Together with the development of tourism, such corners of the world are developing that were either not known at all or there was very little information about them. The discovery of new places for travelers makes it possible to better get acquainted with any country, its people, way of life, culture, understand the mentality of the people living here, and so on. Not lost among other countries and India. Puttaparthi is just one of those cities that not everyone knows about yet. But many tourists visit it, including Russians. Some even moved there permanently. Let's get acquainted with this town and find out if it is worth visiting.
Description and location of Puttaparthi in India
Located in the Anantapur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Exact coordinates: 14°09'54″ s. sh. 77°48'42 E e.
Puttaparthi covers an area of 4547 ha. The population of the city is 9000 people. This datawere compiled in 2011, so today they may change. The official language is Telugu. However, residents also speak Tamil, Kannada, English and Hindi.
Climatic conditions
In Puttaparthi (India), the weather is hot and dry throughout most of the year. In summer, the temperature varies between 34-42 degrees Celsius, and in winter - 22-27. The hottest months are from March to July. More comfortable temperatures are maintained from November to January.
Precipitation for the year is very little. 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 there.
Attractions
It should be said right away 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, its synonym can be called the 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 into this world, what is your mission on Earth. These questions can mislead any person, meanwhile, the sages have long revealed these secrets.
Ashrams exist so that people from all over the world can fill every stage of their lives with meaningful, important, and simply interesting events. So that they do not think at the end of their lives that everything was in vain. Ashrams hauntthe purpose of its existence is to teach people to work on the quality and depth of their lives.
In addition to the ashram, there are several other attractions in Puttaparthi (India). Also, there are periodically held events that may be of interest to tourists. All this is described in more detail below.
Puttaparthi Ashram (India)
It bears the name of its founder - Sathya Sai Baba. The Ashram is one of the most frequently visited places in India, where tourists (including many Russians) come not for one day, but for a whole month. And then two. Perhaps, given the specifics of this "institution", it will be difficult for some to believe it, but the fact remains: such famous personalities as Steven Seagal, George Harrison, Indra Devi and many others have visited here.
The Ashram of Sai Baba in Puttaparthi (India) is a spiritual place. Some are perplexed: what can be done here for so much time?! And the answer is so simple that it's hard to believe. In the ashram you can literally find yourself. Find answers to all the questions that arise in the head in everyday life. Forgetting about the Internet, newspapers, television, you can look into your soul. And this, in turn, helps to understand oneself, the causes of certain situations, etc.
Many of those who have been here say that this is a real school of life, in which each person learns to be different, changes for the better, forgetting about envy, anger, ignorance, etc., discovering such traits like purposefulness, purity of thoughts, gentleness,forgiveness, peace and compassion for others. That is why it is worth visiting the city of Puttaparthi in India.
Sathya Sai Baba
Who is this person? This question is of interest to all tourists who are going to the ashram of Sai Baba 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 an ordinary child: being still very young for such an occupation, he could easily write an opera, and he also spoke excellent English. Later, an event occurred that made it unique. Sathya Narayana Raju (real name of Sai Baba) was stung by 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 for himself.
A unique person, he could shock the toughest skeptics. Sai Baba was able to heal the sick, remove pain, materialize his plans and even predict the future. But the most interesting thing is how he was in life. It is thanks to Sai that Puttaparthi (India) has good roads, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, clean drinking water. And all this was done at his own expense.
Scenic Canyon
There are no attractions in Puttaparthi itself. But they are not far from the city. For example, the Grand Canyon is located 140 km from Puttaparthi, in the valley of the Penna River. This is also a stateAndhra Pradesh. The village of Gandikota is also nearby, while the Jammalamadugu railway station, which stops trains from Chennai and Bangalore, is only 15 km away. This place is incredibly picturesque. It is said to be as good as the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Lepakshi Village
This small village is located 50 km from Puttaparthi, near the Bangalore-Hyderabad highway. Here it is recommended to visit the temple of Virabhadra - one of the formidable forms of Shiva. The building was erected in the 16th century, it is very beautiful and well preserved to this day.
The temple is active. It is said 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 Penukonda and Kadiri
Both are small. Penukonda is located 35 km from Puttaparthi. It is the second capital of the once-existing Vijayanagara empire. 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 temple of Lakshmi-Narasimha, decorated with paintings, sculptures and carvings. It is dedicated to the god Vishnu. Having examined it outside and inside, you can move on. Approximately 25 km away, tourists will find a unique tree. His name is "Timmamma Marrimanu". This banyan tree is the largest in the world - it covers an area of 2 hectares. And its age is 650 years. You can imagine how huge it is, since it forms a whole grove! For this in 1989the tree was included in the Guinness Book of Records. You can see this attraction of Puttaparthi in the photo above.
Belum caves
This attraction is located further than the rest, 200 km from Puttaparthi. But it also deserves the attention of tourists. The caves are located near the village of Belum, in Kolimigundla Mandal, Andhra Pradesh. To see all the objects here, you need to allocate 3-4 days for a visit.
Puttaparthi Events: Christmas and Sports Festival
The celebration of the Catholic Christmas in the ashram of Sathya Sai Baba begins on the evening of December 24th. Here the 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 at this time colorful performances are organized, and students demonstrate their sports skills. In general, this event can also be visited if you are already in Puttaparthi at that time.
How to get there? Important Tips
You should start preparing in advance for the trip. This will save a certain amount on tickets, as many discounters offer good discounts for early bookings. It is recommended to fly from the capital, on the Moscow-Bangalore flight. Although there will be transfers, this option is considered the least time-consuming and most direct.
For a momentof 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 apply for a visa. It is better to issue it closer to the date of departure. All the necessary information on this matter is available on the official website of the Indian Consulate in Russia (questionnaire, list of required documents, etc.). Visa processing time is 3-5 days.
Since the plane arrives in Bangalore, it is better to order a transfer to Puttaparthi online at home. In general, and all that needs to be done. As you can see, getting to Puttaparthi is easy. However, you can make your life much more difficult if you choose a flight not to Bangalore.
Many 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 you at the airport and take you to Puttaparthi.
The city has hotels, shops, restaurants and other establishments. But many go purposefully to the ashram of Sai Baba, in fact, and stop here. 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 Sai Baba's ashram. There are no unique sights and interesting entertainments in the city itself. There are no temples, no cinemas, no clubs to be found here. Not even industrial production.
You can arrange shopping by going through souvenir and jewelry shops. Also, as an option for active pastime, you can select a rentalbicycles. It is quite inexpensive, but you can independently go on a bike ride in the mountains or in the surrounding area. Nearby there are lakes, you can swim and sunbathe on the coast.
There are also two Sai Baba museums in Puttaparthi. One is located on the territory of the ashram, and the other is next to the city stadium. It is a monumental building, to which steps were laid out of pink marble. According to reviews, there is a swimming pool with goldfish and plasma TVs hanging 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 Russians) especially revere her, and even bring various offerings. There is also a Tree of Desires, on which it is customary to hang letters with your requests, and then beat the bell. They say that everything you wish in this case will surely come true. And next to it there is a cafe. You can have a delicious meal here both at lunchtime and in the evening. The fee here is fixed and symbolic, while servings and the number of dishes are not limited.
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 receive people from all over the world.
