Happy Easter to all!
Today we jumped on the bus in the morning and headed to Andy’s residence and gathered upstairs to celebrate Easter Puja together.
This was the first Puja to be held in Surabaya, something special for both the local yogis and for Sahaja Yoga worldwide. The energy was very festive and the whole puja was beautifully coordinated by our hosts.
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After lunch we headed straight to the venue for the evenings performance to prep, soundcheck, setup the chairs, posters and so forth. Tonight’s venue is the Balai Permuda in central Surubaya, a large venue with a seating capacity of 500. We set out chairs for 300, and fill the front third of the place with a very enthusiastic audience.
Tonight something shifts. There’s a flow to the evening, where everything synchs perfectly, starting with a most heart-warming welcoming from Pak Sabrot D. Malidboro, who is Head of Dewan Kesenian Surabaya (Surubaya Arts Committee). His words describe beautifully the context of the evening, setting the tone for the night ahead.
The old cliche ‘quality not quantity’ is most apparent tonight. The newcomers number under 100 yet they are a vibrant bunch, not afraid to express themselves. There’s one chap in particular who immediately resonates with the bhajans and starts dancing ecstatically from the first Ganesha bhajans, only allowing himself an occasional respite throughout the 2 1/2 hour performance. Chris Szydlowski doesn’t need an invitation to dance at the best of times, and the rapturoustheatrical interplay between them is a sheer joy to watch. We feel like we are transported to another realm and the spirit and energy ignites to really lift the lid… Ali Maula is reborn reaching heights not previously attained by Bhakti, Mahamaya Mahakali has everyone on their feet, Manuk Dadali keeps everyone going and we’re joined for this by a local music contingent (drummers and ukelele player), who spontaneously start playing with us… a musical procession ensues with some of the Bhakti Group joining them front of stage and it is just magnificent… it’s what it is all about.
The bhajans from Bhakti are interspersed with two songs from the local collective. There is a touching sweetness in their music, so beautifully presented. At the end of the evening the formal thankyou’s take place. Pak Sabrot D. Malidboro once again addresses the audience and thanks all those who have participated in this most auspicious event. Chris Szydlowski gives a very sincere and polished response, thanking the local Ministers, the Arts Council, the Australian Embassy in Canberra and all who combined to bring about this great event. He also acknowledges the close and powerful relationship that exists between Western Australia and Surubaya, which happen to be sister cities. Western Australian exports alot of product to Surubaya and a strong economic and political alliance has thus been formed.
The evening is enlightening to all in a myriad of ways. Nico – (the French guy who joined us with his partner Indre), expresses to us the powerful experience of realisation he had listening to Shiva Shankara Bhole Bhale, where he ‘really felt the vibrations’. In these moments it is evident that we’re not just uplifting the spirits of those present at the venue or those in close proximity. It really does feel that the whole of Surubaya is benefiting from the love, the joy, the ecstasy of the evening, and it’s amazing to be a part player in this evolution of humanity.
Kind Regards,
Martin Purcell
Thanks for the updates….they are so beautifully written you almost feel like you are there!!
Wonderful! Nice to see more and more of the spreading of Mother’s Message! Wish I was there. Love Bruno