Prashanthi Nilayam Ashram
This page last updated:23 September 2012
Prashanthi Nilayam Ashram
Sathya Sai Baba's Ashram at Puttaparthi is called Prashanti Nilayam. Prashanti Nilayam means "the abode of Highest Peace". This is a very big ashram with the capacity to house thousands. It is an abode wherein Sathya Sai Baba offers you the opportunity to discover the God within.
This page last updated:11 April 2012
Maha Samadhi Observance and Mahotsavam
Prashanti Nilayam
SRI SATHYA SAI ARADHANA MAHOTSAVAM
Programme for 23 rd -25th April, 2012 at Prasanthi Nilayam
Monday, 23rd April
- 08:00 a.m. Veda Recitation
- 09:00 a.m. Colloquium on "Experiencing the Divine - from the Form to the Formless"
- Lighting the Lamp
- Welcome
- 09:05 a.m. Introduction of the Theme and Address by Dr.Samuel Sandweiss
- 09:30 a.m. Address by Swami Shuddhanada of the Yogoda Society
- 10:00 a.m. Bhajan
- 10:30 a.m. Mangal Arati
- 05:00 a.m. Address by Sri Jayaraman of the Ramanashram
- 05:30 p.m. Cultural Programme
- 06:15 p.m. Bhajan
- 06:45 p.m. Mangal Arati
Tuesday, 24 th April
- 08:00 a.m. Veda Recitation
- 08:20 a.m. "Guru Vandana" by University students
- 08:50 a.m. Address by Trustee
- 09:00 a.m. Release of Book on Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
- 09:05 a.m. Introductory remarks by the author Padma Shri Dr.G.Venkataraman
- 09:10 a.m. Address by Sri E.S.L. Narasimhan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh
- Bhajan
- Mangal Arati
- 05:00 p.m. Cultural Programme
- 06:30 p.m. Bhajan
- 06.45 p.m. Mangal Arati
Wednesday,25th April
- 08:00 a.m. Veda Recitation
- 09:00 a.m. Bhajan
- 09:30 a.m. Mangal Arati
- 05:00 p.m. Veda Recitation
- 05: 20 p.m. Talk by a student of the University
- 05:40 p.m. Address by Dr. G.Venkataraman
- 06:00 p.m. Cultural Programme
- 06:45 p.m. Bhajan
- 07:00 p.m. Mangal Arati
Purpose
The purpose of providing a wholly self-contained Ashram for devotees, pilgrims and spiritual seekers is to provide for all needs, and to provide the opportunity for reflection, selfless service, and discovery of the inherent divinity within. To this end, many spiritual activities are provided for your own spiritual enhancement and advance. Darshan may be taken daily from the Samadhi of Sathya Sai Baba. It is a well-established tradition to take the darsahn of a tomb of a Divine, Sadguru, Paramaguru, in order to merit divine blessing and grace. In Vedanta, grace requies effort, so sacred effort to take the darshan of a Samadhi merits divine blessing and grace.
Darshan of Samadhi of Sai Baba
Samadhi of Sathya Sai Baba, Sai Kulwant Hall
Timings for the Darshan of Maha Samadhi of Sathya Sai Baba have been given. The morning session would begin at 0800 hrs. with Vedic chanting for an hour followed by Bhajans till 0930 hrs. and Darshan would continue till 10:15 hrs.
Evening session begins at 11600 hrs. with Vedic chanting followed by Bhajans to end with Mangala Arathi at 1830 hrs. Darshan in the evening will continue till 1930 hrs.
Meanwhile, devotees who are willing to visit Puttaparthi may take notice that life in in the township has come to normalcy and buses and trains are plying as per schedule. Shops and other establishments are also open and working normal.
Darshan Timings
Morning
- 5.00 am. Temple bell rings 9 times
- 5.10 am. Temple bell rings 5 times
- 5.20 am. One temple bell - 21 Omkars, Suprabhatham
- 5.40 am. Veda chanting around the ashram, nagarSankirtan
- 8:00 am. - 9:00 am. Vedam chanting - Darshan Hall
- 9.00 am. - 9:30 am. Bhajans - Darshan Hall
- 9.30.am. - Mangal Arati - Darshan Hall
- 9.30 am. -10:15 Darshan of Samadhi of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
- 4:00 pm. - 6:00 pm. Vedam chanting - Darshan Hall
- 6:00 pm. - 6:30 pm. Bhajans - Darshan Hall
- 6:30 pm - Mangal Arati - Darshan Hall
- 6.30 pm. - 7:15 pm. Darshan of Samadhi of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Note. There could be a slight change in the schedule during festival days due to special programs in the Mandir.
You may read about the Obsequies of Sathya Sai Baba here
Shrines and Temples in Ashram
There are many temples and shrines in Prashanti Nilayam, as well as the mandir, and the darshan hall. Immediately one enters the Ashram, there is the Shrine to the Navagrahas, the Nine Planets, then the Ganesh Temple; to the left of the Ganesh Temple is the Murugan/Subramanya Temple. Further up in the ashram nearby the Roundhouses are the Gayathri Temple and the Lakshmi Temple. Other small shrines abound in the Ashram. The Darshan Hall is immediately to the right at the main entrance.
There is a garden behind the ashram workshop; therein are idols of Lord Buddha, Lord Jesus, Ganesh, and a Zen shrine.
Nearby the Post Office are two recent additions, the Gayathri Temple where devotions are offered every evening, and the Devi Temple. All persons of all faiths are welcome and provided for in the Ashram.
All Faiths Welcome
The Ashram Calendar of Events celebrates all the faiths of humanity. Calendars are Lunar with the exception of Baba's Birthday and Christmas, hence, general dates are offered below:
January - Chinese New Year
February - March - Shivarathi
March - April - Telugu New Year, Sri Rama,
Late April - May: Vesak, Buddha Pournima
Late June - July: Guru Pournima,
August - September, Ganesh, Sri Krishna,
September - October, Dassera, (the Divine Mother)
November - Birthday of Sathya Sai Baba
December - Christmas
Ashram Schedule
Activities in Prashanti Nilayam are centred around granting you the opportunity to enhance your personal spirituality.
Daily Events
Omkar - Chanting of OM 21 times in Mandir - 5.00am
Nagasankirtan - Chanting of songs walking around ashram - 5.30am
Vedam chanting in Darshan Hall 8.00am
Bhajans, Arathi - 9.00am
Darshan of Samadhi after bhajans
Spiritual Talk in Hall 10.00 to 11.00am
Vedam chanting in Darshan Hall - 4.30pm
Evening Bhajans and Darshan of Samadhi of Sathya Sai Baba 5.30pm - 7.30pm
Other Daily Events
View of Meeting Hall and Bookshop nearby the Shopping Complex, Prashanti Nilayam
Many additional opportunities to enhance personal spirituality are offered:
Orientation Lectures -
Foreign Devotees Talks -
Film Sessions -
Monday and Fridays - Overseas Devotees Discussion Groups
Sunday Wisdom: Professor Anil Kumar's Talks
Other Prashanti Nilayam Facilities
Chaitanya Jyothi Museum
Entrance to Chaitanya Jyothi Museum, Prashanti Nilayam
Chaitanya Jyothi Museum is a spiritual museum which records the life and works of Sathya Sai Baba. Museum has displays on all the world religions, and overview of Service Activities. Service to Man is Service to God. Museum is open daily; Gate opens 8.45am-11.30am; 2.45pm-6.30pm.
Sathya Sai International Sports Complex
Open Daily, check times on notice board
Planetarium
Open at specific times. Tickets for showings can be obtained at the booth opposite the South Indian Canteen
Birthplace of Sathya Sai Baba - Siva Temple
Open Daily. Priest is in attendance after morning darshan
Sathyabhama Temple
Open daily, pujari is in attendance, daily.
Samadhi, Parents of Sathya Sai Baba
Entrance to Samadhi of Parents of Sathya Sai Baba
Pujari at Samadhi of Parents of Sathya Sai Baba
Samadhi of Parents of Sathya Sai Baba
The Samadhi is in Samadhi Road, not far the main ashram gate. Open daily, usually after darshan. A pujari (priest) conducts rites every morning.
Gopuram
The Gopuram supplies milk to the ashram daily. Milk is delivered on a cart towed by brahmin cows.
Samadhi, Elder Brother of Sathya Sai Baba
Samadhi of Seshama Raju, elder brother of Sathya Sai Baba
Samadhi of Seshama Raju (Brother of Sathya Sai Baba) and wife (on right) Sushmila
Cloak Room
Items such as cell phones may be deposited in the Cloak Room before attending darshan. Safe Deposit Store is also available for valuables. Do not leave personal valuables in rooms, such as cash, passports, expensive items, cameras, etc. Cloak Room and Safe Deposit are located in Canteen Road. Mens Cloak room is adjacent Security office (very close to the Gopuram Gate. Ladies cloak room is located next to the Public Relations Office, opposite South Indian Canteen. The Cloak Room accepts only small articles such as mobile phones, handbags, etc. However, valuable articles such as jewellery, etc. and bulky items like suitcases, rucksacks, etc. are not accepted for safekeeping. Valuables go to the Safe Deposit. Cloak room times are 4AM to 10AM and 1PM to 6PM
Safe Deposit
Safe Deposit lockers are located at North 8 Room A-1 on the ground floor.
Meals - Canteens
There are three canteens in the Prashanti Nilayam Ashram. Men and Women eat separately at all canteens; all meals are very low priced. Annam Brahma, Food is God.
South Indian Canteen
a very large canteen with
capacity to feed hundreds, simultaneously.
Payment in the canteen is in the form of canteen coupons only. Cash is not accepted. Coupons may be purchased at the Counter located near West-2, opposite the gents entrance of the canteen.
Rs 5 - Rs 10 per meal.
Breakfast: 6-30 a.m. to 8-30 a.m.
Lunch 11-00 a.m. to 1-00 p.m.
Afternoon tea and snacks 3-30 p.m. to 4-30 p.m.
Dinner 6-30 p.m. to 8-00 p.m.
Bakery Counter: 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m
Western Canteen
Between Roundhouse 2 and Roundhouse 3
at the end of Canteen Road
Open for Breakfast at 8 ( after Darshan), Lunch at 12:00, Dinner at 7:30
(these times may be later if there are insufficient volunteers)
Selection of fresh vegetables, pasta, soups, dal, deserts, etc.
Cost between Rs 50/- TO 100/- depending on your selection
Has two cold fresh filtered water machines
Open whenever Swami is at Prashanti Nilayam
May be directed to close in times of light patronage
Pay for meals in cash using Indian Rupees
North Indian Canteen
end of Canteen Road, veer right, behind Roundhouse 3
Open for Lunch at 11:30 - 1.00PM, and Dinner at 7:00 - 8:15PM
Has North Indian foods, rice, roti, papad, vegetables, deserts, etc.
Has packaged food stall
Meals cost between Rs 10-20
Pay for meals in cash using Indian Rupees
Fresh Food, Ice Cream, Snacks Complex
Bakery
The Bakery is located nearby the Supermarket, walk past Prashanti Digital Studio
Mornings: Open after Morning Darshan till 11.15
Afternoons: Open 3pm - 6pm
Has breads, cake, vegie roll, jam bread, Anand, Pizza, daily.
Items cost Rs 1/-, Rs 3/-,
Pizza is Rs 12/-
Fresh fruit and vegetables, bakery goods, water, cold drinks, ice creams can be obtained at the new complexes near the shopping centre.
Open 9 -11 in the mornings
Afternoons 5 - 7.30pm
Vegetable Stalls
Ice Cream Store
Bookshop and Library
Prashanti Nilayam Ashram has a state of the art bookshop and library complex. There is a library upstairs above the bookshop, which has over 9000 titles on Sathya Sai Baba, in many, many languages. Below is the entrance to the Bookshop. The Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust Convenor, Sri Rajan, extends a cordial welcome to visitors to the Bookstore and the Library.
Bookstore Times
Books, Audio, CD, DVD, photographs
Prices are nominal
Morning - after Morning Darshan - last entry 11.15am
Afternoon - 3:00 pm; last entry 5.15pm
Here is the view from the Library over the recreation area at the rear of Prashanti Nilayam Ashram
Sanathana Sarathi Office, Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust (Publications Division) Office, and subscriptions to Sanathana Sarathi completed here.
Shopping
View of Walkway looking towards the Shopping Complex, Prashanti Nilayam. The multi storey Supermarket is on the left.
The ashram supermarket caters for all needs, from clothing to photographs,
audio CD to darshan clothing. It is open in the mornings for ladies (9 to 11
AM) and gents can go from 3:00 - 5:00 each evening.
The ashram has a superb bookstore with books available in many languages. Also sold are
multimedia DVD and CD, audio CD, photographs, and tapes. Temporary bookstalls
are put into operation during festival times.
Sathya Sai Baba's Love and Grace
The purpose of providing all these facilities in a wholly self-contained Ashram is to allow you, the pilgrim, the time and opportunity to advance spiritually, and to develop spiritual discipline.
Whatever spiritual practices you have, these have brought you to the Lotus Feet of Sathya Sai Baba (the source of all divine benediction and grace), you should maintain your personal spiritual discipline, but also be open to infusions of divine grace.
Sathya Sai Baba addresses us as Embodiments of Love. He himself is Love itself in human form, come to lead us along the path of Love unto union with Him.
How is this union with God, Sai, Self, Atma, or even, the I that exists within us achieved? Some say by dropping body consciousness. Some say by prayer, mantra, japa. Some say by the nine forms of devotion. All these exist to satisfy the mind and bring stability, for Swami says, the mind is a mad monkey. The body is a water bubble, which shall burst one day.
Sathya Sai Baba told in his 2009 New Year discourse that if you contemplate on the name and form of Divinity, you acquire the qualities of Divinity. Once, Sathya Sai Baba gave the example of St John, the Beloved. John contemplated on Jesus all the time, so much so that he came to resemble Jesus; people mistook the young St John for very Jesus himself.
Sathya Sai Baba told that if we contemplate on our favourite name and form of God, we acquire the qualities of Divinity; on New Year's Day, Sathya Sai told that if you contemplate on Sai, then he will give his very self to you; nothing will come in the way of you and Sai, when you say his name, see his form.
This is the path to God, Sai, Self, Atma, or even, the I that exists within. This is the purpose of providing all these opportunities for spiritual advance and progress, at Prashanti Nilayam, and, when you return home, the means to maintain and develop even further, this spiritual life of Oneness with Divinity.
- Ashram Facilities are on the Ashram page.
- Other facilities and utilities in Puttaparthi Township can be found on our Utilities page.
- Accommodation within and outside the ashram (See note for Overseas Devotees below) is on our Accommodation page.
- Travel information has been moved to our Travel Page.
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