Sathya Sai Baba passes away
A child pays floral tribute to a portrait of Sri Sathya Sai Baba at the Satya Sai Nigamagamam in Hyderabad on Sunday after the spiritual leader passed away at Puttaparthi in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh . Photo: P.V. Sivakumar
The end came after 28 days of hospitalisation when doctors from the India, US and UK battled to treat multi-organ failure. He has been on ventillator and dialysis ever since he was admitted following cardio-respiratory and renal failure.
A brief statement issued by Dr. A. N. Safaya, Director of the Institute, said "Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is no more with us physically. He left his earthly body on April 24, 2011 at 7.40 a.m. due to cardio-respiratory failure. Bhagwan 's body will lie in State at Sai Kulwant Hall for two days -- Monday and Tuesday. Arrangements will be made for darshan after 6 p.m. today at Sai Kulwant Hall. We appeal to all not to rush to the hospital but to remain calm and have darshan in an orderly manner".
Meanwhile, A. P. Governor E. S. L Narasimhan and Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy left together by a helicopter from Hyderabad to Puttaparthi to pay their last tributes to Sathya Sai Baba. Telugu Desam President N. Chandrababu Naidu cancelled his byelection campaign in Kadapa district and also rushed to Prasathi Nilayam.
The District Collector Mr. B. Janardhan Reddy told The Hindu that the darshan of Sai Baba's mortal remains had been fixed from 6 p.m. to facilitate arrangements at the Sai Kulwant Hall and to take up crowd control measures like barricading of roads in the town for orderly movement of the devotees
Vice President M. Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and a host of dignitaries on Sunday condoled the passing away of Sathya Sai Baba, saying he was a spiritual leader who inspired millions to lead a moral and meaningful life.
They also lauded the work done by various institutions set up by the Baba to promote egalitarian values, education and public health.
The Baba’s “words and actions have lit the lamp of love in the hearts of devotees. His message of service to humanity as service to God and as a means of destroying narrow— mindedness is of eternal relevance,” Dr. Ansari said, adding, his message of love should be the guiding light in this trying hour.
Expressing “deep and profound sadness” over the death of the 86-year-old Baba in Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh, the Prime Minister said that he was a spiritual leader who inspired millions to lead a moral and meaningful life even as they followed the religion of their choice.
“Sri Sathya Saibaba as a preacher of the highest human values was an iconic figure for over five decades. He endeared himself to the people through various institutions, with headquarters at Prashanthi Nilayam, that promoted egalitarian values, education and public health,” Dr. Singh said.
The Prime Minister said the Baba believed that it was the duty of every person to ensure that all people have access to the basic requirements for sustenance of life.
He was “an inspiration to people of all faiths,” Dr. Singh said, adding that his passing away was an “irreparable loss to all.”
Congress President Sonia Gandhi also condoled the death of the Baba.
BJP leader L.K. Advani and Nitin Gadkari, in separate messages, expressed their profound grief and sorrow at the passing away of the Baba.
Mr. Advani said in modern times stalwarts like Swami Ramakrishna Paramhans, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Dayanand and Mahatma Gandhi are reckoned as ideals for the country and of the titans in the spiritual field in present day India, few have had the phenomenal following that the Baba had.
“I first came in contact with him shortly after my incarceration in the Bangalore Central Jail during the 1975-77 Emergency. After that I have been meeting him frequently.
Along with my family, I had my last darshans of the saint a few months back when I visited Puttaparthi,” he said.
Mr. Gadkari, who condoled the Baba’s on his behalf and that of BJP, said, “The departure of such a great cultural and social icon of global fame from the spiritual world has left a void which will remain unfulfilled for a long time to come.”
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M Karunanidhi today expressed grief over the demise of Sathya Sai Baba and said the spiritual leader had showered love on him though he is an atheist.
“Though I am an atheist, Sai Baba showered love on me,” Mr. Karunanidhi said.
In a release, the Chief Minister recalled that Sai Baba had voluntarily visited him at his residence in 2007 and contributed over Rs 200 crore for water supply to Chennai when many state governments were not ready to release water to the city.
Mr. Karunanidhi recalled Sai Baba’s comments during the meeting that “service to man is service to God“.
The Chief Minister said there was nothing wrong in an atheist and a spiritualist coming together for people’s welfare.
AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa today expressed grief over the death of Sai Baba.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba has rendered service through numerous educational institutions and hospitals for half a century now and his demise was a great loss for humanity, she said in a release in Chennai
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