Nestled in Andhra Pradesh is a district called Sathya Sai. The headquarters of this district is the city of Puttaparthi, birthplace of Sathya Sai Baba. The main ashram of Sathya Sai called Prashanthi Nilayam is located here. There are many other establishments of the organization here including the museum, planetorium, colleges and more. The town has a different vibe owing to the devotional culture of this ashram and also the flow of tourists, foreigners exploring spirituality.

Why I Went To Puttaparthi

Sathya Sai Baba lived from 1926 to 2011. He came before the time I started exploring spiritual paths and ashrams. Thus, I knew only a little about Sathya Sai, that he materialised stuff from thin air. And many folk suspected this to be some parlor trick.. maybe he hides stuff in his afro some said.

I may never have landed up at Puttaparthi, if not for the Bangalore Adiyogi. In October 2022, Sadhguru consecrated the first temple – the Naga temple at this Chikkaballapur Adiyogi center (know more about this Adiyogi center here). I shared a video of the consecration event here: https://youtu.be/KS0XWRA3Xx8?si=-oKsNqFyJ_iEEgZz

I realised that this location is close to the border of Andhra and to the Lepakshi Nandi which was on my bucketlist for ages. So, I decided to take the opportunity to drop into Andhra Pradesh and explore a little. This is how I landed up at Puttaparthi for a couple of days. I didn’t know what to expect of Puttaparthi initially, but as I mentioned to people about my plan… many exclaimed that Puttaparthi would be wonderful.

Puttaparthi, Worth a Visit

After checking into my hotel in the wee morning hours, and sleeping off (much needed). I woke up ready to explore the town. My first instinct was to head to the river Chitravathi. They say Sathya Sai often bathed here. And thus, Chitravathi water is bottled as Ganga jal and sold in town.

Apart from the placid beauty, I felt an unusual calmness and serenity at the river. I felt this on both my visits to the river. And such was my overall feeling of the place and of Sathya Sai. Uncommon positive vibes felt very strong in different places. I visited a devotee’s home with a very powerful home temple.

The Ashram rules are a bit archaic with women asked to completely cover their bosom with a shawl or dupatta. Many such things that would turn me off quite a bit, but apart from not agreeing with those rules, I was OK. Because there was something positive about the place.

It’s a hub for foreign visitors. As a result, there is a western touch to the town, with cafes that serve really good (and satvic) burgers and other western cuisine. The price of things is often also quite hefty and geared towards foreigners.

I had a good visit overall with a guided tour of the Sathya Sai museum Chaitanya Jyoti and a visit to a devotee living outside the ashram. Apart from that I strolled through the town.

Prashanthi Nilayam, Sathya Sai’s Main Ashram

I visited the Prashanthi Nilayam ashram a few times on my visit. Once for bhajan. Another time to eat in the Western Canteen inside. They have 3 canteens inside – Indian, Western and one more.

Apart from the main hall where the bhajans are held… There are other temples in the premises. I remember the Ganesha temple and the Devi temple. The idols of these temples are intriguing as are the stories of their consecration.

It is a great place to visit for a few days. Imbibe the tranquil vibes. Spiritual seekers who are looking for their spiritual paths can spend some time and see whether anything resonates over here for them to go deeper into.

It is also good to understand Sathya Sai’s life and his work. It is also of value for many of us to see what happens to a mammoth organization like this after the spiritual leader passes away – the impact of it on its people, on the town and ofcourse the organization itself.

Have you been to Puttaparthi? Or delved into Sathya Sai’s teachings? Let me know in comments.