On the second day of grieving, after enduring the separation of Her Beloved in the physical sense, the Prasanthi Nilayam township is gripped in sorrow as pall of gloom descended on Puttaparthi. Lakhs and lakhs of devotees are streaming into the Ashram, in unending lines, day and night, to have a priceless glimpse of The Lord who enthralled millions over millions during His earthly sojourn that spanned over eight and a half decade, with His Divine Darshan!
Frenzy gripped the township with the unexpected turn of event, and Prasanthi Nilayam, that has been the cynosure of eyes for all the epochal spiritual happenings over the years, is once again in the limelight, this time for a different reason, the sudden departure of her Beloved Lord.
Devotees, some with unshakable faith, ever hoping against hope and not ready to accept the happening, some resigned to accept the happening and many more dwelling upon the glorious saga of Love Incarnate form a diversified feeling at the unexpected departure of Beloved Bhagawan. Regional, National and International Channels are camping in the township, capturing the events from Prasanthi Nilayam.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in His condolence to the bereaved Sai fraternity described Bhagawan as a spiritual leader who inspired millions to lead a moral and meaningful life even as they followed the religion of their choice. "Sri Sathya Sai Baba as a preacher of the highest human values was an iconic figure for over five decades. He endeared himself to the people through various institutions, with headquarters at Prasanthi Nilayam, that promoted egalitarian values, education and public health," said the Prime Minister.
Former Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar and the current icon Sachin Tendulkar joined the unending list of dignitaries paying obeisance to Bhagawan, in person. Cricketers VVS Laxman, S. Sreesanth, Telugu Film Actor Arjun, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev etc. also had been to Puttaparthi paying tributes to Bhagawan.
Unending lines of devotees are streaming even at late night into the wee hours of Tuesday morning, to catch a precious glimpse of Beloved Bhagawan.
In and around Parthi, many shop keepers and individuals are engaged in philanthropic, service activities, serving food and essentials to visiting devotees.
