Puttaparthi
Once a sparsely populated village has shot into national and
international fame as the abode of Bhagwan Sri Satya Sai Baba.
The original name of Sai Baba is "Satyanarayana Raju".
He was born on November 23, 1926 in Puttaparthi.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the most colourful and multifaceted prophet,
modern India has produced, is believed to be the very avatar
(incarnation) of love and the voice of one's own innermost heart
speaking to each individual externally. The teachings of the
Baba are based on the famous 'five props' of Sathya (truth),
Dharma (righteousness) Santhi (peace), Prema (universal love)
and Ahimsa (non violence). Prasanthi Nilayam, over the years,
has attracted people from all over then world. The Ashram has
a code of conduct, which every visitor should follow. The Ashram
also has museums, stadiums, and educational institutions, the
Sai Space Theatre etc. The devotees of Baba at the Prasanthi
Nilayam celebrate The 23rd of November with great joy and enthusiasm.
Over a million people gather here on the occasion of the Baba's
birthday. The atmosphere around the Ashram is undeniably peaceful,
and the growth of such a vibrant community in this once forgotten
backward area is not a small miracle.
His disciples have constructed the 'Prashanti Nilayam' an ashram,
which attracts large number of devotees throughout the year.
Prasahanti Nilayam means 'the abode of peace". The ashram
was inaugurated in 1950. The ashram is a huge complex with room
for thousands, with canteens, shops, a museum and library, and
a vast assembly hall where Sai Baba gives 'darshan' twice daily.
A considerable number of devotees turn out for his birthday
celebrations in Puttaparthi, where he delivers a message to
his devotees.
Location - Located 400-km from Hyderabad by
road, the village Chitravati, situated at a distance of about
18 miles from Penukonda, 2 miles from Penukond-Bukkapatnam road
has now become a centre of great attraction. It is abode of
Puttaparthi Sri Satya Sai Baba. An important tourist attraction
of Ananthapur district, Puttaparthi is surrounded by the arid
and rocky hills bordering Karnataka.
Places of Interests (Outside of Ashram)
Birth Place of Bhagavan Sai
A Siva temple in the Puttaparthi village signifies the birthplace
of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The temple was opened by Baba in 1979.
The real birthplace, not known to most people, is located across
the river in a small-dilapidated house.
Sathyabhama Temple
On the other side of the street there is a temple for Sathyabhama,
a rare one exclusively established for Sathyabhama. Sathyabhama
is commonly known as the consort of Lord Krishna, and the worse
example of such. Perhaps this is the reason why the temple in
Puttaparthi is the only temple in the world dedicated to Sathyabhama.
Sri Kondama Raju, Bhagavan's grandfather, had a dream where
he found Sathyabhama standing in heavy rain and wind, asking
for shelter. This lead to the determination of constructing
a temple for Sathyabhama.
Sri Raju Kalyana Mandapam
The Old mandir was constructed in the year 1945. Bhagavan
selected a new location for His darshans and a new Temple, the
current one, was constructed in 1950. Thereafter the old Temple
has been used as Kalyana Mandapam (marriage hall) and is given
for free use for marriages in the village.
The Village Mosque
The village mosque and the hall opposite was constructed and
opened by Baba in 1978. At a certain borderline from Puttaparthi,
accidents and diseases would set-in on travellers. Bhagavan
asked local people in the area to dig at a certain spot, and
a plate was discovered, containing various Muslim inscriptions.
The plate was moved into the Mandir, and all inauspicious events
stopped. A mosque was built in Puttaparthi and the plate was
taken on yearly processions to the mosque from the mandiram.
Anjaneya (Hanuman) Swamy Temple
This temple is between Kalyana Mandapam and the Sathyabhama
temple. At the entrance, Lord Siva as Lingam, brought by Bhagawan
from Kasim, is installed. The temple appears as if Anjaneya
engraved in a guha stands inside a cave. There is always a pool
of water at the feet of Anjaneya (Hanuman) representing the
tears he sheds in his love and longing for Lord Rama.
Kalpa Vriksha
This 'wish fulfilling' tree is an old tamarind tree from Bhagavan's
childhood. The Kalpa Vriksha is famous from Bhagavan's life
story in Professor Kasturi's Sathyam-Shivam-Sundaram series.
In His boyhood, Bhagavan used to display His miraculous powers
to His playmates by asking these to think of any fruit, in or
out of season, and the same would appear hanging off the branches
of the tamarind tree. Thus the name 'wish-fulfilling tree' was
given. Today the tree is a great lookout point over the Chitravathi
River. It is located on the side of a hill on the banks of the
Chitravati.
Chitravati River
The River is located circa ? kms from the ashram. It is considered
by many as being the new Ganga, as Bhagavan bathed in the river,
played on the banks of the river and displayed many miracles
and manifestations on the banks of the Chitravathi. Currently
and unfortunately the Chitravathi is the source of sand for
all construction in Puttaparthi. A small secret: Bhagavan's
robes are still being washed in the Chitravathi, with a guard
overlooking them as they dry.
Samadhi
The Samadhi of Bhagavan's parents, Sri Pedda Venkappa Raju and
Smt. Easwaramma, is located in the Samadhi Road, a few blocks
from the Ganesh Gate. Every year during Eswaramma Day, May 6th,
special Bhajans are conducted here and hundreds of poor people
are fed. In earlier years, Bhagavan used to offer obeisance
to His parents on His birthday every year and travel in procession
to the Samadhi.
Sai Gita-The Elephant
Sai Gita is Bhagavan's temple elephant. It is considered auspicious
in India in temples to have a real elephant residing in the
temple as a symbol for Ganesh-the remover of obstacles. Elephants
also represent intelligence and intellect, as they are highly
intelligent animals. Sai Gita was born in 1965 and was given
to Bhagavan as a gift from the Zoo in Madras, when she was merely
a small baby. It is not known whether she was an orphaned wild
elephant, or breed in the zoo. In any case, she was quite spoilt
by Swami as a young one and he even had a small compound built
for her next to the Mandir, which she used to stay in when she
was not trailing after Bhagavan in and out of the Mandir. Elephants
usually live until they are about 70 years old. To ease the
pain of separation, Sai Gita has a photo with her and Bhagavan
hanging on the wall in her private compound next to the Planetarium.
Sathya Sai Nagar
This is a colony of 58 houses where the Harijans (outcasts)
of the village have been provided shelter by Bhagavan after
being displaced as a result of an unexpected flooding of the
Chitravati River in 1975. The houses (or huts) are located by
the Gokulam, where all the cows are who provide milk for the
schools and the ashram.
Gokulam
The ashram dairy is about half a kilometer from the Ashram,
along the Main Road in Vidya Giri. All milk for the schools,
the hospital canteen, and the ashram comes from the Gokulam.
It is known amongst villagers that the Gokulam cows has the
best milk; fresh and undiluted. The locals are quite proud if
they have access to the 'Gokulam milk'! To avoid the spreading
of infections of the animals, you are requested not to go around
or enter the cowsheds. By the Gokulam is a most beautiful image
of Sri Krishna at the entrance. The artitistic 'fill-ins' with
paint and brush on Sri Krishna's face has been done by Bhagavan
Himself years ago.
Sri Sathya Sai Hill View Stadium
Located behind the Higher Secondary School, opposite the hill,
towering with statues of Hanuman, Krishna, Shiva, Buddha, Zoroastrian,
and Christ, it gives an imposing view. Bhagavan addresses the
mammoth gathering, from the Shanthi Vedika (covered podium)
on the Southern end of the stadium on His Birthday on 23rd November
every year. In Bhagavan's presence it is perhaps not coincidental
that during the birthday celebrations each year with a clear
blue sky, the stadium becomes covered with clouds to protect
the crowd from the scorching sun!
Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences and The
Super Speciality Hospital.
Professor Keith Critchlow with assistant John Adams from the
Royal Institute of Architecture in London is the draftsman behind
this magnificent building. Prof. Critchlow specializing in ancient
Eastern architecture. The structure, which contains over 15,000
square meters, was constructed within a period of one year in
a village, which barely had materials to put it up. An impossibility,
according to W.H.O., yet it was done and completed, exactly
as Bhagavan had stated one year prior.
