Sathya Sai Baba's devotees pray for a miracle

With the health condition of Sathya Sai Baba continuing to be critical, hundreds of devotees of Sathya Sai Baba from across the country on Friday conducted special prayers in Puttaparthi for the speedy recovery of the spiritual leader.

The 5 pm medical issued by the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences super speciality hospital states that Sathya Sai Baba continues to remain in the same critical state.

The devotees congregated at the Prashatni Nilayam, the official residence of the 86-year old godman, for prayers even as doctors said the the Sai Baba's response to their treatment was minimal.

His followers are now hoping for some kind of miracle.

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"Sai Baba himself said he would live till the age of 96 and you will all see that miracle. Baba has taken upon all this (health problem) to prevent some certain calamity and that's the reason he is unwell. He will definitely recover and nothing will happen to him," said Indrani Anand, a former air hostess from London and staying here since 1996.

"I myself saw several miracles of Baba that happened to me and my family. In late 1990s Baba told me that I will meet with a road accident and it happened. As I suffered severe head injuries in the road mishap and doctors said I would not survive, but it was Baba who gave me a ring and 'vibhuti' which I applied on the wounded part which not only healed but I am still alive since that incident," she claimed.

Yandumuri Anjaneya Prasad, who constructed Sai Baba's temple in Secunderabad along with a group of devotees sang 'bhajans' and 'sai namavali' before the hospital.

"We rushed to Puttaparthi, pained by the Baba's health. We are praying for his recovery and are confident that he will give us darshan at Prashantinilayam again," he said.

Another devotee, Chandra who has been staying at Puttaparthi for the past 20 years said that some miracle will happen and the Baba will get well soon.

Meanwhile, the local authorities along with elected representatives and members of Sri Sathya Sai Baba Central Trust (SSSCT) held a meeting at the hospital premises.

Speaking to media persons later, Hindupur MP Nimmal Kishtappa and Puttaparthi MLA Palle Raghunatha Reddy said the meeting only discussed Sai Baba's health.

"We along with doctors and government officials discussed only matters related to his health and alternative arrangements. There was no discussion on the trust aspect," Reddy said.

Additional police forces were rushed to Puttaparthi as there was growing concern over the godman's health and prohibitory orders were in place to prevent any untoward incident.

With reports indicating that several VIPs are expected to arrive in Puttaparthi, bomb squads were pressed into service to screen the area near Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences Super Speciality Hospital.

Earlier, Anantapur Superintendent of Police Syed Shahnawaz Qasim said additional police forces were already sent to Puttaparthi to prevent any untoward incident.

District authorities have put on alert about two dozen Tehsildars (revenue officials) to immediately rush to Puttaparthi to take care of protocol arrangements in any eventuality.

Even though a series of high level meetings (that of government officials, doctors and Satya Sai Trust Members) are going on in the hospital premises, the doctors are only releasing information about Sai Baba's health.

Trust members and senior government officials are tight lipped about a successor of the organisation.