Date:16/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/16/stories/2008111656170700.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Saibaba launches ‘vishwa shanthi yagnam’

Staff Reporter

Vedic chanting rented the air in stadium along with commencement of yagnam
Several seers from across the country likely to participate in the ‘Poornahuthi’

PUTTAPARTHI: The three-day ‘Sahasra Poornachandra Darshana Mahotsava Vishwa Shanti Yagnam’ organised by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust was launched in the Hill View stadium here on Saturday with the symbolic participation by Satya Saibaba.

12 yagnam homams

Vedic chanting rented the air in the panoramic stadium along with the commencement of yagnam which was conducted in 12 yagnam homams arranged for the purpose. A large number of devotees gathered for the occasion. The yagnam is being organised to mark the 83rd birthday celebrations of Saibaba.

Secretary of the trust S. Chakravarthy, Chairman of TTD D.K. Adikeshavulu Naidu and Chairman of All India Sathya Sai Organisations K. Srinivasan were supervising the arrangements. In all, 180 priests from different parts of the country were performing the yagnam.

Minister J. Geetha Reddy, Rayalaseema IGP R.P. Thakur, Additional DGP A. Sivanarayana, district Collector V. Anil Kumar, Penukonda Sub Collector Praveen Kumar, Superintendent of Police M. K. Singh, P. N. Bhagwathi, H.J. Dora, Y.V. Anuradha and others also participated.

Several seers from across the country were also likely to participate in the ‘Poornahuthi’, on the final day of the yagnam on November 17. Saibaba will arrive in a golden chariot made specially for the occasion with a cost of about Rs. 30 crore. The yagnam ritual will end with a ‘maha harathi’.

Well-known seers

Seers like Jagadguru Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Jayendra Saraswathi, Jagadguru Madhvachaya Mahasamsthana Pejevara Muktha Deeksha Srivishweshwara Teertha, Ganapathi Sachidanda Swamy, Sreepuram Sree Narayani Peetham Sri Sathi Amma and others were likely to be present.

Various cultural programmes including vocal concerts by Priya Sisters, Malladi Brothers, ‘Rukmini Kalyanam’ dance ballet by Mahalaxmi Iyer and troupe and others were being organised in Sai Kulwanth Hall in Prashanti Nilayam.

‘Grama seva’

Sri Satya Sai Seva organisations from different parts of the country and outside were already engaged in ‘grama seva’ from November 1, in which they were visiting villages in Puttaparthi, Kothacheruvu and Bukkapatnam mandals and were distributing clothes, food and sweets to every family.