Abode of Supreme Peace – Prashanti Nilayam

“Your mission has begun. These are my words to you, My devotees. Each one of you has a unique and valuable part to play in this lifetime. Only those whom I have called can Serve me”.

- Baba

It was once again a call from Swami that made us wanting to visit and have a darshan of him and so, we decided to head to Puttaparthi on the dawn of 18^th July 2009. It was my second time, first being in April 2009. It is believed that one cannot set foot on the holy land of Puttaparthi until and unless called by the Lord himself. I was fortunate that by his grace, I would be seeing him again in such short span of time.

This time we were 5 of us, mom, dad, sister, a friend of her’s and I. We started by around 7am and drove up to chikballapur where we stopped for breakfast. There are two good places for food here, one being the local Shanti Sagar and the other- Kamat. The distance between Bangalore and Puttaparthi is about 160kms, a little more than a 3hrs drive by road. It is situated in the Anathpur district of Andhra Pradesh. We took a little longer as we stopped for breakfast and reached Parthi by 11am.

(Video of what we see on the way to Prashanti Nilayam)

We then proceeded to the Prashanti Nilayam – the ‘Abode of Supreme Peace’, the holy abode of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. This ashram is a crowd puller throughout the year and it symbolizes one among the best religious organizations (all religion is one – Love) in the world. Formally inaugurated in the year 1950, this Ashram houses many educational institutions, stadiums, museums, hospitals and all the modern facilities that suit to the wants of any of the devotees.

A huge complex that can accommodate thousands of people has its own rules and regulations, which is to be strictly followed by the visitors. The most conspicuous part of this vast structure is the assembly hall (Kulwant Hall) where Sai Baba gives his Darshan to the devotees.

Unfortunately we missed the morning darshan at Prashanti Nilayam and hence went straight ahead to freshen up at a friend’s place, who had willingly given us their home to stay there for the weekend.

We then went into the ashram only to find out that everything was closed for the morning session. As we were heading out with a heavy heart, our prayers were heard and we were asked to move aside and stand at the Ganesh Gate. To our surprise, we were more than lucky to have a glimpse of Swami on his way back from the visit to the hospital.

Since all the places at Prashanti Nilayam closes in the afternoon, we did not have much to do apart from going around the ashram and visiting some stalls on the Gopuram Street.

We had lunch at the Sai Tanaya restaurant on Gopuram Street as none of us had the energy to go back to the ashram for lunch. Maybe it was God’s will that we had to eat at this place and in return meet the very enterprising owner Mr. Lal, a great Sai devotee hailing from Patna but now settled at Parthi. He enlightened us on some of the places one could visit while at Puttaparthi and also suggested lot of books for our Little Sai Library.

Just before we headed for the evening darshan, we proceeded to the Chaitanya Jyoti museum. This is an architectural splendour, which depicts the life of Sri Sathya Sai Baba from his early childhood till date. One can visualize the divinity of Sai Baba here through the description of events and incidents portrayed through various presentation techniques.

Chaitanya Jyoti Museum at Puttaparthi was formally inaugurated on 18th November 2000. Raised on the slope of a hill, this building is a representation of diverse architectural methods of both modern and traditional styles. The Museum is open on all days except on Mondays. Time of visit is between 9am to 11.30am and 3pm to 5.30pm.

The steal at the museum is the bronze carving of Sai Baba which faces you in any direction you stand. I’ve heard that there is a room with a chair on which you will find Sai Baba coming and blessing you (a laser technique), but unfortunately was under renovation when we were there.

We had a quick tour of the museum as we had to hurry back to the ashram for Swami’s darshan.

We reached the ashram by 4pm and realised that we were late as there were already thousands of people settled inside the Kulwant Hall awaiting Swami’s darshan. We got our seats pretty behind this time, but the thought of having Swami’s darshan in a physical form was more than convincing to our greedy minds.

The Parthi Yatra season was on and districts after districts from Andhra Pradesh made their presence in huge numbers at Prasanthi Nilayam. Adding to this list of Andhra flavour, came a huge contingent of devotees from the telengana district of Medak. Expressing grateful thanks, rejoicing at the shower of special grace, Sathya Sai Organisation in the district have been organizing various cultural, spiritual and service oriented programmes to essentially spread the message of Sathya Sai Baba. The devotees from Medak district presented a dance drama 'Devudu Unnaru'.

Swami entered the Kulwant Hall by 5pm. Tears of joy started rolling down at the very sight of the Lord presenting Himself in front of my eyes. It could not have been put to a better use than crying for the Lord! After his darshan round, when Swami came onstage, some of the devotees came up to Him for blessings and the drama started at 5.30 pm. The forty-five minute Telugu play showed the transformation of two youths to theists with many quotes and poems from Swami’s teachings. After the drama, Swami went inside the interview room for five minutes and emerged with clothes for the participants. He went down from the stage and moved among the children while bhajans were being sung, and took group photographs with them. He blessed each one of them and gave them the clothes Himself. After nearly half an hour of interaction, He came onstage and accepted the Aarati at seven o'clock. He interacted some more with the devotees and blessed all of us before returning to His residence ten minutes later.

Though it was just 7.30pm, Parthi being a classic example of early to bed, early to rise, dinner was served to all the devotees gathered there. Our choice for the evening was the western canteen where we had a bite of some exotic pasta, mexican soup, flavoured yogurt and some mouth watering dessert. Our next agenda was to take home Swami with us, and hence set out to the stalls on Gopuram Street. Not very fruitful in the mission, but a tiring day and a satisfying 2hrs darshan of Swami was a nice way to end the day.

It was as early as 3.30am the next day as we set out to Prashanti Nilayam for the Omkara. There were 100 ladies already in the queue and we were asked not to join them as we were late. Yet they made us sit aside hoping we could get a chance to get in. At the strike of 5, the ladies were sent inside the Prashanti mandir. This was it, I knew we were not able to make it, just like last time. The next thing I did was closed my eyes and sincerely prayed to Swami to let us in. But I also felt...why would Swami listen to this strange girl sitting here, when he has so much more to do, so many more in needy to cater to. It was at this point I was taken aback, when a lady from the Seva Dal came up to us and asked us to go inside the mandir. Swami had heard me......he is omnipresent. I felt so guilty on challenging Swami on such petty issues but at the same time, overjoyed that we could take part in awakening the Lord.

The Prashanti Mandir is a small hall with Shirdi Sai Baba and Sathya Sai Baba as the main deities and on the other end, a huge statue of the Geetopadesham. We were seated right at the back near the Geetopadesham. At 5.20am, the Omkara began. Omkara is the chanting of OM, the first sound of the supreme, 21 times in the early hours of the day, followed by the suprabhatam (early morning song) to awaken the Lord. While we were chanting the Suprabhatam inside the mandir, the Vedas were being chanted outside around the residence of Swami.

At 6am, we joined in for the Nagarsankeertan, (bhajans being sung while going around the temple complex). It is believed that the vibrations caused by these bhajans in the early hours make the environment very spiritual and pure.

The Nagarsankeertan was over by 7am and we had to wait until 9 for the morning darshan. The Ashram is a nice place for a lovely morning walk and so, we went exploring. While the ladies sat on the bench and dozed off for a while, the men folks went uphill to see the view of Puttaparthi from above.
It was 8.30am and our stomachs started to growl. All we could find open at that point of time was a small cafe near the shopping complex park. Some real nice hot chocolate and mug noodles energised us.

It was finally time for the morning darshan, but since we had a very satisfying darshan of Swami the previous day and were sure he would not be physically present at the morning darshan, we headed towards the shopping complex, then to the book store and did a little bit of shopping. Post this, we had a heavy brunch and rested for a while before we started our journey back to Bangalore 2 hours later.

Some of the Other Places to see in and around Prashanti Nilayam:

Ashram

· Ganesh Mandir - The Ganesh mandir is located at the entrance of Prasanthi Nilayam. Special prayers are offered to Lord Ganesha every morning. Devotees undertaking any new task propitiate the innocent-visaged God for removing obstacles. Lord Ganesha has the power to confer intelligence, prosperity and protection.

· Subramanyam Mandir - Located next to Lord Ganesha on the southern side. This shrine was constructed in 1997. Lord Subramanya is the older brother of Ganesha. He is the chief of the army of the gods. His benevolent grace includes protection.

· Gayathri Mandir - Situated opposite to the Seva Dal block, this temple was sanctified by Swami on 9th October 1998. The five faced Goddess, Gayathri, the mother of the Vedas is the presiding deity here. It is believed that Goddess Gayatri seated on a lotus, has the power to confer intelligence, wisdom, keen intellect, fluent speech and over-all protection.

· Sarva Dharma Stupa - This is a 50 feet tall pillar, called the world religions stupa, with a lotus flower at the top.This pillar is near the temple in Prasanthi Nilayam. The pillar, with its concentric rings, represents the unity of faiths, that all are seeking the same God. The rising column signifies that humanity rises above differences to the unfolding the 'lotus of the heart', whose petals are at the top of the pillar. The flame of inner illumination is in the center of the lotus. Just as the lotus plant lives in water but does not get contaminated by it, so we should live in the world but be untouched by it. The base of the pillar is surrounded by plaques with quotations from the five main religions emphasising the unity of faiths and mankind's spiritual journey.

· Prasanthi Mandir is a two-storied granite structure inaugurated in 1950. It has a Central Prayer Hall flanked by rooms on either side, with the verandah in front, and a corridor in the rear. The five religious symbols, descending from top to bottom of the walls on each side of the altar point out the unity of religions. Omkar and Suprabhatam at dawn and daily Bhajans are held in this mandir. Swami gives interviews in the room behind the altar.

· Sai Kulwant Hall is the Darshan Ground situated in between Swami's residence (Poornachandra Hall) and the Prashanti Mandir. It is a spacious enclosure to accommodate 20,000 devotees under a well protected canopy. Devotees from all over the world gather here to have the Darshan of Swami.

· Meditation Tree - A banyan tree planted by Sai Baba in the serene premises of the Ashram is the meditation tree. It has gained much significance in the routine life of the inmates of the Ashram. A thick metal plate placed at the root of the tree is said to be materialized by Sai Baba to enhance the brooding spirit among those who contemplate here. This area is characterised as a special zone for meditation, which overlooks the lovely ambiance of the Ashram. There are separate areas for women and men and the former are not allowed to ponder under the tree after sunset and before sunrise. It is believed that Banyan trees have the power to purify the surrounding air, almost all temples in South India houses a banyan tree in their premises.

· Canteens - There are three canteens (North Indian, Soth Indian & the Western canteen) in the Prashanti Nilayam Ashram. Men and Women eat separately at all canteens; all meals are very low priced. They believe in Annam Brahma (Food is God).

· The Bakery is located near the Supermarket. A must try for their variety of cakes and breads. They also have veg rolls, jam bread, Pizzas, etc. It is open after morning darshan till 12.15 and again in the evening from 5pm - 7pm

· Bookshop and Library - Puttaparthi Ashram has a bookshop and a library complex. The is library above the bookshop, which has over 9000 titles on Sathya Sai Baba, in many, many languages. Below is the entrance to the Bookshop. One can spend days together at this book store choosing various titles in different languages, all talking about Swami, his teachings, etc. Also sold are multimedia DVD and CD, audio CD, photographs, and tapes. Temporary bookstalls are put into operation during festival times. The timings at the book store are 9am to 11.30am and 5pm to 7.30pm.

· Shopping Centre - The ashram supermarket caters for all needs, from food to photographs, audio cd's to darshan clothing. It is open in the mornings for ladies (9 to 11 AM) and gents can go from 5pm to 7pm.

· Gopuram is the entry point to the Ashram through which Sai Baba leaves or comes back to the Ashram. This magnificient façade to the Ashram was built in the year 1975 as a birthday commemorative to Swami. The Gopuram is constructed in a South Indian style of temple architecture, which reveals the structural grandeur and artistic skills. One among the alluring sites in the Ashram, Gopuram reminds the mythological beliefs that it has the power to remove hindrances.

Birth Place of Sathya Sai Baba - A Siva temple in the Puttaparthi village signifies the birth-place of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The temple was opened by Baba in 1979. The real birthplace, not known to most people, is located across the river in a small house.

Sri Sathya Sai Hill View Stadium is constructed for the purpose of conducting the annual sports and cultural meet of all institutions run by the Sathya Sai foundation. This meet usually falls on the 11^th of January. Apart from these institutional meets, all celebrations with regard to the birthday ceremony is also organized here in this Stadium. On such auspicious occasions Swami uses the podium of this stadium to address the large gathering. This vast stadium can accommodate nearly 30,000 people. This stadium encompasses lofty statues of legendary figures like Shiva, Krishna, Shirdi Sai Baba, Zohrashtra, Buddha and Jesus Christ depicting all religion as one.

Sri Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music at Prasanthi Nilayam was set up in the year 2001. The college focuses its attention on both Hindustani and Carnatic styles of vocal music. Besides this, students are given training in various musical instruments like tabla, mridangam, veena and sitar. The college offers both basic as well as diploma courses. Within the premises of the college is an exceptional museum with almost all types of instruments from around the world. Apart from its structural designs, the edifices of the building are decorated with various musical instruments. The students of the college present their debut concerts here, when Swami makes a visit.

Sri Sathya Sai University, was founded by Sri Sathya Sai Baba in November 1981. It was formerly known as the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. Sathya Sai Baba himself is the chancellor of this institute. This deemed University has three campuses in India and the education is based on the Gurukul system. This university is regarded as one of the best educational institutions in the country.
Apart from its academic contributions, this university presents an elegant structural design, which is not only monumental but also gorgeous. It reflects a beautiful blend of ancient and modern architectural designs. The domes of this yellowish colour building are reminiscent of medieval mughal architecture. The construction of the campus is so planned that it provides a tranquil ambiance to the students.

Sri Sathya Sai Hospital - At the General Hospital free medical facilities are provided which has a Casualty department open all 24 hours. The Outpatient department functions in the mornings and evenings daily. The hospital also has Maternity & Dental departments. Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital located 7 kms from the ashram in Prashanthigram has excellent modern facilities to handle cases pertaining to Cardiology, Urology, Nephrology and Ophthalmology.

The Spiritual Museum is situated next to the administrative block of the University. It upholds one of the fundamental principles of Sai Baba’s teachings. This heritage museum exhibits all those artifacts, which helps to promote the unity of all religions. The objects put on display showcases the basic principles of all major religious convictions along with the preaching of saintly men.
Constructed in the shikhara style, this building exemplifies features of famous Jain temples of north India. Swami inaugurated this great Museum on 19th November 1990. Visitors are freely admitted to this great venture from 10 am to 12 noon and this Spiritual Museum is open on all week days.

The Sathya Sai Space Theatre, a Planetarium with a capacity of 200 people, aims to provide information about Astronomy, Physics, and Mathematics. It is located in the Sri Sathya Sai Vidyagiri campus. There are shows every Thursday in English and Hindi and tickets are provided to the visitors in a first come first serve basis. The English version is scheduled between 10 am to 10.45 am and the Hindi version is between 11 am to 11.45 am.

The Sathya Sai International Centre For Sports was completed in a record duration of 120 days. The Sports Complex, spread over 7.05 acres, adds another dimension to the existing cricket ground (turf pitch) of the Outdoor Stadium. It has a multi-sport hall with elliptical galleries on all sides. The complex has an octagonal display centre with a diameter of 60 feet. Indoor Stadium offers six disciplines - badminton, basketball, table tennis, squash, volleyball and gymnastics. The stadium's hall has a capacity of 4,000 people. The building has six entrances. All facilities meet Olympic standards. This sports complex has been aesthetically-designed with columns and beams with adequate lighting and ventilation system suitable to the sports. It comes with international-class facilities of practice areas, gym, locker facilities and administration offices. The Sports complex is open every day from 10am to 11.30am for visitors.

Anjaneya temple on the Gopuram street between Kalyana Mandapam and the Sathyabhama temple. The temple presents a serene and sacred ambiance to the longing souls. The entrance of the temple is marked by a fabulous Siva Lingam, which is brought by Sai Baba from Kasim. Most alluring part of this fabulous shrine is its sanctum where the deity is placed as if engraved in a cave. There is a pool of water at the feet of Anjaneya (Hanuman) representing the tears he sheds in his love and longing for Lord Rama. Like all other important places at Puttaparthi, this Anjaneya Temple holds another miraculous anecdote of Sathya Sai Baba. The story says that the deity stopped Sai Baba while he was about to circumambulate the temple by saying that it is the deity who is to pay reverence and respect.

Samadhi Shrine is the cenotaph (memorial) of Sai Baba’s parents, situated at the Samadhi road, near to the Gopuram. This shrine reflects Baba’s deep love and affection towards his parents. Easwaramma Day, which is the death anniversary of Baba’s mother, is observed as the annual festival of the shrine. This festival is marked with Narayana Seva (community feeding) and special prayer meetings with Bhajans and Keerthans which make it an auspicious occasion. Morning prayer session in the shrine is scheduled between 9.30 am to 11.30 am and in the evening there would be prayer from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm.

The Sathyabhama Temple houses Sathyabhama, the proud lover of Lord Krishna and is one of the prime destinations in Puttaparthi. A modern temple constructed by one of the devotees of Sai Baba depicting various images of Lord Krishna. The three feet high image of the main deity adorns the sanctum of the shrine. Daily poojas in accordance with rituals are held in a ceremonious way. This temple gains the unique feature of being the single most shrine dedicated to goddess Sathyabhama in India. It is believed that the paternal grandfather of Sai Baba, Sri Kondama Raju had a dream where Goddess Sathyabhama was standing in heavy rain and wind, asking for shelter. This strange dream marked the construction of this lovely shrine. This pretty shrine is popularly called as ‘Sathyamma Temple’, and thousands visit here to pay their respect to the divine consort of Lord Krishna.

The Village Mosque was constructed in the year 1978. This mosque boasts some interesting tales. When accidents and other diseases were a regular occurrence on travellers, the villagers requested Sai Baba to intervene and then Baba asked the villagers to dig at a certain spot. A plate with certain Muslim inscriptions was discovered from the spot. Then a mosque was constructed and the plate was taken there. After that, all the accidents came to a halt. Now the Muslim community of Puttaparthi uses this mosque and its open hall. In fact this sacred spot of adoration stands as a glittering testimonial to the age old secular principles of Indian democracy.

The Kalpa Vriksha, also called as the Wish Fulfilling Tree, is located at the slope of Obuladevara Gutta (hill), and on the banks of the Chitravati river. This tamarind tree holds fabulous tales of Sai Baba’s childhood and has witnessed so many miraculous activities of Sai Baba. It is believed that, in his childhood days Sai Baba used to take his friends uphill and ask them to think of any fruit and the very next moment they would be getting the same from this old tamarind tree.

Gokulam - Sathya Sai Ashram houses a Dairy of its own, which supplies milk to the Ashram and all the institutions functioning under the Ashram. The diary is called Gokulam and it is famed for the quality of milk it produces. The entrance of Gokulam, holds the beautiful image of Sri Krishna. Long ago, Sai baba himself did the artistic fillings on Sri Krishna’s face.

The Chitravati River is ½ kms from the ashram. It is considered by many as being the new Ganga, as Swami bathed in the river, played on the banks of the river and displayed many miracles and manifestations on the banks of the Chitravati. Currently and unfortunately the Chitravati is the source of sand for all construction in Puttaparthi.

A small secret: Swami's robes are still being washed in the Chitravathi, with a guard overlooking them as they dry.

	Shiva Shiva Shankara Hara Parameshwara - Sung by Swami's Students