Live: Sathya Sai Baba's final rites|India News

Live: Sathya Sai Baba's final rites|India News

Spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba, one of the country's most famous gurus, died in hospital on Sunday, April 24, 2011. He passed away at the age of 85 due to cardio-respiratory failure after spending more than three weeks in critical condition. Sathya Sai Baba is being given a full State funeral in honour of his services to humanity.

10.40 am

• Devotees gathered outside Sai Kulwant Hall offered water and bananas by ashram volounteers as they wait for darshan, which begins at 11.45 am.
• Devotees and diginitaries inside Sai Kulwant Hall offer their final prayers to Sai Baba at his samadhi

10.25 am

• Burial ceremony over. Baba's body lowered into samadhi.

9.45 am

• Priests at Sai Kulwant Hall lower Sai Baba into his grave.
• Red curtain now covers the grave site as Sai Baba's body is lowered.
• Giant screens installed outside Sai Kulwant Hall for the thousands of devotees who are sitting in the sun to be a part of the funeral proceedings.
• Darshan will be opened to the public at 11.45 am.
• Sathya Sai Baba's coffin draped in the tricolour
• Sai Baba to be buried in 7x12 grave just behind where his coffin was placed for darshan.
• Sai Baba given 21-gun salute.
• Sai Baba's nephew performs final rites.
• About 1,500 devotees present in the Sai Kulwant Hall in Prashanthi Nilayam as funeral proceedings continue.
• Hindus usually cremate their dead, but infants and people considered pure and saintly are often buried.
• Sai Baba being buried amid the chanting of hymns.
• Kiran Kumar Reddy, Chandrababu Naidu, Venkaiah Naidu among those present for the funeral.

     

8.30 am

• Kurukshetramathi Salt, Gold, Silver, Navrathnas to be used to cover Sai Baba's grave.
• Samadhi to be constructed by 9.30 am.
• Several dignitaries to attend funeral ceremony, including LK Advani and BS Yeddyurappa.
• The past few days have seen some prominent and important personalities join over 5 lakh devotees at Puttaparthi, including Sachin Tendulkar and PM Manmohan Singh.
• News from Fiji: Sai Baba followers in Fiji will gather at various centres around the country this afternoon to commemorate the life of their leader.
• More than 3,000 police personnel have been deployed at various entry and exit points of the ashram to ensure no inconvenience to the numerous devotees.
• 18-member priest team to perform last rites.
• Funeral to begin with 'Vinayak Puja'.
• Security beefed in Puttaparthi on the day of Sathya Sai Baba's funeral.
• Last rites to be performed according to 'Agama Shastra'.

8.15 am

• Unprecedented rush at Puttaparthi as preparations for Sathya Sai Baba's funeral underway.
• Only Sai Baba's family, trust members, VVIPs to attend funeral.
• Sai Baba to laid to rest in full state honours.
• The samadhi to open to the public only at 12pm.
• The burial of the body will take place between 9:00 am and 9:30 am as per Hindu rites.
• The last rites of Sathya Sai Baba will be a private affair; no devotees will be allowed to witness it.
• The funeral will be held at the Sai Kulwant hall.
• Sathya Sai Baba will be buried at the exact spot from where he used to give darshan to his devotees. A mausoleum will be erected at the same place following the burial.
• Water and soil from seven holy rivers to be used in funeral. This would be used when the spiritual leader's body is buried.