Christmas at Prasanthi Nilayam is not announced by falling snowflakes or bustling city lights, yet one who steps into this sacred abode instantly realises what the world outside is missing. Here, instead of snow, the cool flakes of His grace descend silently upon every heart, day after day, moment after moment.
As dusk settles gently over the ashram, Prasanthi Nilayam transforms into a vision of serene festivity. Colourful lights ripple across pathways and pillars, not in noisy flamboyance, but in a quiet brilliance that mirrors the inner illumination Bhagawan often spoke of. Like stars strung carefully across the earth, the lights seem to whisper the Christmas message Swami reiterated time and again — “Let the Light of Love shine in your hearts.”
Tall and majestically adorned Christmas trees stand as silent sentinels of joy, their glowing ornaments reflecting the collective devotion of hearts gathered from across the world. Playful Santas, placed thoughtfully around the ashram, bring gentle smiles — reminders that joy, when pure and innocent, is itself divine.
This is not a loud celebration — yet it is a vibrant one that loudens the spirit. There are no blaring carols, but the air hums with an unspoken melody of peace. It is the kind of celebration Bhagawan envisioned — where festivity is measured not by sound, but by stillness filled with love.
Walking through the ashram, one is enveloped by another unmistakable sign of Christmas — the rich, comforting aroma of freshly baked cakes wafting from the canteens. These simple offerings, prepared with love, carry the sweetness of sharing and selflessness that Christ exemplified and Swami so beautifully echoed in His discourses.
Devotees, young and old, move about with an air of joyful anticipation, eagerly awaiting the much-loved Goodies Day, when love takes tangible form in the smallest of gifts. For here, gifts are not just received — they are felt.
Bhagawan often reminded us during Christmas that Christ came to awaken the Christ within — the divine spark of love, sacrifice, and compassion. At Prasanthi Nilayam, this message is not merely spoken; it is lived. Every light, every decoration, every smiling face becomes an expression of that inner awakening.
So while the world may boast of white Christmases and grand celebrations, Prasanthi offers something far rarer — a Christmas soaked in grace, wrapped in stillness, and glowing with eternal love. To miss being here is to miss witnessing Christmas not as an event, but as an experience of the heart.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BRf1VeAvN
https://www.sssmediacentre.org/gallery/694b6dfdc79104245c594ea7
