The Hindu A jawan drapes the national flag on the body of Sathya Sai Baba just before being interred at the Sai Kulwant Hall in Prashanthi Nilayam at Puttaparthi on Wednesday. Photo:Mohammed Yousuf
The mortal remains of the 85-year-old spiritual guru, Sri Sai Baba were interred in the Sai Kulwanth hall on Wednesday morning at the same spot from where he used to deliver his message to his devotees for decades.
The last rites were performed by his nephew R.J. Ratnakar amidst Vedic chants by a group of leaders led by Kandakuri Kondavadhani from East Godavari district. The Vedic rituals apart, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish priests read out their respective presciptures as the body was laid to rest amid full State honours.
A guard of honour was given by policemen who came in slow march, draped the national tri-colour on the transparent casket and removed it after a while as the buglers sounded the Last Post and half a platoon of policemen fired three shots in the air in a gun salute. A general salute was also offered by the men in uniform.
Among the VIPs present for the ceremony were Governors E.S.L. Narasimhan (Andhra Pradesh) and Shivraj Patil (Rajasthan), Chief Ministers N. Kiran Kumar Reddy (AP) and B.S. Yeddyurappa (Karnataka), former Chief Ministers N. Chandrababu Naidu (AP) and Ashok Chavan (Maharashtra), among others.
Samadhi
Once the religious rites were completed, the actual process of laying the mortal remains to rest in a 3 feet by 6 feet and 4 and a half feet deep pit began.
The pit had a foundation and a layer of the finest marble, said to have been sourced from Rajasthan. Water from sacred rivers and soil from every State in the country were sprinkled on the memorial.
After the coffin was lowered and the ‘samadhi’ made ready, the VIPs walked upto it and sprinkling sacred ash, prayed and paid their respects. The ceremony that started at 8.45 a.m. came to a close with the ‘harathi’ after which it entry into the Sai Kulwanth Hall was barred for a while. Devotees were allowed to have darshan and pay their respects only after noon.
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