ID :
178136
Tue, 04/26/2011 - 22:26
Auther :
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https://oananews.org//node/178136
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Manmohan, Sonia lead Sai Baba mourners
Puttaparthi (AP), Apr 26 (PTI) Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi Tuesday
joined thousands of mourners in paying homage to Godman Sathya
Sai Baba, who will be interred here tomorrow morning after a
state funeral.
An estimated two lakh people filed past the body of
the spiritual leader at the Sai Kulwant Hall where prominent
personalities including Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi,
Union Ministers S M Krishna, Ambika Sonia, Cabinet Secretary K
M Chandrashekhar paid their last respects.
In keeping with the secular traditions at the
Prashanti Nilayam, Sai Bhajans invoking Shiva, Ram, Allah and
Jesus Christ were rendered as Singh and Gandhi sat for 10
minutes near the body of the spiritual leader, who attracted
millions of followers across the globe.
Both the leaders flew here from Delhi by a special
aircraft and drove straight to Prashanti Nilayam. They placed
wreaths at the feet of Sai Baba, whose body was lying in state
in a glass case. They stood in silence for a few moments,
prayed and then sat for 10 minutes listening to the bhajans.
Singh and Gandhi exchanged a few words with Srinivas,
a member of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust before leaving
Prashanti Nilayam from where the Godman ran his spiritual
empire that included educational and medical institutions and
developmental and philanthropic activities.
Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan and Chief
Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy accompanied the two leaders to
Prashanti Nilayam.
With mile long queues of Baba's followers waiting to
have a glimpse of his mortal remains, the authorities decided
to extend the darshan till midnight tonight. Till evening
today police have estimated that about 3.5 lakh people would
have visited Prashanti Nilayam and paid their homage.
There was some commotion occasionally when the
milling crowds got impatient at the long wait. Arrangements
were modified to allow people to stand in four rows instead of
two.
They also decided to thrown open the 'samadhi', where
the Baba will be interred in line with the practice adopted
for Hindu spirital leaders, for two days till Apr 29 from 12
noon tomorrow.
Pontiffs from various religious mutts, especially in
South India, are expected to attend the burial ceremony
tomorrow between 9 AM and 9:30 AM in Kulwant Hall, where a
memorial is expected to be erected.
Union Ministers Panabaka Lakshmi and K H Muniyappa,
former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, his son H D Kumaraswamy
and Sri Lankan minister and President Mahinda Rajapakse's
brother Basil, VHP leaders Ashok Singhal and Pravin Togadia,
controversial Swami Nithyananda were among those who visited
Puttaparthi to pay their homage.
Other prominent personalities included former Sri
Lankan cricketer Arjuna Ranatunga and his wife, sitar maestro
Pandit Ravi Shanker, playback singer Suresh Wadekar and
drummer Sivamani.
Narendra Modi told reporters that he had been a
devotee of the Baba for 30 years. "He has been an inspiration
for people all over the world. He has shown the world how to
serve people. It is a great loss not not to me but to Gujarat
as well."
Meanwhile, the Sathya Sai Trust, which is said to
command a wealth of the value of at least Rs. 40,000 crore,
met for the first time day after Sai Baba's death and adopted
a resolution paying glowing homage to him.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the trust
said "the task that lies ahead of the trust is unquestionably
enormous and complex and offered themselves to continue the
work.
The statement was issued by Baba's nephew and Trust
member R J Ratnakar, considered one of the contenders to head
the trust.
Three special trains from Secunderabad, Visakhapatnam
and Vijayawada brought in a large number of devotees to the
town on the final day of darshan.
Inspector General (Rayalaseema Region) Santosh Mehra
said the darshan timing, which was to end at 6 pm today, has
been extended till about midnight.
"Devotees are standing in queue of about 1.5 km and
their arrival is on the rise.We are trying to ensure that all
devotees have an opportunity to have final glimpse of Sai
Baba," he said.
"We have spoken to Sai Trust authorities with regards
to the extension of darshan timings from 6 pm till midnight
and they have agreed to it," he said.
Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi Tuesday
joined thousands of mourners in paying homage to Godman Sathya
Sai Baba, who will be interred here tomorrow morning after a
state funeral.
An estimated two lakh people filed past the body of
the spiritual leader at the Sai Kulwant Hall where prominent
personalities including Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi,
Union Ministers S M Krishna, Ambika Sonia, Cabinet Secretary K
M Chandrashekhar paid their last respects.
In keeping with the secular traditions at the
Prashanti Nilayam, Sai Bhajans invoking Shiva, Ram, Allah and
Jesus Christ were rendered as Singh and Gandhi sat for 10
minutes near the body of the spiritual leader, who attracted
millions of followers across the globe.
Both the leaders flew here from Delhi by a special
aircraft and drove straight to Prashanti Nilayam. They placed
wreaths at the feet of Sai Baba, whose body was lying in state
in a glass case. They stood in silence for a few moments,
prayed and then sat for 10 minutes listening to the bhajans.
Singh and Gandhi exchanged a few words with Srinivas,
a member of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust before leaving
Prashanti Nilayam from where the Godman ran his spiritual
empire that included educational and medical institutions and
developmental and philanthropic activities.
Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan and Chief
Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy accompanied the two leaders to
Prashanti Nilayam.
With mile long queues of Baba's followers waiting to
have a glimpse of his mortal remains, the authorities decided
to extend the darshan till midnight tonight. Till evening
today police have estimated that about 3.5 lakh people would
have visited Prashanti Nilayam and paid their homage.
There was some commotion occasionally when the
milling crowds got impatient at the long wait. Arrangements
were modified to allow people to stand in four rows instead of
two.
They also decided to thrown open the 'samadhi', where
the Baba will be interred in line with the practice adopted
for Hindu spirital leaders, for two days till Apr 29 from 12
noon tomorrow.
Pontiffs from various religious mutts, especially in
South India, are expected to attend the burial ceremony
tomorrow between 9 AM and 9:30 AM in Kulwant Hall, where a
memorial is expected to be erected.
Union Ministers Panabaka Lakshmi and K H Muniyappa,
former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, his son H D Kumaraswamy
and Sri Lankan minister and President Mahinda Rajapakse's
brother Basil, VHP leaders Ashok Singhal and Pravin Togadia,
controversial Swami Nithyananda were among those who visited
Puttaparthi to pay their homage.
Other prominent personalities included former Sri
Lankan cricketer Arjuna Ranatunga and his wife, sitar maestro
Pandit Ravi Shanker, playback singer Suresh Wadekar and
drummer Sivamani.
Narendra Modi told reporters that he had been a
devotee of the Baba for 30 years. "He has been an inspiration
for people all over the world. He has shown the world how to
serve people. It is a great loss not not to me but to Gujarat
as well."
Meanwhile, the Sathya Sai Trust, which is said to
command a wealth of the value of at least Rs. 40,000 crore,
met for the first time day after Sai Baba's death and adopted
a resolution paying glowing homage to him.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the trust
said "the task that lies ahead of the trust is unquestionably
enormous and complex and offered themselves to continue the
work.
The statement was issued by Baba's nephew and Trust
member R J Ratnakar, considered one of the contenders to head
the trust.
Three special trains from Secunderabad, Visakhapatnam
and Vijayawada brought in a large number of devotees to the
town on the final day of darshan.
Inspector General (Rayalaseema Region) Santosh Mehra
said the darshan timing, which was to end at 6 pm today, has
been extended till about midnight.
"Devotees are standing in queue of about 1.5 km and
their arrival is on the rise.We are trying to ensure that all
devotees have an opportunity to have final glimpse of Sai
Baba," he said.
"We have spoken to Sai Trust authorities with regards
to the extension of darshan timings from 6 pm till midnight
and they have agreed to it," he said.
