Our first visit to Prasanthi Nilayam was during 1983 for the International Bal Vikas Rally. We stayed in tents put up behind Round buildings (Presently Punjabi Canteen and North blocks). Remember the nice time we, all the children, had getting Swami’s Padnamskar (at least three times) sitting in neat rows on the sands before the Mandir. Every time He walked between the rows we would pick up the handful of sand after He had passed by and carry it to our bags. One day He distributed Photographs and once vibhuti packets. By the time we returned from Parthi our hearts were filled with His love and our bags with the sand from His feet.
Other memories of the trip are that of the journey by train- we had to change two buses and three trains to reach Parthi. It was such a rush time that in the train we took from Guntakal we were all huddled inside the mail van with no light, for food a tin of biscuits was passed inside.
