Sep
15
2011
Mar
31
2012
Sep
15
2012
Mar
31
2013
Sep
15
2013
Mar
31
2014
Sep
15
2014
Mar
31
2015
Sep
15
2015
Mar
31
2016
Sai Baba Ashram: the Devine Disneyland of South India
Published by Drew Tapley, Managing Editor & Writer
Country: India 
The Experience
The Sai Baba Ashram in India is as close to a spiritual Disneyland experience as you can get, minus the guy in the Goofy outfit posing for photos.
In fact, the Sai Baba ashram in Puttaparthi defies even Walt Disney’s active imagination with its bright pink, blue, and yellow painted buildings, ice cream stalls and hordes of robed “devotees” from every corner of the globe. It`s like being inside a birthday cake on top of a fully decorated Christmas tree. In terms of ashrams, this one is the world`s gold standard.
The town of Puttaparthi, in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, is what a university is to a university town. In other words, the town is the ashram. It was once a small, remote South Indian village where the guru known as Sathya Sai Baba was born and still lives. It has now mushroomed into what is believed to be the biggest ashram in the world, with a hospital, university, airport, indoor and outdoor sports stadium, planetarium, and museum. A network of bookshops, restaurants, jewellery stores and hotels service the millions of devotees that come to the main Sai Baba ashram—the Prasanthi Nilayam (abode of peace)—for “darshan” (the beholding of a deity) every year.
It’s now widely accepted that over six million people from more than 180 countries visit the
Puttaparthi ashram to be in the presence of Sai Baba on a regular pilgrimage.
The 83-year-old avatar, or godhead, is now in ailing health and has devoted his life as an educator and spiritual leader. He is also seen as a miracle worker and granter of divine wishes, and lives onsite within the Prashanthi Nilayam ashram. A dozen outhouse dormitories stretch out over the back regions inside the ashram, and provide quite possibly the cheapest accommodation in the whole of India (about 30 cents a night). It gets better. A fully-staffed cafeteria offering both South Indian and Western food is completely subsidized, and also costs peanuts. The catch? You have to wear pure white clothing to get in, say “Sai Ram” to everyone you meet, and sleep in a single-sex hospital-wing dormitory with a hundred folk of all size and sensibility in beds two feet apart. Oh, and you must attend the ritual blessings (darshan) by Sai Baba twice a day. Did I mention that the first darshan starts at 4 am? If you can do this, then I promise you will have an unforgettable experience in this ashram, and meet some amazing people.
Those who visit Sai Baba ashram stay for a week or two, and the administrators encourage you to stay for at least a week to feel any benefits. Self-proclaimed “devotees” often stay for several months, taking sabbatical leave in their home countries. Many devotees bring their families and stay in the family dorm. Others leave their families at home and come alone, or choose to travel in a large group from their host country, displaying their union by wearing a neck scarf in their nation’s colours.
There are certain “rules” inside the ashram, doled out by “official” volunteers, which can border on annoying at times. You will soon understand why this is necessary to control some of the more excited and eager devotees during darshan, who tend to overcook it on the groupie enthusiasm. These rules are mainly directed at the Indian devotees who remain in barely-restrained awe of Sai Baba and try to get as close to him as possibly inside the main temple. Of course, Sai Baba encourages this by drawing attention to his divine status through a series of controversial magic tricks, illusions, or miracles—depending on what you believe. His repertoire includes pulling a golden egg out of his mouth, producing vibuthi (holy ash) from his wrists, and materializing all manner of precious objects out of thin air and giving them to guests about his gold throne. This takes place upon a stage within the main hall, packed to rock concert proportions with devotees and visitors.
On occasions, school children perform plays and dances for Sai Baba, and he is greatly loved, admired and respected by numerous Indian and international institutions who have helped to fund many of his philanthropic campaigns throughout India and the world.
Sai Baba is both a folk hero and a living legend, and however you perceive him, he deserves credit for the many, many social services he has created and the sheer volume of devotees he has amassed to support his charitable aims. What is probably more bizarre than the things he says, or the reputation that precedes him, is his personal appearance and behaviour. Invariably dressed in a bright orange or yellow robe, he has the look of a retired professional boxer sporting a huge Jackson Five afro. He travels from his residence in an escorted buggy to parody a Pope, and parades around the town in a JFK motorcade with tinted windows. It`s all very strange, and borders on Brangelina hype and ceremony wrapped up in a pantomime and served up in a Happy Meal. His image is everywhere throughout the town, and appears on everything from key rings to towels to bags and beyond.
What is so interesting about the whole affair, though, is just how involved in it you become as a visitor without realizing it. After a few days, I was through the doors and running up to the front of the hall at 4 am to wait for two hours on a cold floor for the man himself. I even had my letter to throw at his buggy in the vague chance one of his people would pick it up and deliver it to him through the window—one of several thousand letters thrown or paper aeroplaned at him twice a day.
It is said that Sai Baba visits everyone at the ashram in their sleep to see what your heart desires. I had some funky dreams in there, in an enlightening kind of way, and definitely left the ashram with a sense that my hopes and aspirations were acknowledged, in a curious sort of way. This experience can be an open book if you remain open-minded and try not to jump to conclusions. It’s hard not to judge in what is often an odd and surreal environment, but just remember, you’re in India.
In fact, the Sai Baba ashram in Puttaparthi defies even Walt Disney’s active imagination with its bright pink, blue, and yellow painted buildings, ice cream stalls and hordes of robed “devotees” from every corner of the globe. It`s like being inside a birthday cake on top of a fully decorated Christmas tree. In terms of ashrams, this one is the world`s gold standard.
The town of Puttaparthi, in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, is what a university is to a university town. In other words, the town is the ashram. It was once a small, remote South Indian village where the guru known as Sathya Sai Baba was born and still lives. It has now mushroomed into what is believed to be the biggest ashram in the world, with a hospital, university, airport, indoor and outdoor sports stadium, planetarium, and museum. A network of bookshops, restaurants, jewellery stores and hotels service the millions of devotees that come to the main Sai Baba ashram—the Prasanthi Nilayam (abode of peace)—for “darshan” (the beholding of a deity) every year.
It’s now widely accepted that over six million people from more than 180 countries visit the
Puttaparthi ashram to be in the presence of Sai Baba on a regular pilgrimage.
The 83-year-old avatar, or godhead, is now in ailing health and has devoted his life as an educator and spiritual leader. He is also seen as a miracle worker and granter of divine wishes, and lives onsite within the Prashanthi Nilayam ashram. A dozen outhouse dormitories stretch out over the back regions inside the ashram, and provide quite possibly the cheapest accommodation in the whole of India (about 30 cents a night). It gets better. A fully-staffed cafeteria offering both South Indian and Western food is completely subsidized, and also costs peanuts. The catch? You have to wear pure white clothing to get in, say “Sai Ram” to everyone you meet, and sleep in a single-sex hospital-wing dormitory with a hundred folk of all size and sensibility in beds two feet apart. Oh, and you must attend the ritual blessings (darshan) by Sai Baba twice a day. Did I mention that the first darshan starts at 4 am? If you can do this, then I promise you will have an unforgettable experience in this ashram, and meet some amazing people.
Those who visit Sai Baba ashram stay for a week or two, and the administrators encourage you to stay for at least a week to feel any benefits. Self-proclaimed “devotees” often stay for several months, taking sabbatical leave in their home countries. Many devotees bring their families and stay in the family dorm. Others leave their families at home and come alone, or choose to travel in a large group from their host country, displaying their union by wearing a neck scarf in their nation’s colours.
There are certain “rules” inside the ashram, doled out by “official” volunteers, which can border on annoying at times. You will soon understand why this is necessary to control some of the more excited and eager devotees during darshan, who tend to overcook it on the groupie enthusiasm. These rules are mainly directed at the Indian devotees who remain in barely-restrained awe of Sai Baba and try to get as close to him as possibly inside the main temple. Of course, Sai Baba encourages this by drawing attention to his divine status through a series of controversial magic tricks, illusions, or miracles—depending on what you believe. His repertoire includes pulling a golden egg out of his mouth, producing vibuthi (holy ash) from his wrists, and materializing all manner of precious objects out of thin air and giving them to guests about his gold throne. This takes place upon a stage within the main hall, packed to rock concert proportions with devotees and visitors.
On occasions, school children perform plays and dances for Sai Baba, and he is greatly loved, admired and respected by numerous Indian and international institutions who have helped to fund many of his philanthropic campaigns throughout India and the world.
Sai Baba is both a folk hero and a living legend, and however you perceive him, he deserves credit for the many, many social services he has created and the sheer volume of devotees he has amassed to support his charitable aims. What is probably more bizarre than the things he says, or the reputation that precedes him, is his personal appearance and behaviour. Invariably dressed in a bright orange or yellow robe, he has the look of a retired professional boxer sporting a huge Jackson Five afro. He travels from his residence in an escorted buggy to parody a Pope, and parades around the town in a JFK motorcade with tinted windows. It`s all very strange, and borders on Brangelina hype and ceremony wrapped up in a pantomime and served up in a Happy Meal. His image is everywhere throughout the town, and appears on everything from key rings to towels to bags and beyond.
What is so interesting about the whole affair, though, is just how involved in it you become as a visitor without realizing it. After a few days, I was through the doors and running up to the front of the hall at 4 am to wait for two hours on a cold floor for the man himself. I even had my letter to throw at his buggy in the vague chance one of his people would pick it up and deliver it to him through the window—one of several thousand letters thrown or paper aeroplaned at him twice a day.
It is said that Sai Baba visits everyone at the ashram in their sleep to see what your heart desires. I had some funky dreams in there, in an enlightening kind of way, and definitely left the ashram with a sense that my hopes and aspirations were acknowledged, in a curious sort of way. This experience can be an open book if you remain open-minded and try not to jump to conclusions. It’s hard not to judge in what is often an odd and surreal environment, but just remember, you’re in India.
When to Go to Sai Baba Ashram
You can visit the Puttaparthi Sai Baba ashram anytime of the year, and the town can be reached by both train, bus, or even plane. Train is really the most popular and recommended form of travel within India, as well as the most enjoyable. The train station is a few minutes walk from the main gates of the ashram, which opens every morning to receive devotees and visitors, and closes at night.
To stay at the ashram you must register as a visitor at the administrative building and be issued with some linen and blankets for your bed. Accommodation is very basic but ample considering the chump change you pay for it, and the officials help to manage the cleaning of the dormitories each day.
Even though you can stay outside the ashram, it`s a great experience to stay onsite and really enmesh yourself with the atmosphere. You can always decide to get offsite lodgings after a few days if you need to.
A lot of international visitors and devotees make the journey from Chennai (formerly Madras), where there is an international airport. From Chennai, the trip by bus is about 7 hours, and slightly less by rail.
To stay at the ashram you must register as a visitor at the administrative building and be issued with some linen and blankets for your bed. Accommodation is very basic but ample considering the chump change you pay for it, and the officials help to manage the cleaning of the dormitories each day.
Even though you can stay outside the ashram, it`s a great experience to stay onsite and really enmesh yourself with the atmosphere. You can always decide to get offsite lodgings after a few days if you need to.
A lot of international visitors and devotees make the journey from Chennai (formerly Madras), where there is an international airport. From Chennai, the trip by bus is about 7 hours, and slightly less by rail.
Odds n' Ends
So how did this Indian village boy become this spiritual superstar? Well, that story is even more dramatic, if that’s even possible.
As the story goes, Sathyanarayana Raju, as he was christened, was stung by a scorpion as a child and fell into unconsciousness. When he recovered, his behavior had noticeably changed, and he began reciting Sanskrit verses in a tongue he had never learned. He proceeded to materialize sugar candy and other items until his father took him to various priests and exorcists, who deemed the boy to be suffering from hysteria. Thinking he was bewitched, his father asked his son, "Who are you?" “I am Sai Baba of Shirdi,” was the reply—the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi who had died eight years before Sathyanarayana’s birth.
Shortly afterwards, devotees began to gather around him, and he started to travel throughout South India, generating an increasingly larger devotion. In 1944, a mandir (temple) was built in the village of Puttaparthi. Construction began on the current ashram in 1948, and was completed in 1950. Since then, well over a thousand Sathya Sai Baba centres have been opened in 114 countries, and his influence and popularity expands every year.
http://www.drewtapley.com
As the story goes, Sathyanarayana Raju, as he was christened, was stung by a scorpion as a child and fell into unconsciousness. When he recovered, his behavior had noticeably changed, and he began reciting Sanskrit verses in a tongue he had never learned. He proceeded to materialize sugar candy and other items until his father took him to various priests and exorcists, who deemed the boy to be suffering from hysteria. Thinking he was bewitched, his father asked his son, "Who are you?" “I am Sai Baba of Shirdi,” was the reply—the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi who had died eight years before Sathyanarayana’s birth.
Shortly afterwards, devotees began to gather around him, and he started to travel throughout South India, generating an increasingly larger devotion. In 1944, a mandir (temple) was built in the village of Puttaparthi. Construction began on the current ashram in 1948, and was completed in 1950. Since then, well over a thousand Sathya Sai Baba centres have been opened in 114 countries, and his influence and popularity expands every year.
http://www.drewtapley.com
Places to Stay Nearby
Search over 900,000 global hotel deals from over 30 merchants. Book via Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Priceline and the websites of popular hotel chains.
1 miles away
More Experiences Nearby
- Bathe the Elephants at Dubare Elephant Camp
- There are a number of wildlife destinations, including elephant camps, in the south Indian state of Karnataka. The most popular and unique camp is Dubare Elephant Camp, where you can interact at close quarters with the Asian/Indian elephant. At the Dubare Elephant Camp, visitors can help to bathe and feed the elephants, watch them at a training session, and finally enjoy a short ride on one of these gentle giants. They are all tamed and trained elephants, and are not dangerous. Dubare Elephant Camp is located in the beautiful Coorg district of Karnataka, on the banks of the river Cauvery. ...185 miles away.
Books and DVDs
Elsewhere on the Web
Travel Insurance. Simple & Flexible.
Language Guides
Hindi 
,
Portugese
,
Russian
are some of the languages spoken in India. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!
Discussion
Experienced this and have something to share? Experienced something like this somewhere else? Looking for advise or travel companions? Use this space to leave your mark. Our writers and editors are more than happy to help answer your questions.
Recent Tweets
Listed below are the most recent comments made on Twitter for "sai baba ashram":
