20th October 1940 every year is celebrated as the Sathya Sai Avatar Declaration Day. It is on this historically significant day in the year 1940 that the young lad Sathyanarayana Raju revealed to the world His Divine identity and the glorious mission on which He has come. The following lines capture the events on that epochal day: Sathyanarayana started for school as usual. However, within a few minutes, He returned to the house. Standing on the outer doorstep, He cast aside the books He was carrying and called out, “I am no longer your Sathya. I am Sai.” The sister-in-law came from the kitchen, only to be blinded by the splendour of the halo around Baba’s head! He addressed her, “I am going; I don’t belong to you; Maya (delusion) has gone; My Bhaktas (devotees) are calling Me; I have My Work; I can’t stay here any longer.” When the brother hurried home on hearing all this, Baba only told him, “Give up all your efforts to ‘cure’ Me. I am Sai; I do not consider Myself related to you”. In spite of repeated pleas, Sathya would not step into that building again. He moved in into the garden of the Excise Inspector Sri Anjaneyulu’s bungalow, and sat on a rock in the midst of the trees. People came into the garden from all directions bringing flowers, fruits, incense and camphor to worship Him. The garden resonated with the voices of hundreds singing bhajans (devotional singing) and following the lines of the first prayer that Sri Sathya Sai taught them.
To celebrate this landmark event in Baba’s life, Avatar Declaration Day is celebrated every year with devotion and gratitude. In 2018, the following events took place across India |
- Ekadasha Rudra homam performed at Sri Sathya Sai Centre, Trichy. The chanting of Rudram was mainly done by the Balvikas children of Srirangam Samithi.
- Maharudram offered at the Lotus Feet on Avatar Declaration Day at Nuagaon in Balasore district of Odisha. 121 sisters in 11 groups with each group consisting of 11 mahila chanters offered Ekadasha Rudra Parayanam at the Divine Lotus feet.
- Maharudram offered at the Divine Lotus feet in Goa by 121 chanters.
- In Pandharpur, one of India’s holiest ancient pilgrimage centre, Avatar Day was observed with Vedic chanting and Prayers. Devotees from nearby
districts of Solapur, Osmanabad, Sangli, Satara, Barshi and Pune participated surcharging the entire atmosphere with divine vibrations and the feeling of Bhagawan’s presence. - More than 4000 devotees of Paderu, Andhra Pradesh participated in the Avatar Day celebration which was in the form of a 12km walk. After the peaceful walk along with the chariot carrying the photograph of Bhagawan, a public meeting was held contemplating the divine glory. At the conclusion Mangala Aarthi was offered after which Narayana Seva (feeding the needy) was served to 4500 devotees of Gdudgupalli village.
- The Avatar proclamation day October 20th was celebrated with great devotion and piety by Sai Samiti Thrissur which was conducted as a district program. The program was named Sada Shivoham: Youth for Veda Youth for Seva Youth for Namasmarana. The morning program commenced from Sai Samiti Thrissur at 7.30 am – Vedagoshayathra and mass Veda Chanting to Sri Vadakkumnathan Temple in which about 1140 participants including Veda exponents devotees Sai youths large number of students joined and a procession chanting Veda Manthras entered into the temple. The procession chanting Vedic hymns circumambulated the temple and concluded the goshayatra by chanting Sivopasana in front of temple entrance. The holy procession was led by the Vedic exponents Sri.Vedanarayanan , Sri. Harisankar, Sri. Ramasarma and Sri. Ramachandran At 9.30 am the goshayatra concluded and proceeded to Sri Sankara Hall where the Sadashivoham venue arranged. District President Sri.Sangameswaran welcomed all the delegates, devotees Students Sai Youths and the rest present in the function .. The public function at Sri Sankara Hall inaugurated by lighting the lamp by Prof. E . Mukundan SP SP SSSOK, Dr. N.Gopalakrishnan Scientist & Director Indian Institute of Scientific Heritage Sri. Vedanarayan, Swami Nandatmajananda of of Sri Ramakrishna Mutt. First talk was by Dr. Gopalakrishnan who gave an insightful narration about his experience with Swami followed by talk by State President. The next program was mass Veda chanting by Sai Youth. Sri. Vedanarayan Sir in his speech elucidated the way of chanting Veda by the
participants in the Goshayatra and quoted Vedic hymns to emphasize that Bhagawan has given the Vedic study as a gift to the universe. Sri. T. A. Sunder DP Bangalore gave another insightful talk about Acharya Devo Bhava and the significance of Upanishad in the day to day living of students using power point presentation. The next program was honouring the teachers and prize distribution which included cash prize, memento and certificate to the nine winners of Essay Writing Competition 2018. Balvikas students honoured the teachers with pushparchana and Arati. Afternoon session there were talks by Smt.Sarita Iyer ,Sri Unnikrishnan, Sri. Harikrisnan, Sri. Jayakrishnan, Dr.Gitajali and Adv.K.P.Ramachandran . Vote of thanks delivered by Sri. Anilkumar DC Thrissur. Program concluded by Swami’s video Bhajan Premamuditha man se kaho Rama Rama Ram Ram followed by Mangala Aarti . In the evening there was lighting of 5000 holy lamps to the presiding deity Lord Siva at Vadakkumnathan temple Thrissur as a dedication towards commemoration of the holy day of Avatar proclamation.