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Sathya Sai Baba (born Sathya Narayana UK Newspaper (28 Oct. 2000): ''"The guru Sai Baba has left India only once, yet his devotees across the world are estimated at up to 50 million."''; '''Reference 3:''' Nagel, Alexandra "De Sai Paradox", 1994, nr. 29. published by the Free University Amsterdam, (1994): ''"Beyerstein (1992:3) estimates the amount at 6 million; Riti & Theodore (1993:31) at 30 million, Sluizer (1993:19) is talking about 70 million and Van Dijk's (1993:30) estimate is "between 50 and 100 million.'"''. Several hundred positive books and media articles have been published about Sathya Sai Baba. Sathya Narayana Raju was born into a poor attributes such as Omnipresence , Omniscience and Omnipotence . SSB as quote in Narayana Kasturi's authorized biography ''Sathyam Sivam Sundaram'' Vol 3 page 315: ''"I am all deities in one. You may endeavour your best for thousands of years and have all mankind with you in your search. But you cannot understand My Reality."'' page 136 ''"God can do anything. He has all power in the palm of His Hand. My Body, like all other bodies, is a temporary habitation; but, My Power is eternal, all-pervasive, ever-dominant." Christmas Day Discourse, Bombay 1970. page 305 "In his speech at the Patel Stadium in Bombay, Sathya Sai Baba said, " I know all that happens to all because I am everyone. This current is in every bulb I illumine every consciousness. I am the inner motivator in each one of you."''. Sathya Sai Baba teaches the unity of all major world Religion s and says that they all lead to God . He preaches a foundation of five basic human values: Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love and Non-Violence. Sathya Sai Baba's followers report many, sometimes spectacular, . The Most vehement criticism since the year 2000 are the allegations made by former devotees of inappropriate sexual relations with young men and boys Reference 1: Goldberg, Michelle, Untouchable? (25 July 2001) in available online : ''"Given all this, one might suspect that Sai Baba's following would be in decline. Yet when one looks around Puttaparthi, there seem to be enough bright-eyed converts to replace every defector, enough denial to obscure even the most well documented allegations and, perhaps most of all, enough fierce belief to trump ordinary moral judgments."''. Sathya Sai Baba's followers and the organizations he founded are involved in many service projects around the world. He is providing free education through his schools, free healthcare through two state-of-the-art Hospital s in Puttaparthi and Bangalore and two water projects serving thousands in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu . Puttaparthi , where Baba was born and still lives, was originally a small village where one can now find an extensive University complex, a World-Religions Museum (''Chaitanya Jyoti''), a Planetarium , a railway station, an airport and more. High ranking Indian politicians, like the current President Dr. Abdul Kalam , Manmohan Singh (Former finance minister and current Prime Minister), and Atal Vajpayee (Former Prime minister) have been official guests at the ashram in Puttaparthi. Some quarters of the Indian government consider Sai Baba to be a "national treasure" Sri Sathya Sai Baba - A Living Legend - An Embodiment Of Love For All Mankind, Letter from A.B. Vajpayee (the then Prime Minister of India), Available online . HISTORY AND ORIGINS See ''Main article History And Origins Of The Sathya Sai Baba Movement '' Sathya Narayana was born into a poor Agrarian family in the remote village of Puttaparthi , located in Anantapur District , Andhra Pradesh , India, as the son of Pedda Venkappa Raju and mother Eshwar Amma. According to professor Narayana Kasturi in his book ''Easwaramma'', who also wrote Sathya Sai Baba's authorized biography, Sathya was born and conceived through a Virgin Birth . After recovering from an unexplained illness in his teens the young Sathya claimed to be the Reincarnation of the Fakir Shirdi Sai Baba in the 1940s . According to his own assertion and the biography by Kasturi (which the British journalist Mick Brown of the The Telegraph called a Hagiography ), he stopped going to school in the town of Uravakonda on October 20, 1940 to start his mission. However, he is listed in the 1942 school record of the nearby village Bukkapatnam. Though the exact year on which he started his mission full-time is uncertain, it is a fact that in the 1940s he took the fakir's name. Kasturi's biography mentions several miracles by and signs of divinity of the young Sathya. According to Howard Murphet, in his book ''Sai Baba Man of Miracles'' (see picture) , the young Sathya was a vegetarian and was known for his aversion to animal cruelty and compassion for the poor, disabled and elderly. According to Kasturi and to Sathya Sai Baba himself, the young Sathya composed Bhajans spontaneously (even as young as 8 years of age) and was talented in drama, dance, music and poetry. He claimed to be a reincarnation of Shiva and Shakti in 1963. ''Shiva Shakthi'' Gurupournima Day, 6 July 1963, (Sathya Sai Baba, Sathya Sai Speaks III 5, 19.) In the late 1960s he attracted Western spiritual seekers and became increasingly popular. One of those spiritual seekers was the Hollywood screenwriter Arnold Schulman , who wrote in his 1971 book called ''Baba'' that "For any episode of Baba's childhood, there are countless contrasting versions and, at this point, the author discovered that it was no longer possible to separate the facts from the legend." According to Schulman, contrasting versions about Baba's childhood may be due to the fact that he needed interpreters to interperet other interpreters (as in the case of his interview with Baba's sister). Schulman concluded that what the translators said may well have been quite different from what was actually said Schulman, Arnold ''Baba'' 1971, pp. 122-124, ISBN 670-14343-x Sathya Sai Baba had several sisters, one older brother, the late Seshama Raju, and one younger brother, the late R. V. Janaki Ramaiah. ''Sathya Sai Baba's younger brother dies'' article on 18 Oct. 2003 in The Times Of India retrieved March 2006 ''Sathya Sai Baba's brother dies'' article on 18 Oct. 2003 in The Hindu retrieved March 2006 BELIEFS AND PRACTICES Main article Beliefs And Practices In The Sathya Sai Organisation Miracles, claims, and ashrams Satya Sai Baba's popularity and the donations by followers have enabled he and his organizations to build an increasingly large ashram near the once poor and isolated village of Puttaparthi. Sathya Sai Baba resides much of the time in his main in 1968 . He is a prolific orator about religious topics in his native language Telugu and he is regarded by some as an excellent speaker. He also speaks passable Kannada . Apart from his claim to be Shirdi Sai Baba, Satya Sai Baba also asserts that he is an Avatar of God, a reincarnation of Lord Rama , of Sri Krishna , the Kalki purna avatar (full divine incarnation), Lord Shiva , and Shakti . But he also says that everybody else is God and that the difference is that he is aware of this and others are not. Interview with Sai Baba in the magazine Blitz 1976 He says that he is omniscient, omnipotent, and able to create matter from mere thought. He also stresses he is free from desires. Sai Baba claims to be pure, divine love. Sathya Sai Baba can be seen in person performing what followers believe to be miracles daily in the form of materializations of small objects, for example food, jewelry such as bracelets, rings, watches and especially that supports this claim. Followers attribute many miracles to him which they claim have witnessed in his presence. There are international claims, from Sathya Sai Baba's followers and neutral observers, that vibuthi, kumkum, turmeric powder, holy water, brass statues of deities, sugar candy, fruits, herbs, amrita (a fragrant, nectar-like honey), gems and coloured string spontaneously manifest on the altars and pictures of Sathya Sai Baba in the privacy of their own homes. Reference 1: Nair, Yogas, "Raisins, ash raise eyebrows", The Post April 19, 2006, available online : ''"Golden raisins falling out of a Lord Hanuman statue, sweet honey oozing from his chest and grey ash scattered on Sai Baba pictures. These were some of the mysterious sights that greeted a Phoenix crystal healer and businesswoman when she arrived at her clothing factory on the morning of Hanuman Jayanthi (Hanuman's birthday) on Thursday...She said the picture of Sai Baba had also "shed tears" which 'tasted salty'. 'I was overwhelmed by everything that was happening. However, I accepted it as a blessing and reaffirmed my faith in God.' She said during auspicious days such as Ganesha Pooja and Shivarathri, kungoo (scared red ash), turmeric, sugar candy and coloured strings, appeared on deities of Lord Ganesha and Shiva...I visited Govender at her factory yesterday (Tuesday) and was greeted by mounds of unscented ashes around Baba's photographs. Honey was "oozing" out of a Hanuman statue and raisins appeared scattered around it. A deity of Lord Shiva also appeared to materialise a blue crystal."'' '''Reference 2:''' Brown Mick, The Spiritual Tourist, Ch: The Miracle In North London, pp. 29-30, 1998 ISBN 158234034X ''"I had no idea what to make of the pictures. To have applied the vibuthi to the glass would have been possible, perhaps, although I could not imagine how. The vibuthi was too evenly distributed to have been applied with a brush or sponge. The pictures did not seem to me to have been tampered with in any way. Rather, the vibuthi seemed to have grown on the surface of the glass, just as Mr. Patel said it had. Even if placing vibuthi on the glass might have just about been possible, to have placed it between the picture and the frame, as was the case with some of the portriats, seemed to me to be too complicated and troublesome. It seemed preposterous to imagine Mr Patel and his family bent over frames and sheets of glass, fiddling with ash and screwdrivers. Anyway, why would anyone contrive such a spectacle? There was no apparent profit or gain to be had from it for Mr Patel. A large sign near the pictures urged visitors not to give money, but to 'leave only your troubles'"''. ''"What other motive could he have had? It had, if anything, caused him considerable personal inconvience. His house was no longer his own. He entertained a constant stream of visitors and enquiries; he was required to maintain the shrine in proper order. He had long ago abandoned any thoughts of installing a snooker-table as he had originally planned. Besides, Mr Patel did not strike me as a man capable of deceit. His manner was humble, self-effacing, patently sincere. 'I am deeply blessed,' he said. Even questioning his account of the miracle I felt mean-spirited, a prisoner of rationalist thought. Perhaps it was better simply to accept it for what Mr Patel said it was, for what it seemed to be - the sparkle of holy ash enlivening the dreary suburb of Wealdstone. I walked away from Mr Patel's house with my head reeling, Austin at my side. His face still wore the same absorbed half-smile I had noticed when he was sitting in the ante-room."'' ''"'So what did you think?' I asked."'' ''"He walked along in silence for some moments, mulling it over. 'Well, if it's not a miracle,' he said at last, 'it's a wonderful fairy tale.'"'' ''"I told friends about the vibuthi-covered portriats; they looked at me in a bemused, eyebrow-arching sort of way. It couldn't be true, because such things simply don't happen, do they? But then they hadn't seen it, and I had."'' ''"The phenomenon of vibuthi appearing on photographs was not confined to Mr. Patel's house. I began to hear accounts of similar manifestations at houses and temples in Leicaster, in New York, Canada, Australia and, of course, in India. Shortly after the article appeared I received another telephone call, from someone I had nver met, inviting me to another house, also in North London, where vibuthi was said to be manifesting in even greater quantities than at Mr. Patel's."'' ''"As soon as I stepped inside I was assailed by the familiar sweet smell of vibuthi...The vibuthi was everywhere as material evidence. Its profusion was staggering; its sweet smell penetrated every corner of the house."'' Reference 3: Pillay, Prinella ''Divine blessing: It's a miracle, says family'' March 17, 2004 in the newspaper ''Post'' South Africa available online "In what is being described as a divine blessing, a staunch Sai Baba-devoted Isipingo family is experiencing what they say are miracles in their home - with the formation of ashes and kungum around their prayer place and walls, and the appearance of candy and honey dripping freely from the eyes of a Sai Baba statue. Widowed Rani Naicker, 50, a factory worker of Egret Crescent, Lotus Park, who shares a rented home with her three children, factory workers Sagren, 21, and Kumaran, 24, unemployed Nicole, 25, and her (Nicole's) three-year-old daughter Shenay, said they were blessed a day after the kavady festival in February, when Sagren noticed ashes forming on the top of a poster which featured Sai Baba's head. Since then, the family claims, there has been an overflow of ashes, kungum, turmeric powder, sugar candy and pink sweets, including the continuous dripping of sweet honey from a statue. These have mysteriously materialised. Ashes have also formed on several pictures of Sai Baba, Shridi Baba, Mother Mary and on the frame of a picture of Naicker's late husband, Manny Naicker." "Reference 4" "House of Miracles", Sunday 24 Mar 2002, Durban news, ''Sunday Times'' available online Devotees and tourists seeking cures for ailments and help with domestic problems have been flocking to a Durban home said to be blessed by the miracles of Sai Baba. Kay Pillay, 59, owner of the home in Silverglen, Chatsworth, said the miracles began 11 years ago when honey started forming on a framed picture of Sai Baba. "We knew it was the miracle of Baba, because we heard of it happening elsewhere. Soon we saw ash on the walls, kungu (coloured powder), turmeric powder, holy water, brass statues of deities, sugar candy, dates, prunes, cloves and coloured string representing the different deities," said Pillay. He said brass figurines representing deities appeared on auspicious religious days. ...Visitors can see honey dripping across a framed picture of Sai Baba, and two red velvet-covered throne-like chairs with a little stool from which ashen footprints lead to a burning lamp. On the floor are offerings of sweetmeats by devotees. Pillay said every Wednesday and Saturday Baba's footprints are washed from the carpet and everything is cleaned. The following day, the powder and footprints reappear. There are also claims of . He also makes assurances of divine protection to his devotees. Followers report help from Sai Baba in difficult or dangerous situations as well as in dreams. The , India) ISBN 81-86822-32-1 pages 231, 239-241 One important practice in his ashrams is '' Darshan '' (spiritual sight). During ''darshan'' Sathya Sai Baba walks among his followers. He may listen to a few chosen persons, accept letters, or materialize and distribute '' Vibhuti '' (sacred ash of Lord Shiva). Sathya Sai Baba claims that his '' darshan'' has spiritual benefits for those who attend it and this is consistent with Hindu beliefs regarding spiritual preceptors. Usually people wait hours to get a good place for ''darshan''. Sathya Sai Baba sometimes invites people for a group interview with him in a room in the 'ashram's mandir' (Hindu temple). Followers consider it a great privilege to get such an interview. Sometimes a person from this group is invited for a private interview. In 2003 SSB had an accident that injured his hip, according to the official of the Sathya Sai Organisation, Michael Goldstein. As Of 2005 , SSB sometimes uses a wheelchair. SSB in wheelchair When asked about the divinity of Sathya Sai Baba, many of his followers readily attest to it by accounting anecdotes about the numerous miraculous occurances and strange coincidences they have experienced. Teachings Sathya Sai Baba preaches love and the unity of all World Religions and assert that people who follow him do not need to give up their original religion. His teachings are sometimes seen as completely s and movements including '' Advaita '', occasionally drawing from other religions like Buddhism , Sikhism , and Christianity . In spite of his claim to be a reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, a spiritual leader who blended Islam and Hinduism in his teachings, he teaches no Muslim rituals. The only real Christian influence can be felt in the institution of regular Sunday School sessions for devotees. He says that he has come to restore Faith in, and encourage the practice of the teachings in the Vedas . Several books and discourses by him, such as the book ''Ramakatha Rasavahini'' teach the literal interpretation of Hindu Mythology and advocate the practice of Hindu Dharma . Across the globe local Sathya Sai Baba groups assemble to sing '' Bhajan s'' (Hindu devotional songs), study Sathya Sai Baba's teachings, do collective community service (called ''seva''), and teach ''Education in Human Values'' (Sai '' Sunday School ''). Baba's movement is not Missionary Knott, Kim Dr. ''South Asian Religions in Britain'' page 766, Table 22.1 ''Principal Sectarian movements in Britain and their primary characteristics'' in the ''Handbook of Living Religions'' edited by John R. Hinnels (1997), second edition, ISBN 0140514805 and Baba discouraged publicity for him in a public discourse in 1968. Public discourse by Sathya Sai Baba on November 23, 1968 (also published in Samuel Sandweiss 1972 book ''Sai Baba: The Holy man and the psychiatrist'' Part II ''Coming Home'') available online on the website of the Sathya Sai organisation : ''"The Lord has no intention to publicize Himself. I do not need publicity, nor does any other Avatar of the Lord. [..] Avatars need no advertisement"'' Bhajans are sung at nearly every meeting with the names of the traditional Hindu deities occasionally replaced by Baba's name. The Sathya Sai organisation advocates the five basic human values. These values are '' Sathya '' (truth), '' Dharma '' (right conduct, living in accord with natural law), '' Ahimsa '' (non-violence), '' Prema '' (love for God and all his creatures) and '' Shanti '' (peace). Other primary teachings are:
ORGANIZATIONS Sathya Sai Baba is the figurehead to a number of educational institutions and charitable hospitals, most notably the Sri Sathya Sai Institute Of Higher Learning and the Sri Sathya Institute Of Higher Medical Sciences , located within or near the main ashrams and Anantapur town. These organizations provide free education and free health care to the public. They are private, non profit institutions and their admission criteria are not published, admissions being decided on individual merits as decided by Sai Baba or his executives. Many of the patients are devotees from India and abroad. The trust organization has made large contributions to drinking water projects for the whole of the Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh and Chennai . His Educare (formerly called Education in Human Values) programme seeks to found schools in all countries with the explicit goal to educate children in the five human values and spirituality. Schools have already been founded in Toronto , Zambia , Australia , the United States, and several in India. A highly successful pre-school in New Zealand has been studied as a model for public New Zealand schools to follow . ]] All the local ''Sai Samithis'' (Sathya Sai Baba groups) are part of a hierarchical structure called the Sathya Sai Organisation . The chairman of the organisation is Michael Goldstein of the USA. The logo of the Sathya Sai organization is a stylized lotus flower with the text of the five human values, highly influenced by not only Hinduism but also Jainism and Buddhism , in its petals. This text version has replaced the old logo with the symbols of the 5 or 6 World Religion s in the petals. The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust was founded in 1972 and is mainly involved in charities such as the Rayalaseema water project. The trust has tax exempt status and is a major recipient of donations from abroad though Baba and his organizations never solicit donations. All donations and expenditures are recorded which are documented by the bank holding the sums . The Sri Sathya Sai Books And Publications Trust is the official publisher of the ''Sathya Sai Organisation''. It publishes the international monthly magazine called Sanathana Sarathi . In various nations similar publication trusts maintain in their own native language. OPPOSITION, CONTROVERSY, AND ALLEGATIONS SSB has been and still is the target of criticism by skeptics, ex-followers and other critics that question his claims to perform miracles and other paranormal feats. For example, in 1976 the Physicist Rationalist and then the vice chancellor of Bangalore University Dr. H. Narasimhaiah who founded and chaired ''The Committee to Investigate Miracles and Other Verifiable Superstitions'' publicly challenged Sathya Sai Baba to perform his miracles under controlled circumstances, a challenge which Sathya Sai Baba ignored because he felt that the approach used by Narasimhaiah was improper Reference 1: The Extended Interview given by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba to the Senior Editor, Sri R.K. Karanjia of Blitz News Magazine in September of 1976, Available online : ''"However, as I have said again and again, those who want to understand Me are welcome here. It is the spirit of the investigation that is important. Foreign parapsychologists have come here and examined Me in such a positive and constructive spirit. You have seen their reports. They do not write letters or make public demands. Narasimhiah's approach was improper; that is why I rejected it. If it were not so, he would have been welcome."'' Reference 2: Haraldsson, Erlendur PhD ''"Miracles are my visiting cards - An investigative inquiry on Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian mystic with the gift of foresight believed to perform modern miracles"'' (first published in 1987, 1997 revised and updated edition) ISBN 8186822321 chapter ''The Critics'' pages 204-205. The committee exposed a boy called ''Sai Krishna'' as a fraud, that the committee alleged had Sathya Sai Baba's patronage. Haraldsson, Erlendur PhD ''"Miracles are my visiting cards - An investigative inquiry on Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian mystic with the gift of foresight believed to perform modern miracles"'' (first published in 1987, 1997 revised and updated edition) ISBN 8186822321 chapter ''The Critics'' pages 204-205. Sai Baba said, in one of his rare interviews with the press, that he had absolutely no connection to the exposed ''Sai Krishna'' and that there are people who masquerade as devotees who attempt to make money using his name The Extended Interview given by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba to the Senior Editor, Sri R.K. Karanjia of Blitz News Magazine in September of 1976: Available Online : Karanjia: ''"Thank you, Baba, you have answered the question beautifully. Now to Narasimhiah's unanswered point regarding the bogus Sai Krishna or Pandavapura exposed by his committee as a fraud and a cheat. He alleges that the boy had your patronage."'' Sathya Sai Baba: ''"I can assure you there is absolutely no connection between him and Myself. His people have several times attempted to arrange a meeting between us, but we have refused their requests. Of course, thousands of people, as you saw this morning, come here for darshan. There are others also who masquerade as My disciples or make money using My name. As this happens not only here but in other states and even abroad, we cannot do anything about it. They expose themselves sooner or later, as did this boy. I have absolutely no connection or relationship with such people."''. As a result of this episode, a public debate about SSB raged for months in Indian newspapers. Haraldsson, Erlendur PhD ''"Miracles are my visiting cards - An investigative inquiry on Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian mystic with the gift of foresight believed to perform modern miracles"'' (first published in 1987, 1997 revised and updated edition) ISBN 8186822321 chapter ''The Critics'' pages 206 The 1995 TV documentary ''"Guru Busters"'' by UK's documentary ''Secret Swami'' that he could produce some of the same acts as SSB that the latter presents as miracles, such as materializations by Sleight Of Hand and the production of a Lingam from his mouth by Regurgitation . On who came from of a police background expressed in the BBC documentary his belief that the four assailants in 1993 had unnecessarily and illegally been shot by the police. Both Premanand and Nair wanted the case to be re-opened and believed that it had been silenced to prevent revelations about illegal practices by Sathya Sai Baba and his organizations. A major turning point in the debates about SSB was the publication in the year 2000 of a document called ''"The Findings"'' Goldberg, Michelle {Link without Title} in Salon.com 25 July 2001: ''"They're not new, either. In 1970, Tal Brooke published a book called 'Lord of the Air', later renamed 'Avatar of Night', a vivid, detailed account of his mind-blowing days as a questing young acolyte and his total disillusionment on learning of his guru's sexual rapacity. Yet it's only recently, thanks in large part to the Internet, that various victims, their parents and defecting officials from within the Sai Organization have banded together to direct the energy they once poured into worshiping their master toward bringing the man down. It all started with a document called "The Findings," published in late 2000 by long-term devotees David and Faye Bailey, whose marriage was arranged by Sai Baba."'', in which the couple and former followers Faye and David Bailey (who together wrote three books on Sathya Sai Baba "Bailey, David, A Journey To Love, 1996 ISBN 8186822046 Bailey, David, A Journey To Love Book 2: Love and Marriage, 1988 ISBN 8186822607 Bailey, Faye, Another Journey To Love: Experiences with Sathya Sai Baba, 1998 ISBN 8186822402") describe their disillusionment with the guru Brown, Mick ''Divine Downfall'' in 28 October 2000: ''"It contains allegations of fakery, con-trickery and financial irregularities in the funding of the hospital and over a Sai Baba project to supply water to villages around the ashram, which is habitually trumpeted as evidence of his munificence."''. David Bailey previously wrote, in his two books about SSB, that he personally witnessed manifestations, healings, miracles and was saved from a nasty car accident by Sathya Sai Baba "A Journey to Love (page 45), David Bailey: ''"Another man sat to my left between me and His chair. Swami smiled and waved His right hand in the air and a gold ring with nine stones just appeared from nowhere. 'For you', He said to the man on my left. 'It won't fit', He added, trying to push the ring on to the fourth finger on his left hand. 'Try', He said to the man, and then to several others sitting in the room. No way would it go past his knuckle, so Swami held the ring with his two fingers, slipped it off and blew on it once, then slipped the ring back on...a perfect fit. Then He smiled and waved His hand in the air again. It seemed, in slow motion, that a gold bracelet with a watch in it dropped from the centre of His palm...'For you', He said to one of the ladies. 'Check the time', He added...it was correct!" A Journey to Love (page 80), David Bailey: "He waved His right hand in the air, and, slowly, from about 4 inches under His hand, in mid-air, appeared the most beautiful Japamala (rather like a set of rosary beads, with 108 beads) in silver and crystal."'' A Journey to Love (page 65), David Bailey: ''"Swami waved His right hand in the air in a clockwise circular motion and under His hand in mid-air appeared the most astonishingly huge diamond ring. 'Give me the fourth finger of your left hand. It will fit.' He slid it on and it was fantastic, a perfect fit. I could not believe my eyes."'' A Journey to Love (page 104), David Bailey: ''"I have seen (and there are countless recorded incidents) of Him touching critically ill people in wheelchairs, with cancer, etc., and they were healed."'' A Journey to Love (page 78, 79), David Bailey: ''"Swami had called this Indian family along with a very, very elderly lady, who was in a wheelchair. The family started to push her towards Swami, when He apparently said, 'No, walk!' This lady got up from out of the wheelchair, the first time for 15 years we discovered, and walked elegantly up to the interview room and entered inside. This next part I saw. The door closed, and, as Swami had promised He would talk to me, I knew I must wait. I went in and the elderly lady was sitting on the floor. I sat next to her. Swami made some vibuthi for us, and then took the Australians in for their private interview. What happened next was a moment that I shall never forget in all my life. Swami invited the Indian family into the inner room. The two sons came to help the elderly lady up off the floor. 'No no' Swami said, 'Bhagavan here.' He raised His hands in the air, palms pointing down towards her, and I find the following few moments very difficult to put into words. As I was sitting beside her I felt exactly what happened. Energy poured out of His hands in a kind of circular motion, it was not like an elecrtical energy, it was sheer love, so powerful it was almost a glimpse of Heaven. I burst into floods of tears, I couldn't help it, the feeling was so beautiful. The elderly lady got up like a three year old and went into the inner room."'' A Journey to Love, Book 2 (page 52, 53, 55), David Bailey: ''"...I was so tired, I could hardly see the road ahead. Faye had left for Australia, so I was driving alone. Well, I don't remember driving into the Welsh village - I must have dropped off to sleep. The next thing I knew was the car stopping two inches away from windows of a double glass fronted shop to my left, and a large delivery lorry two inches to my right. This lorry had been delivering lots of plastic dustbins, seed trays, etc. My eyes opened to see all of this in mid air, as I had obviously driven straight into them like one of the old Laurel and Hardy films. This activated my sense of humour, and I immediately laughed, before realising the reality of the situation. My car had neatly parked with expert precision. Two inches either way and there would have been a nasty accident. There was no damage to anything and I was unhurt...If I had taken the train I might have been late, but very much alive!!!! Because of my thoughtlessness I needed the love that flows through Swami to save me, even though my little voice had told me what to do....I held his hand, and when a quiet moment came whispered, 'Swami, thank You for saving my life!' He looked down at me and I melted with the love that poured through Him and He very slowly said, 'Yes...I know.'". SSB is said to give "oiling" between the scrotum and anus, on the genitals, above the genitals, on the chest or on the head. The testimonies of sexual abuse of young men were shown in TV documentaries, including ''"Seduced by Sai Baba"'' by Denmark's national television, and documentary film ''"Secret Swami"'' by BBC. The available online : ''"All this helps explain why there has never been any official action against Sai Baba in India, despite the dozens of ex-believers who insist that his claims to divinity mask a wholly human craving for the bodies of the ashram's young men and boys."''. Kennedy Dominic, a journalist for The British newspaper The Times , reported in August 2001 that three men had died after placing hope in Sathya Sai Baba. According to the Times articles Michael Pender, an HIV infected man who overdosed on drugs more than once, complained that he had been repeatedly sexually molested by the guru. Pender apparently committed suicide in a hostel for the homeless in North London. Aran Edwards, a British national, was described as ''"quite an ill person, mentally unstable and needed orthodox help"'', by David Bailey. Edwards was encouraged to write to the guru to help solve his ''"psychological problems"''. Edwards had never traveled to see the guru first-hand. Edwards was found hanging from a staircase in his home in Cardiff, London. Andrew Richardson, another British national, hurled himself off a bank building in Bangalore, India. Two letters were found on his body in which he said he was in a deep depression. He expressed a desire to see Sai Baba and Mother Teresa. Dominic Kennedy , The Times British News, 'I sought peace and couldn't find it' Available online & 'Three die after putting faith in guru' Available online : ''"The Times has learnt that three Britons have apparently taken their lives after placing hope in India's most popular holy man. One of them had complained of being repeatedly sexually molested by Sai Baba at his ashram in Puttaparthi near Bangalore. Michael Pender, an HIV-positive student, was found dead at a London hostel after taking alcohol and painkillers. He had already tried to commit suicide at the holy man's headquarters. Aran Edwards hanged himself at home in Cardiff after joining a Sai Baba support group and being encouraged to write to the guru to solve his psychological problems. Mr Edwards sent a flurry of anxious letters but was devastated after receiving no replies and being told that the guru did not read his mail. Mr Pender, known as 'Mitch,' was found dead after taking tablets in the lonely bedroom of a hostel for the homeless in Highbury, North London. He was 23. ...He tried to commit suicide in the ashram. He had overdosed on drugs more than once. He had some strange, very powerful experiences there... 'He was quite an ill person, mentally unstable and needed orthodox help. In the end, he wrote a couple of dozen or more letters to Sai Baba. The group had told him this was what to do. He used to ring me from phone boxes pleading with me. There were 35 phone calls, I suppose . . . he was absolutely desperate that I should talk to Sai Baba for him because he was in such a state and had written all these letters which he had sent out and hadn't had a reply. Could I please help because I was Sai Baba's right-hand man?' At the end I said, 'Wake up. He doesn't even read these letters'. He was so distraught about the situation, he decided to commit suicide.' Aran Edwards, a single man, was found hanged from a staircase at his home in Cardiff, on April 19, 1999. He was 37. A suicide verdict was recorded by the coroner. On September 19, 1996, Mr Richardson travelled to Bangalore and hired a taxi at the railway station to one of the city's tallest buildings, the State Bank of Mysore. Mr Richardson flung banknotes and travellers' cheques in the air, ran into the bank and up the stairs to the eighth floor, where he smashed a window and leapt 84ft to the ground, killing himself. He was 33. Two letters were found on his body. One to Sai Baba outlined his quest for spiritual enlightenment. The second was a suicide note saying he was in a deep depression: 'I came to India in search of peace but could not find it.' His mother, Deirdre, at her home near Pietermaritzburg, said: 'Andrew wanted to see Sai Baba, but was also heading to Calcutta to see Mother Teresa . . . All he wanted to do was work with the poor.'"'' SSB did not give a detailed public rebuttal to the accusations of sexual abuse. In his Christmas 2000 discourse SSB said that people disseminate false negative stories about him because they have been bribed Discourse by SSB on 25 December 2000 [http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume33/sss33-23.pdf available online pdf file. A couple of sexual abuse testimonies claim that Baba can change into a woman instantaneously. These puzzling testimonies have led Alexandra Nagel to the conclusion that Baba is a , (1994) ISBN 9053833412 available online : English translation ''"With this last remark it becomes plausible why Sai Baba's sexual acts, as Brooke and Ord told them, have been largely remained unknown: the majority of the devotees is not open enough to understand the symbolism or to accept it. It is totally unclear whether Swallow knew about Sai Baba's acts with young men and his hermaphrodism. From the way in which she portrayed Baba as an incarnation of Shiva, one could infer that she would have found it normal and appropriate that those events take place. Because Baba shows in his private surroundings his side of the 'supreme lover' and combines this in addidition with Shiva-Shakti, the male-female form."'' Reference: Swallow, Deborah A. 1982 ''Ashes and Powers: myth, rite and miracle in an indian God-man's cult''. In Modern Asian Studies jaargang 16 (1) pp.123-158. Dutch original: ''"Middels deze laatste opmerking wordt aannemelijk waarom Sai Baba's sexuele handelingen zoals Brooke en Ord ze naar voren hebben gebracht, grotendeels onder de oppervlakte zijn gebleven: het merendeel van zijn devotees is niet open genoeg om de symboliek te kunnen begrijpen of te accepteren. Totaal onduidelijk is evenwel of Swallow kennis heeft genomen van Sai Baba's handelingen met jongemannen en zijn tweeslachtigheid. Uit de wijze waarop zij Baba als een incarnatie van Shiva heeft geportretteerd, zou afgeleid kunnen worden dat ze het niet meer dan normaal of passend zou vinden dat die gebeurtenissen plaatsvinden. Want Baba toont in de privé-omgeving zijn kant van 'opperste geliefde' en combineert dit bovendien met Shiva-Shakti, de man-vrouw vorm."'' Referentie: Swallow, Deborah A. 1982 ''Ashes and Powers: myth, rite and miracle in an indian God-man's cult''. In Modern Asian Studies jaargang 16 (1) pp.123-158.. In the years 1999 and 2000 SSB has repeatedly belittled the internet and discouraged its use Discourse by SSB on October 15, 1999, Available online (pdf file): ''"Some of the elders sitting at the Verandah are indulging in gossip; it is finding its way into the internet. (…) Swami has nothing to do with the internet. Not only now, even in future also. You should not indulge in such wrong activities."'' Discourse by SSB on September 26, 2000, Available online (pdf file): ''"Internet is like a waste paper basket...I have already told you about internet, radio, video etc. We have seen so many people who have been exposed to these media. But, what is their effect? All transient, passing clouds that come and go. It is an utter waste of time. It is all business oriented. That is not our aim. Do not hanker after internet: turn to the innernet. Concentrate on inner vision."''. Sceptics such as Premanand, an atheist, believe Sathya Sai Baba to be an cheater and Charlatan . The critical former follower Glen Meloy described him as 'a demented demonic force' Brown, Mick ''Divine downfall'' 28 Oct. 2000 available online : ''"Whether he is divine, 'a demented demonic force', as Glen Meloy now describes him, or simply the most accomplished fakir and confidence trickster, Sai Baba has said nothing publicly about the allegations laid against him."''. Tal Brooke , an American Evangelical Christian wrote in his 1976 book ''Avatar of the Night'' that SSB is a False Prophet and an Antichrist , as according to him was predicted in the Bible . Stances by devotees and proponents Bill Aitken (a Sai Devotee, expert in comparative religion and author of the book ''"Sathya Sai Baba: A life"'') stated that Sathya Sai Baba's reputation has only increased despite negative stories being published against the Guru, by rationalists, critics and skeptics, for at least a generation. Aitken contended that critics are so distemperate in their dislike that their vituperation comes across as near comical. Aitken also argued that the BBC's programme, Secret Swami, had an advantage for discrediting Sathya Sai Baba because the Anglican Church would not object to programmes that weaken perceived threats, such as Sai Movement Aitken, Bill, Miracle of Welfare (November 27 2005) Available online . The secretary of the Puttaparthi ashram, K. Chakravarthi, refused to comment on the accusations, but Anil Kumar, SSB's principal translator, said that all great religious leaders had faced criticism and that the controversy was part of Sai Baba's divine plan Brown, Mick ''Divine downfall'' 28 Oct. 2000 available online : ''"When the Telegraph Magazine contacted K Chakravarthi, secretary of the Puttaparthi ashram, he said, 'We have no time for these matters. I have nothing to say' and terminated the call.'...Sai Baba's principal English translator, Anil Kumar, was more forthcoming. Every great religious teacher, he said, had faced criticism in their lifetime. Such allegations had been levelled at Sai Baba since childhood, 'but with every criticism he becomes more and more triumphant'. Kumar said he considered the controversy 'all part of Baba's divine plan. It's a paddy field with husks around the rice. Eventually all the unwanted parts will go to leave the true substance inside.'"''. Thorbjørn Meyer, in a letter to the DR, called the allegations undocumented and untrue. Peter Pruzan, a professor at Copenhagen’s Business High School and a follower of SSB, replied after being confronted with critical material about SSB that SSB is not a pedophile nor that he does conjuring tricks, pointing to the powers of SSB that Pruzan said he has experienced, both in SSB’s presence as well as in Denmark "Seduced" TV documentary produced by Danish Radio broadcasted on January 30, 2002 at 8:05 pm. transcript available online . Parliamentary, governmental and political issues and responses The Indian President Abdul Kalam and the former Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee , as well as other Indian dignitaries, visit the ashram and pay their respects to Sathya Sai Baba. In an official letter released to the general public, in December 2001, A.B. Vajpayee (the then Prime Minister of India), P.N. Bhagawati (Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India), Ranganath Mishra (Chair Person, National Human Rights Commissioner of India and Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India), Najma Heptulla (President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union; UNDP Distinguished Human Development Ambassador) and Shivraj V. Patil (Member of Parliament, India; Formerly of the Lok Sabda & Union Minister) all signed a letter that called the allegations against Sathya Sai Baba ''"wild, reckless and concocted allegations made by certain vested interests"'' and that they ''"unequivocally condemned"'' the allegations as ''"baseless and malicious"'' Sri Sathya Sai Baba - A Living Legend - An Embodiment Of Love For All Mankind, Letter from A.B. Vajpayee (the then Prime Minister of India), Available online . In the year 2000 UNESCO withdrew its co-sponsorship of an educational conference at Puttaparthi and stated the reasons, in a press release issued on 15 September, as "''Certain decisions were taken by the ISSE without consultation, such as plans to hold some of the sessions at the Ashram of the Sathya Sai movement in Puttaparthi, and the inclusion of some speakers in the conference programme without their previous consent. Furthermore, the Organization is deeply concerned about widely-reported allegations of sexual abuse involving youths and children that have been levelled at the leader of the movement in question, Sathya Sai Baba''" Unesco Press Release, September 2000, Available online . In the year 2003, Unesco removed this press release from their site. Former MP Tony Colman of the Parliament Of The United Kingdom asked, in the parliament in 2002, whether a travel warning was appropriate due to the reports of sexual abuse Colman, Tony 26 February 2002 ''Tony Colman SAI BABA AND SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN'' Early Day Motion EDM 886 ''Sai Baba and sexual abuse of children'' 26.02.2002 Colman, Tony . Since 2002, neither Tony Blair nor the Parliament ever issued a travel warning against Sathya Sai Baba. Nor has the British Government released any official statement regarding this matter. Tom Sackville, a former Home Office Under-Secretary of State and current chairman of the anti-cult organisation Family Action Information and Resource (FAIR), has expressed concern about the alleged Indoctrination of children by devotees who volunteer at public schools and propagate the ''Educare''/''Education in Human Values'' teachings and asserted that this should be forbidden by law British law against Sai Baba sought, by Rashmee Z. Ahmed, The Times Of India, September 5 2001: Available online . On October 1 , 2001 the European Commission answered a question from Lousewies Van Der Laan , then a Member Of The European Parliament , about no EU funding going to organizations associated with Sathya Sai Baba, due to allegations of sexual abuse Question to the Commission pdf file . The Commission answered that the Sathya Sai Trust never received, and was not receiving, any funding from the European Commission. A travel advisory by the United States Department Of State , in which neither Sathya Sai Baba or other persons are mentioned, warns US citizens traveling to Andhra Pradesh of unconfirmed reports of inappropriate sexual behavior toward young male devotees by a prominent local religious leader ''United States Department of State'' wesite: ''"U.S. citizens should be aware that there have been unconfirmed reports of inappropriate sexual behavior by a prominent local religious leader at an ashram or religious retreat located in Andhra Pradesh. Most of the reports indicate that the subjects of these approaches have been young male devotees, including a number of U.S. citizens."'' Available online (Retrieved Feb 2006). REFERENCES AND FOOTNOTES SATHYA SAI BABA'S PRESENCE IN POPULAR CULTURE Sathya Sai Baba's name is mentioned on the popular incense Nag Champa . BIBLIOGRAPHY Books By Sathya Sai Baba Online Resource: Sathya Sai Speaks Series Online Resource: Vahini Series Written By Sathya Sai Baba Selected Books By Followers
Books by skeptics and critics
Other Books
EXTERNAL LINKS Official Sathya Sai Baba Websites
Websites of critical former followers, skeptics and other critics
Websites of Devotees and Proponents That Address Allegations
Other Websites
Media Articles
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