Ladies Day

Sathya Sai Baba’s message is global, so at the Sri Sathya Sai Easwaramma Women’s Welfare Trust (SSSEWWT) we try to address and incorporate this inclusive focus in whatever we do. As Swami says, There is only one caste, the caste of humanity.

Ladies Day 2009 was one such festive occasion for putting into practice Swami’s teaching. Organized and staffed by SSSEWWT, this program featured a choir from Greece; an international choir; an Indian drama about the Mahabharata heroine, Draupadi; and groups of young girls from six countries performing traditional dances.

We will feature here the little girls. The first to perform was a group from India, who did a traditional dance praising the all-pervading cosmic principle of Lord Sai.

Girls from Indonesia did a traditional welcome dance, one which is addressed only to special souls or holy men. Seven girls presented seven kinds of auspicious flowers, greeting Swami with love.

Latin America was represented by girls from several Latin countries doing the Mexican Bride Dance. This is a dance performed by maidens as part of the wedding ritual of the Mazatecan tribe. In the bride’s procession to the temple, the girls dance in front of the bride, throwing petals of white flowers for her to walk on, which symbolizes both the bride’s purity and the path she is to take as housewife and mother in order to please God and accomplish her duties in society.

Students from the Sathya Sai School of Fiji participated with a lively traditional Fiji dance called, Meke, in which stories of God and tales of mythology are depicted. The girls were dressed in the indigenous apparel and makeup worn by Fijians to greet their rulers. The meaning of their dance was, in part: We, who are living, let us rejoice and sing to SAI – for His strength protects us. Let us bow our heads to Him and be happy for His love… Our Sai is so faithful, He is our provider; let us invite Him to dwell in our hearts so we can walk this earth in love and happiness.

Girls from the primary grades of the Sathya Sai School of Thailand were next. These little girls did a graceful Thai dance called, Lopburi. This dance is grounded in ancient mythology, and is choreographed by studying ancient sculptures of goddesses from the Khmer period. Performance of this dance itself is considered by Thais to be a blessing from the Divine.

The final group to perform was from South Africa, and their traditional Zulu dance stole people’s hearts. Accompanied only by the rhythmic and energetic stamping of their feet, the girls wore makeup indicating their status as young maidens. They were also dressed in traditional Zulu attire. Their hair and clothing was adorned with beads, and every color in their hair beads and in the hand-sewn beads on their clothing had significant religious meaning.

This group’s organizers had an interesting story to tell. All of the girls came from extremely poor villages, and had never been far from their villages before they flew to India. All of the girls were participants in SSEHV classes provided by the South African Sai Organization Ladies Wing, who also arrange bussing, lunches, and schooling for these underprivileged girls, many of whom are orphans, or have only one parent. These girls knew Swami only as the, ‘Man in the picture’ from His photographs.

The Ladies Wing originally planned to bring three girls, knowing they needed to cover not only their plane tickets, transportation and other incidental costs, but also food, clothing, and even the suitcases to carry things in. But, the Sai devotees in South Africa were so openhearted that 18 girls were fully provided for to make this miracle trip of a lifetime to be in Bhagavan’s physical Presence.

The South Africans finished with hymns written specially for the occasion. The words of one concluded with the prayer, Oh! Our Sai Father, may Your teachings spread among all the nations of the world. May Your glory last for eternity.

All of the girls participating in these six dance-performances from around the world came from the system of Sai Educare, either from Sai Schools or from Sathya Sai Education in Human Values classes.