31st December 2019 - the day that every shraddhavan was looking forward to.... This was the day of the mega-event - the 'once in a lifetime' program - where every shraddhavan would get the opportunity to spend 9-10 hrs with their beloved Sadguru (Dr. Aniruddha D. Joshi). The icing on the cake was that this was to happen on the last day of 2019. On this day shraddhavans were to drown themselves in Bhaktibhav Chaitanya (Sadguru Devotion Sentience).
The day started quite early and within no time, the D.Y Patil stadium was packed to its capacity. The sense of self-discipline that Sadguru Shree Aniruddha has inculcated among his followers was on display with shraddhavans forming queues and waiting patiently for all the necessary security checks to get inside the ground. With over 40,000 people one can imagine the amount of littering and other such things - but that was not to be seen here.
The entire crowd came to life when the giant screens on the ground showed drone footages of Bapu's cavalcade approaching the stadium. The crowd erupted with joy - with mixed emotions all around - some having tears in their eyes, some clapping, others just watching with love as Bapu got down from his car. After Bapu's arrival, one was just waiting for the program to start and finally that moment arrived..... with the background of the gajar 'Kaliyug men ek hi traata Aniruddha Ram re, mere sang chaale bole mera jag jethi re', Bapu made his grand entry on the stage. Just a couple of sentences from Him were enough to set the mood and the mega-satang started as soon as Bapu sat on his seat - very aptly with the abhang 'Samori baisla kaisa maj disla Bapuraya'.
One after the other, various abhangs were performed on the stage. The Nivedan or the compering was something to look forward to after each abhang, it was very crisp, very touching and conveyed the emotions of every shraddhavan. Bapu's immeasurable love could be seen in His eyes during every abhang, It was heavenly joy to witness these abhangs in His presence. The backdrop of the stage was wonderfully made and it complemented the meaning of the abhang. Some unforgettable moments were when Bapu danced to abhangs like Savala Sunder, Chal chal jau Narada chya gaava, Bhargos misha and many others.
All in all, the entire event was a grand success... which it was always meant to be as it was Bapu's Sankalp to spend the entire day with His shraddhavan friends, His children...
Although there were several highlights or moments which will stay etched in the minds forever, the one that stands out is surely the abhang "Bapu bhetla jay kshani". The 40,000+ crowd waving their mobile torches to symbolize the light or rather the illumination that has spread in the lives of shraddhavans, was just a sight to behold.
Planning and organizing such an event takes a lot of efforts and time as well. Even then, the heart keeps wanting more and more... Ye Dil Maange More!!
