Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Sorcery



A few years ago, I and C made a visit to a house of a very near relative. His wife saw us at the door and in her usual pompous style took us in. She announced that we were lucky to have them there in the house because they had to make a last minute change to their programme of journey to Puttaparathi (SaiBaba’s abode).She was in her own description a devotee of the Baba.And she attributes all her money, her collection of gold jewellery to the blessings and will of the man she calls God- “SaiBaba”. But she did not discuss or comment as to why the Baba’s prowess was ineffective when it came to her chronic diabetes and acute hypertension and that she has to constantly pour out as much money she throws after gold and diamonds after her medical bill too.

She informed us that they had to postpone their travel to Puttaparathi because SaiBaba tripped and fell in his bath and was advised rest by his doctors and also had cast on one of his limbs which fractured in the fall.
We were seated in their sprawling living room, when she summoned C into the pooja room. C winked at me to follow her as both of us were getting bored by the lady’s grandiloquent oration of her wealth and of her divine unionism with this sorcerer SaiBaba ,( oh apologise- incarnation of god).She wanted to show us a miracle that the Baba brought to her pooja room that morning. Sitting in Puttaparathi or rather laying in his bed with a fractured limb, he through remote conduct brought “vibhoothi” (sacred ash) into the pooja room in Chennai. She showed us a handful of ash lying at the foot of the huge portrait of the Baba , kept in the pooja room. We, out of ennui and forced politeness nodded to all that she wanted to convince us.
Soon, we left the house after some parting pleasantries to her and her husband. Outside the gate we could not hold back our gleeful laughter at what is called faith, which people like her are obstinate about and are intoxicated with. C in passing said that we ought to have asked the lady why SaiBaba could not fix his fracture with his divine powers while he could bring in the holy ash into the pooja room, and while he has many times over picked out Rolex watches, laddus and Siva lingams from the void.

And, back to the present-since the past few days there has been information in the news papers and TV channels that SaiBaba is critically ill and his vital parameters are not showing great response to medication. Yes what else can one expect while in the late twilight of life and when one is eight seven or so? And to the ardent fans, devotees of this “holy man”, SaiBaba, I do not hesitate to ask, why is the fact of nature and natural laws of mortality slowly tightening the noose around this man? Why is it so if he were God and an incarnate? Why could he not use his miracles and mystical powers to extricate from the laws of Nature? Remember, myth and legend has it that Sree Krishna was transported to heaven in flesh and blood after being stung by the arrow of the hunter. He did not die like ordinary men and leave his physical body. But, why, is SaiBaba bedridden and at the mercy of medicines and doctors to sustain his life a little longer. Could he not use his sorcery that he is famous (infamous) for and extricate himself from the agony of illness, old age and death that will soon happen to him ,like it will to all of us one day?

This post is to throw questions and not to encourage beliefs for the sake of faith, supernatural or superstitions. The label of “apostate” has more sheen than the pseudonym of “gullible”. Hiding behind attributed mirages, calling things inviolable and matters of faith is the easiest way to enact a “Houdini”, a great escape from reality and inconvenient questions, answers and facts. The proverbial tree of apples in the Garden of Eden was a cunning ploy to ensure “man” never questions and is tethered. The ploy seems to be working in various ways, the most effective being “fear”.

The incorrigible ones will argue that the Baba is God because he has established many avenues and foundations of charity and philanthropy. They may pin point the hi-tech and super speciality hospitals where the needy can harbour. The schools and universities in his name, so on and so forth!
But is the tag of mystic, performer of miracles and magic, divine incarnate and a life in the vulgarism of opulence, a necessity to convey the message of love, peace, and caring for the needy? Certainly not  and a humble soul like the late Mother Theresa is a perfect example.

16 comments:

Shilpa Garg said...

Agree with you completely, Anil.
Just yesterday somebody posted this on FB.. "Sai Baba of Puttaparathi heals everyone... but its strange that he need doctors to heal himself . . . May be his divinity has got expiry date too".

And a few minutes ago read this blog post from a fellow blogger where she shares why Baba is in the hospital... Check it out... http://petalsfromtheheart.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-request-to-devotees-of-bhagawan.html

anilkurup59 said...

@ Shilpa Gag,

Also please go into You tube and check for videos on Saibabas miracle of plucking siva lingam from nowhere. A close watch can tell the story of what and how he does his magical rope climb.
I did check the link you gave. Pity the Blogger has serious mental problem. I have nothing against these so called God men, as long as they do not use trickery and built the aura of divinity and godliness around the, It is fraud and crime . Let them if they honestly wish serve the needy rather than fool people the gullible ones. Ageing and death is destined for all and Baba is not exempted by Nature.

Insignia said...

I so agree with you. I wonder how even sophisticated and highly educated class of people fall prey to such gullible people. I have seen many videos of Saibaba hoodwinking his devotees by what he calls 'divinity'. Its fraud!

You should visit the facility here in Whitefield Bangalore. Even foreigners are made a fool of; and the seva he gets from his disciples - better left unsaid.

It doesnt seem like serving the needy. But on the flip side; why blame him? I would rather blame these foolish people who has given him this space to cheat and make a fool out of them. A little bit of common sense would teach you that such things are an act of fraud.

Feel pity for all those people

Vishal said...

Agree with the post.I was a former disciple of the baba...opulunce (mercedes car with velvet foot rest),anger (he once threw a bell at one of his sevaks),sheer plagiarism from the bible and the geeta in most of his discourses and surprising blind faith among his sevaks who wouldn't listen to any word against him is what turned me off.These cannot be justified as divine qualities in anyways.

anilkurup59 said...

@ Insignia,

Bindu, I’m in no way encroaching or want to, on the right of an individual to pray to his god or follow a certain religious code of practise. That is a private affair, where the worshipper and the worshipped have a private one to one liaison, directly or through lobbyists, the priests. But when the worshipper stakes his claim to his inalienable right to decry anyone who questions his supposed wisdom of his belief in the divinity and miracles that he thinks his god in human form performs and then I feel the need to react. Remember the ruckus the Sabarimala tragedy evoked a few months ago.
The fraud and innuendo these God men do must be treated as a cognizable offence. In the Hindu pantheon we do not find any god or goddesses revelling in the vulgarity of opulence. Then how and from where did these God men and alleged incarnations come to built the culture of extravagance, pomp and sickening wealth ridden life styles?
In the present critical physical condition of SaiBaba, there are Bloggers accusing the media of heresy and innuendo. They claim that SaiBaba can never fall ill or be hospitalised. But the latest is that the man is on dialysis, and has kidney dysfunction.
The inexplicable fact is that rich and the poor alike, the literate, the erudite and the illiterate all alike throng to these God men and women fascinated by their magical wands . To that end we must admire and be in awe of these incarnations, that they can continuously fool the millions.

anilkurup59 said...

@ Vishal,

I guess you are perhaps the first person who I have heard of being disillusioned by SaiBaba.
Men like him thrive on their proximity to the big and the mighty in society. Remember, the Judges , Central ministers, the big wigs of the Police etc are in cahoots with such people.

Balachandran V said...

I am waiting for someone who would disagree with you! Everybody, even the so called followers of Saibaba knows how much of a con-man he is. like Insignia said, it the fools to be blamed. But then, let us pity them, for their weakness, their greed, their selfishness.

Jeena R. Papaadi said...

I suppose it is some sort of a therapy. We pray to God everyday and get no sign of His existence or His intervention in any of our affairs. If something good comes into life, it might as well be coincidence. When there is someone Human around (with capital 'H'), who could speak to us and listen to us and possibly relieve us of worry, people flock to him (as to an efficient therapist/doctor). It's good to believe that someone Real can cure our ailments. After all, most ailments reside (only) in our minds. I can find no other explanation to the blind belief...

I came here thru the blog mentioned in the first comment, where you had triggered a lively discussion. :)

anilkurup59 said...

@balachandran,
Dey you are mistaken. Check the link in the comment of Shilpa Garg in this post and you will see. I ventured into the link blog and left my observation, and hip hip hurray I have even been equated with Rakhi Sawant. Wish I could hold her tight and say thanks sweetie!
Fools do not know they are fools. They as it is said enact sleep and slumber, while they are factually wide awake and frightened.
The biggest magician turned conman is he, the Baba.The loftiest of all tricksters.

anilkurup59 said...

@ Jean,
Thank you much for the visit and the comment. A wise one indeed.And not a one with brick bats as I thought.
You see the fact is if this man SaiBaba were to confine to his charitable avenues and philanthropy he would not have raised i/10 th of the funds he required to build his empire. People are craving for miracles and the supernatural and this guy has done it convincingly through his tricks and fraud.
Let him come back from death as they say Christ did. Let him provide food for starving billions , If he can do these miracles in a gffy well then I salute him. He fetches Rolex watch for the powerful and mighty disciples not comfort for the wanted who throng to his meetings. Just go into You tube links on him you will be amazed.
And the gullible who throng to him for salvation are fooled for life. Remember fools die quite hard!

Of course there are many such frauds who thrive on their supernatural powers as they claim.The ones who claim as incarnate.The society is full of such.

Balachandran V said...

Thousands, perhaps millions follow Saibaba.Many of my friends and relatives are among them. As far as I know, they are decent people. Weak, perhaps, needing mental crutches. we may laugh at Sai Baba for his cheap tricks that he has used to build up his flock. But the thousands who flock to him find solace in him. Let them. If we are to find fault with the 'believers', more than 90% of the humans are at fault. Who said,' if God does not exist, it is necessary to invent Him'? Let us get on with our 'beliefs' or non-beliefs. For all I know, these believers are as content or discontent as we non-believers are.

I cannot honestly say that I have never yearned for an external support, whether of Gods or humans or of 'spirits'! Can you?

anilkurup59 said...

@ Balachandran

"For all I know, these believers are as content or discontent as we non-believers are".
That said it all. The fact these people refuse to admit.

Balan the discussion I'm interested is not in the beliefs or otherwise.The fact is that these God men can confine themselves to giving solace and comfort to the ones who flock to them. They may provide education, medical aid and where ever necessary economic empowerment. But why use stage tricks? Why give the message that they are incarnations?Why damn people who question?
here in Kerala we have a multi specialty hospital run by one of this tribe and a Medical school as well. Good really good and admirable. The treatment and the ambience. One will be cured the moment one walks in, it is a different enviorn. However the capitation fee that is extorted for a seat to the MD course is Rs 1.5 crores and more. Now tell me what kind of physician will such an investment produce. Commerce and business begin here. The moment the fellow graduates he will try at avenues to milk , squeeze and strangulate people to recoup the money he spent on his education. Now the whole system the laudable charity is negated .

An invisible force as a crutch is lesser evil and of little harm than the belief in the ones in flesh and blood.

ousu said...

Anil@ I always found Sai Baba a figure to laugh at, with his noodle hair, magic and mascara..but den always had friends who believed in his stature as GOD.. for me they seemed a bunch of louts..but den in our democratic socialist secular republic, we always had people praying to ant hills to dead-bodies and we are not supposed to look amazed at some of the stupidity that happens..

it will be gross injustice to a trusted devotee of Sai, if i fail to mention him and his version of what has happened to the noodle haired old magician.. the guy was a nuclear scientist who came on news to say that baba is suffering for some us and our problems..i felt like boy wow..now he is Jesus Christ re-incarnated..plz don tell me dat the judgement day is here as well...

when it gets to beliefs and faith, reason takes a back stage...people are dumb assess :)

anilkurup59 said...

@ Ousu,

Thanks for the comments. The majority is always right, as you said in a democratic system. In fact they believe so. But why do they palpitate when some one airs a divergent opinion and if with facts they get paranoid.

dr.antony said...

Anil,
Haven't you seen sign boards at some places.. "Trespassers will be prosecuted".
You habitually cross all boundaries !
Anil,you know very well that there is no place for logic in matters related to faith.It is simply blind.But you can make your choices,there is no compulsion.

I have seen videos on his "miracles" long time back.But none of this have changed the faith and trust of some of my friends.These doctors themselves pray for his health.
There are reasons we do not know.Not that they are all fools,and we are the only ones with brains.

anilkurup59 said...

@ Doc antony,

Doc I indulge in these trespassing as you call it.And trespassing is to intrude on someones domain without permission!Now how can one say that faith is ones domain that is sacrosanct, irrefutable, and unimpeachable? I do not say that the opinions that I aired are self-righteous and hence cannot be questioned. Any one who holds a variant view than mine may question and rubbish me , but with logic. To say that faith defy logic is in itself unfaithful. Then we have to banish the word"logic" from the lexicon.
And certainly the ones who get swayed ( I do not know the real feelings in them , as none of these kind speak truthfully)by stage magics like that of Saibaba are not unintelligent , but they refuse to use the grey matter given to them.It is not the matter of who being intelligent.