Sai Baba funeral sees India's luminaries mourn with thousands of followers

THE GUARDIAN

Thousands of tearful devotees have gathered for the funeral of Sathya Sai Baba, who was revered by his followers as a divine incarnation with miraculous healing powers.

The 84-year-old guru's death on Sunday triggered an outpouring of grief from followers including top Indian politicians, movie stars, athletes and industrialists.

Hindus usually cremate their dead, but infants and people considered pure and saintly are often buried. The guru was buried inside the same auditorium at his ashram in the southern Indian town of Puttaparti, where his body had been on display and where he gave his sermons.

...Within India, Sai Baba was a well-known face, with his photograph adorning millions of homes, car dashboards and lockets worn by Indian and foreign believers. Sai Baba ashrams exist in more than 126 countries. The guru was said to perform miracles, conjuring jewellery, Rolex watches and "vibhuti", a sacred ash that his followers applied to their foreheads from his hair.