NEW TEMPLE DEDICATED TO SAI BABA IN COLOMBIA

On Sunday July 21^st, a new 'temple' with a capacity of 500, dedicated to Sathya Sai Baba, was inaugurated on the outskirts of Bogotá, Colombia in a section called La Calera. The devoted members of the Sai Org. diligently placed and add announcing the great event in the Sunday issue of El Tiempo, one of the major newspapers in Colombia.

The temple was donated by, Sr. German Panqueva, one of the most renowned members of the SSO in Colombia. According to information provided by another member of the organization the building had a cost of $200,000 U.S. Dollars, but it also cost the donor some difficulties with the board of directors of the organization which is somewhat unhappy to see the balance of power shifting towards one of its 'Sacred Cows'.

 What the members of the org. couldn't prevent was the fact that another major newspaper called HOY also took notice of the event, except that in this case, it was not very satisfactory to the org. since its article mentions the current allegations against SB and questions the legitimacy of the self appointed avatar.

Something else that tarnished the luster of the event was the noticeable decrease in devotees that is quite apparent in Colombia these days and that was made even more obvious in this case with an attendance of less that 300. A relatively small amount in comparison to other events that took place in the past before the allegations (and the letters from Norman Fajardo, one of the dissident members of the SSO who provided this information obtained from present devotees).

Norman Fajardo