Over the years, several other temples and other establishments were built for him across the country.Īs part of philanthropical works, he started Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation in the 1960s.

His popularity grew over the years, and in 1944, the first ‘Mandir’ in his name was built in his hometown. Following which, Raju announced himself a reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba. According to the accounts of his devotees, in 1940, at the age of 14, he survived a scorpion bite. He was born in 1926 in Puttaparthi, which was part of the erstwhile Madras Presidency and now part of Andhra Pradesh.

Sathya Sai Baba’s birthname was Sathya Narayana Raju. Sarah Ferguson has visited one of his ashrams. Overseas, they include Goldie Hawn and Isaac Tigrett, the founder of Hard Rock café. And several news reports accused him of sexually abusing followers - accusations that he denied, and for which he was never charged.Īmong Sai Baba's estimated six million followers are hundreds of top Indian politicians, industrialists, tycoons, Bollywood stars and sportsmen such as cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. Rationalist critics led campaigns against him, calling him a charlatan and his miracles fake. He was said to perform miracles, conjuring Rolex watches and “vibhuti” - a sacred ash that his followers applied to their foreheads - from his halo of frizzy hair. Sai Baba had ashrams in more than 126 countries, and his devotees in India included high-level politicians, movie stars, world-class athletes, and industrialists.

Sathya sai baba shirdi