LA: The first day

Friday, 21 January 2005

A report from Gandhi Ranjitsingh

At the Shrine auditorium where movie stars and celebrities once received their awards, a 3-day event with Maharaji began today. Dressed elegantly as he usually does, Maharaji made his way to the chair to a thunderous applause from the audience. Some people had not been with him for long time and with everyone standing, he motioned to the audience to take their seats. The applause went on for a while with smiles of gratitude beaming from the faces of everyone. Dayalata sang two songs to the wonderful rhythm of a band at the beginning of the event.

He addressed many topics and mixed his presentations with some humour. It was really lovely to look at him and witness the magic that was happening.

He told the joke about a duck that went to a bar and ordered grapes. "Do you have any grapes?" After two attempts the bartender told the duck that he would nail his beak to the counter if he continued to ask for grapes. Then the duck asked the bartender. "Do you have nails?" The bartender said that he did not have nails. The duck then asked,

"Do you have any grapes?"

Everyone laughed with appreciation.

He told another joke about a man who asked God what a million dollars were like to Him. God said a million dollars was like a penny to Him. Then he asked God what was a million years. God said a million years were like one second. The man asked God for one of his pennies. God replied, "Okay, Give me a second. "

Toward the end of his presentation, Maharaji talked a lot about India and what was happening there. He was so very much pleased with the efforts by the Indian premies and how much propagation was happening.

Tomorrow there are two events; one in the morning and the other in the evening.

The excitement is building and Maharaji is also excited about the next two days that he will be spending with us.

Before he left the stage, Dayalata was accompanied by a choir as she rendered three more songs which delighted the audience; the last one raising everyone to their feet and bringing smiles on the face of Maharaji.

I think if I was still a premie, and had somehow rationalised away the info on the internet, I would feel such relief and joy at seeing Rawat. I reckon for premies who aren't wavering, seeing Rawat is getting better and better, although being away from him will be more painful.