Lost tranquillity makes Puttaparthi Saibaba devotees bitter

Ananthapur: Devotees of Sri Sathya Sai Baba are quite unhappy with the tranquil atmosphere around Prasanthi Nilayam getting disturbed after the state government formed the new Sri Satya Sai district with Puttaparthi as headquarters.

As the district is new with no government buildings available in Puttaparthi, various departments of the government have come up in the buildings surrounding Prasanthi Nilayam. For example, the district collectorate is housed in the Sri Satya Sai College of Music premises.

As it is the district headquarters, it is the centre for all protests by Opposition parties or unions and other bodies seeking fulfilment of their demands or grievances. Public gatherings and sloganeering are a source of major disturbance for devotees of Sri Satya Sai Baba, who have to pass through the area to reach the Prasanthi Nilayam, where the Maha Samadhi of Baba is located.

Prasanthi Nilayam happens to be an International Spiritual Centre that Sri Satya Sai Baba’s devotees from more than 125 countries visit frequently. They have their accommodation in the same premises. There are also thousands of families that have settled in Puttaparthi to spend rest of their lives in spirituality.

Devotees are finding the atmosphere around the Prasanthi Nilayam highly disturbing ever since Puttaparthi has been declared the headquarters of the newly formed district named after the Baba. They have even complained to the President’s Office about the tranquillity of the place being disturbed.

With the pressure building up, state-level and district authorities are now planning to shift the collectorate from the Sri Satya Sai College of Music to buildings surrounding the Super Specialty Hospital. A bunch of government offices have already moved to the area following objections, sources said.

Devotees of Baba are also anguished over the sanctity of the place not being maintained, as liquor and non-vegetarian food are being consumed within the many residences surrounding the Prasanthi Nilayam.

In fact, both these commodities are banned within eight kilometres of the Prasanthi Nilayam. As a result, all restaurants within the area used to serve only vegetarian food.

Devotees complain that this is no more the case after Puttaparthi has been made the headquarters of Satyasai district.