Car:
Chennai-Chittoor-Madanapallee-Kadri-Puttaparthi
24th Apr Started from OMR, Chennai at 1.30PM & reached Puttaparthi by 11 PM (2 breaks of 1 hour each)
26th Apr Started from Puttaparthi at 10.45 AM & reached Chennai by 7.30 PM
Train:
Train 2691 Chennai 2330 hrs / Puttaparthi 1020 hrs -only Fridays
Train 2692 Puttaparthi 1910 hrs / Chennai 0515 hrs - only Sundays
On seeing the news about Swami’s (Sathya Sai Baba) leaving HIS physical body, Anand, Pavithra & myself planned to go to Puttaparthi. Quickly booked a car and left home in the afternoon. I was very confident that our Swami would come back and hence was not terribly upset – but was definitely anxious and worried.
There are 2 routes to Puttaparthi from Kadri – one was the longer route of around 90 kms and the shorter one was about 45 kms. We obviously took the shorter route – the whole stretch is in totally bad shape – really horrible. On the return, the driver wanted to take the shorter route and just as our car headed in that direction, 2 men came speeding in their bike, asked if we are going to Kadri, & guided us to take another route (totally around 50 kms to Kadri – I don’t remember the name of the place where we took the deviation to the better road) – this road was good and the drive was smooth - the extra 5 kms really does not matter considering the good road condition.
In Puttaparthi, the arrangements by the Trust/Seva Dal/Police is worth mentioning – all arrangements were well organized - be it vehicle parking, entry and exit for darshan, all 3 canteens in the Ashram was functional and service was at its best. The Seva Dal really did good service – there was no dearth of food and water. Swami always takes care of all of us.
We were aksed to park our car ½ km before the Ashram – Prashanti Nilayam. Booked 2 rooms in Hotel Sai Maa for Anitha’s family & us (2 minutes walk from the Ashram). Immediately went for darshan of Swami. All arrangements were perfectly organized. At that time of the night, there were devotees (Seva Dal) providing drinking water and food to the people despite their sorrow. Had darshan of Swami twice in half hour. Felt uneasy and very very sad to see Swami in that state – still had a hope ! Anitha’s family came to the hotel (after darshan) by around 4.45 AM on 25th April – they were late because of an accident & had to go to Super Speciality Hospital in Puttaparthi – they were unhurt due to Swami’s grace though the car was damaged.
We had good darshan of Swami (totally 5 darshans) – but Swami, we were waiting for more than a year to have your Divine Darshin & finally this…….this is not what we wanted. We know that Swami is immortal and will guide us as ever but having been used to His physical presence, we mortals are not able to accept His bodily absence ……. a sort of orphaned feeling.
Our tickets to Puttaparthi for 6th May were booked in March itself and we are going ahead with our travel.
We love you Swami.
Chennai-Chittoor-Madanapallee-Kadri-Puttaparthi
24th Apr Started from OMR, Chennai at 1.30PM & reached Puttaparthi by 11 PM (2 breaks of 1 hour each)
26th Apr Started from Puttaparthi at 10.45 AM & reached Chennai by 7.30 PM
Train:
Train 2691 Chennai 2330 hrs / Puttaparthi 1020 hrs -only Fridays
Train 2692 Puttaparthi 1910 hrs / Chennai 0515 hrs - only Sundays
On seeing the news about Swami’s (Sathya Sai Baba) leaving HIS physical body, Anand, Pavithra & myself planned to go to Puttaparthi. Quickly booked a car and left home in the afternoon. I was very confident that our Swami would come back and hence was not terribly upset – but was definitely anxious and worried.
There are 2 routes to Puttaparthi from Kadri – one was the longer route of around 90 kms and the shorter one was about 45 kms. We obviously took the shorter route – the whole stretch is in totally bad shape – really horrible. On the return, the driver wanted to take the shorter route and just as our car headed in that direction, 2 men came speeding in their bike, asked if we are going to Kadri, & guided us to take another route (totally around 50 kms to Kadri – I don’t remember the name of the place where we took the deviation to the better road) – this road was good and the drive was smooth - the extra 5 kms really does not matter considering the good road condition.
In Puttaparthi, the arrangements by the Trust/Seva Dal/Police is worth mentioning – all arrangements were well organized - be it vehicle parking, entry and exit for darshan, all 3 canteens in the Ashram was functional and service was at its best. The Seva Dal really did good service – there was no dearth of food and water. Swami always takes care of all of us.
We were aksed to park our car ½ km before the Ashram – Prashanti Nilayam. Booked 2 rooms in Hotel Sai Maa for Anitha’s family & us (2 minutes walk from the Ashram). Immediately went for darshan of Swami. All arrangements were perfectly organized. At that time of the night, there were devotees (Seva Dal) providing drinking water and food to the people despite their sorrow. Had darshan of Swami twice in half hour. Felt uneasy and very very sad to see Swami in that state – still had a hope ! Anitha’s family came to the hotel (after darshan) by around 4.45 AM on 25th April – they were late because of an accident & had to go to Super Speciality Hospital in Puttaparthi – they were unhurt due to Swami’s grace though the car was damaged.
We had good darshan of Swami (totally 5 darshans) – but Swami, we were waiting for more than a year to have your Divine Darshin & finally this…….this is not what we wanted. We know that Swami is immortal and will guide us as ever but having been used to His physical presence, we mortals are not able to accept His bodily absence ……. a sort of orphaned feeling.
Our tickets to Puttaparthi for 6th May were booked in March itself and we are going ahead with our travel.
We love you Swami.
