In fact, only after Sai Geetha came, did Puttaparthi processions really acquire their charismatic character. Sri Chidambaram recalls that in the late fifties and early sixties before Sai Geetha arrived, whenever Swami used to see elephants being part of the welcome ceremonies durHis visits to many towns in Tamil Nadu, He used to be delighted. So much so that in December 10, 1958, ten days before visiting Surandai, (a vibrant town in Western Tamil Nadu in the district of Tirunelveli) Swami, describing to select devotees the grand welcome awaiting Him, said, “The people of Surandai are very devout. Though it is a small village, they have arranged for an elephant ride!” Sri Venkatraman, who along with his cousin, had invited Swami to make the visit, says, “It was such a magnificent welcome in my native village…it remains as the most memorable day of my life.” Again, two years later, when Swami visited Udumalapet (a lively town in the Coimbatore district, Western Tamil Nadu), the reception there was one of unparalleled grandeur and gaiety, because there were three elephants in the procession.

Swami was seated blissfully on the elephant in the middle and on either side there was one elephant on whom were seated two persons holding richly decorated umbrellas. Sri Bala Pattabi, who had only dreamt of offering such a rousing welcome to Swami in his home town, was too overcome with emotion and speechless when Swami descended from the elephant, patted him affectionately and asked, “Are you happy now that your long cherished desire has come true?”

Few months later, when Swami visited Nilgiris, the sylvan town located amidst the eponymous mountain range, tens of thousands villagers had gathered there, and Swami sitting gracefully on an elegant elephant was a darshan that simply sent devotees to ecstasy. Swami, smiling all the time, was accepting garlands from people and the whole session with mellifluous bhajans going on in the background went on for two hours. Every act of the divine is according to a definite plan and His sudden fascination for elephants in that period was no ordinary event; it was truly a patent precursor, an amazing antecedent of events that were to unfold in His Master plan.

Source: www.radiosai.org