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A spiritual retreat

Last updated on: November 4, 2009 19:20 IST


Spiritual Guru Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was in Mumbai on a three-day visit from October 31 to November 2. Lakhs of devotees attended the various public darshans across the city.

The first public darshan was on October 31 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Goregaon (East), a northern suburb, which was attended by about 20,000 people.

Images: Hitesh Harisinghani

A spiritual retreat


Sai Baba's followers and students from his institutions chant Vedas as his car enters the venue in Goregaon.

Baba runs many educational institutions where free education is given to students from primary level to PhD.

A spiritual retreat


Bharatiya Janata Party leader and fashion designer Shaina NC (left) at the event.

A spiritual retreat


Percussionist Shivmani also came to see Baba in Mumbai.

Renowned santoor player Shiv Kumar Sharma, playback singer Hariharan and actor Salman Khan's sister Alvira Khan Agnihotri were among others who attended the two-hour event.

A spiritual retreat


Leading playback singer Sonu Nigam presented a music programme before Baba along with his troupe for an hour. Nigam presented many popular songs including Sainath Tere Harazon Haath, Aisi lagi Lagan and Hari Ghadi Badal Rahi from the film Kal Ho Na Ho.

A spiritual retreat


After the programme, Sonu Nigam paid his salutations to Baba, who materialised a gold ring and gave it to the singer.

A spiritual retreat


Sonu Nigam's wife Madhurima and son wait for Baba's arrival.

A spiritual retreat

Image: The audience at Goregaon public darshan

On November 1, Baba presided over a convention titled 'Ethics and the world of finance' at his Mumbai base 'Dharmakshetra' in suburban mumbai. The convention was attended by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, ICICI Bank Chairman KV Kamath, Chairman and MD of the Union Bank of India MV Nair, Kotak Bank's Vice Chairman and MD Uday Kotak and Gunit Chadha, the head of Deutsche Bank's India operations among others.

Later in the day, Baba gave public darshans at Jamboorie Maidan in Worli and at Brabourne Stadium in Churchgate.

A spiritual retreat


Ashok Chavan played host to Baba in the afternoon at his official residence, while former state home minister Jayant Patil served dinner to the spirtual guru at his Peddar Road residence on November 1.

Chairman of the Tata Group Ratan Tata, Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and family, Shiv Sena exceutive president Uddhav Thackeray's wife and son were among others who paid a visit to Baba at his base.