Celebrating a Century of Selfless, Universal Love

A 14-year-old adolescent Sathya in the remote hamlet of Puttaparthi in the then Madras Presidency had a vision for mankind even as the country was struggling for independence.

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Born as Sathyanarayana Raju as the fourth of the five children of Easwaramma and Pedda Venkama Raju in Puttaparthi, the young Sathya announced at the age of 14 that He was Sai Baba and that He had come for His devotees. People listened to this pronouncement, some with scepticism, some with fear.

In the summer of 1947, in order to allay the fears and anxieties of the family, a 20-year-old young Sai Baba wrote to his brother Seshama Raju that He had a task, a vow, a work.

During the next six decades, this vow took shape into a global and sacred mission, transforming lives and societies. It gave the world replicable models that brought dignity to human life, unity among men, and peace to the society.

“I do not belong to any place; I am not attached to any name. I have no “mine” or “thine”. I answer whatever the name you use. I go wherever I am taken. This is My very first vow. For me, the world is something afar, apart. I act and move only for the sake of mankind,” he said in the letter dated May 25, 1947.

India was even then known for its saints, spiritual heads, and holy men. However, when people came to Sai Baba it was not in search of panacea for their physical ailments, family issues, business challenges, or mental agitations alone. Some came to challenge His divinity, some came out of curiosity, and for some others it was just another stop in their pilgrimage.

Yet, He said to everyone, “Come, See, Experience, and Believe.”

What more This call saw no difference in gender, religion, caste, or language. For He said, "There is only one religion, the religion of love; There is only one language, the language of the heart; There is only one caste, the caste of humanity..."

Soon people started flocking Puttaparthi as they took their first step for spiritual renaissance.