Puttaparthi: There are 3 buildings constructed by Sri Satya Sai bab, one in Maharashtra (Satyam), one in Andhra (Shivam-Hyderabad) and one in Tamil Nadu (Sunadaram) but none in Mysore. Well, he had his summer residence in Whitefield near Bangalore when Andhra was too hot to stay. He lectured in summer camps in Karnataka at Bangalore and Whitefield. But Mysore and Mandya? They are far cries for a Karma Yogi like Baba who declared he was none other than Shirdi Sai Baba in his former incarnation but Maharashtrians were not amused. They did not show any special likings for the second Avatar known as Satya (Narayana) Sai Baba of Puttaparthi, although the latter held devotees’ huge gatherings in Mahalaxmi Race Course grounds on a stadium named after a Gujarati leader, Vithalbai Patel and he sang many songs there like Kerala’s Amritanandamayi Maa, in Mangalore. Again Mysore or Mandya have in common with Puttaparthi? In 1963 or thereabouts, Baba revealed to his biographies that he had a third Avatar in Karnataka due on banks of Cauvery.
This is now publicized in his death on April morning at his own Hospital, as Srirangapatna now in Mandya district, but near Mysore (by rain). He will be an abandoned child picked up by a Besta (fisherman) and will be brought up as Prem Sai in due course a village named “Guna”. There is just one village (Gunaparthi) starting with that name, say followers like Bhanuprakash Sharma believe the third birth was true. Baba will enter the child in a spiritual technique. Both Srirangapatna and Mandya regions are filled with Sai Baba devotees and temples built by them. This hope could pacify many people who are crying now in Puttaparthi’s vacant streets over Satya Sai loss.
Sai Baba had been to Gunaparthi in 1960, says Halagappa, a local villager and ardent devotee of Baba.
The question whether Satya Sai Baba the second incarnation of Shirdi Sai (Shahi) Baba, had gone to courts. A woman who was with Shirdi Baba had supported Satya Sai Baba as the second Avatar.
Now the third Avatar is certified by Satya Sai himself, over 50 years ago. Let us wait for the lucky fisherman who will pick up the abandoned child to be named Prema Sai in Srirangapatna on Cauvery Paschimvahini banks.