A Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s photo card given to me by one of my sisters, who visited Swami in year 2000, and I have been keeping it in my wallet ever since.

 

OM SAI RAM

 

I can never forget my impromptu trip in 2005 to Puttaparthi to seek Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s blessings, made during one of my business trips to Bangalore, India. 

 

I had been curious and interested about Sai Baba for many years, having heard so many miraculous stories about him. Sai Baba was an Indian Guru with followers of all religions, ethnicities and social classes from around the world. It was during a casual conversation over dinner with my Indian colleague Sai, who happened to be a devotee of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, that led us into the excitement of planning a last minute trip to Puttaparthi. 

 

Sai warned me that we might not even get to see Sai Baba in person, as he had not been attending Darshan most of the days due to poor health. I was determined to make that trip and was so glad I did.

 

An Amazingly Blessed Trip That Was Destined

 

 

Puttaparthi is about 150km from Bangalore, about a 3 hours drive. 

 

 

We departed at 4am in the morning as planned. This impromptu round trip was to be “a touch and go”, as we had to be back to our Bangalore office by 12 noon for a pre-scheduled business meeting, followed by my return flight home the same afternoon.

 

Prasanthi Nilayam Ashram. Photo source: Sri Sathya Sai Official Site

 

Prasanthi Nilayam, which literally means “Abode of the Highest Peace” is the main Ashram of Sathya Sai Baba located in the village of Puttaparthi.     

The moment we arrived in Prasanthi Nilayam, I was overwhelmed and excited to see a huge crowd of visitors and devotees from all over the world.    

We arrived about 30 mins before the morning darshan was to start and we hurriedly went to our respective gender entrance into the Ashram Hall. The security was extremely tight. I just followed the crowd and moved along, managed to find myself a seat just a few rows away from the front.  

 

Sathya Sai Baba at Darshan 

Photo source : Sri Sathya Sai Official Site

 

About 15 mins into the darshan, Sathya Sai Baba showed up on a golf buggy ! I could not believe my eyes. Before the darshan got started, a lady from the U.S., who was seated next to me, told me she had been attending the daily darshan for a week already and Sathya Sai Baba had not shown up. And I was not expecting to see Him either, given what my colleague Sai had pre-warned me. 

 

When Swami appeared, I saw many hands waving their letters, hoping to catch Baba’s attention for Him to accept. I noticed Baba did not collect all. I observed that most devotees were hoping that Baba would call them for personal interviews. 

What a blessing !!! I felt a deep sense of gratitude and for some reason deep down in my heart, I felt it was a Divine arrangement for me to be able to see Baba and to receive His blessings.

 

We were there for an hour but mindful of the fact that we need to be back in Bangalore by noon, we had no choice but to leave the Ashram. I wished I could stay much longer as there were so much more to experience and see.

 

In our return trip back to Bangalore, the three hours car ride passed quickly. We talked non stop about how blessed we were to have seen Sathya Sai Baba in just that brief one hour window whereas many had waited for weeks. 

 

I found out much later that my colleague Sai had never dared to drive long distance beyond his city state and our trip to Puttaparthi was his first long distance drive. As it is said, if Baba called on a devotee to visit him, he will arrange for a smooth trip.

 

Sweet Memories 

Since my retirement, I started to re-read some of the Baba books which were given to me by my colleague Sai after our trip.    

I have never felt so happy reading these books again and I must expressed by deepest gratitude to my colleague Sai, who also went all way out to bring me to see Swami.

Fifteen years on and my memories of this most wonderful trip are still so fresh ! Baba has given so many teachings but this particular teaching “Love All, Serve All; Help Ever, Hurt Never” have always stayed in my heart.   

 

Feeling blessed, and wishing all my readers Joy and Peace !  

Lyn 🌻😊