A stream of VIPs, including cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, and over a lakh of devotees paid their last respects to the Baba at Prashanti Nilayam on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, BJP leader Mr L.K. Advani, and several other VVIPs will be arriving on Tuesday to offer tribute to the departed spiritual guru.
Condoling the death of Satya Sai Baba, young AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Monday said Sai Baba was a beacon of light and taught the religion of love to all.
The young leader also said that the great teacher’s life “presents us all with an example of love and service for all, especially for the youth”. The mortal remains of Baba will be kept for public darshan at Prashanti Nilayam till 6 pm on Tuesday and his burial rites will held on Wednesday morning. AP governor E.S.L. Narasimhan and chief minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy are expected to attend the last rites.
Sachin broke down while paying his last respects to the Baba. Accompanied by wife Anjali and friend V. Chamundeshwarnath, Sac-hin sat beside Baba’s body for around half-an-hour in the morning and offered prayers.
An ardent devotee of the Baba, Sachin was seen wiping tears with a handkerchief handed by his wife. The cricketer, who turned 38 on Sunday, did not celebrate his birthday due to Baba’s death.
He flew down from Hyderabad this morning along with his wife after leading his team, Mumbai Indians, to victory in Hyderabad on Sunday.
Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, TVS company chairman Mr V. Srinivas also paid tributes to the Baba.
“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accompanied by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will arrive here on Tuesday. Public darshan of the mortal remains of Baba will last till 6 pm on Tuesday,” said AP major industries minister Dr J. Geeta Reddy.
“I seek an apology from the people for any inconvenience. We are trying our best to ensure smooth darshan and for basic amenities to devotees,” she added.