Visiting Sai Baba's Ashram in India
Staying in Prasanthi Nilayam, the Residence of India's Famous Guru
May 15, 2008 Satu Susanna Rommi
Sri Sathya Sai Baba is known for his eccentric looks, for highly devoted followers and for controversy. There have been attempted lawsuits against him as well as claims of sexual abuse. This has not stopped millions of Indian and Western devotees flocking to Prasanthi Nilayam, his residence, which means “The Abode of Supreme Peace”.
Sai Baba claims to be the second incarnation of a well-known Indian saint, Sai Baba of Shirdi. Anyone can visit the ashram in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, to decide for himself whether to believe those who claim he is an avatar (a divine incarnation), or his critics who dismiss Sai Baba’s famous miracles as cheap tricks.
Staying in Prasanthi Nilayam
Staying in Sai Baba’s ashram is cheap by Western standards. A bed in a shared room costs $2-3/day. Foreigners usually end up sharing a room with other foreigners. Unmarried men and women sleep in different buildings.
Some visitors choose to stay in one of the guesthouses outside the ashram in Puttaparthi town, where nearly every business is named after the local guru. There are Sai tailors, Sai water companies and Sai moneychangers. Shops sell all imaginable Sai Baba items from t-shirts to pens.
There are three canteens in the ashram area serving South Indian, North Indian and Western vegetarian food. There is also a coffee shop, a juice stall and a supermarket for groceries. Like accommodation, food (especially in the South Indian canteen) is very cheap by Western standards. Many devotees can also be seen indulging in the odd cappuccino and some chocolate cake in a Nepalese rooftop café outside the ashram.
Daily Life in Sai Baba’s Ashram
Two darshans, or meetings with the guru himself, are organized daily: one in the early hours of the morning and one in the afternoon. Hundreds of people attend these meetings, which usually involve a lot of waiting and singing of bhajans or spiritual songs. Due to his advancing age, Sai Baba is driven to the darshan hall in a car, and most of the time one will only see a glimpse of an orange robe climbing out of the passenger seat. An enthusiastic crew of security guards keeps order in the hall.
There are also lectures or “spiritual talks”, and the canteens are happy for help in the kitchen. This is called “Seva” in ashram language and means “selfless service”.
Dress code in Sai Baba's ashram is long pants and shirts for men, while women’s skirts or trousers have to be ankle-length, and women must also cover their breasts with a loose shawl. Many women wear an Indian sari or a salwar kameez, a long tunic with loose pants and a scarf.
Alcohol and smoking are prohibited in the ashram.
Travelling to Puttaparthi Ashram
Sai Baba lives in Puttaparthi most of the year, although he sometimes travels to his other ashram in Whitefield, near Bangalore, or to the hill station of Kodaikanal during the hot season. Prasanthi Nilayam is large and busy with people, and arrival can feel overwhelming, but considering the amount of visitors it receives, it seems incredibly well organized. English is widely spoken.
Puttaparthi is 125 km from Bangalore, the nearest international airport. A taxi from Bangalore takes about 3 hours. There are regular local buses from Bangalore (4 hours) and several daily trains to Sri Sathya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam Station.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
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