Puttaparthi

Puttaparthi (IAST: Puṭṭaparti) is a town in Anantapur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in Puttaparthi mandal of Kadiri revenue division. The original name of Puttaparthi was Gollapalli.[2] The town is located on the banks of Chitravathi River which is a tributary of Pennar River, and is surrounded by undulating hills.[3]

Puttaparthi
city
Prashanti Nilayam and surrounding area
Puttaparthi
Coordinates: 14.166°N 77.811°E
Country	India
State	Andhra Pradesh
District	Anantapur
Government
• Body	municipality
Area [1]
• Total	45.47 km^2 (17.56 sq mi)
Area rank	89th (A.P.)
Elevation	475 m (1,558 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	68,000
• Density	1,500/km^2 (3,900/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Telugu
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	515133,515134
Telephone code	91-8555
Vehicle registration	AP–02
Website	www.sathyasai.org

Demographics

The official language in Puttaparthi is Telugu, the language spoken by the people of the State of Andhra Pradesh and by Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Other common languages spoken in Puttaparthi are Hindi, Kannada and Tamil. Various national and international languages are understood and spoken due to the presence of national and international devotees.[4]

Geography

Climate

The Chitravathi River at Puttaparthi

The climate is generally hot and dry throughout the year,[4] summer temperatures ranging from 34–42 °C (93–108 °F) and winter 22–27 °C (72–81 °F).[5] The hotter months are from March until July and the milder months are from November until January.[4]

"The southwest monsoons play a major role in determining the climate. The northeast monsoons are responsible for about one-third of the total rainfall. Some rainfall may be expected during the months of July and August and again from October to December."[5]

Puttaparthi is 475 meters (1558 feet) above sea level.[6]

Transport

Entrance to Puttaparthi

Road

The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) operates bus services from Puttaparthi bus station.[7] People visit Puttapathi from all over India, and most State transport services also ply buses to Puttaparthi.

Puttaparthi is well connected by road to the district headquarters Anantapur (84 km), Hyderabad, (441 km), Bangalore (154 km) and all parts of Anantapur district.

Rail

Platform No.1 of Prashanti Nilayam Railway Station

Puttaparthi has a railway station named as Sri Sathya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam which started functioning from 23 November 2000, which was Baba's 75th birth anniversary. It is about 8 km from the ashram. This station falls under the Bangalore Division of the South Western Railway and lies on the Bangalore–Guntakal railway line. It is easy to reach the town from the railway station in 20-25 mins, through various modes of transport like cabs, autorickshaws and APSRTC buses. The town is connected directly by train to Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Kolkata.[8] and Sri Sathya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam railway station is the 5th busiest station in Bangalore division of swr.

Air

Puttaparthi Airport is a domestic airport situated in the town.

The nearest International airport is the Kempegowda International Airport at Devanahalli, a suburb of Bangalore which is about 119 km from Puttaparthi.and Sri sathya

Attractions

[9]

Entrance to Prashanti Nilayam ashram from main road

The main ashram in Puttaparthi is known as Prasanthi Nilayam. Prasanthi Nilayam means "the abode of highest peace", the name given to the ashram of the Kalki avataar, Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in Puttaparthi. In 1950, on his 25th birthday, the seer inaugurated this ashram. This heavenly abode comprises splendid temples, public relations desk, post office, canteen, bakery, kitchens, dining halls, guest houses, dormitories etc. It also houses a huge 'Darshan Hall' callled "kulwant hall", a place where Sri Sathya Sai Baba gave darshan to his devotees.

Apart from the main Ashram, other places of interest in Puttaparthi are:[10]-

• Chaitanya Jyoti Museum
• Sanathana Samskruti Museum
• The Sri Sathya Sai Space Theater, the Planetarium
• Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram, a free of charge for all
• Sri Satya Sai Hill view stadium
• Shivalayam, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's Birth Place
• Samadhi (Sepulcher) of Sri Satya Sai's Parents
• Lord Dattatreya Temple
• Gopalaswami Temple
• Sathyabhama Temple also fondly called as Sathyamma temple(The temple was built by the Late Kondama Raju, grandfather of Sri Sathya Sai Baba)
• Hanuman Temple
• Vata Vriksha or Meditation Tree
• Sri Sathya Sai International Centre for Sports
• Sai Geetha Samadhi

Sports

Sri Sathya Sai International Centre for Sports and Sri Sathya Sai Hill View Stadium are two sporting facilities in Puttaparthi. Hill View Stadium was established in 1985 and mainly used cricket and capacity of 50,000 people. International Centre for Sports was established in 2006 with indoor facilities for Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, Squash, Table tennis, Badminton, Gymnastics and Yoga/Aerobics.[11]

References

1. "Municipalities, Municipal Corporations & UDAs" (PDF). Directorate of Town and Country Planning. Government of Andhra Pradesh. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
2. Gollapalli
3. "Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam". www.srisathyasai.org.in.
4. "Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam". www.srisathyasai.org.in.
5. "Prasanthi climate". www.sathyasai.org.
6. "World Aero Data: SRI SATHYA SAI -- VOPN". worldaerodata.com.
7. "Bus Stations in Districts". Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
8. "Sri Sathya Sai Prashanti Nilayam/SSPN to Kolkata Howrah/HWH". India Rail Info. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
9. "Home Page – Sathya Sai International Organisation". www.sathyasai.org.
10. "Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam". www.srisathyasai.org.in.
11. "Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam". www.srisathyasai.org.in.

External links