www.saitowers.com/magazine/set-oct-2000

Prime Minister of Nepal Has Bhagawan’s darshan 5th August The Prime Minister of Nepal, Sri Girija Prasad Koirala, came to Prasanthi Nilayam along with his daughter to have Bhagawan’s darshan on the 5th of August, 2000. Bhagawan blessed him with a special audience .
Krishna Janmasthami 22nd August 2000 The birthday of Lord Krishna was celebrated in the Divine Presence on the morning of 22nd August. During the darshan session, students sang Sthotrams and hymns on Lord Krishna. Another set of students started from Gokulam in a procession with Sai Geeta, the ceremonial elephant and 20 decorated cows. In the Sai Kulwanth Hall, Bhagawan Baba gave a discourse talking about the virtues of truth, love, forbearance and non-violence. At the conclusion of the discourse, Bhagawan blessed the elephant and the cows, that had arrived by then, with fruits. He even released a few pigeons. A little fawn drew His attention. He picked it up in His lap, fondling it with tremendous tenderness.
Wedding Bells at Prasanthi Nilayam Again 24th August 2000 With the onset of the year of the 75th Birthday, wedding bells have been ringing in the Divine Presence at regular intervals. Bhagawan had earlier blessed mass marriage ceremonies at Prasanthi Nilayam on 29th February 2000 and at Brindavan on 8th May 2000. Yet another occasion arrived on the 24th of August.
The latest ceremony benefitted the rural masses with the couples coming from Puttaparthi and the neighbouring villages of Puttaparthi, Bukkapatnam and Kothacheruvu. A day prior to the function, Bhagawan distributed clothes and articles required for the wedding ceremony to the couples. The next morning, the couples arrived at the Sai Kulwanth Hall in a grand procession from Sri Pedda Venkama Raju Kalyana Mandapam. Bhagawan supervised the ceremony and blessed the couples at the end. There was a feast for the newly wedded couples and their relatives in the canteen at noon.

Vinayaka Chaturthi Function 1st September to 7th September 2000

Vinayaka Chaturthi was celebrated in the Divine Presence on the 1st of September 2000 at Prasanthi Nilayam. During morning darshan, after students had sunga sthotrams and hymns on Lord Ganesha, Bhagawan gave His divine discourse. In His Discourse, Bhagawan exhorted the fact that truth and righteouness only are eternal. On the 3rd, students of the school and the institute and staff from other Sai Institutions brought Ganesha idols in a procession for Bhagawan’s blessing. Bhagawan blessed each of the groups that brought their Ganesha idols on palanquins and makeshift chariots. The idols were then taken for immersion. Just before the procession had arrived at Sai Kulwanth Hall, students from the Primary School put on an impromptu dance; some of them even spoke in the divine presence.

On the 1st September, Sathya Ganapathi Sangha of Bangalore performed a seven day ‘Eka Pancha Saptha Sathi Ganapathi Pooja Mahotsavam’ at Prasanthi Nilayam. 751 Ganapathi idols had been istalled. Bhagawan ignited the flame for the fire sacrifice that went on for seven days. He even attended the concluding function. There were Ganesha idols of different varieties – Ganesha dipicting 32 different facets and a six feet Ganesha with 75 idols on it. The immersion ceremony took place on the 7th of September.