The Demise of Satya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi

Śri Sathya Sai Baba, born as Sathyanarayana Raju (23 November 1926 – 24 April 2011, was an Indian guru, spiritual figure, mystic, philanthropist, and educator. He claimed to be – and his followers believed him to be – the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi, a spiritual saint and miracle worker who died in 1918 and whose teachings were an eclectic blend of Hindu and Muslim beliefs. The materialisation of vibhuti (holy ash) and other small objects such as rings, necklaces and watches by Sathya Sai Baba were a source of both fame and controversy; devotees considered them signs of divinity, while skeptics viewed them as simple conjuring tricks.By the latter half of the twentieth century, Sai Baba was enjoying tremendous popularity around the world, with widespread faith, fame, criticism and controversies transforming him into a cultural icon. His photographs are displayed in millions of homes and on the dashboards of cars, and lockets bearing his photo are worn by many as a symbol of good luck.

I first came across him in 1962, an 11 year old boy watching this saffron-robed spiritual leader when on his monthly visit to Poona, where he stayed with a devotee just down the road from my house. I have seen invalid patients brought on cots to meet the Baba and ask for his blessings. I can’t say for sure whether they were cured or not. I’ve seen the vibhuti manifestation first hand. In that era, there were no wrist watches or other valuables.

On 8 March 1940, while living with his elder brother Seshama Raju in Uravakonda, a small town near Puttaparthi, Sathya was apparently stung by a scorpion. He lost consciousness for several hours. Within the next few days there was a noticeable change in Sathya's behavior. On 23 May 1940, Sathya called household members and reportedly materialised prasad and flowers for his family members. He then proclaimed himself to be the reincarnation of the Sai Baba of Shirdi, who had died in 1918.

Later that year, Sathya Sai Baba declared that he had no worldly relationship with anyone and, around this time, devotees began to gather to him. In 1940, he began to travel to Madras and elsewhere in South India and soon had a large regional following.

In 1963, Sathya Sai Baba, after recovering from a stroke and four severe heart attacks, stated that after his death, whenever that be, he would be reborn as another spiritual leader eight years later, in the neighbouring state of Karnataka. He survived those major coronary problems for 48 years! In 2003, he suffered a fractured hip when a student standing on an iron stool slipped, and both the boy and stool fell on him. After that, he gave darshan from a car or his porte chair. His perambulations were limited to short but repeated walks of about five minutes each.

On 28 March 2011, Sathya Sai Baba was admitted to the Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital at Prashantigram at Puttaparthi, following respiration-related problems. After nearly a month of hospitalisation, during which his condition progressively deteriorated, Sai Baba died on 24 April at 7:40 IST, aged 84. This was 12 years earlier than his own prediction.