling, a sensus plenior of being called; I find it hard to describe. But powerful.
The next song was Pai Ma, a hand action song offering greetings and love from Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Pai Ma to reo aroha
I te pa o Puttaparthi
No nga iwi a Aotearoa
Tena Koutou kia ora ra
The next two items from New Zealand were a traditional Poi Dance, and a Stick Dance. A Poi dance was originally a cultural action dance to teach young men and boys dexterity, but now Poi is primarily performed by women.
For the Poi dance, about a dozen ladies moved down to the main darshan hall floor; some knelt, some stood. They appeared to have a rope with pom-poms at each end which were waved and twirled at various points in the song. Quite interesting to watch. The ladies remained where they were for the stick dance, facing each other and making gestures with these blue-green coloured pairs of sticks. Ene Nga Kupu is a traditional stick dance performed by young teens to learn dexterity and concentration as they matured; this version was written for them to especially concentrate on God (Sai) as they learn.
Enei nga kupo o Sathya Sai, Sathya Sai, Sathya Sai,
Mahi tika, te aroha, te rangimarie
Enei nga kupo o Sathya Sai
Enei nga kupo o Sathya Sai
Hari Hari te pono
Te Ariki nui
Several English songs followed, and thereafter, Swami moved over to the front of the seated ladies, and red sarees were distributed. The lead lady singer approached Swami, and there was applause, Swami materialised a necklace and placed it around the neck of that lady singer.
It took quite some time to distribute sarees to the New Zealand ladies; Swami remained there in front of the New Zealand lady until the very last lady had received her gift from Bhagavan.
Thereafter, Swami went across to the mens side, where there was conversation with the leader of the mens singers, and white shawls were distributed to these choir members. There was a lot of conversation for quite some time, and four men were called forward to speak with Swami.
Swami returned to the front of the porch, and one of the New Zealanders led Ganesha Sharanum, after which Swami called for Arathi.
So a lovely evening from the New Zealand devotees, and as they were singing I noted quite a few Indians and other devotees clapping along with these presentations; a joyful noise unto the Lord.
So it was Kia Ora from New Sailand!
Tags: darshan, New Zealand Choir, Prashanti Nilayam