Puttaparthi: The Beacon of Mankind - By M. Rama Mohana Rao

Sai Kulwant Hall - The sanctum sanctorum of Puttaparthi

Puttaparthi, which is slowly and steadily becoming the Vatican of the Christians, the Mecca of the Muslims, and the Varanasi of the Hindus, the Bodhgaya of the Buddhists stands testimony to the splendour of Sai Avatar.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba who is a multifaceted personality - a unique poet, a grand orator, a great organiser, a magnificent architect, a master of men, a supreme leader, a divine master, a man of miracles, a Poorna Avatar, God incarnate - chose to be born 80 years ago to humble and simple parents on 23rd November 1926 in the small hamlet of Puttaparthi (“a few minutes from stone age” as described by an observant writer.)

Sri Sathya Sai with cows in Puttaparthi - 1947

The glory of Sai Avatar manifests in the increasing glory of Puttaparthi. Rightly called ‘Gollapalli’, a village of cowherds as it abounded in cattle and cowherds, it became Puttaparthi (a village of snake mounds), Puttavardhini (a village of growing snake mounds) and Prasanthi Nilayam (the abode of supreme peace). The legend tells us that Gollapalli, a flourishing village abounding in milk, cattle and green pastures turned into a village of growing snake mounds due to the curse of the snake, which was hit by a stone hurled by a cowherd when he saw a snake drinking milk from the udder of his cow. The snake cursed that the village would turn into a village of snake mounds. True to the curse, Gollapalli became Puttaparthi, a village of snake mounds, abandoned even by the Brahmins who went to a near by place and started a new settlement, Brahmanapalli.

The stone with the blood streak on one side was installed as the main idol in Sri Venugopala Swami temple in Puttaparthi. Mysteriously enough, on the other side of the stone an image of Krishna started manifesting itself. The young Sathya with whose Advent the declining fortunes of the village changed for the better, drew the attention of the people to this and directed them to wash the stone. The people who did so were pleasantly surprised to see the outline of Venugopala Swami (Krishna with the flute) manifesting on the stone. With this miracle on the fateful stone, the fate of Puttaparthi also changed. Hearing about the miracle boy who showed sure signs of divinity, people started wending their way to Puttaparthi, braving the stress and the strain of the journey. The fame of the remote village began spreading, for the divine magnet started attracting the people from the regions around Puttaparthi, the states around Andhra Pradesh, later from every nook and corner of the world. 

Mother Easwaramma with Sri Sathya Sai

The mother of the Avatar, aptly called, Easwaramma (mother of the Lord) was instrumental in making Bhagavan choose Puttaparthi as the centre of His Avataric mission. Easwaramma was a witness to wondrous things happening to her son and the amazing spell that her son exercised on others. When Sathya declared, “I am no longer your Sathya, my devotees are calling me, I have a mission to launch” and allowed Easwaramma to feed Him with three morsels of food and announced, “Maya has left me”, she became worried. The anguished mother watched Sathya going to distant places in the company of devotees. She observed that Sathya was getting busier with His mission, visiting far off places in response to the prayers of His devotees. The mother in her prompted Easwaramma to grasp the situation and she pleaded with Sathya to promise that He would not abandon Puttaparthi so that He would be near her. Thus Puttaparthi earned the good fortune of remaining as the seat of the Avataric mission.

The progress in Puttaparthi was due to the fulfilment of a promise made by Bhagavan to the chosen mother. When Sathya was a student, Puttaparthi had only a lower elementary school. The children of Puttaparthi had to cross the sandy stretches of Chitravati to reach Bukkapatnam for further studies. But today Puttaparthi has become an abode of Saraswati (Goddess of Learning). Studded with a chain of educational institutions, the Vidyagiri complex offers courses from K.G to P.G, doctoral and postdoctoral research. Sri Sathya Sai Educational Institutions are models of an ideal educational system, suffused with human values. Bhagavan wants His educational institutions not simply impart education in the conventional sense of the term, but “Educare”, the blossoming of innate human excellence.

SSSIHL - Administrative Building

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, a Deemed University, which Bhagavan established on 22nd November 1981, with Bhagavan as the Chancellor, and Dr. V. K. Gokak as the Vice Chancellor went from strength to strength. The University comprising the Anantapur, Brindavan, and Prasanthi Nilayam campuses has been acclaimed as a Model University by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), which assesses the functioning of various institutions of higher education. It declared: “Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning is a crest jewel of educational institutions in India.” It is the example and inspiration of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba that has made this possible and no wonder He is described as the unique chancellor of the unique university. Bhagavan’s educational institutions are truly the temples of learning. 

The Avatar has established not only temples of learning but temples of healing as well. Eighty years ago Puttaparthi did not have even a dispensary to dispense medicines and treatment for the sick. On 2nd October 1956 Bhagavan started Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital with 8 beds, and on 23rd November 1990 Bhagavan announced His Sankalpa to start a Super Specialty Hospital by His next birthday. But nothing started till the month of June. People wondered how a Super Specialty Hospital would start but the Vajra Sankalpa (strong resolve) of the Lord prevailed. Sri P V Narasimha Rao, then Prime Minister of India, inaugurated the Sri Sathya Sai Super Specialty Hospital on 22nd November 1991 by the Divine Blessings of Bhagavan Baba. On the very day of the inauguration, cardiac operations were successfully conducted, bringing relief to the afflicted poor. Sri Sathya Sai Super-Specialty Hospital envisions the ‘Medicare’ of Bhagavan. It offers health care free of charge and serves as a role model for the nation and the world at large, imparting the message of ‘Globalisation, Decommercialisation, Humanisation and Spiritualization of medical care’.

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Science, Puttaparthi

A sleepy village steeped in darkness and ignorance eighty years ago, Puttaparthi today shines as a spiritual lighthouse to the entire world. One day when Baba was in His teens, He told one Sri Lakshmaiah, drawing his attention to hillocks of the village “The Sai Pravesa will transform that region into Prasanthi Pradesa. There will rise a Bhavan (mansion), lakhs of people from all over India, why India, from all over the world will come and wait there for Sai Darshan.” (Sathyam Sivam Sundaram - Part I).

The prophecy is fulfilled, for today Prasanthi Nilayam has become a beacon to the entire humanity. The inauguration of a two-storeyed building, on 23rd November 1950 marked the beginning of a magnificent township, known as Prasanthi Nilayam’ (the abode of peace) with Prasanthi Mandir as its heart. 

Prasanthi Nilayam and Puttaparthi in 1950s

Puttaparthi has registered tremendous progress during the last 80 years. The Divine Advent has changed the very landscape, heartscape, mindscape and soulscape of the people of Puttaparthi. 

A backward village of drought-hit area has emerged as a place of International scope and significance. The Divine Advent has brought out phenomenal changes changing the very face of Puttaparthi. The dingy village with a few hutments is today studded with mansions of modern architecture and marvels of engineering skills.

Prasanthi Nilayam and Puttaparthi in 2010

The standard of living of the people of Puttaparthi improved considerably enabling them to live economically secure and stable lives. The children of Puttaparthi enlist themselves for higher education and the significant increase in the number of girls studying in educational Institutions is a pointer to this. 

While declaring the distinctive features of Sai Avatar at Prasanthi Nilayam in the  year 1955, on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, Bhagavan said, “This Avatar will not select some place other than Puttaparthi for the centre of His Leelas, Mahimas and Upadesha. This tree shall not be transplanted; it will grow where it first rose from the earth.” (Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. I, p.22). In the same vein, while laying the foundation stone of the School building at Puttaparthi on 23.11.1960, Bhagavan remarked, “Puttaparthi is a name revered today and it will be treasured in history as an immortal home. No other village has such fortune. There have been occasions on which Bhaktas have pleaded with me to move out of this miasma and settle down in Bangalore or Madras or some such town, or some other quiet rural spot. But let me tell you, here and now, this tree has to grow at the very spot where it sprouted; I will not give up this place. It will be transformed into Tirupati and those who are little boys and girls today will surely see all its magnificence.” The prophecy that Bhagavan made about the increasing glory of Puttaparthi, forty-five years ago, is being fulfilled today. Now it is no exaggeration to say “All roads of earnest spiritual aspirants lead to Prasanthi Nilayam”. 

Christians who believe He is the Second coming of Christ,

Jews who believe He is The Messiah,

Muslims who believe He is The Mehdi,

Buddhists who believe He is Maitreya Buddha,

Hindus who believe He is Lord Kalki and

American Indians who believe The Phoenix has returned.

(The Phoenix Returns by Kristina Gale

Kumar, p.445)

So, immensely rejoice to see the Lord in Puttaparthi. 

Puttaparthi is the new Jerusalem which offers hope and strength to the world today. From a dismal, dingy village, Puttaparthi advanced by leaps and bounds with the advent of the Avatar to become the spiritual capital of the world, proclaiming to mankind the glory of God and the splendour of the spirit. Puttaparthi, which has made rapid strides, stands as testimony to God’s power and compassion. Puttaparthi, with Prasanthi Nilayam as its heart, proclaims to mankind in unmistakable terms the eternal message of amity and harmony, love and compassion. The mandir built brick by brick by Sai Sathya Sai Baba and His devotees, young as well as old, proclaims to mankind the message that God and man are partners in life’s adventure. No wonder the Lord of Puttaparthi said, “Walk with me. Don’t walk behind me, for I will not be able to see you. Don’t walk in front of me, for I may not be able to guide you. Walk with me, hand in hand, for we shall walk together.”

The Sarva Dharma Aikya Stupa, the majestic pillar which is a magnificent blend of miracle as well as a message, proclaims to mankind the message that God is one, though paths are different. The spacious ashram with people of many nationalities rubbing shoulders with one another, coming from America to Zambia is a testimony to the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God.

The divine valley of Puttaparthi studded with the statues of Krishna, Siva, Shirdi Sai Baba, Jesus, Zoarashtra, the Buddha and Hanuman asserts the message of the supremacy of the spirit and the splendour of divinity.

Bhagavan described in glowing words the glory of Puttaparthi and the grandeur of His Mission which started from Puttaparthi: “Prasanthi Nilayam, the heart of Puttaparthi is the Spiritual uplifting centre for the whole world. It is the Refuge for all who have no other place to go. It is a workshop where damaged minds and hearts come for repair or overhaul.”

“Your mission has begun. Each one of you has a unique and valuable part to play in this lifetime. My mission has now reached that point of time when each one of you now has work to do. This planet has a purpose in the great galaxy on which it is held. The purpose is unfolding before your eyes. I call upon you to radiate the devotion within you so that its unseen power will envelop all who come into your orbit. To successfully perform your part, always remain centred upon Me. You are my instruments from whom my love will pour. Be always aware that the moment you let your ego descend upon you, My work ceases. When you have overcome your negative unmindfulness you will again become My source. The multiplication of My love will be felt through out the world. I have drawn you to me. I have made great strides in my Mission over past incarnations. My work is ceaseless and so your work, too, is without end.” (Sanathana Sarathi, Nov.91, p.3)”

This is Sai’s Message to all of us. May we develop this Divine Love and stand out as harbingers of a new age! Let each one of us be a light unto oneself and thereby be a light unto others. This is the message of Puttaparthi, the Beacon that will light the hearts of those who open them to Him. Therein lies the glory of Puttaparthi.

- M. Rama Mohana Rao

Faculty (1979-2016), Department of English

Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School

Prasanthi Nilayam

Source: Sai Sparshan 2005 (80th Birthday Offering)