Several events mark 94th birth fete of Sai Baba in Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam: The 94th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Sathya Sai Baba were celebrated with devotion and fervour here on Saturday.

Several service, spiritual and cultural programmes marked the day-long celebrations at Sri Sathya Sai Prema Sadan Mandir located in the sprawling Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar School campus. Chanting of slokas, nagar sankirtan followed by Rudrabhishekam, among other activities formed a part of the day. Singers from City Seva Samiti accompanied by the representatives of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva organisation.

The youth wing of the organisation distributed fruits to students of various schools, patients of various hospitals and inmates of juvenile home for boys and girls. More than 6,000 people were served lunch as part of the Mahanarayana Seva celebrated on the occasion. Students took part in serving the food to the needy. They also distributed blankets and saris to the poor.

After the inaugural, chief speaker of the day Thotapalli Nagaraju from Anantapur delivered a discourse. 'Sri Sathya Sai Vishishta Seva Puraskar' was presented to doctor C V Gopala Raju, renowned ophthalmologist and founder of Visakha Eye Hospital for his remarkable contribution to the society and treating the needy.

A 94-kg cake made of different fruits and dry fruits was cut on the occasion to mark the celebrations. A special magazine 'Sai Spandana' was released on the occasion. City Seva Samiti convener P R S N Naidu in his address highlighted various service activities being rendered by the samiti.