Puttaparthi, the abode for several decades now of Satya Sai Baba, India's best-known and most-followed spiritual leader, does not resemble what it used to be even a month back.
It's now popular knowledge that just about every vital organ of Satya Sai Baba is functioning on artificial aids, and there appears to be a tacit acceptance everywhere that the end is very near. And this small town of 25,000 in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh is morphing into readiness for that event, even if it doesn't know it, or doesn't want to know it.
Puttaparthi, the abode for several decades now of Satya Sai Baba, India's best-known and most-followed spiritual leader, does not resemble what it used to be even a month back. There are checkposts and barricades all about; men in khaki swarming the normally peaceful, airy and sparse streets; and restrictions on movement and assembly. The government has slowly, and perhaps reluctantly, taken over.
Indeed, for all except the staunchest devotees, the most likely outcome is a foregone conclusion. And that can turn into a logistical nightmare.
From the President, Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi to several international luminaries and dignitaries, one of the largest congregations of VVIPs will touch down upon this relative hamlet within hours, with all the resulting security implications.
Plus, many of his legions of followers will want to come by as a mark of respect even if they know that they might not get a chance of seeing the mortal remains. That's expected to be hundreds of thousands.
Satya Sai Baba's birthdays have accommodated large crowds, but this one will quite likely be something the city simply does not have the capacity for. And the Andhra Pradesh government is hurriedly putting resources in place.
Security has been gradually beefed up in and around the small town, a relative hamlet. The town's police, apprehensive that events may take a violent turn at some stage, are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that peace and order prevails in all circumstances. And with VVIPs expected to fly to Puttaparthi soon, bomb squads have been deployed to ensure foolproof security.
The numbers are relentlessly creeping up too. Many devotees of Satya Sai Baba have taken to setting up tents outside the entrance of the Sri Satya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS), and are praying for his recovery. Accompanying the devotees are media personnel, who have set up their audio-visual equipment along the boundaries of the hospital, all set to relay any information to their channels. Mikes and loud speakers have been set up at the main entrance of the hospital by the local authorities, possibly to make public announcements.
Prasanthi Nilayam, which is Satya Sai Baba's main ashram, is also at present flooded with concerned followers of the spiritual leader praying for his health.
On another topic, Andhra Pradesh Principal Secretary (Finance) L V Subrahmanyam, who had yesterday participated in a meeting convened by the members of Satya Sai Central Trust regarding its affairs, stated that the state government would neither take over nor interfere with the proceedings related to the trust. He said that he was in Puttaparthi only to extend the government's support to the efforts being undertaken for the betterment of Baba's health.
While the most pressing issue seems to be that of the successor of Satya Sai Baba as the Chair of his Trust, the bigger question for his devotees seems to be regarding his spiritual successor. They are at present finding solace in the face that Satya Sai Baba had himself said earlier that he would reincarnate as Prema Sai in Bengaluru, Karnataka, 8 years after the end of his present avatar. Satya Sai is believed to the 2nd of the three avatars of Dattatreya, with Shirdi Sai Baba being the first manifestation of the deity.