Global villages, languages, cultures ands traditions will feature in 36-hours of continuous singing by different community groups from across the world in mid-November.
The singing will mark the 78-year of the event which started with a small group of 150 has now become an international event fixed into the second weekend in November.
Global Akhand Bhajan features bhajan-singing by people of many denominations in various languages and traditional styles. It will take place worldwide from 1 am Saturday, November 12, 2022 to Sunday, November 13, 2022 at 1:00 PM (Venezuela Time).
Global Akhanda Bhajan is observed annually around the world. It looks beyond religion and other divisions to celebrate universal human values off truth, right conduct, peace, love and nonviolence. It takes place at the headquarters of the international Sri Satya Sai Baba at Prasanthi Nilayam, India and simultaneously at Sai Centres around the world. Scroll down for video
Trinidad and Tobago
Akhand Bhajan will take place at regional centres across Trinidad and Tobago.
St. Julien Sai Centre in New Grant with the Sri Satya Sai International Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago, South Region will host the event for the South East Region of Trinidad and Tobago. Singing will begin at the centre St. Julien Road, New Grant from 6 pm Saturday, November 12, 2022 to 6 pm Sunday, November 13, 2022 (TT Time).
The St Julien centre is located at the Rama Krishna Mandir, founded by Frank Persad. It is the first time the centre is hosting the event which will see groups from the expansive South region engaged in devotional singing over 24 hours, simultaneously with the 36-hour global event.
Other districts may consult with the respective region for scheduled venue. There are two other venues in Trinidad and Tobago, one in the North at St Helena Sai Centre and the other at the Sai Nilayam Central Headquarters in Longdenviille. See image for details
Scroll down to see video of the South East Region participation in the online Covid Akhand Bhajan.
First Shirdi Village
St Julien village is the birthplace of Trinidad and Tobago’s first Prime Minister of Indo-Trinidadian descent, Basdeo Panday.
The St Julien village has been taking an increasingly active role in the region’s activities. It hosted the pre-Covid regional annual sports day at the village grounds.
Its youths also researched, reimagined, recreated and reconstructed the Shirdi Village in the first known local event that featured international participants in celebrating the Samadhi/death of Shirdi Sai Baba. Scroll down to see video on recreation of the first Shirdi Village.
Cut off by landslide
The village continues to play a central role although it’s main artery to the town has been cut-off by a landslide. The landslide that has been pulling at the road for some time finally gave way with this season’s rains, making the route from Princes Town impassable to vehicular traffic. See the landslide here.
Organisers are reminding groups and other participants in Akhand Bhajan 2022 that the main entry into the village from Princes Town is still closed owing to a landslide. Participants are asked to allow an additional 30 minutes for detour through alternative routes. Persons are also advised to consult with someone in the district or the organisers if unsure of the route to take and to be cautious of using Waze or Google Maps because the districts are incorrectly or inadequately mapped online. you can also visit the Facebook page for updates.
Another significant component off the village is its integrated multireligious nature
Across the Caribbean
Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean are part of Zone 1 Region 5 with close to 100 centres affiliated to the International Sai Organization, The region extends from the Bahamas in the North to Guyana and Suriname on the South American Continent.
The organization was first established in this region in 1974 in Guyana by the then High Commissioner of India to Guyana.
Centres in the Caribbean region are located in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Guyana, and Suriname, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia, St Kitts, and St. Maarten, Curacao and Aruba of the Netherland Antilles.
To participate in the Akhanda Bhajan at the scheduled time, use the link https://www.sathyasai.org/live.
About Sai Organisations
Activities of the organisations are broadly spiritual, educational, and service oriented.
There are no membership fees for joining a Sri Sathya Sai Centre. Fees are never charged for any Centre activity.
Spiritual awareness is promoted through self-discipline, good conduct, study circles, devotional singing, meditation, and other activities organized in Centre and Group meetings, retreats, camps, and conferences.
Education in Human Values
Education activities include teaching and practice of the five universal Human Values: Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love, and Nonviolence through classes for children and parents, and training seminars for teachers.
There are more than 40 Sri Sathya Sai Schools around the world providing integrated education, which has both academic and spiritual components, not only for schools and educational institutions but also for governments, businesses, industries and communities worldwide.
South East Trinidad at Sai Akhand
See the South East Region previous participation in Akhand Bhajan in this link or video below
Recreating a heritage village
See Rama Krishna Mandirs Youths Reconstruct Shirdi Village in this link or video below
About Dr Kris Rampersad
Dr Kris Rampersad is building diasporic interconnections through multimmedia and evolving blended media education and cultural tools, techniques. She is a UNESCO-trained educator/facilitator, National Geographic certified educator, global Woman Techmakers’ Ambassador and Google Digital Skills Ambassador. For custom-made heritage advice, courses, curriculum development, museum installations and displays and to support, collaborate, sponsor or adopt a community, develop our multimedia museum, galleries, publications and films and digitisation of our knowledge repository find out more in this link.