The glory of Puttaparthi, a remote village in the Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh in South India, is the glory of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba - the phenomenon of the twentieth century, the ideal man, the super scientist of the consciousness, the miraculous man, the avatar (divine in human form) of the modern age, who though unfathomable, gives immense joy to millions round the globe. Puttaparthi is not only the sacred place of birth of Sri Baba but also the centre of his spiritual work. It is the Vatican of India, the Mecca of Sai devotees and the meeting point of the East and the West. Thus, the Puttaparthi connection is not only the connection between Sri Baba and his devotees but also the only real link between man and man.
Although I have lived in Bangalore since 1964 (and in Mysore since 1961) it was only in 1976 that I first got the Whitefield connection leading to Puttaparthi; this, in spite of the fact that subconsciously, for several years I had been on the quest for Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
In this book, I have endeavoured to share with readers my discovery of several facets of Indian spirituality and religion, as expounded by Sri Baba; the myriad facets of Sri Baba's personality; Sri Baba's concern for youth; Sri Baba's views on several subjects and, most important, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba as the ideal man and the divine man, engaged in the mission of uplifting humanity.
At a time the world is in sore need of a great moral transformation, it is of supreme significance that millions of people in India and several parts of the world are already experiencing a spiritual renaissance, inspired by the life and message of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
V. BALU
