Saibaba celebrates birthday on a low key

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Saibaba celebrates birthday on a low keySaturday November 24 2007 09:43 IST EXPRESS NEWS SERVICEANANTAPUR: The 82nd birthday celebrations of Satya Saibaba were held at Prashanti Nilayam in Puttaparthi on Friday.The fete was a low-key affair unlike which was used to be organised in a grand manner every year. He came to Sai Kushwant Hall on an elephant, Saigeetha, amidst chanting of mantras by Satya Sai Educational Institutions’ students.He cut 82 cakes to mark his birthday and thousands of devotees across the world participated in the celebrations. Every year he used to deliver a spiritual lecture but on Friday he refrained from it. Malladi Brothers began their recital soon after the Baba came on the dais.This year’s celebrations had a significance as it was announced that eight selected couples would anoint Baba as his mother used to do in his childhood.The couples which had the rare honour were: Saibaba’s brother’s son R V Ratnakar and his wife, former Supreme Court chief justice P N Bhagavati and his wife, eminent industrialist Hindulal Shah and his wife, former chairman of Vysya Bank Gangadhara Shetty and his wife, Mr and Mrs Shaari and Mr and Mrs Margabandhu.Thousands of devotees gathered at the place and waited patiently in serpentine queues from 3 am onwards to have the darshan of their bhagawan.Elaborate arrangements have been made in Puttaparthi as a precautionary measure following a threat from extremists, while every nook and corner of the town was guarded by armed cops. Maharashtra Industries Minister Ashok Chavan and Andhra Pradesh Industries Minister J Geeta Reddy were present as chief guests.Rayalaseema Zone IG R P Thakur, District Collector N Sridhar, district Superintendent of Police Ravindra and others were also present.

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