Wild Whitefield Foreigners
January 25-30, 1989
Whitefield, Karnataka
Dear All,
Swami came here to Whitefield on January 21st. He left Prasanthi Nilayam at 7 AM – we left at 10:45 AM on devotee bus. We arrived at 1:45 PM. Sai went hither and thither - He must’ve visited other places because He didn’t arrive till 8 PM!
By Sai’s Grace I got a room in the Guest House. There’s six of us – the proper English lady (feeling better with Whitefield food and without sleeping pills – she ran out luckily, she used 20 up in only a few days!), three charming Sri Lankan elderly ladies (including the one I stayed with earlier in 1988, whom I was cooking with) and a Swedish lady. We all get along and all is fine.
Swami is so, so different here! How far we were at Prasanthi Nilayam! Here He is completely charming, smiling, talking a lot, granting interviews, taking countless letters and Blessing so many things.
Countless, countless foreigners still here. Huge crowds of Italians Australians and Argentines. The vibration here is like a million jumping beans. I didn’t know the world was this distracted. One has only to look in the direction of a hopping stylish group of new foreigners, to suddenly feel like one is in the midst of a smoky disco somewhere like New York or Rome. As soon as Darshan is over, it’s impossible to control the talking. Flocks go into the village (in their flowing costumes of bright colors) to smoke and socialize with other group members.
Why just after Darshan? During Darshan is hopeless also – the crowd is the embodiment of non-discipline. So many are standing, struggling to the front, yelling, “Swami! Swami, Swami!!” causing all galata (confusion). It’s the first time I remember, foreigners acting so distractive during Darshan, more than the Indians. Pooooor Swami. Sai looks upset and skips some areas that make the loudest noises. But He still keeps His ever-calm, ever-peaceful, unattached look.
Surprising is that He doesn’t try to discipline so much, He doesn’t say, “Down, down” so much, as He could. The volunteers also, are for some reason detached from it all. There even ignore foreigners who plead for discipline. Is Sai trying to show us residents how the world is lately?! It’s a test for us.
Meanwhile, the ice age seems to have arrived. Actually, it’s only little colder during the day, then Prasanthi Nilayam. But from 5 PM till 10 AM, it’s really cold, cold. Mist rolls in and all shiver.
One nice experience: Swami gave an American group an interview. Barbara was in it and so was Fibi, an older American I know. In the interview Swami stared at Fibi and in a voice oozing with love said, “I love you.”
Here's the story behind it: from the time she was a child, Fibi used to wish on stars. She would pick her wishes carefully, she said, and they would always come true. Then one day she heard Swami say in a discourse that it’s good to love God but the important thing is for God to love you. So Fibi started wishing on her star, “Oh God, please love me” Two weeks later, Sai gave this interview and told her He loved her! How nice, huh! This Fibi is a very proper, level-headed good devotee who comes every year and stays a few months. Sweet of Swami!
Just now I got a letter from the government saying my visa has been REJECTED. (That’s the Visa under consideration: asking for extension till August 1989.)
Swami left Whitefield and arrived in Prasanthi Nilayam on 28 January, conveniently on Saturday, when it was difficult to do business in Bangalore.
When I arrived in Parthi luckily only nice Mr. Naidu was there, he grumbled good naturedly about famous Miss Weed, Weed, Weed – how can she stay when all have to leave, and how is it that she ever left in the first place (duh – because Sai left!), and that she’s returning. He wrote visa as until August 1989. :-)
I got a room in West Prasanthi with one very, very sweet, nice and adjusting but very sick, Sri Lankan lady. She’s taking Valium and tons of other medicines, she has asthma and other ailments, is in bed and a tired a lot. She’s very adjusting though, very sweet. She doesn’t come to Darshan though! And sometimes not even to bhajan. Wonder why Sai is putting me with sick people who don’t go to Darshan/bhajan?!
Sai is fine and all is very peaceful here – less cold. Kutumba Rao has come but is sick in room. Some conference is here on 1-2-3 February.
Venkamma sends her blessings to you – she told me just now. Sometimes she threatens to write to you if I don’t eat well, etc. :-)
Love,
Divya