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India » Puttaparthi
 City Guide
 
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 Puttaparthi is the home and the headquarters of the spiritual guru, Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Venerated as a reincarnation of the Shirdi Sai Baba, a mystic saint who lived in the beginning of the 20th century, this Sai Baba has a large following worldwide. Puttaparthi is located in a rocky and arid part in southwest Andhra Pradesh, quite close to the border with Karnataka. This erstwhile nondescript village where the Sai Baba was born is now equipped with schools, a state of the art health care centre, a sports complex and a university. Sai Baba spends most of the year at the ashram here. In the hot season he may retire to Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu or to Whitefield, near Bangalore. It is a good idea to confirm whether he will be there when you visit before you make the journey. |
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By Air:
There are flights twice a week from Chennai and Mumbai.
By Train:
The nearest station is at Dharmavaram, very well connected to Puttaparthi by bus. There are trains to Dharmavaram from Bangalore and Hyderabad.
By Road:
Most people come down to Puttaparthi by road. There are buses from Bangalore and an overnighter from Chennai but the ride is bumpy. Long haul road journeys are better handled in a car. Hire a cab and the cabbie and you are ready to roll.
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 Prashanthi Nilayam
This is the township that abuts the village of Puttaparthi, and it is here that the Ashram is located.
Ashram
There is undeniably an air of serenity about the Ashram - an atmosphere that is scrupulously maintained by the volunteers who manage it. The Ashram comprises a series of concrete buildings with multiple domes, spires and turrets within a large enclosure. It is entered through a large archway with seven golden miniature spires over which are engraved the words: "You are in the Light. The Light is in you. You are the Light."
Ganesha Temple
The first structure you hit upon as you enter the Ashram is the Ganesha temple, which is evidently the most popular shrine here, as shrines everywhere dedicated to this endearing elephant-headed deity are wont to be. The USP of this particular figure in the Hindu pantheon has traditionally been to remove obstacles from the path of his devotees. Not surprisingly, many flock here for the special morning prayer.
Subramaniam Shrine
Constructed in 1997, this is to the south of the Ganesha shrine and is dedicated to Lord Subramaniam - or Kartikeya or Muruga, as this younger son of Ganesha, and the second son of Shiva and Parvati, is often known. Subramaniam is a particularly popular deity in South India, propitiated for the grace and protection He bestows.
Gayatri Shrine
The goddess, Gayatri, a manifestation of the goddess Durga, is worshipped in a small shrine in front of the Round Building No 4. The idol of this five-headed, ten-armed goddess of intelligence and wisdom was installed in October 1998 during the Paduka Mahotsava.
Prashanthi Mandir
This is the main temple in the Ashram, consisting of a two-storey structure built in granite. Constructed in 1950, it has a central prayer hall where bhajans (or devotional music, so strong in the Sathya Sai tradition) are held daily. The omkar (chanting of the sacred mnemonic, OM ) and the suprabhatam (morning invocation to Sai Baba) are also held here at 4 A.M.
Ornately decorated with silver and gems, the shrine contains large images of Shirdi Sai Baba (interestingly his robes here are saffron instead of white) and Sathya Sai Baba. These are flanked by columns displaying the symbols associated with the major religions of the world. There is also a large marble idol of Shirdi Sai Baba on a silver throne to one side, and an empty gold throne representing the seat of the living deity to the other side. |
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