Time-travel to the days of declaration of Avatarhood of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba - Part 5

The second Gopuram which leads to the main sanctum in the Virupaksha temple at Hampi. 

Lord Virupaksha

For those that have come in late, let me confess that it has been the most memorable ‘Life of Fly” for me in my time-machines of imagination and information. However, I cannot say the same about the journey in the space-machines, Toyota Innova and the Tata Sumo Grande, from Uravakonda to Hampi. The roads in some stretches are like fields being ploughed for an additional crop! It is advised to travel light in the stomach lest the mixer of a journey force one to throw up. Hampi is a good 4 to 4.5 hours drive from Uravakonda instead of the 3-hour one it could be if the roads are good.

The story so far has been absorbing because it has allowed us to witness those episodes in Swami’s childhood life that very few are aware of. It is thus suggested that the reader move on to this fifth and penultimate part, only having read the previous four parts.

Part 1: Time-travel to the days of declaration of Avatarhood of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba- 1

Part 2: Time-travel to the days of declaration of Avatarhood of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba- 2

Part 3: Time-travel to the days of declaration of Avatarhood of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba - Part 3

Part 4: Time-travel to the days of declaration of Avatarhood of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba - Part 4

A magnificent view of the entire sun-kissed temple complex. 

“When Swami tells you something, do it immediately!”

That is my motto because if His words are not adhered to immediately, I end up as a big loser. He, I am sure, is planning every moment of my life for me so that it is fulfilling and enriching. And so, His look was enough to send me flying into the Virupaksha temple along with the others. The main temple is very simple at first sight but one entering it, one is almost hit with the beauty of the art and architecture that adorns it. Though almost all of the idols and statues in the temple complex have been disfigured and badly damaged by the ravaging Muslim sultans who foolishly thought of destroying idolatry by breaking idols, their beauty shines through the disfigurement too.

My teeny weeny heart bled with pain as I saw the beautiful granite stone sculptures damaged. On one hand I wondered what terrible emotions hatred and anger were, knocking the senses out of a person. On the other hand, I marveled at the timelessness of beauty which shone forth even through the damaged sculptures just like sweetness exudes from a even a crushed sugarcane. Among the several architectural marvels in the temple is the ‘pinhole-camera’ image of the Gopuram the falls on one of the western walls. I was stunned to see the inverted gopuram on the wall and was equally stunned to see that the source of the image was a small hole, made precisely in the opposite wall. What scientific geniuses our ancestors were!

The inverted image of the Gopuram as it falls on a wall in the temple.
Inset: The Gopuram seen through the 2"x 3"hole which acts as a pin-hole camera substitute.

But the greatest wonder lay in the sanctum - Lord Virupaksha, a form of Lord Shiva. It is the Bharatiya tradition to not worship idols which are broken. That is the reason why the Muslim sultans broke and ‘desecrated’ the idols to ensure that their worship would cease. Legend goes that as they marauding hordes neared the Virupaksha shrine, a pig crossed their path. Pig is considered haraam (forbidden by Allah) by the Muslims and thus the Lord’s idol was spared - saved by a pig. I remembered the lines from a famous song - Kabhi Kabhi Bhagawan Ko Bhi Bhakton Ka Kaam Padhe - there are times when even the Lord needs help from His devotees! I also remembered how a form of Lord Vishnu, Lord Vitthala at the Vijaya Vitthala temple nearby, was saved by the devotee Pundalika from the same marauders. The idol was then installed by the saint in Pandharpur, the center for Vitthala-bhakti!

A part of the Vijaya Vitthala temple complex with its beautiful and artistic, multi-dimensional carvings.

The famous stone chariot with movable wheels which adorns the Vijaya Vitthala temple complex.

I prepared myself to see the beauty of my Swami in the Virupaksha form. Virupaksha literally translates into “malformed eye” in reference to the third-eye in the center of Lord Shiva’s forehead. As the priest waved camphor before the deity for Aarthi, I became ‘Virupaksha’ too as my eyes bulged out in disbelief. What shall I say! It was such a significant and thrilling moment. The glow of the Aarthi flame lit up not the idol of Virupaksha but the tiny frame of my Swami! There was a collective gasp as everyone saw their Raju receiving the Aarthi in place of Virupaksha! Everyone was surely stunned. However, Seshama Raju seemed enraged. He seemed to be thinking that his brother had surreptitiously entered the temple and smuggled himself into the sanctum. The fact that the priest was blissfully unaware and was going about the Aarthi ritual did not knock any sense into him. Seshama charged out of the temple. I wanted to tell him that he was being foolish, not seeing a miracle happening in front of his eyes. I too buzzed out.

The Shiva Linga which has been christened as Virupaksha. There is also a silver cast of Lord Shiva with huge eyes
which is placed atop this Linga. Thus the name. It was in it's place that the entourage saw Raju!  (Photography prohibited in the sanctum. This picture is courtesy of the priest who gave me a folded photo which I re-clicked.)

On the way, I heard Ramaraju, the Municipal Chairman say,

“See! I told you. Raju is Virupaksha and Virupaksha is Raju! There is no difference between them.”

Two others also had followed Seshama. Imagine their shock and my thrill when we saw Swami seated exactly where we had left Him, lost in thoughts! I smiled. Now Seshama would have to believe! But that was not to be so. He told his two ‘followers’ to go into the temple and see it Sathyam was in the sanctum while he himself stood watching his brother in the courtyard. Two minutes later, they came out running to report that Sathyam was still receiving Aarthi in the sanctum!

Seshama stormed towards one corner of the huge temple complex. What was he up to? I saw Swami smiling gently and curiosity made me buzz off towards His ‘elder brother’. It was a happy sight for me. In the secrecy of his assumed solitude, Seshama seemed to be rejoicing. He was smiling and almost seemed to be drinking deep from some unseen fountain of bliss. By the time we returned, the group was out of the temple and everyone was seeking blessings from Raju. We soon departed from Hampi and reached Bellary.

The golden pin

Swami’s ‘stock-price’, if I may call it so, had soared after the Hampi incident. Not for Ramaraju though. From the beginning itself he was blessed to have recognised Swami’s ‘value’. Now, he openly began to treat Swami like a Master that He is. Ramaraju introduced Him so to all his colleagues too. Many of them felt that he had gone crazy and even made fun of him as a mad man. Ah! That is the nature of the world for which a God-intoxicated man appears mad. But it is the wise who are able to realize that a world-intoxicated man is actually mad!

In sheer gratitude, Ramaraju approached Swami with a bundle in hand. Placing it in Swami’s hand, he pleaded Him to accept the offering of love. The bundle contained a shirt and a pair of shorts! Ramaraju now knelt down and called Swami close to him. Ah! Another God-devotee bonding and so I flew up. He slowly opened his clenched fist to reveal a shining, golden collar pin. Wearing a collar pin symbolised status and Ramaraju felt that this was the least he could do for his Lord.

“Please Raju”, he beseeched, “accept this and promise me that you will remember me whenever you wear it...”

It was a touching sight to see an elderly person at the little Master’s feet. Swami just smiled and accepted it. “Blessed indeed is Ramaraju”, I thought, “that the Lord chose to accept from him!” Thus it was that Swami willingly got Himself pinned! It was Seshama’s turn now to be Virupaksha as he saw his little brother adorned with a gold collar pin.

The adieu from Bellary and Ramaraju was a tearful one. He embraced Swami lovingly before the Uravakonda party boarded the bus to return. The school would begin in a couple of days and life would return to its erstwhile “normalcy” was what I thought. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Maya leaves

It was the 19th of October when the party returned from the Hampi (humpy and bumpy too!) trip. I was happily perched on the Divine shoulder, without a care in the world. Why would I have any when He was (and is) always shouldering me? Swami got down from the bus and instead of heading home, began to walk in another direction. There was a steely determination in His eyes and everybody wondered where he was going. The entourage followed Him as He headed straight to the house of his teacher, Manchiraju Thammiraju. Commissioner Narasaraju was also in the entourage. I remember this because everyone seemed to be giving him regard and respect.

The devout teacher, Manchiraju Thammiraju with his wife, Kameswaramma.

Walking into the house, Swami went to his teacher’s wife and literally commanded her,

“Ammayi, serve snacks and coffee to all these people.”

A shock came over the woman’s face and she knelt before Swami in humble submission. She showed him the pot which had coffee enough for about 6 people. The stock of snacks was also enough only for 6 people.

“Don’t worry, serve the people now”, said Swami.

“Yes! Just start doing what you are told. Swami will take care of everything”, I buzzed aloud knowing that when God gives a task, He also gives the strength to fulfill it.

The snacks and coffee remained even after all the 36 people and a solitary fly had their fill! (Thammiraju, apart from being a teacher to The Teacher, is also His staunch devotee! He had many experiences and all that he experienced on that day in 1943, he would write about in the September 1963 issue of Sanathana Sarathi.) Spending some time in His teacher’s home, Swami finally returned home.

I couldn’t sleep that night. The happenings over the past couple of days filled my being. Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t realize the whole night passing. In no time, it was the morning of the 20th of October, the day when the Karibasavaswami District Board High School (KDBHS) re-opened after the vacation.  

Swami woke up early as was his wont. However, He appeared so different today. He seemed lost in some reverie. It was very silently that He got ready for school. He made it a point to put on the collar pin. It seemed to be an ‘instrument’ with which a devotee had ‘pinned’ his Lord! With His books, Swami walked towards the Excise Inspector, Anjaneyulu’s house.

Above: Sri Anjaneyulu's house is today a bhajan hall.
Below: The bhajan hall hosts weekly bhajans, every Thursday

He was joined by the children, Narasimha Dass and Subburathnamma and the trio walked together towards school. Just before they could disperse into their respective classes, Swami showed them also the collar pin. Subburathnamma said that the first class in the morning was by Seshama Raju and hurried towards her class. Curious to know how good a teacher Seshama was, I thought of going along with Subburathnamma for just a few minutes.

The teacher arrived and began to speak in flawless and poetic Telugu. It felt nice. Having satisfied myself, I decided to buzz back to my Swami.

Suddenly, Swami arrived at the classroom entrance and exclaimed,

“It is gone! It is gone!”

I looked at Him and saw that the golden collar pin was missing. It was evident that it had dropped off somewhere.

“I have lost my collar pin”, He told Seshama.

Angry at being rudely interrupted in the middle of the class, Seshama said,

“Don’t tell me anything! Go talk to your sister-in-law.”

Promptly, He walked away. I too promptly flew out to go with Him. On the way, a smile blossomed on His face and He broke into a song,

“Praapanchika Sambandham Pinnai Tholagen

Kshetra Darshanamu Kooda Chellenu Hampin

Maya Tholagenani Gruhamunu Veedenu.”

(The link with worldly ties has gone in the form of the pin,

The pilgrimage to Hampi has also served its purpose,

Having attained freedom from Maya, I leave home.)

He walked into His classroom and picked up His books. He looked all around one final time. “What happened Raju? Where are you going? This is your classroom...”

“The whole world is His classroom! He is the Universal Teacher!” I buzzed excitedly but who had time and ability to listen to a fly?

Swami had already gone, walking away from school. I buzzed back to Swami. He reached home and opened the door.

“How are you back so early Sathyam...” Susheelamma, the sister-in-law,  began to ask. Her question was suddenly halted with a thud. Swami had thrown all his books to the floor in a bang!

“I am no longer your Sathyam! I am Sai.” He said aloud.

A fly has compound eyes which means it cannot see as good as people. Things appear very blurry to my eyes. But I am sure, as Swami made that statement, there should have been a shower of flowers from the heavens above. Nobody seems to have seen that. Maybe, you need divine fore’sight’ to witness such things!

Susheelamma dropped her work with the grinding stone in the kitchen and came rushing out. She shrieked closing her eyes as if she was seeing some blazing light around Sathyam’s head. Swami continued to address her,

“I am going. I don’t belong to you alone. Maya has gone. My devotees are calling me. I have my Work to do and I can’t stay any longer.”

It was with a shocked expression that
Susheelamma witnessed Sathyam casting
away his books. 

The scholar Narayana Shastry was blessed to be at the doorstep of Seshama’s house when this was happening. Desperately, Susheelamma enterated to the scholar,

“ Please ask him what has happened? Talk to him...”

But the scholar only fell at Swami’s feet in awe. Swami walked out and sat on a ledge outside. I buzzed behind Him. He was constantly uttering,

“Everything is Maya... Everything is Maya.”

The message must have reached the KDBHS for very soon, He was accosted by Seshama.

“What has happened to you?”

“Give up your efforts to ‘cure’ me. I am Sai. I do not consider myself related to you.”

He got up and started walking away. Seshama’s countenance underwent a change. After what he had seen at Hampi, he knew that that this was no longer his little brother but a very powerful force. He seemed to address that ‘force’ as he asked,

“How long will you remain as a boy?”
“Till Maya arrives”, Swami said and moved on. He was now heading back towards the direction of the school. On the way, He turned into Anjaneyulu’s bungalow.

The entrance to the erstwhile bungalow of Sri Anjaneyulu. Today this is a Sathya Sai Center in Uravakonda.

Enjoy the thrilling conclusion in the next part...

From Maya to Manasa Bhajare as Sri Sathya Sai declares His life mission - Part 2


In the meanwhile, you might also enjoy these other articles:

1. Evil Eye, Duradrishti or Nazar - a perspective based on an experience with Sri Sathya Sai Baba

2. An amazing experience with Sathya Sai and the Suka Nadi

3. God's love is not bound by time and space - a devotee's experience at Sri Sathya Sai Mahasamadhi

For all readers:

(If you enjoyed this and wish to subscribe to this blog, please go to the right hand side and choose the last 'box' which says subscribe. Also explore the 50-odd 'previous articles' listed month-wise on the top right here. Another blog which I maintain with more than 230 articles on it is at http://aravindb1982.hubpages.com. If you wish to be added to my mailing list, please email me via this page with the subject "ADD ME TO MAILING LIST".

Time-travel to the days of declaration of Avatarhood of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba - Part 3

The Karibasavaswamy District Board High School (KDBHS) where Sathya studied for
a few months. The top image shows the front of the school while the bottom image
is of the grounds to its side. The classroom in which Sathya sat has its window close
to the lone tree seen in the image.

Second stint at Uravakonda

My ‘space-travel’ vehicle, the Toyota Innova, is now parked at the Karibasavaswami District Board High School (KDBHS) at Uravakonda. My ‘time-travel’ vehicle is parked in the summer of 1943 having travelled through the happenings at Sathya’s home immediately after the famous ‘scorpion-bite’. The next few months in 1943 need me to travel back to Puttaparthi to witness some of the most painful incidents when my Swami was subjected to great physical torture in the name of exorcising ghosts and demons from Him. For the sake of geographical convenience and continuity in the theme of Uravakonda stories, I shall skip the Puttaparthi days here. Instead, I shall fast-forward a few months to the July of 1943 when Sathya returned to Uravakonda as a little ‘Sai Baba’ having publicly declared so in the presence of His ‘father’ on the 23rd of May at Puttaparthi.

(This is the third part of a very exciting series on Swami's Avatarhood Declaration. It would be best to read this after reading the first two parts. The research for these works has mostly been borrowed from the monumental work, Love is My Form.

PART 1:

Time-travel to the days of declaration of Avatarhood of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba - Part 1

PART 2:

Time-travel to the days of declaration of Avatarhood of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba - Part 2

Thank you)

His brother, Seshamma Raju, had witnessed several miracles. Yet, he was very worried about his brother. He felt that education in the KDBHS would get Him focused back on education and career. So, he got Him admitted there for the new academic year starting on the 1st of July, 1943. This was into what was then called ‘Form 3’ or Grade VIII. Little did he know that this would be the final ‘academic’ year for Swami. As in my previous journeys, I wish to adopt the fly-on-the-wall approach by literally becoming a fly! I hope to buzz around and convey the beautiful story of my Lord to all of you. Without further ado, let me board the time-machine please...

Whirrrrr...... Swooooooooshhhhhh...... Blip...

I am now buzzing in the grounds of the KDBHS. They are huge and measure almost 1.5 times an international football ground! The imposing Uravakonda hill seems to look over the grounds like an eternal witness in a serene manner. Today however, it seemed to be excitedly craning at the grounds. There was also a loud buzz which was definitely not exuding from my wings! The buzz was the excited whisper among the students of the school who had come to know that their new schoolmate was someone who was possibly possessed by God! I was happy with this buzz. I only wished that they would move from the half-truth to the Truth, the Sathya that Sathya was (is and will be) God!

Top: Sathya's classroom as it was in those days.
Bottom: The classroom as it is today. A devotee has lovingly got a shrine made
and the classroom today has been turned into a library-cum-staff room. 

I gathered from the whispers that my Swami had won the hearts of several teachers and schoolmates. He wore the unofficial crown as the school leader. Today, that unofficial crown would be getting the official stamp as Sathya would be leading the assembly in prayer. The prayer chosen to be sung during the assembly those days at the KDBHS was one composed by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. The song has a beautiful meaning and message:

Moment to moment, Thy clarion call resounds-

Hearing Thy magnanimous words,

Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Parsees, Muslims and Christians

Come from East and West to Thy throne,

Making the garland of Love.

Hail to Thee who unites all Humanity!

(The ‘prayer-song’ is actually the second stanza of a much longer song, the first stanza of which would get adopted by independent India as its National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. The Bengali language, in which Gurudev has written this song, is peculiar in the sense that it replaces the ‘A’ sound with the ‘O’ sound and replaces the ‘V’ with the ‘B’ in relation to the parent Sanskrit language.)

My heart thrilled as I saw my Swami leading the headmaster of the school up the stage. This was just the beginning. I knew that Swami would lead millions of souls by the hand in their ascent in this stage called life. Coming on stage, Swami began to sing in the most melodious of voices. Ah! What a thrill to hear him sing. I was in tears as I stood in attention on the shoulder of one of the students in the first line of the assembly.

Aharaha Tava Aahvaana Prachaarita,

Sunisita Udaar Vaani

Hindu Bauddh Shikha Jain,

Parasik Musalman Christaani

Purav Pashchim Vasi,

Tava Simhaasana Paasi

Premavahini

A clip from Anjali Devi's tele-serial production, "Shirdi Sai Parthi Sai Divyakatha" 

which shows little Sathya leading the assembly in prayer. This teleserial was blessed

by Swami and He provided the details. The name of the school can be clearly seen. 

Thursday sessions

As in the schools before, Swami became the unofficial leader among all the students and was admired by many teachers too. He had declared in Puttaparthi a few months before that Thursday was dear to Him and He should be worshipped on that day. Apparently, many at KDBHS had taken that seriously as I found out on the first Thursday at school. All had assembled in the class after the morning assembly led by Sathya. The teacher had not yet arrived to the class and so, all were playing and talking. I buzzed towards Swami and espied a smile blossom on His lips. He seemed to be in a very benevolent mood and He looked lovingly at all His classmates. Without any warning, He raised His right hand and began to shower them with akshatha (turmeric-coated holy grains of rice). Suddenly there was a pin-drop silence of awe. The realization that it was Thursday floated across the class. The class leader, Abdul Khader walked up to Him and asked,

“From where did you get all that Rice Raju?”

Swami stretched out His right palm and pointed to it with the left index finger. An astonished look came on Abdul’s face.

Since I was behind my Lord, I wondered what was so amazing about Swami’s empty right palm. With a speed burst, I flew to the front and what I saw stunned my antennae. Very clearly outlined in the center of Swami’s right palm was the mark of a lotus in full bloom! Once again the whispered murmuring in the class was of the fact that it was a Thursday. Getting to know this, the teachers decided to let Sathya get away from classes on Thursdays after the morning hours. They gave Him the freedom to do as He pleases on His day.

That day, Swami walked out of the class and went across the grounds. I know this because I buzzed and sat on His shoulder. Was it right to do so? Is it not unholy for me, a fly to sit thus on the Avatar? My heart gave me my answer. This was the compassionate Lord who had come to uplift all. His shoulders bear the burden of the whole universe comfortably as if it was a fly. Then what to say of an actual fly? I smiled and enjoyed the ride. Swami crossed the little road and entered the residence of a gentleman who had already considered this little boy as his God. The person was the local (Salt) Excise Inspector, Anjaneyulu.

Anjaneyulu had been a staunch devotee of the Sai Baba of Shirdi and had experienced his Sai in this little Sai. Knowing that Swami had advised him to procure a statue of Shirdi Sai Baba. He had replied,

“Raju, it is impossible to get an idol of Shirdi Baba here. Nobody even knows about Baba...”

“Listen to me. Go to the Lakshminarasimha Swami temple at Pennohobilam and there you will get it.”

The Excise Inspector became an excited inspector at Pennohobilam as he was able to procure a baked clay idol of Shirdi Baba for half a rupee. 

The Shirdi Baba idol made of baked clay bought
by Anjaneyulu. It currently is in the shrine of his
youngest son, G.Sai Maruthi at Sridharagatta
near Kalyanadurg.

Swami walked into the garden of the house and sat near a boulder there. On the boulder was a tigerskin on which was placed this idol of Shirdi Baba. He began to sing bhajans and everyone from Anjaneyulu’s house joined in. I felt sad that I could not sing in a human voice but was happy to be closest to the source of the melodious music. I looked around and saw that people were gathering in the garden in dozens. Some had walked a great distance from the main town to reach here. Among the gathered dozens were several of Swami’s teachers as well! After the bhajans, there was a Puja (worship). Swami Himself was the chief priest! I just couldn’t distinguish between who was worshipping and who was receiving the worship. The worship culminated with Aarthi which was done by waving the lighted camphor by Swami Himself.

After that, Swami went around distributing sweets as prasadam. Even as He did so, He spoke to one elderly man,

“Don’t worry. Your daughter will give birth to a healthy child.”

It was as if a huge burden lifted off the man’s shoulders. To a lady who was seated at the back, He said,

“Eat this fruit Amma. You will be totally fine by tomorrow morning.”

Sitting on His shoulders, I was thrilled at this spontaneous and instantaneous shower of grace. Dozens were now waiting to have a word with Him because they were sure that any problem could be solved if He only said it. His name was Sathya and His word too was Sathya. My Swami patiently heard to all the different problems. Sitting on His shoulder, I started feeling a bit low hearing to all these problems, difficulties and burdens. But Swami seemed to go on and on, showering grace, consoling, wiping tears and granting joy.

Needless to say, Thursday bhajans became huge gatherings very soon.

Goddumarri S.Anjanaeyulu and his wife Smt.Bhagyalakshmi - Swami picked their house as His mandir. 

Every day is a Thursday

Blessed were the children of Anjaneyulu, Narasimha Dass and Subburathnamma, for they were Swami’s schoolmates. Very often, Raju walked to Anjaneyulu’s house from His house and the three children walked together to school. Of course, I had lost all intentions of returning to my time-zone and I too joined them daily. I was eagerly waiting for the next Thursday when the world would treat Swami the way He ought to be treated every moment, every day. I saw that I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. Several students loved Swami deeply and they cared for nothing else but Him. They would even neglect their studies and be with their Raju every evening, singing bhajans and listening to His words of wisdom. Wow! What a divine time it was! There was no need to wait for a holy Thursday now. Any day with Swami becomes the holy Guruvar (Thursday) or the ‘day of the Guru’.

However, not everyone understood this. Many elders scolded the boys and discouraged them from keeping company with Sathya. Even Raju’s sister-in-law was one such elder. One day,she caught hold of Raju’s arm very rudely. I was shaken off it. She told him with concern and anger,

“If you don’t study well, how will you live? Your Brahmin friends can at least beg to eke a living but being a Kshatriya you will not have that option too!”

I felt so angry that I buzzed straight into her ear. She let go of Swami and slapped herself on the ear. I escaped unhurt and was happy at what I had done!

The boys were helpless but they were simply unable to let go of their love for Swami. So, they devised a plan.

“Miran, please keep guard as we do bhajans”, they requested. Miran Moinuddin, a simple Muslim boy, became a watchman for the all the sessions the boys had with Swami. In reward, Swami gave him an extra helping of prasadam which he partook with great glee. Invariably, Swami would drop a little morsel of the prasadam on the floor. That was food enough for me for the whole day. I was grateful to Him for not forgetting His little fly.

{At this point, let me step out of my fly body, out of the time-machine to mention something very relevant that happened years later. Moinuddin visited Prasanthi Nilayam, Puttaparthi, to have Baba’s darshan. As he stood waiting near a statue, Baba walked up to him and said,

“Is this not the Prasadam Bhakta (devotee who clamoured for prasadam). When did you come?” Moinuddin had no answer - only tears of joy. Ah! Now, I shall return back to my fly body.}

Anjaneyulu's house today has given way to this magnificent mandir. The bottom image shows
the bhajan hall where weekly Thursday bhajans are held today. This has been the spot
for weekly Thursday bhajans from the 1940s though the house has been replaced
with the bhajan hall. 

Thus every day became a Thursday filled with miracles galore. On one day Swami helped a Muslim horse-cart driver locate his missing mare while on another day, he named the person responsible for several thefts. He cured many people of illnesses and narrated stories from Shirdi Baba’s life. The extraordinary became part of daily routine for me and if I have to keep buzzing these stories, I will lose all track of time and my time-machine will begin beeping again. Though I have decided to fast-forward to another watershed event before The Declaration, I cannot help but narrate an amazing prediction that Swami made.

One Thursday, in the long queue waiting for an audience with Swami was B.Hanumantha Reddy, Raju’s classmate. I saw him in the line trying to attract Swami attention. But for some reason, Swami totally ignored him. He felt very upset. This was the first time I was seeing someone upset with Swami for neglecting them.He had very little patience and an even shorter fuse. In anger, he walked straight up to Swami and threw a handful of sugar and dust and walked away. Everyone was shocked and I was burning with rage.

“What a crazy lunatic!”, I thought, “as if doing this will relieve whatever problem he has!”

The headmaster of the school was present too. He was upset at this unprovoked attack on a ‘student’ by a student. As a punishment, he ordered that Reddy should not be given food in hostel.

I would later in life realize that there would be quite a number of such misguided souls who, unable to bear neglect from Swami, would walk away from Him, criticizing and cursing him. That would only make the situation into a punishment for them but would hardly affect Swami. One can only sympathize with such lost souls.

G.S.Abdul Khader during a recorded interview
on the 16th of March 1999.

I also saw Abdul Khader, the student leader plead on Reddy’s behalf to the headmaster. The headmaster would not change his mind and so, Abdul decided to seek Raju’s intervention. At precisely this time, Swami called out,

“Abdul Khader, come here.”

“Yes Raju...”

“You have come to talk about Hanumanth Reddy right? It was I who made the boy act in that manner. It is not right to punish him thus. Tell the headmaster to feed him properly.”

Abdul Khader was dumbstruck and so was I. How could He love someone who hates and maligns Him? But then, God has His own ways with critics.

In that dumbstruck trance, Abdul asked something totally unrelated to my Swami,

“Raju, when will India be freed from the British?”

As if expecting that question, Swami’s reply was immediate and firm,

“We will celebrate India’s independence on the 15th of August in 1947 - four years from now. Go back home now.”

The next day, I overheard Abdul telling his friends,

“Nobody at home believes that we will be independent in 1947. They say that a World War is on and there is no way that Britain will let go of India.”

I only smiled. How I wished I could speak! It was just the case of one hyper-excited fly buzzing in the classroom that day. It was in such circumstances that the Hampi trip materialized.

to be continued in the next part at:

Time-travel to the days of declaration of Avatarhood of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba - Part 4

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