Taking matters to the streets, several devotees of Sathya Sai Baba held protests in Puttaparthi on Saturday over the alleged misuse of funds by members of the Shri Sathya Sai Central Trust. The protest took place in the wake of the police filing cases after Rs 35.5 lakh in cash was nabbed while being transported illegally from Baba's residence Yajur Mandi. The devotees who took to the streets stated that they have no faith in the trust any longer.
A group of devotees of the late Sathya Sai Baba, in a statement on Sunday, said the cash of Rs 35 lakh recovered from the vehicle of Sathya Sai Central Trust belonged to them and was meant for the construction of the Sai's Maha Samadhi.
Sathya Sai Baba continued to be in a critical state and doctors attending on him on Wednesday said his response to the treatment is slow because of his advanced age."Sathya Sai Baba is responding to the treatment although the response is slow, which is expected in view that he is 86 years old," a health bulletin issued by A N Safaya, director of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, said on Wednesday evening.
Sathya Sai Baba had no will; Sathyajith has no membership in the trust; and the Sathya Sai Baba Central Trust will soon have a new chairman -- these are some of the points that have cropped up during the ongoing press conference of the trust at Puttaparthi a day after the spiritual leader was laid to rest.
After the death of Sathya Sai Baba on April 24, many of his followers wondered why the religious leader didn't live up to the age of 96 as per his own prophecy. Shortly before his demise, Baba is believed to have told Sathyajit, his personal caregiver, "I want to leave early".
Sathya Sai Baba's mahasamadhi was on Friday opened to devotees for darshan at Prasanthi Nilayam in Puttaparthi on the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima.
Amid the growing concern over the health of Sathya Sai Baba, police have tightened the security arrangements in his ashram town Puttaparthy in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh and imposed section 144.
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The condition of the ailing Sathya Sai Baba continues to be very critical with all his vital organs showing minimal response to treatment, doctors attending on him said on Friday.
As Puttaparthi continues to be on tensed over the deteriorating health of Sathya Sai Baba, the names of his caregiver, Satyajit and his nephew R J Ratnakar are emerging as possible persons who may have a bigger say in the Satya Sai Baba Central Trust, reports Vicky Nanjappa.
Sathya Sai Baba's ashram Prashanthi Nilayam at Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh, which had gone quiet after the death of the spiritual guru on April 24, is back in the news with the trustees finding cash of Rs 11.5 crore, 98 kgs of gold and silver articles weighing 307 kilograms from his private room. The money and valuables took 36 hours to count.
The Andhra Pradesh government will come under tremendous pressure on Thursday, when it hears a petition, with a directive to provide visuals of Sathya Sai Baba in hospital.
The condition of ailing Sathya Sai Baba deteriorated on Thursday with doctors saying that all his organs were showing poor response to treatment. "Low blood pressure and the non-functioning of liver have become a major cause for concern. The baba continues to be on ventilator support," Dr A N Safaya, Director, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Sciences, said in Puttaparthi.
A life came to an end on Sunday and 6 million devotees are immersed in sorrow due to the passing away of their Bhagwan, Sathya Sai Baba at the age of 86.
The panel of treating doctors has been reinforced with the joining of another team of doctors from Andhra Pradesh government under the guidance of Director of Medical Education and eminent nephrologist Dr Ravi Raj.
The town of Puttaparthi struggles to find its feet two years after Sai Baba died. From despondent property agents and handicraft sellers to hotel owners and drivers, all are hoping for better days ahead, says Indulekha Aravind
News from Puttaparthi continues to be grim with the latest medical bulletin on Saturday morning stating that the condition of Sathya Sai Baba continues to be critical.
Puttaparthi was always bustling with activity every time when Sai Baba was there.
Several senior leaders and dignitaries including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi visited Puttaparthi on Wednesday to pay their last respects to Sathya Sai Baba.
Silver and gold articles worth over Rs 76 lakh have been found during a joint inspection by government officials and Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust into a room adjoining late Sathya Sai Baba's personal chamber, the Yajur Mandir', the Trust said on Sunday.
The police have managed to make some inroads into the case in which Rs 35.5 lakh went missing from the Sathya Sai Baba Central Trust. Earlier during the day, the Anantpur police had claimed that the money was being taken from Puttaparthy to Bangalore to be handed over to an unknown person.
Concerned over the health of Sathya Sai Baba, several of his devotees, including foreigners Puttaparthi, have expressed confidence that he will recover soon.
More treasures were found on Tuesday as an inventory being made of articles inside the Poornachandra Chamber, one of the personal chambers of the late Sathya Sai Baba in Yajur Mandir, continued for the second day.
There is a lot to cheer for the devotees of Sathya Sai Baba as the latest medical bulletin stated that the doctors would now start giving him liquid food and he would be fed from the mouth.
With the passing away of spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba on Sunday morning, it will now be the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust which will control the Rs 40,000 crore spiritual empire.
With Sathya Sai Baba's last rites performed on Wednesday, the next question which arises is that of the future of Puttaparthi. There has been speculation regarding the future of Puttaparthi after Baba's passing away on Sunday, and the members of the trust will brief the media on this issue at 11 am on Thursday.
"Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who has been in the hospital for the last five days, is responding to treatment given to him quite satisfactorily. He is still on assisted ventilation to help his respiratory system and is breathing more easily now," a health bulletin issued by A N Safaya, Director of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, said.
The Andhra Pradesh police on Wednesday issued a legal notice to two Sathya Sai Baba trustees in Puttaparthi over Rs 35.5 lakh seized from a car belonging to the Sathya Sai Central Trust, which manages affairs of the late spiritual guru.
The CJI said people are the ultimate lords in democracy and whatever decision has been taken by the dispensation should benefit them.
Speaking for the first time after being mired in controversy, V Srinivasan, a trustee with the Shri Sathya Sai Central Trust refuted allegations of any wrongdoings.
For millions of devotees he was a God. Although his life was also marked with various controversies, the faith among his devotees was not shaken up even once.
Our stand has been vindicated and the amount of Rs 34.5 lakh does belong to Prashanthi Nilayam (Sathya Sai Baba's ashram in Puttaparthi), said Shahnawaz Kasim, deputy superintendent of police, Ananthpur district. He was speaking on the backdrop of two trustees of the Shri Sathya Sai Central Trust being questioned by the police in connection with a case in which Rs 35.5 lakh was being transported out of Puttaparthi.
Puttuparthi on Monday woke up to tears, pain and a vacuum left behind following the demise of Sathya Sai Baba. Vicky Nanjappa reports
"Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who has been in the hospital for the last five days, is responding to treatment given to him quite satisfactorily. He is still on assisted ventilation to help his respiratory system and is breathing more easily now," a health bulletin issued by A N Safaya, Director of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, said.
Spiritual Guru Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was in Mumbai on a three-day visit from October 31 to November 2. Lakhs of devotees attended the various public darshans across the city.
The condition of Sri Sathya Saibaba, who was admitted to hospital following lung and chest congestion, was improving but he continues to be on ventilator support, doctors attending on him said in Puttaparthi on Wednesday.
Following the demise of Sathya Sai Baba, the Andhra Pradesh government, which has been in talks with the trustees at Puttaparthi, wants to ensure that the take over of the trust should be free from any controversy.
Ordinary devotees flocking Prasanthi Nilayam in Puttaparthi for a final darshan of Sathya Sai Baba are disappointed as they are unable to catch a glimpse of his mortal remains even as the rich and the mighty are being extended special privileges to get closer to his body.
Two and a half months after his death, Sathya Sai Baba's Ashram in Puttaparthy is finding itself caught in a major storm over the alleged siphoning of the wealth left behind by the spiritual leader.