Anantapur: A parallel trust and ashram in Karnataka is befuddling Satya Sai devotees. Former members of the Satya Sai Central Trust of Puttaparthi and a group of staunch devotees of the late Satya Sai Baba are reportedly supporting the new ashram at Muddenahalli in Karnataka.

A 23-year-old MBA graduate from the Satya Sai Baba campus has claimed to be a manifestation of the godman. He is reportedly receiving letters like the late Satya Sai Baba did, from devotees who are thronging the new ashram for special pujas on Thursdays and Sundays. He gives interviews to important devotees.

Satya Sai Loka Seva Institutions at Alike and Muddenahalli were established in 1963 and 1973 respectively by Madiyala Narayana Bhat under the guidance of Satya Saibaba.

They formed the Sri Satya Sai Saraswathi Education Trust to establish the institutions. The Muddenahalli ashram situated near Chikkaballapur on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru NH-44 was reportedly maintained by the Sri Satya Sai Central Trust till the demise of Sai Baba.

The situation changed after the death of Satya Sai Baba, with a group of former trust members and staunch devotees, including one of the donors to the superspeciality hospital, showing interest in the Muddenahalli ashram instead of Puttaparthi.

With the MBA graduate claiming to be a manifestation of the Satya Sai Baba, several traditions have been copied from Prasanthi Nilayam.

Sources said, many devotees going to the ashram from Puttaparthi on Sundays and Thursdays. “At least 300 taxis are running to Muddenahalli after darshan of the Mahasamadhi.

The new ashram resembles Prasanthi Nilayam and was built at Rs 30 crore. Work on a Rs 12-crore bhajan mandir is under progress.

A former hostel warden of Satya Sai institutions is leading the trust activities and extending service activities in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh. The Satya Sai Central Trust has not openly resisted the newcomer but is reportedly objecting to developing a parallel ashram.