Being born in the early 1920's, the meteoric rise of India's most revered godman, Sri Sathya Sai Baba began. He was born in the city of Puttuparthy in Andhra Pradesh. As years went by, he immersed himself in spirituality. He went on to declare himself to be the reincarnation of Shirdi's Sai Baba.
This declaration caught the imagination of many spiritual followers in India and abroad. They began flocking to his abode for seeking his blessings. His face reflected the aura which had a magnetic effect on his followers. What soared his popularity even more was his act of pulling out precious metals out of thin air. The elite class comprising affluent business tycoons, actors, politicians from India and overseas began loosening their purses for donating generously to his charitable trust.
It will baffle you after reading that his Sathya Sai Baba Charitable Foundation is an empire worth mind boggling 40000 crore plus. I believe, it's a clear indication of his soaring popularity not just in India but abroad as well.
More than the mass hysteria surrounding him, he will always be remembered for his philanthropic work which aided helpless and hapless people.
It wouldn't be wrong to say that he had a legion of fan following which any top movie star or cricketer would envy. Some of India's most influential people including some top politicians, sportsmen and actors along with millions of commoners who looked up to him for seeking relief from pain and worries in their respective lives. Some came to him for cure for their ailing kins, while some came to him for finding peace of mind.
He offered solace to anyone and everyone who came to his Ashram. It was reported that he was ailing for past few weeks. When he was admitted to the hospital, he was put on ventilator as he had problem while breathing. And his vital parameters had stopped functioning as result he stopped responding to medications.
He took his last breath on the morning of 23rd April, 2011. When hospital declared his passing away, whole country was engulfed in the grief of his demise. Everyone whose life was touched by this graceful and calm personified Sri Sathya Sai Baba, were moved by this irreverisble loss.
Who's who flocked to his ashram in Puttuparthy to get a last glimpse of their spiritual guru. The elite list was led by India's favourite son of the soil, Sachin R. Tendulkar who was a self-confessed devotee of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Sai Baba was a pillar of strength and hope to millions.
He was definitely the hercules amongst all godmen whose personality was defined by his simplicity, grace, benevolence and unmistakable aura which he exuded. At a time when all other pretending godmen were marred in one controversy or the other, Sathya Sai Baba stood tall with his spotless conduct in the public domain.
It seems that we have witnessed the end of an era of spiritual gurus in India's spiritual history.
I would like to offer my heartfelt condolence to Sri Sathya Sai Baba's burgeoning list of devotees. His generous contributions in the field of education by building Sri Sathya Sai University is well known. May his soul rest in peace. And let his work continue to inspire and illuminate this world devoid of benevolent deed in this modern age.
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