Along with the development of tourism, such corners of the world develop that previously either were not known at all, or there was very little information. The discovery of new places for travelers provides an opportunity to get acquainted with a country, its people, way of life, culture, to understand the mentality of the people living here, and so on. India is not lost among other countries. Puttaparthi is just one of those cities, which so far is not known to everyone. But many tourists visit it, including Russians. Some even moved there for permanent residence. We will get acquainted with this town and find out if it is worth a visit.
Description and location of Puttaparthi in India
Located in Anantapur County, Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Exact coordinates: 14 ° 09′54 ″ s. w. 77 ° 48′42 ″ in. d.
Puttaparthi covers an area of 4547 hectares. The population of the city is 9000 people. These data were compiled in 2011, so today they are subject to change. The official language is Telugu. However, residents also speak Tamil, Kannad, English and Hindi.
Climatic conditions
In Puttaparthi (India), the weather is hot throughout almost the whole year, and the climate is dry. In summer, the temperature varies between 34-42 degrees Celsius, and in winter - 22-27. The hottest months are from March to July. A more comfortable temperature lasts from November to January.
Precipitation for the year is very small. You can expect them first in July and August, and then in October, November and December. When going on a trip, you need to prepare for the fact that in any case it will be stuffy and hot.
sights
It should immediately be said that there are very few of them in Puttaparthi (India). Nevertheless, they are. And the first thing I would like to talk about is the ashram. To some extent, it can be called a synonym for a spiritual center, which is formed with the aim of forming a spiritual worldview in different parts of the world. Here you can find answers to eternal questions about who you are and why you came to this world, what is your mission on Earth. These questions can be misleading to any person, meanwhile, the sages have long uncovered these secrets.
Ashrams exist so that people from all over the world can fill each stage of their lives with significant, important, but simply interesting events. So that they do not think at the sunset of life that everything was wasted. Ashrams aim to teach people how to work on the quality and depth of their lives.
In addition to the ashram, there are several other attractions in Puttaparthi (India). It also periodically hosts events that may be of interest to tourists. All this is described in more detail below.
Ashtram in Puttaparthi (India)
He bears the name of his founder - Sathya Sai Baba. The ashram is one of the most frequently visited places in India, where tourists (and among them many Russians) come for a single day, but for a whole month. And even two. Perhaps, given the specifics of this “establishment”, it will be difficult for some to believe this, but the fact remains: such famous personalities as Steven Seagal, George Harrison, Indra Davy and many others have visited here.
The Sai Baba Ashram in Puttaparthi (India) is a spiritual place. Some are perplexed: what can you do so much time here ?! And the answer is so simple that it's hard to believe. You can literally find yourself in the ashram. Find answers to all the questions that arise in the head in ordinary life. Forgetting about the Internet, newspapers, television, you can look into your soul. And this, in turn, helps to understand yourself, the reasons for the occurrence of certain situations, etc.
Many of those who have been here say that this is a real school of life, in which everyone learns to be different, changes for the better, forgetting envy, anger, ignorance, etc., discovering such traits as determination, purity of thoughts, gentleness, forgiveness, calmness and compassion for others. That is why it is worth visiting the city of Puttaparthi in India.
Sathya Sai Baba
Who is this man? This question interests all tourists who are going to the Sai Baba Ashram in Puttaparthi (India).
The news of his death appeared in the press in April 2011. He died at the age of 84. Sathya Sai Baba was not a simple child: while still very young for such an occupation, he could easily write an opera, and also was fluent in English. Later, an event occurred that made it unique. Sathya Narayana Raju (real name Sai Baba) received a bite of a scorpion. His further fate after such an event, of course, was predetermined. After all, this meant that after recovery he would become a healer. And so it happened. Then he came up with a new name.
A unique person, he could shock the most severe skeptics. Sai Baba was able to heal the patient, remove the pain, and also materialize the plan and even predict the future. But the most interesting thing is how he was in life. It is thanks to Sai in Puttaparthi (India) that there are good roads, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, clean drinking water has been provided. And all this was done at his own expense.
Picturesque canyon
There are no attractions in Puttaparthi itself. But they are not far from the city. For example, the Grand Canyon is 140 km from Puttaparthi, in the Penna River Valley. This is also the state of Andhra Pradesh. Gandikota village is also nearby, and the Jammalamadagu train station, where trains from Chennai and Bangalore stop, is just 15 km away. This place is incredibly picturesque. They say that he is in no way inferior to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Lepaksha Village
This small village is located 50 km from Puttaparthi, not far from the Bangalore-Hyderabad highway. It is recommended to visit the temple of Virabhadra - one of the terrible forms of Shiva. The building was erected in the XVI century, it is very beautiful and well preserved to this day.
The temple is active. They say that he has powerful energy. Although in this area you can relax with your soul and other methods, since it is very beautiful nearby, there is even a lake.
Cities of Penukond and Kadiri
Both are small. Penukonda is 35 km from Puttaparthi. This is the second capital of the once existing empire of Vijayanagarov. Here you can admire the sculpture of God, a magnificent garden and the remains of a fort on a hill.
Somewhat more interesting to visit Kadiri. Here you should visit the Lakshmi-Narasimha temple, decorated with paintings, sculptures and carvings. It is dedicated to the god Vishnu. Having examined it inside and out, you can move on. About 25 km away, tourists will find a unique tree. His name is Timmamma Marrimanu. This banyan tree is the largest in the world - it occupies an area of 2 hectares. And his age is 650 years. One can imagine how huge it is, since it forms an entire grove! That is why in 1989 the tree was included in the Guinness Book of Records. You can see this Puttaparthi landmark in the photo above.
Belum caves
This attraction is further than the rest, 200 km from Puttaparthi. But also deserves the attention of tourists. Caves are located near the village of Belum, in the Kolimigundla Mandal, Andhra Pradesh area. To inspect all the facilities here, you need to allocate 3-4 days for a visit.
Events in Puttaparthi: Christmas and Sports Festival
The celebration of Catholic Christmas in the ashram of Sathya Sai Baba begins on the evening of December 24th. Here, an international choir performs songs in different languages of the world: Hebrew, English, Spanish and others. Every year, a huge number of tourists from all over the world come here to celebrate this event.
A little later, on January 11, a sports festival is held in Puttaparthi. To visit it, you should go to the city stadium. Here, colorful performances are organized at this time, and students demonstrate their sportsmanship. In general, this event can also be visited if you were in Puttaparthi at that time.
How to get there Important Tips
You should start preparing for the trip in advance. This will save a certain amount on tickets, as many discounters make good discounts for early bookings. It is recommended to fly out of the capital by flight Moscow-Bangalore. Although there will be transplants, but this option is considered less time-consuming and the most direct.
At the time of the planned return from the capital, the validity of the foreign passport must be at least six months - this is an important condition. You will also need to make a visa. It is better to draw it closer to the departure date. All the necessary information on this subject is on the official website of the Indian Consulate in Russia (application form, list of required documents, etc.). Visa production time - 3-5 days.
Since the plane arrives in Bangalore, it is better to book a transfer to Puttaparthi online at home. In general, all that needs to be done. As you can see, getting to Puttaparthi is easy. However, you can significantly complicate your life if you choose a flight not to Bangalore.
A lot of Russians live in Puttaparthi. Their contacts are easy to find on the Internet. They are always happy to help their countrymen, they can even meet at the airport and take them to Puttaparthi.
The city has hotels, shops, restaurants and other establishments. But many go purposefully to the Sai Baba ashram, in fact, and stop there. By the way, reviews about staying here are extremely positive.
Conclusion
Strictly speaking, Puttaparthi will be of interest only to those tourists who purposefully go to the Sai Baba ashram. In the city itself there are no unique attractions and interesting entertainments. There are no temples, no cinemas, no clubs here. Not even industrial production.
You can arrange shopping by going through souvenir and jewelry stores. Also, as an option for active pastime, you can select a bike rental. It is quite inexpensive, but you can independently go on a bike ride to the mountains or the surrounding area. Nearby there are lakes, you can swim and sunbathe on the coast.
Puttaparthi also has two Sai Baba museums. One is located on the territory of the ashram, and the other is next to the city stadium. It is a monumental structure, to which steps of pink marble were laid. According to reviews, there is a pool in which goldfish swim, and plasma TVs hang on the walls.
For those who live in the ashram, their entertainment is organized every evening. As a rule, people meet at the statue of Ganesha and read their prayers to her. Women (usually Russian) especially revere her, and even bring various offerings. There is also a Wish Tree, on which it is customary to hang letters with your requests, and then beat the bell. They say that everything desired in this case will come true. And next to it there is a cafe. In it you can have a tasty snack both at lunch and in the evening. The fee here is fixed and symbolic, while portions and the number of dishes are unlimited.
According to reviews, walking around the city, everywhere you can see hanging banners with quotes from Sai Baba. They are written in different languages, including Russian. Puttaparthi is a kind of city that is ready to accept people from different parts of the world.