PUTTAPARTHI


 

Nestled in the heart of a cluster of bald hills with a scant population of less than a hundred, this unknown, unnoticed, unrecognised and undeveloped village awaited the Advent of an Avatar for centuries. The result? Fulfilment! The bald hills put on green caps; the dry tree tops put up green leaves; the plants prepared colourful bouquets; the bees hummed to collect honey for the Lord; and sands collected and spread themselves to soften the path and River Chitravati began the muse on a tune-all to greet the Divine on holy 23rd of November 1926. The one time sleeping village is now agog with multitudes from every nook and corner of the world drawn by the fragrance of His Glory, Word and Deed.

Located in Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh, this tiny village has now grown into a full-fledged township with all modern amenities that would suit a fast growing population of multinational texture. It has now the distinction of being the seat of a world class Super Speciality Hospital - Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, where possibly for the first time in the world, the most modern state-of-art facilities in surgery and medicine provided totally free of cost, a Deemed university - Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, comprising three campuses, providing free education in arts, science, and management including M.B.A, M.Tech in computer science and PhD, a music college, a couple of Higher Secondary Schools and several primary and middle schools. This tiny, but most privileged village turned township also houses a planetarium of international standard two Museums - Sri Sathya Sai Sanathana Samskruti (Eternal Heritage) Museum, a spiritual museum, where one can see a depiction of timeless panorama of seers and sages of all faiths and religions, Chaitanya Jyoti Museum, dedicated to the depiction of Life, Mission and Message of the Avatar of the Age, not to speak of an Air Port and modern Railway Station. Until recently the nearest rail head was Dharmavaram on the Guntakkal - Bangalore line situated 45 km. from Puttaparthi which distance had to be motored down by the visitors. Now a new Railway Station "Sathya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam" at a distance of 9 km is on the railway map of India much to the comfort and convenience of the visiting devotees. The Station has all the facilities that a major railway station can offer.

The original name of this village was Gollapalli - a village of the cowherds, as many of them lived here eking their livelihood by tending the cows. The hasty and revengeful action of one of these cowherds drew a curse from a dying serpent whom he had stoned to death as it was seen sucking milk from the udder of his favourite cow. The curse began to operate in due course virtually eliminating the cowherds and the cows. The entire area was covered with anthills with snake pits housing serpents. Gollapalli thus became Puttapalli (village of ant hills) and in due course Puttaparthi. Concurrently the cowherds were replaced by tribals, who, in turn, by some Brahmin families and, later, by Kshatriyas including the Ratnakaram family of Bhagawan Baba. With regular worship of deities, especially the stone that was flung on the serpent, in the nearby Venugopala Swami Temple, the village again began to flourish.

Puttaparthi is now adored all the world over as the birthplace of the Avatar of the Age, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. It has assumed the position of the foremost pilgrimage centre of the country as the Abode of the Living God is located here.