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Located 400-km from
Hyderabad by road,
the village Chitravati, situated at a distance of about 18 miles from
Penukonda, 2 miles from Penukond-Bukkapatnam road has now become a centre
of great attraction, Puttaparthi. It is abode of Puttaparthi Sri Satya Sai
Baba. An important tourist attraction of
Ananthapur district, Puttaparthi
is surrounded by the arid and rocky hills bordering
Karnataka .
The Abode Of Bhagwan Sri Satya Sai Baba
Puttaparthi,
once a sparsely populated village, has shot into national and
international fame as the abode of Bhagwan Sri Satya Sai Baba. The
original name of Sai Baba is "Satyanarayana Raju". He was born
on November 23, 1926 in Puttaparthi.
He started showing unusual talents and purity and compassion from an
early age. Baba's supernatural abilities caused some concern to his
family, who took him to Vedic doctors. After being pronounced to be
possessed by the divine rather than the diabolical, at the age of fourteen
he announced that he was the new incarnation of Sai Baba, a saint from
Shirdi in Maharashtra who died eight years before Satya was born. Number
of devotees, from all over the world flock to this small town every year
to have a glimpse of the Baba, and be touched by him.
His disciples have constructed the 'Prashanti Nilayam' an ashram, which
attracts large number of devotees throughout the year. Prasahanti Nilayam
means 'the abode of peace". The ashram was inaugurated in 1950. The
ashram is a huge complex with room for thousands, with canteens, shops, a
museum and library, and a vast assembly hall where Sai Baba gives
'darshan' twice daily. A considerable number of devotees turn out for his
birthday celebrations in Puttaparthi, where he delivers a message to his
devotees.
The Museum
The most often-visited place in the ashram is the museum, which is
located on the nearby hillock. The museum contains models of various
temple structures including the Golden Temple of Amritsar, the Mecca
mosque, etc. The museum also depicts the story of Satya Sai Baba, right
from his birth to the time he attained 'Nirvana'.
Air: The nearest airports to
Puttaparthi are Bangalore and Tirupati at the distance of 250-km and
300-km respectively.
Rail: The nearest railhead - Dharmavaram at a distance of 30-km on
Secunderabad - Dharmavaram and Pakhal - Dharmavaram line.
Road:
Puttaparthi is situated at 150-km from Anantapur and 30-km from
Dharmavaram. Regular State buses from
Hyderabad and
major towns of A.P. Taxis are also available from
Bangalore .
Local Transport: Taxis are available from the railway stations.
Ashram guesthouses are available for accommodation at Puttaparthi. Tourist lodges are also available at Dharmavaram, and Penukonda. Tourist Lodges and hotel accommodation are also present at Anantapur.