We have assembled all our resources, plus nearly 20 years of visiting Sathya Sai Baba at Prashanthi Nilayam, and compiled our resources into a book to guide new visitors to the Prashanthi Nilayam Ashram.

Our book is called Guide to Visiting Sai Baba

Guide to Visiting Sai Baba

This is an E-book, and has sections on

• Air travel to India, Airline Meals, keeping healthy
• New Bangalore Airport, immigration, customs and travel to Prashanthi Nilayam
• Ashram and Puttaparthi Township Accommodation
• Ashram Facilities
• Daily Activities
• What to wear
• Food, Canteens and keeping healthy
• Things to see and do
• Banks and other faciliities in Puttaparthi Township
• What to do with begging
• Sathya Sai Baba’s Love and Grace
• Going home
• Plus three Appendices, Taxi Operators, How to wear a Sari, and Accommodation in Puttaparthi Township

Our purpose in writing this book is to provide a comprehensive guide to the first-time visitor, (or going first time alone) to the main ashram of Sathya Sai Baba, Prashanthi Nilayam, the Abode of Highest Peace.

We hope that the information in this book (illustrated) will help those to begin to experience that peace on their journey, during their stay at Prashanthi Nilayam, and when they return home. The last section of this E-book has a short guide on what to do when you get home.

As with all books we have edited and written, we offer this to Sathya Sai Baba, and hope it is of benefit to all its readers.

The book is in Adobe PDF format, so requires Adobe Reader, any version from Adobe 5 and upwards. If you do not have Adobe Reader, then you may download this for free from the Adobe Website, www.adobe.com

The price is $US9.95

If you would like to purchase this book, then here is how:

I have been reading a book …

The book

And we find that there is a very large coverage of this phenomenon on the internet. Many sorts of issues get caught up on this phenomenon, and I’d like to look at this from a spiritual point of view, and try if I can, to apply Swami’s dictum, first, common sense, then spiritual sense.

There are calendars, and then calendars. The Gregorian Calendar ( the one in common use by humanity) gets a good scrutiny, then the various Mayan Calendars are examined.  I must say, if you persevere with the Mayan stuff, after a few chapters, you begin to see just how much mathematical accuracy there is with the Mayan Calendars, even though they go back a long, long, way.

To understand that, you need to understand that the Mayan civilisation had their own way of saying “Everything is Brahman”.   They called it K’ul .

The calendars essentially had a spiritual function, as did the entire culture, which used astrology to determine times when grids of energy were full of K’ul, and the times were propitious for accessing K’ul and undertaking certain tasks. Does this sound familiar?

There  are some cogent claims for the year 2012 and the future of humanity undergoing change.  The exact form and nature of that change is of course, under furious debate, with many conflicting assertions which can be found all over the internet. This book does point to changes, and concludes that they might also be changes to consciousness, as well has changes to nature itself.

Therein is the key. Changes to consciousness.  Sathya Sai Baba has taken form for the people and undertaken a clearly avowed mission of restoring righteousness to the earth, restoring the Vedas, and the Vedic scholars. Vedas, of course, are not Hinduism, nor is the practice of chanting Veda a sort of Hindu practice of a particular kind. The Vedas are for all humanity, and contain the highest essences and guides for true humanness.

While all this 2012 material looks to the future of humanity, I find it curious that very little of the 2012 material looks to the past of humanity.  We have very little record of life on this planet,  more than 10,000 years ago. Yes, there is some archaeological material, but what of written records? I think there is only one continuous record, and that is the Ramayana. The Ramayana occurred over 20,000 years ago. Only one other religion goes back beyond the flood, Zoroastrianism (which Sathya Sai Baba has told is the oldest continuing religion outside of India) and their records were destroyed when Alexander the Great burned the Library of Alexandra. Many Gathas and Avestas were lost in that fire.

So what happened at the ‘flood’?  The planet nearly died, according to some sources.  Atlanta sank under the sea. Atlanta, Atlantis… Lanka, the home of Ravanna, the place of the war in the Ramayana.  Lanka was in the region of the Equator, as told by Sathya Sai Baba. It was not the Sri Lanka of this modern era.

I think, also, if we look to one festival in Hinduism, Diawali, Deepavali, there is another explanation given for the genesis of this festival; Lord Krishna raised his hand and stopped a heavenly body from colliding with the earth. The resultant explosion of light debris is celebrated to this day as Diwali.

So there is a tension between the future of humanity and the past of humanity. What is it we need to learn, what do we need to know and understand, how do we approach that which is coming? We’ll take a look at this in another post.

The ashram is gaily decorated, flags hanging from the Ganesh Temple, and from East Prashanti across the walkway to the darshan hall. Giant red balls hang from the celing, the porch is decorated, the darshan hall is full. Students sit in front of the garage area, and in front of the porch. Red, blue, violet, yellow, gold, green decorations hang from the ceiling and sway in the pleasant breeze. In the centre area where the perspex canopy is normally visible, streamers fill that entire area, silver, green, gold and red streamers sway in the breeze.

A feeling of peace and intimacy pervade me as I sit through the bhajans. Arunachala Shiva Om, the bhajans lift the energy and bring that feeling of home, here in Prashanti Nilayam.

I look over the assembled devotees, all drawn by that desire to see the Lord, to feliciate the Lord, to offer him their worship, their pranams, their love. I think of Church services I have attended over the years and try to compare being here in Prashanti Nilayam. It is incomparable, for grace flows into the Darshan Hall, non-stop.

The pigeons are resting on the chandeliers, I see both sparrows and finches (so my question from many days before is settled; there are finches here in Prashanti Nilayam).

I think back to the many darshans I have had on this trip; Christmas Day, New Years Day, the decorations, and wonder in awe at the sense of timelessness I often experience here, in Prashanti Nilayam. And I think to the future, to the unborn generations who will come here in Awe and give thanks for this Holy Ground, that the Lord has trod.

People come and people go. The bhajans continue. I rest in peace, drifting along with the bhajans, Sai Gopala Hare. A Seva Dal walks up and down and cajoles devotees to stay.

Swami comes, towards the end of the bhajans. He comes in the sedan-chair, the sunlight is brilliant upon his form, and waves of love pour off him as he enters the darshan Hall. I offer my love.

God is my best friend. There are many paths to the Divine, up that mountain towards blessedness, that path HE has come to restore. We may walk that path of devotion, of service, of bhajan or meditation, of practising Human Values, or the path of good character and integrity.

Wherever there is purity of thought, word and deed, there is God.

For me, that lingering sense of intimacy remains, that sense of closeness, that sense of oneness. There is such a gap between human love, which loves in order to satisfy needs or to give and get, and Swami’s thorough-going intimacy within. Swami is everywhere within us, his love drenches us within as he patiently waits for us to return to the heart, where his home is.

So I have two homes, here, this Holy Ground of Prashanti Nilayam, and the home of the Lord, in my heart. So do you, dear reader.

St Paul, in one of his letters to the nascent Christian Community wrote:

Always be happy in the Lord;
What I want is your happiness;
The Lord is always near

And that is my prayer for you, dear reader.

Sai Ram from a pleasant morning in Prashanti Nilayam.

I am reliably informed by some University students that Swami will come to Hillview Stadium at 4PM this afternoon. As I walked down towards Hillview Stadium, I observed that the gates to the Ashram were closed, and I intuited that Swami would go the “back way” to Hillview Stadium.

The “back way” for those of you who don’t know, is up the pathway behind the Ganesh Temple to Meditation Tree Road, across the front of the Shirdi Sai Baba Idol to the General Hospital, then across the front of the Hospital to Deer Park, across Deer Park to Hillview Stadium. And so the Lord arrived, with an escort of motorcycles -flagbearers, and a another phalanx of escort motorcycles.

The Puttaparthi afternoon is brilliant sunshine, with the occasional breeze. It is hot, but after a time, we get used to the climate, and watch from the bleachers. We watched students in bright blue tracksuits preceed Swami’s car doing cartwheels. They looked impressive. Shortly thereafter, we could see Swami seated in the Shanti Vedika pavilion.

Immediately some girls dressed in red and gold came out and performed:

The lads in the blue tracksuits returned and delivered an acrobatics display:

Then what appeared to be High School students (or boarders) came out with green wings, plant stalks and heads, and did a very attractive performance.

Seva Dals threaded their way through the bleachers giving out Wall Calendars.

At the same time, students dressed in blue and white with large fan-like canopies performed.

Somebody asked me what this was all about, “Why all these performers?” I thought about that while I watched the Seva Dals come back, several rows down, and distribute more calendars.

I replied, that Swami is the finest educator in the world. Meanwhile, more students came out dressed in red and pink and performed with, I was too far away, they could have been matching fans of a kind…

Anyway, we continued the conversation, and I told that there are many intelligences, not just head stuff and the ratio-logical intelligence. Swami provides Educare, which employs and stimulates all the intelligences these students have. Girls came out with ribbons, and they were good!

They raised a lot of dust, too!

Anyway, I turned the camera off for a minute and explained to my friend that there were multiple intelligences, kinaestheic, spatial, emotional, moral, musical, ratio-logical and spiritual intelligence. Meanwhile, I grabbed a calendar from a Seva Dal and gave it to the little boy sitting next to me. Said to him in Telugu, “Take it home to Mother”; He nodded and said, “Amma, Acha” with a bright smile.

A devotee nearby me unrolled his calendar and proudly displayed it. “Swami and Me!”, he said.

Look at the feet of yonder boys in yellow tracksuits and helmets; they are on roller blades, and performed some very interesting moves with the blades, in front of Shanti Vedika.

Swami is all attention on the performers.

There were these skeleton arches which the students climbed up on and did acrobatic numbers.

Headstands, too!

Students gathered behind the shamina, awaiting their turn

More gymnastics on the skeleton arches

Then they rolled them around…

Girls came out with pink tubes and performed. Meanwhile, back to the discussion, I explained that this meet was a formal activity of all the campuses of the the Sai University, and participation here would probably be credited towards academic results.

Boys from the primary school and high school ran to the balloon tent and collected their balloons. On with the conversation… I told that Swami often speaks of true humanness in his discourses, and true humanness is achieved by developing the multiple intelligences…

The sun is finally beginning to move behind Hanuman Hill, and I start getting decent photographs. Here, girls in red with pink fans perform.

A Seva Dal fills cups of water and distributes to thirsty devotees. These Seva Dal worked all morning and afternoon, and their seva was muchly appreciated!

The girls with fans have moved forward, and the boys with their balloons run behind.

More and more boys run out with gaily coloured balloons.

Students fill the ground in front of Shanti Vedhika

A song is played, its very catchy, and I though at first it was “Truth needs a Hero” but it was some other number. Very catchy tune; balloons go skywards

After the balloons were let off, there was a smoke display nearby the Eagle and the Shiva Lingham

up, up and away, with my beautiful, my beautiful balloon!!!!

We finished the conversation, believe it or not. I told that the practice of human values, duty, discrimination and detachment, employ all the multiple intelligences stimulated by Educare, and all the facilities provided by Swami in his role as Educator. There were the music colleges, singing, recitals, public speaking, academic subjects, and sports and cultural activities like these. Planning and preparation, rehearsal and performance all takes in multiple intelligences and develops the full human person on all domains of the personality, the physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual domains. Thus, educare elicits that which is within.

Finale; the pujari clothed in bright orange can be seen standing on the right of Shanti Vedika; Swami is a small orange form in the centre, as the students commence Om Jai Jagadeesha Hare, and the crowd stand. I finished the conversation by saying,”Look up the motto of all the Sathya Sai Schools worldwide. Human Excellence. All the Sathya Sai Schools do likewise and develop all the domains of the human person.”

The sun has finally set behind Lord Hanuman, the immortal servant of the Lord Kosala, Sri Rama. The crowd get up and leave. I move along down Main Road through Vidya Giri, and take a photo of the crowd exiting Hillview Stadium. (Swami went home the “back way”!)

Sai Ram from the Annual Sports and Cultural Meet at Prashanti Nilayam.

All morning, there is a continuous stream of devotees pouring out of the ashram and making their way down to Hillview Stadium. I join them for the brisk walk down to the stadium. All the food carts which ususally come out to Main Road (in the evenings) are down there on each side of the road past the archway, all doing a brisk trade. There is no traffic on Main Road, the road is given over to devotees for safety.

Enter the stadium, and memory comes back to me; I recall the construction of the stands back in 1998 and the shaminas, yes, there are large shaminas for food distribution under the bleachers. Up the steps into the stadium and every seat is taken, men are standing everywhere. Look around, there is another shamina at the Northern end of the sportsground, for the ladies lunches. Far away at the end of the stadium, I spy the Lord sitting in Shanti Vedika, the building constructed by the ever-humble Subramanium Stapathi, who frequently consulted Swami at every step of the construction. Subramanium Stapathi went to Swami at the finish; he did not know how many golden spires to put on the top, and Swami asked him, “What do you want to put?” Subramanium, a truly humble Puttaparthi man, (he is a very,very sweet fellow; I have met him) … confessed he did not know. Swami asked him again, “What do you want to put?” (Mind you, Subramanium Stapathi has built all the domes atop the mandir and all the other temples around Prashanti Nilayam) … again deferred to Swami’s wish. Finally, Swami told, “You can put five gold spires” … and that is the story of the spires atop Shanti Vedika.

So much history comes to me when I visit the Hillview Stadium; Sai Gita used to join the boys in soccer here, true! The students are massed within the green fence, where Kasturirangan and EAS Prasanna constructed an international class four pitch cricket ground. I met with them frequently when they were doing this, and I will never forget Kasturirangan telling me “Swami asks very difficult questions!”

So they are there and all their props, right there on the International class cricket oval. It is a cool morning with a pleasant breeze and fluffy white clouds waft across the blue skies. Ladies one side (on the Hanuman Hill side), men the other side in the bleachers. Children everywhere. Seva Dals move around with water tanks strapped to their backs distributing water.

The stadium is quiet, there are loudspeakers at the other end, and we can hear the narration clearly. This is a very tightly scripted presentation, I can see motorcyclists in Yellow and Black, with similarly coloured motorcycles; more motorcyclists wear red and black, with similarly coloured motorcycles. They have Kawasaki Racing bikes!

There are a number of pavillions adjacent Shanti Vedika; all the official guests and veranda staff sit down there, ditto the ladies side. Swami visible in the centre of Shanti Vedika with an archway behind him. Students dressed in green are doing something down there, I can see people moving in circles. Event after event takes place in that ground immediately in front of Shanti Vedika, girls dressed in white do a dance; girls dressed in green run around; there two, what will I call it, “contraption” looking something like a carnival wheel ride which spins around like a circular yo-yo with students inside doing some acrobatic acts.

Looking up to Hanuman Hill, next to Hanuman I can see the Sai University Flag, and the dish with the Unity Flame is alight and smoke is billowing from the flame. Dotted all around the stadium are large billboards with Swami’s face, and the script “Glory to our Lord, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai”, these are colour coordinated with Swami’s robe, and all very tastefully executed.

Now I see the motorcycles take some laps, at high speed. They do some circular patterns in the middle of the sports ground. Then some huge yellow hoops with two students inside each wheel past Shanti Vedika, they go around several times. Then what must have been 400 lady students dressed tastefully in white and silver sarees come forward and do a presentation. Thereafter, students wearing jungle-green army trousers and grey tshirts come forward and perform some exercises. All the students from all the campuses must be here. My attention keeps returning to the small white Swami, way down there, clearly visible on the Throne Chair, in white.

The motorcyclists perform some stunts on ramps, the ramps are moved, and they race towards each other in perfect synchronicity going across the ramps alternately. Then the ramps are moved into a cross formation and the motorcyclists race towards the ramps and cross alternately left and right in perfect synchronicity. Loud applause from the crowds. Those boys were getting up to nearly 80kph on their bikes.

Seva Dals continue to move through the crowds; they are distributing small packets of food, laddu, burfi, anand, and little boys crowd around them. They put the boxes on their heads and move up to the stands, going row by row, patiently distributing snacks and water to all in the stands. Police and other seva dal try to encourage (albeit lovingly) men standing behind the fence to sit. Not much luck, although they get quite a few to sit.

Out on the sports ground, there is a huge Eagle, on a red ball all of 150 feet high; the red ball has what appears to me to be Chinese decorations. About 200 motorcycles, many bearing green or yellow flags, all these black, red and yellow motorcycles all move forward and do intricate formation riding as the Eagle is brought forward. A song is played over the Public Address. The eagle moves to the side of the ground and a large black Siva lingam mounted on a pedestal is moved forward. The Himalaya Mountains form a backdrop and about 70 Seva Dal push the Lingam and the Himalayas forward. About 150 ladies dressed in Red and Yellow clothing with headdress come forward and dance before the Lingam as it is brought forward. The Public Address plays Om Namah Sivaya as the Ladies dance.

Behind them are all these black auto-rickshaws; each auto-rickshaw has a sporting symbol (all the sports are represented—running, jumping, weightlifting, swimming, ball sports) painted on the back. These come forward in formation and do some formation turning. It looks quite good.

I see Swami has gone somewhere (as He usually does from time to time) so I take my leave and come back to post this for you; I will go back and take the camera and chance my luck.

Sai Ram from Hillview Stadium.

Prashanti Nilayam was awash with buses today. Bus after bus honked its way down Main Road; the red and silver APRTC buses, tour buses, Ayappa Yatra buses, Big modern DELUXE buses with pictures of Swami stuck on the front window with 1,2,3, next to Swami’s picture, etc. All going into the Ashram. The ashram crowd is building up quickly for the Sports and Cultural Meet tomorrow.

Afternoon Darshan, the Ganesh Gate is awash with humanity pouring in and out; inside, I can hear bhajans going. Kick off my chappals and move to the walkway beside East Prashanti, I can’t see down there for people everywhere. Move down slowly, people are stacked 5,6,7 deep looking into the darshan hall; I glance in, Swami is there on the porch. The hall itself is not that full (in my expert glance) and I move down to enter inside.

Once inside, looking up the hall, the veranda and porch are chockers, the space in front of the garage is full, students sit directly in front of the porch, and the Anantapur Ladies sit on the right hand side of the porch in their customary area. Swami is seated at the front of the porch. Amazingly, I thread my way towards the front and get quite close. “Why do they all stand outside?”, I wonder to myself.

Bhajans go on, I spend a long time just concentrating on Swami and his form. Little boys get up and look around. Sporadically, more devotees arrive. Bhajans are crisp, clear, devotees clapping along. I can see students heads moving in time with the clapping. More bhajans, and I drift back into concentrating on Swami’s form, right at the front of the porch with the lights shining down on Him, making his robe a brilliant orange.

Swami dabs his lips from time to time, and occasionally looks over the men’s side. One man stands up with his hands joined in pranams as Swami looks over, and is ‘encouraged’ to sit down by a Seva Dal! Continue the focus on Swami, the bhajans fade into the background as I simply sit and focus.

Silence, an inner silence comes, and my vision seems to darken at the edges as I keep the focus on Swami.

A long time, focussed on Swami, in silence. I am brought back by the clanging of the Arathi bell. Swami remains on the porch right through Om Jai Jagadeesha Hare, the Narayana verses, the Samasta Loka. Some jaikars start up and Anil Kumar interrupts with a loud OM SRI SAI RAM! An important announcement! Anil Kumar advises us that the Sathya Sai University and associated campuses and colleges invites us all to attend the Sports and Cultural Meet at Hillview Stadium tomorrow, and all please be seated by 8AM! Anil Kumar repeats the message in Telugu (I think) and the crowd get up and leave. Swami moves towards the car, which has reversed back into the veranda.

As I collect my chappals, I spot students running past at the speed of light. Then some ladies come running past; more devotees run out to the Ganesh Gate, and I guess that Swami is on his way to Hillview Stadium. More students run past. A large crowd surges at the Ganesh Gate (I can’t see a thing); I hear the whoop-whoop of the Police siren, and see rose buds fly through the air. Make my way out of the gate to see Seva Dals running holding their ropes. Yes, Swami is on his way down to Hillview Stadium to look over the arrangements.

Shortly after, I return to the ashram, and have to stand out of the way as tractor after tractor laden with packaged food and boxes of fruit (and Seva Dal all over the back) trundle along East Prashanti and out of the ashram. More tractors move up the walkway beside East Prashanti and are loaded with boxes of Anand, Oranges, Apples. Seems Swami is taking care of every need on the morrow.

Walk past the darshan hall, there are Seva Dal in there hanging up huge red balls, I count about six or seven of these red balls hanging from the ceiling. Several more of these red balls are on the ground waiting to be hung up. Many more decorations have been put up, Orange, green and silver streamers hang from the ceiling, the porch has more decorations, green and red steamers are dangling near the porch, and I wonder, is this for the Sports Meet or for Independence Day? (Sankranti, comes the answer on the inner level…)

Further down and around the corner, I pass by devotees who kick off their chappals and pray at the Sita-Ram shrine at the rear of the darshan hall. Families are seated opposite on that small space nearby the Gopuram Gate.

As I look through the dark, I see the lights in Canteen Avenue, it appears like it did on New Year’s Day, queues everywhere, families gathered, Seva Dals going upstairs for their dinner, crowds walking peacefully, long queue of men waiting to go in. Excited children’s voices. Thankfully, no vehicles moving through the crowds. I turn and go down towards the Post Office and see children running around, the lights are on in the Gayathri Temple. Women sit inside and offer puja; a crowd of men out the front praying. I join them for a moment, and children with their hands joined in pranams rush around the temple and run up to the lady handing out sweets. A sweet for each pradakshina! The children are eager. I kick of my chappals and chant the Gayathri mantra as I take the pradakshina route. The lady throws me a sweet as I arrive back at the front to collect my chappals.

The (Devi?) temple adjacent (it has a black idol), there are ladies doing pradakshina, circumambulating that temple. Other ladies are offering Arathi to the idol, and chanting prayers. I walk down towards the North buildings at the far end of the ashram and wonder at how this ashram has been set up to house thousands upon thousands. Walk around the North buildings, see Seva Dals walking around with sticks looking for snakes! They don’t like those snakes!

I arrive back at the Western Canteen via a detour and there are crowds out the front; no queue, so I enter to check the fare, the canteen is chockers with devotees, long queues inside, every table full, so I leave to come back later. Well, not too much later.

A small meal is taken in the happy canteen. Afterwards, I walk up to the pathway behind South 1, the coloured lights are blinking on and off under Ganesha’s umbrella. On past the Workshop, no welding tonight, all the equipment has been taken down to the Hillview Stadium; the workshop’s task is complete. Along the pathway in front of the South Block, there are devotees streaming back from the Supermarket, and I arrive back at the front of the ashram to see more tractors with bundles of food wrapped up, and Seva Dals on the back. It’s gonna be a long night for the Seva Dals at Hillview Stadium, I think to myself.

The local internet connection has died (well, for me, that is) and so we will write this and post it when the connection is available. It is Saturday Evening as I write.

The ashram was gaily decorated overnight; upon entering the ashram, the Ganesh Temple is festooned with flags, and looking down the avenue beside East Prashanti, I see flags strewn between East Prashanti and the Darshan Hall. The darshan hall bears a festive look, all the poles supporting the ceiling have a reflective decoration, it looks a gold colour but when the sunlight hits the decorations, all colours flash from the decorations. The wrought iron railing atop the darshan hall wall has bunting along with red and green decorations.

Inside the darshan hall, small red and gold flags cover the glass which hangs around the porch. Many of the poles have an additional decoration of red roses which wrap around the pole in a descending wrap; the two pillars each side of the Ganesh idol have a rich deep red decoration. Above the porch where the three gold spires are, there are large green balls decorating that part of the mandir. So a gaily festive look and feel to the darshan hall this morning.

The bhajans were sung at a brisk pace. No students at all in the darshan hall, that space normally occupied by students is bare. Heads turn to Yajur Mandir, yearning for the divine darshan. Bhajans boom out over the loudspeakers as the crowd in the East Prashanti Avenue line up, watching for any sort of action around Swami’s car. Alack, the bell for Arathi rang, and the Lord was not seen. Doubtless, the students were all busy with practice and rehearsal.

I took a rickshaw down to Gokulum to get some photographs while walking back to Prashanti Nilayam. First was the Gokulum itself, I stood in the driveway and zoomed in on the idol up there. When the idol was first delivered, Swami ordered that it was not to be painted. HE painted it himself, over a number of weeks.

Next was the Music College (the proper name is Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music, Prashanti Nilayam) which I have never really seen. The architecture is quite stunning.

Next was the home of Sathya Gita, and formerly, the home of Sai Gita.

There was a crowd around a gate nearby the home of Sathya Gita; Sathya Gita was in the bath! People were laughing and watching as Sathya Geeta turned a full circle while the hose was going, full burst!

The horn of the green Puttaparthi Circle bus blares as it trundles past the Vidya Giri …

Note the tractor behind the bus; it was full of Seva Dal who were transporting equipment down to Hillview Stadium. One of many tractors with provisioning for the Sports Meet.

Next was the entrance to Hillview Stadium, which I thoughtfully observed, was closed. (No, I was not about to try and be 007 and get in there with the camera!) I take one photo and move on to the next place of action, the entrance to Chaitanya Jyothi Museum.

Many Seva Dals were moving around, going in and out, buses arriving and discharging passengers, along with many auto rickshaws, doing a brisk trade running people up to the gate for the new Museum. Coconut stalls over the other side of the road were doing a brisk trade.

One enterprising auto-rickshaw driver offered me a tour of Puttaparthi for 200 rupees; Super Specialty Hospital, Baba Birthplace, Museum, all these places. He came back to me repeatedly, trying to entice me to take the grand tour. Definitely a born businessman, I thought.

And that was the morning.

Late afternoon I was out in the village doing my errands and walking along Gopuram Road—towards the Gopuram, actually, when the wooden doors opened and I could see right up into the Darshan Hall, right up, past the porch, and in fact, I reckoned that I could see the windows on the Interview Room! “Oh, the Gopuram Gate is open”, I thought. Seva Dals tumbled out onto the Main Road, and the crowds rushed past me to get up to the gate and take darshan. A police escort vehicle was waiting on the road outside the gate. Read the rest of this entry »

Grey skies, puddles along the road, and sporadic rain during the night. Devotees scurry to the ashram with brolly, raincoat, shawls. Villagers wear jerseys, vests, balaclavas, and wrap scarves around their head (in that unusual manner that I have only ever seen in India). Lady with a decorated cow passes by. Waiting for the Lord. I think I sing more bhajans in my head than what they sing inside in the mandir.

We hear the bells go for Arathi. Gee-whiz, what does this mean? People look to one another, and I see two army fellows in jungle greens duck off for a spot of chai. Close my eyes and concentrate, on the inner level. “Wait.”

Sure enough, about three minutes later, Seva Dals spill out onto the road, and the Police Escort car comes out and parks directly in front of the Gopuram. Very quickly, the Lord’s car emerges, and people push everywhere. I give that the flick and run up the road a bit.

Car comes around the corner, people in white, Seva Dals run towards me carrying ropes; I snap off a picture and I have no idea if it is any good, so much movement and so many people running towards me. So take a look:

Watch that sun on the front bonnet of the car. Its gonna be news, later on.

I have been feeling an impression to move to the other end of Swami’s travels, so this day, I decided to follow Swami. The first thing was that the School Bus was caught on Main Road as Swami was coming, you know those huge red and silver APSTC buses? Well, there was one, it was chockers, full of children in blue uniforms, and it moved to the side of the road. Well! Swami decided all these children needed Darshan, and they got it; I saw a bit of a lurch or lean-to on the bus as Swami’s car went past, and the children, well, I could hear Jaikars and Sai Rams! coming from the bus. As I ran past the bus, the children were all gleeful, smiles and singing the Sarva Dharma Prayer! What a way to go to school!

Onwards, down main road, the eager crowd follows Swami and I see what must have been the contents of a whole bucket of Red roses fly through the air and land on Swami’s car and bounce off … people ran onto the road immediately to get a Rose!

Some people stop and smile, you know, that unique smile which portrays bliss? Love explodes out of people when they are like that, the eyes and the smile tell it all! The eager crowd runs after Swami’s entourage, and we follow with the camera in the air…

The Seva Dal opened the Ganesh Gate after Swami passed by, and the road is nigh impassable. I thread my way through the crowd and stand on tip-toe, Swami is up there past the Bus Station, nearly at the top of the Hill. I ain’t gonna catch Him, I thought to myself. I take a few photos at the Ganesh Gate:

There is a magnificent Billboard with Swami right at the Bus Station. As you go under the arch and crest the hill and get your first glance of Prashanti Nilayam Township, this is what you see:

I thought I’d take a photo of the Bus Station frontage, whilst I was passing by:

I turned and took a few photos looking down Main Road, Prashanti Nilayam:

As I walk up over the crest, the Vidya Giri Arch is seen:

Vidya Giri, I think, means the place where the wealth of education lies, I emphasise the think. (My Sanskrit is not that sharp these days… )

Under the Arch and take a photo of the other side:

That’s the Sarva Dharma Archway, the entrance to Prashanti Nilayam Township. You’ll see a lot more of those angels in the Darshan Hall.

So walking down the slight grade towards the entryway to Chaitanya Jyothi Museum, I encounter a suprise, walking very quickly…

Sathya Gita was out for a morning walk. I run backwards a bit to get another photo; my, my, Sathya Gita is walking so quickly, I have to turn and run forwards for quite a bit to get my photo:

Well, well, well, what a surprise. I had seen Sai Gita many times, and had not expected to see Sathya Gita!

And, more! They turned at the archway, and came back!

Sweet little thing; some ladies walking in the other direction reached out and Gita swung a trunk to touch their hands!

Now then, where is the Lord? Well, the crowd said it all:

Somewhere behind that gate!!!

Wait, wait, wait, counsels the Lord.

We waited. And waited. Auto rickshaws came and went; coconut sellers did a roaring trade. Devotees roll up and join the crowd. Fellow selling puri’s interests the crowd.

I see Sara Pavan depart via the other gate in his car, and a light bulb goes off. Aha! Take cover off the camera and get ready. Sure enough, the gate opens and I spy in my viewfinder,

The crowd spill out onto the road, my photo opportunity is lost, and I have to run backwards to get a photo… running backwards, so excuse the camera shake …

Run backwards a bit more and the scudding clouds clear and the sun, the blessed sun comes out!!!

And that is the best I can do on the return journey of the Lord, back to the Ashram! Waaaaaaahhhh!!!!!

And the crowd run, run, run, after the Lord Sai Baba. I run, too. Run and hold the camera up…

Footslogging it, I notice the entourage has well and truly put on a bit of speed as they approach the arch, and nearly stop, for something, I did not see… and I put the camera up high in the air, only to take a photo of the road!!! Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!! That’s the end of my chasing, I decided.

Pass the entrance to the General Hospital, there is a large crowd there, having taken the darshan of Sathya Sai:

And here, you can see the white roof of the lead car, its about level with the Ganesh Gate, and all those people are getting the darshan of the Lord, right there. Look at that crowd behind Swami’s escort cars …

Sai Ram from a sunny Prashanti Nilayam.

This morning I met with Chandrasekhar Rao. Bear with me as I explain.

In his early days, Swami had two foster mothers and spent much of his time in their home, particularly after his return from Uravakonda (where he declared his avatarhood). This was the Kannam’s house, Lakshminarayana Rao, who was the village “chieftain”, so to speak, what we would now call the village Mayor; he had two wives, Subbamma and Kamalamma. The story of Subbamma is quite well known, where Swami called her back to life, gave her a glass of tulsi water, and sent her on to the blessed loka. Kamalamma resided in the ashram in her later years and passed away last year. Meanwhile, back to the point, the Kannam had no issue, and adopted Gopal Rao, who was a playmate of Swami’s, and had little time for Swami and his divine phenomena. Gopal Rao married and had seven sons, one of whom is Chandrasekhar Rao, who now administers the estate.

The Kannam’s house adjoined the Siva Temple, which marks the spot of Swami’s birthplace. That house was the scene of many miracles and Swami was so small, Subbamma or Kamalamma used to pick him up and put him on the table so that people could have his darshan. People used to fill the foyer of the house, and sit out on the road for bhajans. This was an unsatisfactory state of affairs, so Subbamma reminded her husband of his promise to make a temple for God, and built one small hut for Swami on their land, nearby where the Sathyabhamma temple is, now. This hut, which preceeds Partha Mandir, is long gone.

Enough history, let us come to the present moment. Chandrasekhar Rao took me down to the site of the old house, which has been pulled down. All that remains is the front wall:

The house, which was a lime and brick mortar construction, had two storeys. Now, there is just open space, a lot of hay and two cows in a shed at the rear.

There is not much of a separation between this land and the Siva Temple. Do you recall that Kamalamma used to feed Sathyanarayana through a window?

A two storey structure will come, the ground floor being a museum with photographs and artefacts of Swami’s early days in His avatarhood. There will also be space for singing of bhajans in the Museum.

This will be directly adjacent to the Siva Temple.

Chandrasekhar Rao told me Swami has blessed the project, and it is scheduled for completion during Dassera of 2010, which is a most auspicious time, he advised me.

And lastly, here is an image of the old village of Puttaparthi. You can see mosque on the top right which Swami had constructed for the villagers.

We were having a discussion in the Western Canteen during lunch yesterday, and the subject of darshan came up, and people told their favourite darshan stories. I suppose all of us have our favourite darshan stories which we tell again and again. The human story is nothing but the story of God. But now, God is actually here in a human form with superhuman powers, to lead us to the paths of blessedness. Swami uses a metaphor, just as a bird flying over the ocean sooner or later has to find a ships mast to rest, so too, sooner or later, we have to find the path to peace. Read the rest of this entry »

(Welcome from New Zealand, Aotearoa, which Swami has called New Sailand!)

The madding crowd had lined up in the streets expecting Car Darshan. However, the inner voice told “Come at 5pm”, so I ignored those lined up for Car Darshan and made my way up to the Ganesh Gate. The generator was going and I could hear chanting as I entered the Ashram. Read the rest of this entry »

Preparations and rehearsals are in train for the Sports and Cultural Meet on Sunday. It would seem Swami is visiting daily, so I took the option of waiting for Car Darshan this morning.

Main Road is cleared as the Police prepare for Swami to come in the car

Swami’s car emerges from the Gopuram Gate

The driver appears to be pointing something out

The Police escorts lead the way

Swami in the front seat, looking forward

Crowd follows Swami along Main Road

The Lord Sai Returns!

Police lead the way down Main Road, Puttaparthi

Seva Dals accompanying the Lord, doing their seva

Procession returns to Prashanti Nilayam…

For a full size photo of Bhagavan Baba in the front seat of the car, click here (opens in new window).

They do their job so well … 

Security detail and Swami's car

Excuse my tardy posting. A developing cold in the head and five handkerchiefs later, we surface…

I had quite a surprise when I entered the Western Canteen for lunch yesterday. There were only about 30 people eating lunch there, and morning darshan was quite sparsely populated this morning. The Christmas crowds have all but gone and the only large group remaining is that group from Maharashtra-Goa, and a large contingent from South Africa. A group of Australians from New South Wales arrived Monday, all in their green and gold scarves. But the ashram is quiet. Walking through the ashram yesterday morning, it was a very pleasant experience to not have to thread your way through the thousands and thousands. Doubtless that will all change this coming weekend… Read the rest of this entry »