The Onam festivities at Prasanthi Nilayam have a unique charm of their own. The entire Sai Family from the state of Kerala gathers at Prasanti Nilayam to celebrate the festival in the presence of their Divine Master, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The sacred day marks the occasion when the mighty Emperor Bali performed the supreme act of surrender to Lord Vamana, the Avatar of Lord Vishnu. The legend goes that Lord Vamana, disguised as a Brahmin, asked Bali for just three paces of land. His first two paces covered the earth and the heavens. And Bali, who would never go back on his word, offered his own head for the Lord to place His Feet on, and thus attained liberation. However, he prayed to Vamana for one last boon - once every year Emperor Bali wished to see his beloved subjects. This day, when Emperor Mahabali comes to visit his people, is celebrated as Onam by the people of Kerala.

This year, around ten thousand devotees from Kerala arrived in Prasanthi Nilayam to attend the three-day celebrations that commenced on the 6th of September. The richly decorated Kulwanth Hall reverberated to the sounds of the Panchavadyam, a traditional form of music played in the temples of Kerala. Music programmes by various artistes from Kerala were arranged on all three days. Apart from the celebrations in Prasanthi Nilayam, there was also a two-day medical camp organized by the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organsiations, Kerala. About 14,000 patients from around 100 villages around Puttaparthi were treated during the course of the camp.

The festivities concluded on the evening of 8th, September with a Carnatic Music recital in Bhagawan's Divine presence by four students from the Sri Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music, Prasanthi Nilayam. The students delighted the audience with their impressive rendering of kirtanas, and also devotional songs in Malayalam.

sourced: srisathyasai.org.in