Sathya Sai's ashrams in Whitefield and Kodaikanal turn into ghost town

As controversy regarding wealth being recovered from Puttaparthy continues, locals claim that other Sai Baba ashrams suspiciously wear a deserted look

As controversy regarding wealth being recovered from Puttaparthy continues, locals claim that other Sai Baba ashrams suspiciously wear a deserted look
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Even as Sathya Sai Ashram trust members continue to battle the controversies related to the ever-growing amounts of wealth being recovered from Puttaparthy, reports of even more treasure being recovered is adding to their struggle.


Beware! Sources claim that the Whitefield and Kodaikanal ashrams
have been alerted about possible random checks by government
officials. file pic

As the revelations and discoveries continue to make headlines, locals near similar ashrams in Whitefield and Kodaikanal say that not a single devotee has been seen in the area for the past two weeks. Reports of treasure worth Rs 77 lakh being recovered from Yajur Mandir in Puttaparthy broke out on Saturday evening, even as trust members issued a public statement.

Meanwhile, what caught the attention of locals and curious folk is the fact that Sathya Sai Ashrams in Whitefield and Kodaikanal have remained closed for some time. What is startling is that while each week the prayer meetings at the Whitefield ashram draws about 500-800 devotees, not a single follower has been seen here during the last two weeks.

On the alert?
Sources close to trust members in Puttaparthy claim that the Whitefield and Kodaikanal ashrams have been alerted about possible random checks by government officials. "Every Sunday over 500 followers attend Bhajan and prayer meetings. In the last two weeks however, not a single soul has come near the ashram. No prayer meetings are being held, the gates are closed and no one has access to the ashram or any officials. The devotees living and working inside the ashram have not come out for days," claimed a shopkeeper situated close to the ashram.

No comment
When questioned about the same, officials from the Whitefield ashram refused to comment and ashram officials from Kodaikanal remained unavailable. The treasure recovered from Yejur Mandir included silver worth Rs 56 lakh, gold worth Rs 15 lakh and a diamond ring worth Rs 3 lakh. The trust will put these items in the bank today. Explaining about the recent treasure that was recovered, Anathapur Joint Collector Anita Ramachandra said, "The last time the trustees prepared an inventory of money and items in the ground floor of the Yejur Mandir in the presence of retired judges.

There was no government official present there and the department had raised a question about this. So this time, when an inventory was to be prepared on the basis of wealth in the other rooms, the trustees requested that a government official be present. Hence, we went there and treasure worth Rs 77 lakh has been recovered." Even as the trustees are working on damage control, the ghostly look the Whitefield and Kodaikanal ashrams wear is only raising more questions.