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This page contains information The Rick A. Ross Institute has Visit Sathya Sai Baba's Official Web Site Sathya Sai Baba, "God" Atheist Karuna woos godman in TN He may be one of the country's best known atheists, but when it comes Till a few years ago, it was unthinkable that Karunanidhi would ever Karunanidhi may not believe in God, but as analysts say, he has proved "He is an atheist at a personal level, and when he shared a dais with The chief minister has kept aside his radical beliefs for good reason; "Cleaning the Coovum is my dream, but I will need your help. It has This is, definitely, an image makeover. But the chief minister's http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba24.html Spiritual guru criticised for opposing statehood for Telangana region Hyderabad -- People went on a rampage here yesterday in protest His followers meanwhile called a shutdown in Puttaparthi town of Shouting slogans against him, dozens of students belonging to An effigy of Sai Baba, who termed moves to bifurcate the state Addressing a function in Chennai on Sunday, Sai Baba said there was no "Dividing the people or the country is not good. Bifurcating the state Sai Baba, who preaches love, understanding and universal brotherhood, During the last few decades, he has built a vast empire worth billions The reaction to his comments was sharp from the protagonists of Congress MP from Nizamabad Madhu Yaskhi Goud wondered what Sai Baba "He is from Rayalseema region and what does he know about the problem Revolutionary balladeer and Maoist sympathiser Gaddar, who is also Meanwhile, a shutdown was being observed in Puttaparthi town in Shops and business establishment were shut and Sai Baba's disciples http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba23.html Satya Sai Baba caught in British controversy Satya Sai Baba, one of India's best known spiritual leaders, has The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is a London-headquartered charity whose It gives three kinds of awards (bronze, silver and gold) to anyone This year, when the charity celebrates its 50th year, it has chosen to However, the feat, pulled off by Sai Youth UK, a division of the The Guardian was the first to raise its voice saying the award scheme Satya Sai Baba hit bad press in Britain two years ago when a BBC The Guardian quoted Tom Sackville, a former Home Office minister and The daily also said Michael Gave, a conservative MP, planned to write "As a society we need a more determined effort to identify and expose In the 1990s, when Prince Charles visited India, he had expressed a Since The Guardian's article, it was reported that there was mounting However, charity spokesperson Shona Taylor did not answer repeated http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba22.html A holy furore rages in Britain Delhi: Old allegations of sexual abuse of boys by spiritual guru The issue snowballed after the British press reported that 200 boys These boys are to receive the Duke of Edinburgh award for their The newspaper quotes a former home office minister Tom Sackville, who Interestingly, the United States Department of State has a travel The Guardian says US state officials have confirmed that this is a The public relations officer of Sathya Sai Baba’s ashram, however, The visit coincides with Sathya Sai Baba’s 80th birthday. He had http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba21.html The Indian living god, the paedophilia claims and the Duke of The Guardian, UK/November 4, 2006 A spiritual group whose "living god" founder has been accused of Last night pressure was mounting on the charity to break its links About 200 young people will fly to India in two weeks' time on a The trip coincides with Sai Baba's 80th birthday and has been For decades male former devotees have alleged that the guru molested Large numbers of young men have travelled from across the world to Sai Baba has never been charged over the sex abuse allegations. Tom Sackville, a former Home Office minister and chairman of Fair, a "Parents who plan to send their children on this month's But Peter Westgarth, chief executive of the charity, last night faced The Conservative MP Michael Gove said he would write to the charity Shitu Chudasama, Sai's UK national youth coordinator, defended the Sai Organisation's UK branch has also came into contact with royals In July the Sai Organisation received a certificate for their In the posting, Mr Chudasama recounted the moment he delivered a Mr Chudasama also attended a private audience with Prince Philip at St Backstory Saytha Sai Baba, who has an estimated 30 million followers worldwide, http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba20.html Guru who gives us no answers The Secret Swami might have veered towards the amusing - in an "Oh my Sai Baba, the swami in question, had started off looking like some old Instead, he did tricks, producing trinkets from his fingers - gold Ten thousand worshippers formed a permanent camp inside the ashram, The documentary took a much less wide-eyed approach than Sai Baba's The programme gathered American former devotees who claimed that Sai All this would matter if it affected just one child. What makes it The allegations went unanswered. When duly challenged, a twitchy Whether or not it will shake the blind faith of the devotees remains http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba19.html Spiritual Depths It's difficult to write about religion without offending someone, but Young men who claimed to have been sexually abused by Sai Baba related What started out as a routine denunciation developed into something There was little room amid all the skulduggery for any real But even former disciples couldn't shed much light on what turned them An hour wasn't enough to do the subject justice, and for once I was Armand Leroi, the handsome biologist, turned his attention to the With this in mind, he gently introduced the idea of "a new race This would have come as cold comfort to a Cape Town housewife who went http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba18.html Sai Baba: God-man or con man? BBC News/June 17, 2004 He believes that the country's biggest spiritual leader, Sri Satya Sai Basava Premanand has been burgled... again. It is the third time in just one month. But he is in no doubt of the He suspects they were looking for evidence that he has collected for Mr Premanand believes this evidence proves the self-proclaimed "God- "Sai Baba is nothing but a mafia man, conning the people and making As India's leading guru-buster, Basava Premanand is the scourge of all He is the founder of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations He believes that it is his duty to dispel the "curse of gullibility Since 1976, he has waged a bitter war against Sai Baba, a man who But to Mr Premanand, this God is anything but holy. Allegations Rumours about Sai Baba sexually abusing young male devotees have been In 1976 a former American follower,Tal Brooke, wrote a book called But Brooke's allegations were dismissed out of hand by the tightly Dr Michael Goldstein, chairman of the international Sai Baba But in the last four years, and with the growth of the internet, the Former devotees such as Alaya Rahm and Mark Roche, featured in the the Their own experiences bear an uncanny resemblance, yet span a time Both had been subjected to Sai Baba rubbing oil on their genitals. "He took me aside", said Alaya Rahm, "put the oil on his hands, told All the allegations against Sai Baba so far have been made by But Mr Premanand says that there are many Indians who also claim to Well-connected It is no surprise that Indian victims are scared of reprisals. Sai Prime ministers, presidents, judges and generals, have all come to the The previous prime minister of India, Mr Atal Vajpayee, once issued a Sai Baba also enjoys a close relationship with the state police. A None of this, however, deters Mr Premanand who has doggedly pursued Little wonder that his campaign has enraged some of the holy man's To date, Basava Premanand has survived four murder attempts and bears In 1986, he was arrested by the police for marching to Puttaparthi Later that year, he took Sai Baba to court for violating the Gold When his case was dismissed, Mr Premanand appealed on the grounds that Break-in Four male devotees, who were close to Sai Baba, broke into their Their motives are unclear. Some say they were going to warn their guru They were stopped by Sai Baba's personal attendants and in the violent Sai Baba managed to escape through a secret flight of stairs and raise Just before the police arrived, the four men escaped to Sai Baba's Mr Premanand claimed a cover up and went to court. He says: "The central government stopped the investigation, because if He was outraged that Sai Baba - one of the key witnesses to the events Over the next three years, he took his case all the way to the Supreme Today, this sprightly septuagenarian is as busy as ever, collecting "This," he says mischievously, "is going to be the greatest fight of http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba15.html BBC2 uncovers secrets behind India's Secret Swami The most popular of all Indian Godmen, Sai Baba has always been the Sai Baba claims to be a living God and to millions, his word is truth; In a programme that explores the nature of belief, This World travels This World features the story of a family who gave their entire lives "The being which I called Sai Baba, the living God that I had taken This programme is the first to film inside Sai Baba's Ashram for a http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba16.html Man Arrested With Gun at Sai Baba's Ashram Bangalore, India -- A 26-year-old man who allegedly tried to shoot Sai http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba13.html British law against Sai Baba sought London -- Campaigners against religious cults across western Europe Tom Sackville, a former British minister and current chairman of the The anti-cult campaign comes even as The Times, London, carried The newspaper, which flagged its investigation as "exclusive", said It said one of the men had "complained of being repeatedly sexually There is growing British press interest in the man they describe as Commentators say this is largely because Sai Baba has a substantial The Internet war launched by former devotees across western Europe, However, Sai Baba's London headquarters continues to reject all the Several parliamentary questions in the last five years have drawn the But now, a new area of concern has arisen according to The Times, The newspaper says more than 500 British schools are being taught Former minister Sackville says the development is worrying because "it Admitting the BNP was an extreme example, he said "the principle we Anti-cult campaigners say that their cause has been strengthened They say that if the French legislation is followed by other European http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba12.html Suicide, sex and the guru The reputation of Sai Baba, a holy man to the rich and famous, has August 27, 2001 In a world of pain and sorrow, a smiling little man in a saffron robe To millions of followers around the world, Sai Baba is a benevolent This is the same Sai Baba who is adored and indulged by the The Prince of Wales's architectural adviser, Keith Critchlow, designed The hospital, mostly financed by Isaac Tigrett, the wealthy American Jesus Christ, said Sai Baba to a large crowd of devotees, underwent The holy man alleged that his detractors were being bribed to lie Detractors are casting doubt on Sai Baba's miracles, suggesting that Sai Baba was born Sathyanarayana Raju on November 23, 1926 in the tiny Today Sai Baba's birthplace is home to an ashram that can accommodate The director-general of police in Andhra Pradesh, H. J. Dora, acts as However, the first cracks in faith in Sai Baba's magical powers came Sometimes he pulls shiny, solid religious artefacts from his mouth. One of Sai Baba's most devout followers was Clarissa Mason, the second Clarissa Mason believed utterly in the powers of Sai Baba, filling her But more potentially damaging than claims about money are the sexual The suggestion is that Sai Baba grants one-to-one audiences to young There have been no prosecutions. A complaint was lodged with India's So has Sai Baba, the most worshipped sage of the Orient, really been "When I was out there, it happened to a couple of friends of mine, but Talk of "energy points" does not endear Sai Baba to the Indian One charitable field where Sai Baba's followers do seem to be most Sai Baba's children's course, Education in Human Values, is taught in Sai Baba's message reaches British schoolchildren through two The charity states that it does not promote any particular religion. She adds: "I have witnessed a lot of his miracles. I have seen people Another British charity, the Human Values Foundation, says it has But the Human Values Foundation's programme is also called "Education Auton told The Times: "I'm not going to discuss anything about my In a puzzling incident in June 1993, Sai Baba was attacked by four Dee Puri, at the London headquarters, denounces the suggestion that As for the suggestions of sexual harassment, she told The Times: "I "As far as I am concerned, Baba is a great, great guru. Thirty years I http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba11.html Three die after putting faith in guru Three British men have died mysteriously after becoming followers of The Times has learnt that three Britons have apparently taken their One of them had complained of being repeatedly sexually molested by Michael Pender, an HIV-positive student, was found dead at a London Aran Edwards hanged himself at home in Cardiff after joining a Sai Mr Edwards sent a flurry of anxious letters but was devastated after Andrew Richardson, a South Africa-born British national, jumped off a Among visitors who have paid respects to Sai Baba are the Duchess of Sai Baba's message is being preached in more than 500 British schools Tom Sackville, a former Home Office Minister, last night urged the Unicef pulled out of a conference it was due to sponsor with the The UN's cultural agency issued a trenchant statement: 'The 'Whilst it is not for Unesco to pronounce itself in this regard, the In hundreds of British schools, Sai Baba-influenced educational The Charity Commission met the trustees of one of the educational Mr Sackville, chairman of the anti-cult organisation Fair (Family 'Schools are not on their guard because at official level they are not He said that Whitehall was strongly opposed to letting the British As for the Charity Commission's clean bill of health to the Sai Baba He called on the Foreign Office to issue a warning against Sai Baba http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba10.html 'I sought peace and couldn't find it' Durban -- Michael Pender, a student, hoped that Sai Baba would be able Kathleen Ord, who first told him of Sai Baba's teachings, has since "He tried to commit suicide in the ashram. He had overdosed on drugs "At first he couldn't believe any of this was happening. It felt "But after the fourth interview, he became very despondent and "After telling me of his experiences, Michael became quite depressed." Aran Edwards, a classical guitarist and postgraduate theology student "He was sort of persuaded that Sai Baba looked after him, did "He was quite an ill person, mentally unstable and needed orthodox "He used to ring me from phone boxes pleading with me. There were 35 Aran Edwards, a single man, was found hanged from a staircase at his Stuart Jones, of the Bath and Bristol group, said: "He was a very Aran never visited Sai Baba in India. But Andrew Richardson, a British On September 19, 1996, Mr Richardson travelled to Bangalore and hired Two letters were found on his body. One to Sai Baba outlined his quest http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba9.html Sex Scandal swirls around Sai Baba Sai Baba, a controversial Indian "holy man" presides over a spiritual But the guru, who is approaching 80, has a history of sexual abuse Former followers of the aging swami reportedly call him "a sexual One man says Sai Baba ordered him to drop his pants and allow the guru Despite such revelations and the growing scandal that surrounds Sai Sai Baba's so-called "materializations" include making watches and At functions his followers rock back and forth with "shining eyes" The guru holds court within lavishly appointed rooms decorated with "Sometimes I think the ashram is a madhouse and Swami is the But there may be casualties amongst the true believers. A Malaysian woman reportedly had a psychotic breakdown, attacked Sai Baba has accumulated substantial influence and prestige within His popularity is easy to understand. Sai Baba has built a hospital Sai Baba's charities have reportedly been plagued though by "rumors of Nevertheless Illustrated Weekly of India stated, "God or a fraud, no But does the guru use his accumulated good will and "God-man" status The sex abuse claims are strikingly similar and seem to fit the same "During my 'private audiences' with Sai Baba, Sai Baba used to touch When the devotee later talked about his sexual encounter he was thrown "Each time I saw Baba, his hand would gradually make more prominent All of the allegations reportedly involved mostly teenage boys and This story is hardly new. In 1970 a book by Tal Brooke titled "Lord of More recently a document called "Findings" accumulated accounts of An excerpt from the document reads, "Whilst still at the ashram, the Since the release of "Findings" the Sai Baba sex scandal has grown and A California man named Glen Meloy, who spent 26 years as a devotee One former Indian ashram volunteer petitioned India's Supreme Court to UNESCO yanked its co-sponsorship of an education conference in India After Conny Larsson, a Swedish actor went public about his coerced India Today ran a cover story about the scandal, as has England's Labor MP Tony Colman raised the issue in Parliament. Former British government minister, Tom Sackville said, "The But it seems that the guru's ardent followers can rationalize almost One such disciple concluded in an essay published on the Internet, A "potent blessing"? "When he does it, he has a purpose," concludes another still devoted Other devotees have rejected reports about their guru's sexual abuse One said, "I think this is a projection of his devotees' problems. You Note: This news summary is based upon an article titled Holy man? Sex abuser? Both? His followers say Sai Baba is a God on Earth, and they generously Sri Sathya Sai Baba -- "The Protector," "The Infinite," "the Creator" So be-lieves B.C. Sai Baba president Nami Thiyagaratnam, who teaches They are convinced that at this moment he is gazing contentedly at But deep troubles are emerging in Sai Baba's wealthy, glorious Accusations are mounting that Sai Baba has been sexually molesting The round-faced "saint" with the Jimi Hendrix hairdo, who is known for As the number of disturbing accounts grow, followers around the world The abuse charges are producing a mix of confusion and sadness, UNESCO recently cancelled its co-sponsorship of a conference in Sai The many celebrity admirers of 75-year-old Sai Baba -- including London's Sunday Telegraph newspaper and India Today magazine recently Former Sai Baba leaders such as Swedish psychotherapist and former David Bailey, a Welshman who had risen high in Sai Baba's inner Californian Glen Meloy is one of many former adherents who are busily Still, no criminal charges have ever been laid against Sai Baba, Dr. Michael Goldstein, the influential U.S. president of the Sai Baba But Goldstein's attitude draws the disdain of people such as In addition to the sex allegations catalogued by Bailey, a friend, "It's basically Hinduism with an eclectic mix of Christianity and Cleary also believes Sai Baba, who has only physically travelled to But they offer ambiguous interpretations of what happened. Marc-Andre Although St. Jean didn't know what Sai Baba was talking about at the St. Jean, now 29, remains bemused. "The charisma of Sai Baba is Although they witnessed Sai Baba conduct a "sexual healing" on their "I know Sai Baba has done sexual things," says Ann Jevons, 62. Ann and But Jevons thinks sexual healing is a good thing, because "there is a "Sai Baba is faultless," Jevons says. "He just opened the largest http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba6.html Guru shrugs off sex allegations `Do not get deluded because I talk, laugh, eat and walk like IN THE Oct. 28 issue of the London Telegraph's Sunday magazine, a Titled "Divine Downfall," the six-page expos* by British investigative Sri Sathya Sai Baba - who has only once left his southern India ashram But those charges have been around for years. What is new is the huge It was compiled over the last three years by David Bailey, a Welsh ex- They claimed the guru had sexually abused them and said they couldn't Shocked, Bailey quit the ashram and began building a record of The completed dossier includes scores of accounts of such abuse from Swedish movie actor Conny Larsson is one of those cited: "Not only did The Telegraph account told a particularly moving story of an American Simultaneously, their teenage son, Sam, was being selected for even Over four years, Sam spent many hours alone with "God," just metres The parents were stunned when their son finally alleged that Sai Baba Significantly, the harrowing stories in "The Findings" produced a Browsing the Net recently, I found everything from Web sites with Sai Baba has been "India's most famous and powerful holy man" for His official biographer says in a four-volume work that the "saint" At 13, he announced he was the reincarnation of a revered southern Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and other politicians are There are nine chapters of the Sai Baba organization in Toronto and Nothing I have found yet on the Web or elsewhere directly meets the Sai Baba is reported to have said recently to his devotees: "Never try Perhaps he eventually will be cleared of the accusations levelled But if this quote is accurate, he embodies the kind of guruship to be http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba5.html The man believers think is God Sai Baba, an Indian holy man, worshipped by many prominent Canadians, The Ottawa Citizen/December 19, 2000 Millions of devotees in Ottawa and in more than 100 countries around But a growing number of leaders of the movement in Canada, Sweden, the UNESCO also recently cancelled its co-sponsorship of a conference in Raj Midha, the president of Ottawa's brand new $2-million Sri Sathya Television documentaries produced in Australia, India and other What Mr. Midha wants to do is tell how Sai Baba has changed his life Mr. Midha, a telecommunications engineer, believes Sai Baba cured his Sai Baba has taken only one trip out of India, and that was to Uganda. Conny Larsson, a psychotherapist, and once a well-known actor and film "Now I feel very guilty," he says. For the first five years he knew "I was brainwashed," said Mr. Larsson in a telephone interview from By 1986, Mr. Larsson had talked to many young male devotees, most of For more than 50 years, Sai Baba has been India's most famous holy Every year, hundreds of thousands of people visit Sai Baba's ashram, Twice a day, Sai Baba strolls among the thousands of devotees seated "He told me about the same things that happened to me. The swami Mr. Larsson's story is one of many that appear in another Internet Glen Meloy, a retired management consultant in California, is another Mr. Meloy is now bombarding politicians, the White House, Indian To date, only one former Canadian devotee is willing to go public with But Mr. St. Jean's story, and that of the son of a Quebec family of Alain Groven of Montreal's South Shore was the province's Mr. Groven said that last year, the Canadian organization gave Sai [One woman said that] she and the other Montreal-area co-ordinators V.P. Singh of Windsor has been president of the Canadian Sai Baba "I have known him for 30 years, and I have had a nice experience," he http://www.rickross.com/reference/saibaba/saibaba4.html Divine downfall Driving into town from the small Midwest airport where Carrie Young The Youngs were what Americans call "straight arrows": honest, decent A year ago, their son Sam had come to them with a shocking assertion: Sam was a tall, blue-eyed, dreadlocked boy with a look that could only For more than 50 years, Sai Baba has been India's most famous and most To even begin to appreciate the scale and intensity of his following, According to the four-volume hagiography written by his late secretary In 1950, he established a small ashram, Prasanthi Nilayam (Abode of It is said that as an instrument of the divine, Sai Baba is Sai Baba's teachings resemble a synthesis of all the great faiths, The principal event in Prasanthi Nilayam is darshan, in which Sai Baba Inevitably for such a potent figure, Sai Baba has, for years, been the In recent months, a storm of allegations have appeared - spurred by a David Bailey became a devotee of Sai Baba in 1994, at the age of 40, An extrovert man, Bailey quickly became a ubiquitous and popular Bailey's dwindling faith was finally crushed when students from the Shocked by the allegations, Bailey severed his association with Sai Some of these allegations have been aired before. But the charges In April, Glen Meloy - a retired management consultant and a prominent Meloy launched his own Internet campaign to spread the allegations. The Young family are not among those listed in The Findings, but the Three weeks later Jeff had a private interview with Sai Baba. "And I Then, in 1995, things began to change. Their son, Sam, who was now 16, The following year, the family returned to Puttaparthi three times. On In 1995, Sam had come to his father. In a private interview, he said,
gathered about Sathya Sai Baba.
(Link takes you outside the Rick A. Ross Institute web site)
http://www.sathyasai.org/
or "sexual predator"?
Times Now, India/May 9, 2007
By Dhanya Rajendran
to funding state projects, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi
does not mind the help of spiritual gurus. The Satya Sai trust has
agreed to fund a project which will provide drinking water to parched
Chennai. And Karunanidhi is only too happy to welcome the godman.
share a dais with Satya Sai Baba, however at a public appearance with
the spiritual Guru in January this year, Karunanidhi asked Sai Baba's
help for developmental projects. Now Sri Satya Sai Trust has agreed to
upgrade the 25 km-long Kandaleru-Poondi canal, which will bring water
to Chennai.
to be a tactful politician.
Sai Baba, he explained his stand saying the question was not whether
he believed in God, but whether he was worthy of God's trust. But at a
more practical level, I buy his point From whichever source the money
comes, and as long as it is not tainted, it is welcome," remarked S
Murari, a political analyst.
With the states finances running dry due to the numerous sops given by
his government, Karunanidhi desperately needs funds. Now that the Baba
trust has entered into a partnership with the government, the big
question is whether they will undertake the Coovum river-cleaning
project.
been quoted as a Rs 1,000 crore project. I'm not asking for the whole
amount, but I will be happy if you donate the same," is M
Karunanidhi's request.
tolerance towards religious matters are limited to accepting help to
develop his state. When it comes to clashes between believers and non-
believers within the state, Karunanidhi always sticks to his
ideologies.
Gulf Times/January 23, 2007
against spiritual guru Satya Sai Baba who said he was against a
separate Telangana state.
Anantapur district to condemn remarks on the guru.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) barged into a Sai Baba temple near
Osmania University here, pulled down huge cut-outs of the guru and
burnt them.
'mahapapam' (great sin), was also burnt.
demand for a separate Telangana state from the people of the region.
is mahapapam," he said.
has thousands of followers in India and abroad including several heads
of state, politicians, military officials, judges, film stars and
sportsmen.
of rupees transforming the small village of Puttaparthi, his
birthplace, into a modern town with a state-of-the-art airport,
education and health facilities.
separate Telangana. TRS president K Chandrasekhara Rao asked Sai Baba
to confine himself to religion. "Is Sai Baba blind to the suicides by
farmers in Telangana region? Is he blind to the fact that the region
was subjected to exploitation?" asked Rao, who is leading the movement
for a separate state comprising 10 districts including Hyderabad.
knew of the problems of Telangana.
of fluorosis (an abnormal condition caused by excessive intake of
fluorine), in Nalgonda? He is funding the water projects for
Rayalseema and Chennai," said Goud.
actively participating in the movement for separate Telangana,
criticised Sai Baba for opposing the demand.
Anantapur district to condemn the remarks of Telangana leaders against
Sai Baba.
set afire effigies of Chandrasekhara Rao, Madhu Yashki Goud and
Gaddar. The streets around Prashanti Nilayam, the abode of Baba, wore
a deserted look.
Indo-Asian News Service/December 22, 2006
triggered a fresh controversy in Britain after association with The
Duke of Edinburgh's Award charity involving young people.
patron is Prince Philip.
aged between 14-25 for achievements in four categories: community
service, skills, physical recreation and expeditions. Each year it is
estimated that over 2,25,000 youngsters vie for the honour in Britain
alone.
send about 200 young volunteers to India to work with the Sri Satya
Sai Organisation.
parent body, has created a furore. Several people, including some of
the Satya Sai Baba's former Western disciples, questioned the decision
in view of the mixed reputation the godman enjoys. Sai's devotees deny
the allegations.
had chosen as its accredited partner a spiritual group "whose 'living
god' founder has been accused of sexually abusing young boys".
programme, The Secret Swami, interviewed young Western disciples who
alleged that the godman had sexually coerced them.
chairman of Fair, a cult-watching and victim support group, as saying:
"It is appallingly naive for the award scheme to involve young people
and the royal family with an organisation whose leader is accused of
paedophilia. Parents who plan to send their children on this
pilgrimage... should be aware of the danger their children are being
exposed to."
to the charity to say it should monitor the organisations they chose
as partners more strictly.
those religious cults and extremists that pose a direct threat to
people, so that they do not enjoy patronage that should be directed
elsewhere," he was quoted as saying.
desire to visit the Sai Baba but was quietly dissuaded by the British
Embassy in New Delhi.
pressure on the charity to distance itself from the Sai group.
queries as to whether the volunteers had left for India and how they
could be contacted.
Daily News Analysis/November 5, 2006
By Ginnie Mahajan
Sathya Sai Baba have created a fresh furore in Britain.
would visit India on a month-long humanitarian pilgrimage starting
November 13, organised by the Sai Youth Movement, a division of the
Sri Sathya Sai Organisation.
humanitarian work. According to the Guardian, the British public is
irked by two issues — safety of the boys at Sathya Sai Baba’s ashram
at Puttaparthi in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh and the
involvement of royalty with the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation.
also runs a victim support group, as saying, “It is appallingly naive
for the award scheme to involve young people and the royal family with
an organisation whose leader is accused of paedophilia.”
advisory against the Sathya Sai Organisation: “US citizens should be
aware that there have been unconfirmed reports of inappropriate sexual
behaviour by a prominent local religious leader at an ashram or
religious retreat located in Andhra Pradesh.”
direct reference to Sathya Sai Baba. There have been rumours for years
that the spiritual guru, who calls himself an incarnation of god,
molested young devotees during interviews. Both Indian and foreign
visitors to the ashram have come on record to say how he has abused
them.
told DNA: “We do not care what the advisory says. People and
organisations can write whatever they want to believe. We have no more
to say on this issue. Yes, the boys are coming to India in about two
weeks’ time.”
apparently given a ‘divine commandment’ to the Sai Youth Movement to
visit him on the occasion.
Edinburgh awards
Sexual abuse accusations against group's leader--80th birthday
invitation to hundreds of youngsters
By Paul Lewis
sexually abusing young boys has become an accredited partner of the
Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, the Guardian can reveal.
with the group whose followers are devoted to the preachings of 79-
year-old holy man, Sai Baba.
humanitarian pilgrimage run by Sai Youth UK, a division of the Sri
Sathya Sai Organisation. The teenagers and young men earn their Duke
of Edinburgh awards for humanitarian work, chiefly distributing
medical aid.
arranged, organisers say, after he gave a divine commandment for the
UK's Sai youth movement to visit him for the occasion.
them during so-called "interviews". During the last youth pilgrimage,
in 2004, young people were granted group interviews with the guru
after administering medical aid to villages surrounding Sai Baba's
ashram in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, although there was no evidence
of abuse.
study alongside and meet the guru. His supporters say their encounter
was spiritually enriching. Others, including participants in a BBC
programme, The Secret Swami, two years ago, accuse him of abuse,
claiming he massaged their testicles with oil and coerced them into
oral sex.
However, the US State Department issued a travel warning after reports
of "inappropriate sexual behaviour by a prominent local religious
leader" which, officials later confirmed was a reference to Sai Baba.
cult-watching and victim support group, said: "It is appallingly naive
for the award scheme to involve young people and the royal family with
an organisation whose leader is accused of paedophilia.
pilgrimage ... should be aware of the danger their children are being
exposed to."
down calls to terminate his organisation's relationship with the Sai
organisation. He said: "This is not the only religion accused of
paedophilia. Young people who are participating on these trips are
doing so because they choose to," he said. "The awards accredit the
good work they do for poor people in India. We make no judgment about
their religion. We would no sooner intervene here than we would the
Church Lads' and Girls' Brigade."
asking it to consider a stricter monitoring of the organisations they
they work with. "As a society we need a more determined effort to
identify and expose those religious cults and extremists that pose a
direct threat to people, so that they do not enjoy patronage that
should be directed elsewhere," he said.
trip, saying it was primarily a humanitarian mission to help
impoverished people, saying that the sex abuse claims were "totally
unfounded". He added: "We hope to have an interview with Sai Baba but
it's not guaranteed. If he wants to see us, he'll call us."
through the awards, something Buckingham Palace was made aware of in
September. In correspondence seen by the Guardian, Brigadier Sir Miles
Hunt-Davis, Prince Philip's private secretary, wrote: "[We] are very
keen to get this sorted out properly and finally." He said trustees of
the award would undertake legal advice before deciding how to
proceed.
"invaluable contribution" to the awards at a Buckingham Palace garden
party. A news story which appeared on a Sai Baba website after the
ceremony was removed after an intervention by Peter Westgarth, who
said the event had been misrepresented.
speech to "various dignitaries, diplomats, ministers [and] famous
celebrities" at the palace. "I was the last speaker called up, and
suddenly a confidence, a joy, engulfed my being," he said. "I
attributed everything to our founder Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. As
I spoke I watched the sea of faces, they were hanging from my every
word and there was a look of excitement on their faces as if to say
'why have we not heard of this organisation before?'."
James's Palace last year. "Prince Philip showed a very keen interest
in our youth and asked many questions," Mr Chudasama wrote in a Sai
newsletter. "I also had the opportunity to mention ... that we drew
our inspiration and motivation from our founder Sri Sathya Sai Baba;
he paused for a few seconds and then said: "Very good".
is possibly India's most controversial holy man. He gained a following
in his teens when he claimed to have divine powers and, later, said he
was an incarnation of God. His teachings are benign - his most famous
mantra is "Love All, Serve All" - and he encourages followers, which
include many of India's political elite, to undertake humanitarian
work. He purports to be able to miraculously conjure sacred ash and
expensive jewellery into the palm of his hand, as if out of thin air.
Opponents dismiss his miracles as party tricks. The Sai Organisation
claims to have more than 1,200 Saytha Sai Baba Centres in more than
100 countries.
The Scotsman/June 18, 2004
By Tom Adair
God, how gullible can you be?" kind of way - had it not been for the
repeated allegations of sex abuse.
bloke with an ego as big as his bank account. There he sat, in his
opulent ashram at Puttaparthi, near Bangalore, dressed in blinding
canary-yellow and sporting a head of what looked like jet-black pubic
hair - a mane of Leo Sayer proportions; as if he had poked his tongue
into a light socket. Count your blessings - he didn't sing.
watches, bracelets, stuff with Ratners written all over it. Maybe he'd
read the Paul Daniels Trickster's Guide to Palming, and practised like
mad without the distraction of the lovely Debbie McGee (it later
transpired that Debbie would not have been a distraction). The swami's
followers adored his "miracles" and gasped.
believing Sai Baba to be an avatar - a god on Earth. He attracted
attention from burned out hippies, the ones with smoke still doping
their nostrils. Sometimes they smiled their faraway smiles; sometimes
they spoke. One guy believed he'd been in communion with Sai Baba for
21 years before he'd visited "god" in his pad. Sai Baba was quick to
spot white faces wearing dollar signs. As these dupes gawped up from
the crowd, he would single them out for special attention.
flock, denouncing him from the start as a sham whose ashram resembled
a market place, not a shrine. Oh yes, he appeared to have done some
good - constructing a hospital in the district, providing free
medicare for the poor, and supplying clean water - however, the £40
million it cost was funded by wealthy acolytes, faithfully following
Sai Baba's earnest exhortation: "Wherever you see a sick person -
there is your field of service." And yet, Sai Baba's secret motto
turned out to be different, more like: "Wherever you see a gullible
young believer, (boys only apply) bingo! - sexual opportunity."
Baba had abused them, had exposed himself to them, indulged in oral
sex and then sworn them to secrecy. This sexual degradation had shaken
their faith. These victims included a father and a son who were
alleged to have been abused over many years. It was implied that many
Indian boys had also been taken advantage of but were too scared to
make public statements.
worse is that Sai Baba has a worldwide following of 160 million people
and is visited by heads of state. He is thus respectable, a notable
Indian figure.
Indian government minister blew his top and accused the reporter of
impertinence. Meanwhile the US embassy's website has posted warnings
to potential visitors.
to be seen. However, the programme was an example of investigative
reporting all too rare these days - getting inside and under the
issue. It may have even stopped further innocents from falling prey to
the avatar's whim.
The Guardian (UK)/June 18, 2004
By Rupert Smith
mercifully we're reviewing a television programme here, and not the
mixture of wishful thinking and wilful credulity that leads people to
worship soi-disant gurus such as Swami Sai Baba. BBC2's This World
strand last night gave us The Secret Swami, an entertaining hour that
made a compelling case against Sai Baba, portraying him as a charlatan
and an abuser.
hair-raising stories of "private interviews" in which the not-so-holy
man pulled his skirt over his head and invited them to get down and
dirty. Hilariously, one Hindu scholar reminded us that this is a
practice sanctioned by neither scripture nor tradition. "Worship of
the linga does not include doing the blow-job."
more sinister. Sadly, the moment I see a man in a dress surrounded by
grinning worshippers, I'm looking for a catch - and it didn't take
much to prove that Sai Baba's "miracles" were nothing more than a bit
of old-fashioned sleight of hand. On that basis, we might all end up
worshipping David Blaine, which is a worry. But reporter Tanya Datta
did her job properly, and went far beneath the surface of magic tricks
and gaudy tat. She found that Sai Baba bought the eternal gratitude of
rural Indian villagers by paying for clean water supplies, and that he
caused a massive hospital to be built, funded by one of his followers,
Isaac Tigrett, who co-founded the Hard Rock Cafe chain. She discovered
also that the Indian government, rightly mindful of the rural vote,
has turned a blind eye to claims of wrongdoing in the Baba camp. A
government official got very shirty indeed with Ms Datta, shouting
denials before he'd even heard the allegations. In these cases, "no"
usually does mean "yes".
examination of Sai Baba's theology; all we learned was that he is an
avatar, although of whom was not made clear, and that he conveniently
embraces all religions. Without any real exegesis of his ideas, it was
hard to know exactly what his followers believed in - it surely can't
just have been Baba's ability to produce fake Rolexes out of thin air,
or cough up eggs.
into such true believers. A nice family from Arkansas were so crazy
about Sai Baba that they encouraged their teenage son to spend as much
time with the guru as possible. Despite allegations of abuse at the
hands of Sai Baba, the son came out with the astonishing comment, "we
are all tools, and we all have to be around for Swami to use - if he
needs a screwdriver".
left wanting more. This isn't something I'd say lightly about
television documentaries, which usually need to be edited by 50%. The
mystery of Sai Baba, of his apparent protection by the authorities, of
his canny manipulation of the rural poor and his inexplicable appeal
to rich westerners, only deepened. Astonishingly, Sai Baba has not yet
had the collar of his robe fingered by the long arm of the law.
tricky subject of racial difference in the final part of Human Mutants
(Channel 4). There was some fun stuff about excessive facial hair and
random skin pigmentation to pave the way to Leroi's central thesis,
that "we are all mutants - but some of us are more mutant than
others".
genetics", which was nowhere near as sinister as it sounded. Genome
mapping enabled scientists to identify racial background according to
four main human groups - and, against this kind of science, "terms
like 'black' and 'white' don't describe anything that's real any
more".
to bed as a white woman and woke up the next morning black. Shunned by
her family, she died in poverty, which suggests that Leroi's DNA
utopia is a way off just yet.
Basava Premanand is India's leading guru-buster
By Tanya Datta
Baba, is a charlatan and must be exposed.
thieves' motives.
over 30 years against India's leading spiritual guru, Sri Satya Sai
Baba.
man", Sai Baba, is not just a fraud, but a dangerous sexual abuser.
himself rich", he says of his bete noire.
miracle-makers.
and the editor of a monthly periodical called The Indian Sceptic.
blighting his country in the form of myth and superstition", and
replace it instead with the "gospel of pure, scientific
understanding".
commands a following of millions both in India and abroad. His
devotees believe him to be an Avatar, or incarnation of God in human
form.
circulating for years.
Avatar of the Night: The Hidden Side of Sai Baba. In it, he referred
to the guru's sexual exploits.
controlled Sai Baba Organisation.
organisation, admitted he had heard rumours, but told us that he did
not believe them. He said: "My heart and my conscience tell me that it
is not possible."
tide of claims against Sai Baba has become a groundswell.
BBC film Secret Swami, are coming forward with increasingly graphic
stories of the guru's serious sexual exploitation.
frame of almost 30 years.
me to drop my pants and rubbed my genitals with the oil. I was really
taken aback."
Westerners.
have been abused but are too afraid to speak out.
Baba's influence among the power elite of India is impressive.
ashram (religious retreat) in Puttaparthi in southern India, to pay
their respects.
letter on his official notepaper calling the attacks on Sai Baba
"wild, reckless and concocted."
former head of police once acted as his personal chauffeur.
Sai Baba over the years through the courts, the media and several
embarrassing books and exposures.
supporters.
the scars from several savage beatings.
with 500 volunteers for a well-publicised confrontation with Sai
Baba.
Control Act by producing gold necklaces out of thin air without the
permission of a Gold Control Administrator.
spiritual power is not a defence recognised in law.
In June 1993, the peace of the ashram was shattered when a gruesome
incident took place.
guru's private quarters late at night armed with knives.
about corruption among the higher echelons of the ashram. Others say
they were going to kidnap or even kill Sai Baba.
struggle that ensued, two of the attendants were killed and two left
seriously wounded.
the alarm.
bedroom. It was there, the police say, they shot the intruders out of
self defence.
the investigation takes place, a lot of things will come out like
economic offences and sex offences."
of that night - had not been questioned.
Court, before he was eventually defeated.
and collating more information. Mr Premanand is preparing for another
battle.
my life."
Aim/June 14, 2004
Teflon God, the untouchable, charismatic man worshipped by Indian
Prime Ministers, Presidents and peasants. His power over both the
influential and the downtrodden goes to the heart of Indian society
and raises serious questions about the social health of the world's
fastest emerging economy.
his ability to bring clean water and healthcare to thousands, proof of
divinity.
from India to California, where the generation whose devotion and
donations helped Sai Baba to power are unravelling at the seams. Hard
Rock Café owner Isaac Tigrett sent Sai Baba's message around the world
by making the Godman's Love All Serve All mantra the corporate slogan
of his multi-million empire. He now has to confront the fact that his
God may have been a sexual abuser.
to a man they believed was God, only to discover he was exacting a
terrible price: the sexual innocence of their son. In an intimate and
powerful portrait a family talks openly about their betrayal and the
man who controlled their lives.
into my heart had been truly abusing my son, for so long. I felt
completely betrayed..." says Marissa, a former devotee. Another, Alaya
says: "I remember him saying, if you don't do what I say, your life
will be filled with pain and suffering."
number of years and aims to come closer to the true "face of God" than
ever before.
The Hindustan Times/January 18, 2002
Baba on Thursday with an air pistol at his ashram in Whitefield on the
outskirts of Bangalore, was overpowered by ashram volunteers. The air
pistol and some pellets were recovered from the man, Somasundaram, the
police said. Somasundaram was overpowered when he started running
towards Sai Baba who was emerging from a building to give darshan,
eyewitnesses said.
Times of India/September 5, 2001
By Rashmee Z. Ahmed
are trying to persuade the British government to follow the French and
legislate against movements such as Sai Baba and the Moonies.
anti-cult organisation Family Action Information and Resource (FAIR),
told The Times of India, "the French legislation of two months ago has
enormously encouraged my 15-year battle against exploitative cults
such as that of Sai Baba."
extensive reportage of Sai Baba on Monday, questioning his role in the
"mysterious deaths of three British men", which campaigners admit are
hard to prove were directly caused by the guru.
"Sai Baba's activities are being studied by the (British) Foreign
Office, which is considering issuing an unprecedented warning against
the guru to travellers."
molested by Sai Baba at his ashram in Puttaparthi near Bangalore."
"Indian mystic and miracle worker" to the rich, famous and titled such
as the Duchess of York and an architect known to be close to Prince
Charles.
European fan following, alongside a growing number of hostile and
vocal former devotees who accuse him of physical, mental and monetary
abuse.
including David Bailey, a Welsh concert pianist once considered to be
Sai Baba's right-hand man, has focussed unsavoury publicity on Sai
Baba.
allegations.
British government's attention to Sai Baba's alleged misconduct. But,
British MPs and anti-cult campaigners say the government has always
maintained that the number of British cases are too few to merit
action.
which says Sai Baba has infiltrated the British school system in a
dangerous catch 'em young policy.
according to "Sai Baba-influenced educational programmes". It says the
programmes are promoted by two charities, the Sathya Sai Education in
Human Values Trust UK and the Human Values Foundation.
is just like we wouldn't want or allow far-right groups such as the
British National Party (BNP) to be talking to our children in school."
are keen to impress on the British government is that just like the
French, we have to make it a criminal offence to exploit people in
vulnerable situations."
because UNESCO pulled out of an educational conference at Puttaparthi
last year.
countries, it could eventually become European Union law and would
severely limit the activities of movements such as that of Sai Baba.
been tarnished by mysterious deaths and allegations of sexual abuse
By Dominic Kennedy
who can cure misery by magic is a bewitching prospect.
spiritual leader whose hospitals and schools work tirelessly for the
advancement of the poor. But an investigation by The Times today
discloses that three British men have apparently taken their own lives
after becoming followers of the miracle worker. Two of them were
encouraged to believe that he could cure their medical problems. One
of those also said that he had been touched intimately by the Sai
Baba.
international jet set. The Duchess of York had the treat of watching
him produce a gold watch and cross from thin air when she visited his
ashram in India.
a vast, stunning hospital for Sai Baba, which has been compared to St
Peter's in Rome and a maharaja's palace. "The most influential holy
man in India today," is how the respected architect describes the
guru.
founder of the Hard Rock Café chain of restaurants, treats the humble
people of the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. So it was with
righteous indignation that Sai Baba, in a rare fit of public anger,
has turned on the band of disillusioned disciples who are now
tarnishing his name.
many hardships and was put on the cross because of jealousy. In those
days there was only one Judas to betray him, but now there are
thousands.
about him because of fear of his growing popularity. "People are
trying to stop me but can do nothing," he said. "People love and
follow Sai because of the truth I stand for and the love that is my
basis."
he is little more than a conjuror with a limited repertoire of jaded
tricks. A financial row over the £13 million fortune of the British
film actor James Mason, whose widow became a Sai Baba devotee, is
smouldering. Most devastating is the suggestion that Sai Baba might
have been abusing his power over young male followers by indulging in
sexual activity with them.
village of Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh.When he was only 14, Sai Baba
- already magically producing candles and pencils for school friends -
surprised his family by announcing that he was the reincarnation of
Sai Baba of Shirdi, a miraculous old Indian sage who died in 1918.
10,000 pilgrims. The obscure village has grown to cater for Sai Baba's
followers, of which there are more than 20 million worldwide. They
include some of India's most influential people. The legendary batsman
Sachin Tendulkar, who helps to organise cricket matches at Sai Baba's
stadium, says that he "worships" the guru.
Sai Baba's chauffeur when the spiritual leader visits the state
capital, Hyderabad. Judges and top civil servants flock for audiences
with him. The Indian Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee, another follower,
has opened a new Sai Baba hospital in Bangalore. In a lofty tribute,
the premier said that Sai Baba has shown humanity the path of
liberation which goes beyond freedom from worldly attachments.
about because of a visit by a previous prime minister, Narasimha Rao,
also a devotee.For this special occasion, Sai Baba appeared to
materialise a gold watch from nowhere. But when Indian state
television workers played back film of the incident in slow motion,
they saw that the miracle was a sleight-of-hand hoax. The clip was
never broadcast in India but has been widely circulated on videotape
there. Sai Baba's most common miracle is to produce "sacred ash" from
between his fingers.
But magicians who have analysed these wonders say they are nothing
more than old and simple tricks. Sai Baba is being challenged on
another more prosaic front. Questions are being asked about the
fundraising techniques employed by his followers. Some are accused of
targeting vulnerable rich people and claiming that the miracle worker
might be able to cure the afflictions of old age.
wife of the film star James Mason. When Clarissa died of cancer in
1994, she willed a large part of her late husband's £13 million estate
to the cult, although, due to a dispute with Mason's children,
Portland and Morgan, who contend that the estate was not hers to will
in the first place, it will be some time before the cult can hope to
see any of the Mason millions.
house near Lake Geneva with pictures of the "godman". Her legacy has
gone to a trust whose beneficiaries are believed by Mason's children
to include a follower of Sai Baba.
allegations against Sai Baba. These were first publicised as long ago
as 1976, when Tal Brooke, a disenchanted American devotee, wrote
Avatar of Night. Over the years, the description by disillusioned
followers of intimate acts involving Sai Baba has persisted.
men, who believe they are in the presence of a living god. This may
entail a high level of intimacy and the men allowing their private
parts to be touched or fondled by the guru.
Central Bureau of Investigation on March 12, 2001 but there has been
no result. In the United States, though, anti-Sai Baba campaigners are
trying to persuade the authorities to open investigations into the
alleged molestation of American citizens who are minors. The co-
ordinator of this American campaign says that he has been interviewed
by the Federal Bureau of Investigation but no formal inquiry is under
way.
groping youthful followers. One innocent explanation is provided by
Stuart Jones, a member of Sai Baba's Bristol and Bath group. He points
out that there is a possible cultural misunderstanding at play. In
yoga, Jones explains, one of the energy points on the body is below
the testicles, an area sometimes stimulated by a teacher such as Sai
Baba.
it was more like, how can I say, doctor's surgery. There was no
sexuality involved. One chap said that a tremendous amount of energy
was suddenly released in him and he felt wonderful afterwards. I don't
mean ejaculation. It was like suddenly feeling wonderful. Sometimes he
rubs the chest or the forehead where these other points are."
Rationalists Association, an organisation of atheists and doubters
which seeks to debunk organised religion and disprove all miracles.
They denounce him as the biggest fraud of the "god industry". Joseph
Edamaruku, the association's president, says: "He has consistently
refused to subject himself to an independent examination. He raises
enormous amounts of money from India and around the world. We do not
believe claims that it is spent on hospitals and charitable works."
active is education. Sai Baba's teachings, however, are a collection
of banal truisms and platitudes. The most famous utterances he has
made in a six decade-long career as a living god are "Help ever, hurt
never" and "Love all, serve all". Few are likely to argue with such a
simplistic and universal moral code. He broadens his appeal further by
allowing devotees to continue practising their own religion while
paying homage to him.
schools in 100 countries. It promotes five qualities: truth (satya),
righteousness (dharma), peace (shanti), love (prema) and nonviolence
(ahimsa). Education in Human Values rejects rote learning, emphasising
Indian techniques such as "silent sitting", quotation, story-telling,
song and group activities.
charities. The first is named in his honour, the Sathya Sai Education
in Human Values Trust UK, which claims to have had contact with 80
schools. Typical of its activities is a summer camp held at
Christchurch Primary School in Ilford, East London, several weeks ago
where 100 children painted, played games and sang. Courses have been
cleverly designed to fit into Key Stages 1 to 4 of the National
Curriculum, targeting children aged seven to 16.
Carole Alderman, the founder, a former ChildLine volunteer, has no
teaching qualifications. She admits to using some of Sai Baba's
quotations but says: "We don't teach about Sai Baba at all."
going in with crutches or wheelchairs and come out walking. I have
seen him materialise things many times a day. He just knows
everything." Asked about the sexual allegations, she says: "It's
totally unfounded. Anybody who actually knows him, knows it is."
reached more than 500 schools. Its chairman, Dennis Eagan, said "The
foundation has nothing to do with Sai Baba."
for Human Values". It promotes Sai Baba's same five virtues, using
"silent sitting", activities, songs, quotations and stories. Its
president, June Auton, has been a regular visitor to Sai Baba's
ashram. She has been described by Barry Pittard, a former English
lecturer at Sai Baba's college in India, as "synonymous with Swami's
Human Values Programme."
religion at all on the phone. My religion is my business." Pressed,
she would only say: "I do attend my local church." It is the recent
suicides, however, that may hurt Sai Baba the most in Britain.
Suicides and suspicious deaths have long marred his reputation. A
German man was found hanging from a rafter in Puttaparthi in the early
1980s. A father and daughter took fatal overdoses in Bangalore in 1999
after failing to get an audience with the guru.
young male devotees armed with knives. Two of the guru's bodyguards
were stabbed to death. After the four youths, long-time followers of
Sai Baba, locked themselves in a room, they were all shot dead by
police. Challenging faith in a man of miracles can be painful. At Sai
Baba's Central London base in Clerkenwell, there is reluctance to
confront the allegations of sexual harassment, suicides and financial
maneuvering.
Sai Baba takes money from the rich, pointing out that at his 28-year-
old London premises: "Entrance is free. There is no money going to
Baba at all.
don't want to talk about it because there is no such thing. I think
such conversations disturb me and my beliefs. The organisation is most
unhappy that you have tried to hurt us. Nobody will speak to you
unless you want to write something which is truth, which is not
controversial.
have been a devotee of Baba and millions and millions of people are,
so I would very respectfully ask you please not to put that sort of
question to me."
The Times British News/August 27, 2001
By Dominic Kennedy
an Indian mystic famed as a 'god man' and miracle worker. Sai Baba's
activities are being studied by the Foreign Office which is
considering issuing an unprecedented warning against the guru to
travellers.
lives after placing hope in India's most popular holy man.
Sai Baba at his ashram in Puttaparthi near Bangalore.
hostel after taking alcohol and painkillers. He had already tried to
commit suicide at the holy man's headquarters.
Baba support group and being encouraged to write to the guru to solve
his psychological problems.
receiving no replies and being told that the guru did not read his
mail.
building in India shortly after visiting Sai Baba's ashram.
York, the Prince of Wales's architect Keith Critchlow, the cricketer
Sachin Tendulkar and the Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
through charities which claim to provide non-denominational education
in 'human values.'
Government to take decisive action to warn teachers and pilgrims of
the dangers of becoming involved with Sai Baba. The guru's reputation
is plummeting after the United Nations cancelled a conference at his
headquarters, issuing a condemnation of his alleged sex abuse of
youths and boys.
guru's educational organisation in Puttaparthi last September.
organisation 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.
organisation restates its firm moral and practical commitment to
combating the sexual exploitation of children, in application of the
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which requires states to
protect children from all forms of sexual exploitation and violence.'
programmes on 'human values' are currently being promoted as part of
the National Curriculum.
charities involved, the Sathya Sai Education in Human Values Trust UK,
last year and 'found no concerns,' a spokesman said.
Action Information and Resource), said that he had successfully
intervened to persuade a girls' school to reject a Sai Baba-inspired
course.
given any steer,' Mr Sackville said. 'Some other countries would have
had official warnings.'
Government apply sanctions to cults, which civil servants describe
respectfully as 'new religious movements.'
educational organisation, Mr Sackville said: 'There's a lot of very
naive people around in these government institutions.'
along the lines of recommendations to travellers to beware the dangers
of Aids and violence abroad. The Foreign Office is believed to be
considering putting out just such advice.
The Times British News/August 27, 2001
By Michael Dynes and Dominic Kennedy
to cure him of HIV. Like thousands of devotees from around the world,
Mr Pender went on a pilgrimage to Sai Baba's ashram in Puttaparthi,
southern India, expecting to find magic and divinity. Instead 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.
destroyed her books and videos on the holy man. She said: "I blame
myself in many ways because, if I hadn't introduced them, Mitch would
probably be alive now. That's what he went to India for, thinking he'd
find a cure.
more than once. He had some strange, very powerful experiences there.
There was something sexual that was frightening." Her son, Keith, has
given a detailed account of what Mr Pender said in his last weeks
about meeting Sai Baba. The guru flattered the British student by
describing him as "the reincarnation of St Michael." Mr Ord's
evidence, posted on the Internet, states: "He told me that the very
first private interview that he had with SB was a sexual encounter.
unreal and frightening. But then after the first interview he thought
SB must have been showing him something about himself . . . that there
must have been some spiritual or 'divine' explanation behind the
swami's actions.
confused about the whole thing; each interview was a repetition of the
first . . . Baba 'materialised' an emerald ring on the fifth interview
and gave him money on the sixth.
On January 12, 1990, Mr Pender's body was found by the supervisor of
his hostel. Traces of paracetamol and alcohol were found in his blood,
but a pathologist found it impossible to determine if they were lethal
doses. An open verdict was recorded at an inquest in St Pancras.
at the University of Wales in Newport, joined Sai Baba's Bath and
Bristol support group. David Bailey, a concert pianist from Conwy,
North Wales, who had become one of the guru's closest British aides,
met Aran with the group.
everything for him and that he should write to Sai Baba with his
problems," Mr Bailey said.
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.
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."
home in Cardiff, on April 19, 1999. He was 37. A suicide verdict was
recorded by the coroner.
fragile kind of person, very sensitive, very gentle in nature. If you
are thinking there is a link, I know for a fact there wasn't a link in
the sense of all the allegations going about Sai Baba. He was in
distress long before."
national born in South Africa, did. He made a pilgrimage to Sai Baba's
ashram, booking in for a week, but mysteriously leaving after only two
days.
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.
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."
Cult News Summary/December 2004
kingdom that includes one of the world's largest ashrams. He claims to
have millions of followers.
allegations that in recent years has made media headlines around the
world.
harasser, a fraud and even a pedophile."
to massage his penis. He later said, "Sai Baba was my God -- who dares
to refuse God? He was free to do whatever he wanted to do with me; he
had my trust, my faith, my love and my friendship; he had me in
totality."
Baba he continues to be worshipped at his ashram. Twice a day he
parades about and makes appearances to the faithful, entertaining them
with what seems like little more than magic tricks.
jewelry appear out of "thin air."
seemingly in trance-like or hypnotic states. Perhaps in this condition
they are prepared to believe almost anything.
gold leaf and hanging chandeliers.
director," said one recently devoted disciple. Does Sai Baba prey upon
the psychologically and emotionally vulnerable? "When you don't have
problems, you don't go to the ashram," says a disciple.
ashram workers and was taken into police custody. She sat in a holding
area almost catatonic, mumbling "darshan, darshan, darshan"
repeatedly.
India. That influence includes some prominent leaders such as former
Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. The Times of India reported in 1993
that the guru's followers include "governors, chief ministers,
assorted politicians, business tycoons, newspaper magnates, jurists,
sportsmen, academics and, yes, even scientists."
that offers free services, partly financed by a $20 million donation
from Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of the Hard Rock Café. Its pink façade
makes it look more like a palace than a hospital. And in the entrance
area there are images of Sai Baba.
chicanery and worse."
one doubts the good work done by the Sai organization."
to get into people's pants?
pattern.
my private parts and regularly massage my private parts, indicating
that this was for spiritual purposes," wrote one former devotee. "He
grabbed my head and pushed it into his groin area. He made moaning
sounds. As soon as he took the pressure off my head and I lifted my
head, Sai Baba lifted his dress and presented me a semi-erect member,
telling me that this was my good luck chance, and jousted his hips
towards my face," the man said.
out of the ashram.
connections to my groin," said another former follower.
young men in their 20s.
the Air" later renamed "Avatar of Night," told the story of a devoted
disciple's disillusionment upon learning of Sai Baba's sexual
appetite.
alleged sexual exploitation and abuse from the guru's former
followers.
worst thing for me -- as a mother of sons -- occurred when a young
man, a college student, came to our room, to plead with David, 'Please
Sir, do something to stop him sexually abusing us&These sons of
devotees, unable to bear their untenable position of being unwilling
participants in a pedophile situation any longer, yet unable to share
this with their parents because they would be disbelieved, placed
their trust in David; a trust which had built over his five years as a
visiting professor of music to the Sai college."
gained momentum.
wanted to launch a class-action lawsuit against the Sai Organization
in America. "You've got all these kids who are scared to death to do
anything that will do disrespect to their parents, in a room with
someone they believe to be the creator of the whole universe. This
isn't just any child abuse; this is God himself claiming to do this,"
Meloy said.
investigate Sai Baba. "I've spoken to 20 or 30 boys who have been
abused, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are 14-year-old
kids made to live in his room and made to think it's a blessing. In
most cases, their parents have been followers for 20 years and are not
going to believe them. American citizens have been knowing about this
abuse and taking American boys to Puttaparthi and feeding them to
him," he said.
linked to Sai Baba and stated it was "deeply concerned about widely
reported allegations of sexual abuse involving youths and children
that have been leveled at the leader of the movement in question,
Sathya Sai Baba."
sexual relations with the guru; the Sai Organization in Sweden was
shut down.
Daily Telegraph.
authorities have done little so far and that is regrettable."
anything.
"First of all, I believe that Sathya Sai Baba is an Avatar, a full
incarnation of God ... any sexual contact Baba has had with devotees
-- of whatever kind -- has actually been only a potent blessing, given
to awaken the spiritual power within those souls. Who can call that
'wrong'? Surely to call such contact 'molestation' is perversity
itself."
follower.
completely regardless of how many of his alleged victims come forward
to tell their stories.
hear a lot of rumors&but for me it's not important. When you're happy,
why doubt it?"
"Untouchable" (note: dead link) by Michelle Goldberg, which appeared
in Salon Magazine, July 25, 2001
Vancouver Sun/February 27, 2001
By Douglas Todd
support his multi-billion-dollar religious empire. But some former
adherents are coming forward with dark tales of the guru sexually
molesting young men.
-- has only once left India, where he reigns as arguably the country's
most famous living swami. But Sai Baba is here tonight at this temple
in east Vancouver. Sai Baba is sitting in the ochre robe on the wooden
throne at the front altar, smelling the eye-stinging incense,
listening to the spine-tingling chants and watching the earnest,
multiracial followers bow to him. Sai Baba is omni-present.
management studies at the University of Victoria. To devotees, Sai
Baba is an avatar, God on Earth, born of a virgin mother. Separated by
gender in the Vancouver temple, the scores of East Indians,
Caucasians, Japanese, blacks and Chinese followers who sit on the red
carpet revering Sai Baba believe he paranormally transports his
invisible soul throughout the globe.
them and other adherents conducting similar rituals of worship around
the planet at 6,700 Sai Baba temples, charity hospitals and schools,
mostly in India, but including 500 centres in the U.S. and 70 in
Canada. Dr. Ray Ludwig, 60, a Vancouver physician, puts his awe for
the Indian avatar succinctly: "Sai Baba, to me, is like a thousand
Mother Teresas. It was the greatest day of my life when I met Sai Baba
15 years ago. He transforms people to an altruistic lifestyle."
universe, where people of all religions, from Christianity to
Buddhism, are meant to come together, because, as Sai Baba teaches,
"all faiths are facets of the same truth."
comely young men for decades during private meetings at his giant
ashram in India, where thousands visit each week.
miraculously manifesting out of thin air everything from wristwatches
to sacred stones and ash, has never admitted to sexual assault. But
followers in Canada and elsewhere acknowledge they've taken part with
him in what they call "sexual healing."
and across Canada have been feeling betrayed. Greater Vancouver boasts
one of the bigger North American Sai Baba contingents, with several
thousand members, about 75 per cent of them from the city's large Indo-
Canadian community With the sex scandal rapidly being unveiled on
various Internet sites and in a few newspapers, Sai Baba has told his
adherents, whose numbers range from 10 million to 50 million,
depending on whom you talk to, not to sign on to the World Wide Web.
defensiveness and sublime indifference among those who remain
acolytes. Thiyagaratnam, speaking at the Sai Baba Centre at 1659 East
10th, says he's not surprised that people are trying to ruin the
reputation of such a wondrous man. After all, he says, people also
persecuted Jesus Christ and Buddha. "It's very acrimonious and we're
sad. But people are entitled to their opinion." The charges are taking
their toll, however.
Baba's hometown of Puttaparthi, in southern India, saying it was
"deeply concerned about widely reported allegations of sexual abuse
involving youth and children that have been levelled at the leader of
the movement."
Indian president Atal Bihari Vajpayee; Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of
the Hard Rock restaurant chain and House of Blues; Sarah Ferguson,
Prince Andrew's former wife, and dozens of prominent Indian
professionals -- have so far been silent. But graphic charges have
come from all over the world.
reported the case of American Sam Young, a young man who said he was
repeatedly abused by Sai Baba in a private room while his unwitting
parents remained outside, feeling blissful that their son was getting
so much of the divine one's attention.
film star, Conny Larsson, who says the guru regularly performed oral
sex on him and asked for it in return. Sai Baba was said to have
claimed he was simply correcting Larsson's inner "kundalini" energy.
circle, fell away after hearing numerous accounts of how young men's
sessions with Sai Baba, which started out as purported sexual healing,
eventually turned into molestation. Bailey has been compiling the
stories, called the Findings, on a Web site.
"e-bombing" decision-makers, including the White House, U.S. Senators,
the FBI and Indian newspapers, with warnings to keep young males away
from Sai Baba.
although some speculate that's because of his exalted position and
charitable work in India, where he's opened numerous well-appointed
hospitals, schools, colleges and water-treatment facilities.
organization, this year dismissed all the accusations. He says they're
unbelievable and that Sai Baba remains divinely pure, filled only with
"selfless love." The answer for those who doubt, says Goldstein, is to
show more faith.
Vancouver's Tony Cleary, who walked away last year from the group
after 15 years of high-level dedication. Cleary, a 57-year-old
businessman, said it's difficult to leave. "Sai Baba makes you feel so
important because he tells you he's chosen you."
Cleary is concerned about what he estimates are the billions of
dollars that well-meaning devotees give to Sai Baba and his various
charities. "It's a huge enterprise," Cleary says. Sai Baba is said to
be the reincarnation of the revered Indian saint, Shirdi Sai Baba, who
died in 1918. But Cleary said Sai Baba's teachings are "pretty
standard stuff.
Buddhism, so it will appeal to more people." Despite his anger, Cleary
still believes Sai Baba probably has miraculous powers, including the
ability to "astral travel," which allows his soul to traverse the
globe.
Africa many years ago, may transport himself to sleep in various
sacred beds that devotees keep for him around the world, including in
Vancouver. So far in Canada, two people have agreed to go public with
accounts of Sai Baba's practice of "sexual healing," sometimes known
as "genital oiling."
St. Jean said in an interview from Montreal that when he was 19 and
had a private session with Sai Baba, the guru pointed at his genitals
and said, "Something slow."
time, he said the guru then "asked me to drop my pants. He made a
materializing motion with his hand and there was cream on it. He
applied it to my scrotum." St. Jean thought at the time the event was
not sexual -- but more like "going to the doctor" for what he found
out was a urinary infection -- but St. Jean has since quit the group
after hearing and believing the mounting allegations of molestation.
incredible," he says. "The love was flowing from him. All this still
bothers me a lot. It's scary." In Langley, by contrast, Sai Baba
leaders Ann and David Jevons remain defiantly loyal to their divine
master.
son's genitals more than a decade ago, they say the guru did it
because their son had a lump on his testicles, probably caused by an
anti-miscarriage drug she had taken during pregnancy.
David, 65, acknowledged in an article for their newsletter that Sai
Baba can show less interest in adults such as themselves and more
interest in children and young people in general -- showering them
with rings and watches that he mysteriously materializes out of
nowhere.
kundalini point between the anus and the genitals, where human energy
starts." It is totally understandable, she says, that a saint would
want to help people by curing disruptions in the flow of such a
crucial life force.
hospital in south India. He's done incredible service to the world.
His accusers are wrong. And we're no gullible believers."
The Star/January 14, 2001
By Tom Harpur
you. . . . All my actions are always selfless, selfless, selfless.'-
Guru Sai Baba
major feature article described one of the greatest scandals to befall
a guru or religious leader in our time.
journalist Mick Brown makes the case that the man millions around the
world hold to be God incarnate, a healer and "miracle worker" on a par
with Krishna or Christ, has systematically and for decades sexually
abused large numbers of teenage boys.
in Puttaparthi, close to Bangalore (for a visit to Uganda), yet has
followers numbering anywhere from 10 million to 50 million, depending
on the source - is also accused of financial wrongs and "B-grade
conjuring tricks."
controversy now coming to a head over a document released on the
Internet, called "The Findings."
devotee, who had risen high in the guru's inner circle only to be
devastated by allegations made to him by several students at Sai
Baba's ashram college.
tell anyone because they were fearful of being disbelieved by their
parents and friends who were also devotees.
evidence gained from devotees around the globe.
Holland, Australia, Germany, India and the United States.
Sai Baba make sexual advances towards him, but he had also been told
by young male disciples of advances the guru had made on them."
husband and wife who suddenly found themselves being given special
treatment by the guru - out of all the thousands seeking to get near
him at his twice-daily public sessions.
closer ties. The Telegraph said he was given presents of all kinds,
including expensive watches, which the guru claimed to have
"materialized" out of thin air.
from his parents outside.
had steadily moved from fondling to demands for oral sex and,
eventually, attempted rape. Sam said he had feared that to tell anyone
would end his parents' happiness and incur the divine wrath of the
guru.
flood of similar accounts from every corner of the Internet.
Gradually, the stage was set for one of the most amazing battles ever
spawned in cyberspace.
specious, unconvincing arguments - for example, that the whole affair
was initiated by the omnipotent, omniscient guru as a kind of "divine
game" to test the disciples' faith - to a host of critical chatrooms,
columns and letters.
nearly 60 years.
was born sinless "of immaculate conception," like the Virgin Mary, in
Puttaparthi in 1926.
saint, Shirdi Sai Baba, who died in 1918. Even as a boy, the guru
displayed signs of allegedly miraculous powers by "materializing"
flowers and candies from "nowhere."
included among his followers, as are members of India's judiciary,
academics, scientists and scores of high-profile members of the upper
middle class.
many others nationwide.
current charges. Instead, the pro-Baba arguments seem to consist of
various ways of saying that God is God and doesn't really have to
explain. His ways are far beyond anything we mere humans can
understand.
to understand me."
against him. He may be a pure healer and a promoter of universal love.
avoided at all cost.
is accused of being a sexual predator
By Bob Harvey
the world recently celebrated the 75th birthday of Sai Baba, an Indian
spiritual leader they believe is God.
U.S. and other countries have quit: they say Sai Baba is a sexual
predator.
Sai Baba's home town of Puttaparthi, India, saying it was "deeply
concerned about widely-reported allegations of sexual abuse involving
youth and children that have been levelled at the leader of the
movement."
Sai Spiritual Centre on Hunt Club, is a believer. Like many devotees,
he wears a large ring given to him by the guru. "He materialized it
from thin air," Mr. Midha says.
countries have used slow-motion to show that such "miracles" are
really just clever sleight-of-hand by Sai Baba. But Mr. Midha shrugs
off this and other allegations about Sai Baba. "With all big leaders,
there have always been people who didn't like them. Even Jesus was
crucified."
and others. He shows off the 156,000-square-foot centre with pride,
and points to Sai Baba teachings posted on the walls of the building.
He says those teachings can be summarized in eight words: "Love All,
Serve All", and "Help Ever, Hurt Never."
wife's cancer, and he credits his own work with the Shepherds of Good
Hope and other charities to Sai Baba's teachings. On the centre's
second floor, he is reverent as he enters Sai Baba's bedroom, which
comes complete with bathroom, and a balcony overlooking the worship
area on the ground floor.
But Mr. Midha and other devotees firmly believe their leader can
transport himself around the world at will. Mr. Midha says they know
Sai Baba uses his Ottawa bedroom, because they leave a glass of water
on his bedside table, and often the glass has been half-drained. About
200 devotees regularly worship at the centre, and some report having
seen the holy man while they were praying.
star in his native Sweden, has a very different view of Sai Baba. He
first met Sai Baba in 1978, built his own apartment near the guru's
headquarters in Puttaparthi, and remained a devotee until last year.
Mr. Larsson was the spiritual co-ordinator of the Sai Baba movement in
Sweden, and says he brought tens of thousands of people to India to
see Sai Baba by speaking at conferences, writing a book about Sai
Baba, and speaking on radio.
Sai Baba, Mr. Larsson says the guru regularly practised oral sex on
him, and asked that Mr. Larsson do the same for him. The guru's
explanation, as it has been for many young men, is that he was
correcting Mr. Larsson's kundalini, or cosmic force.
Sweden. "As a child I was severely molested, and when he did this to
me, he told me he was going to correct something. And in my mind, I
thought God was healing me of this tragedy. This is the reason he
could do what he liked. "Everyone told me I was very special. They
puffed me up. For a person so molested and hurt as a child, it was a
relief to be someone."
them attractive blond westerners, who told him they too had had sex
with Sai Baba. He believes Sai Baba has had sex with many more
reluctant male followers. Why do they do it? He says it's because
"everyone believes he is divine. They want to believe because they
have nothing else," he said.
man. The number of his followers is estimated at somewhere between 10
million and 50 million, and they include India's Prime Minister Atal
Bihari Vaijpayee; Isaac Tigrett, the co-founder of the Hard Rock
Restaurant chain; Simon de Jong, a former New Democrat MP from
Saskatchewan; and Kris Singhal, founder of Ottawa's Richcraft Homes.
Birendra, the king of Nepal, Sarah Ferguson, Prince Andrew's former
wife; and many other celebrities have also made pilgrimages to see the
guru.
and what was once a small village now has an airstrip, a university, a
hospital and enough hotels and apartment blocks to accommodate tens of
thousands of people. "When you see all these important people moving
around there, kings and queens moving around as if they were common
people, you start to believe he (Sai Baba) has a divine plan for all
mankind," said Mr. Larsson.
in the main temple and chooses people from the crowd for private
interviews. Often those chosen for private interviews are young men
like Mr. Larsson once was. What prompted him to quit the organization
and start speaking out was the abuse suffered by a young Swedish man
who asked for his help as a psychotherapist, after six interviews with
Sai Baba.
opened his trousers and started to masturbate him. He withdrew, but
the swami insisted." Mr. Larsson then brought the man to a meeting of
Swedish leaders of the Sai Baba movement, and told his own story as
well. The majority of the leaders resigned, and Mr. Larsson, like many
other ex-devotees, put his story on the Internet.
posting, The Findings, a 42-page document amassed by David and Faye
Bailey, former devotees who once lived in Puttaparthi, and edited a
magazine to propagate Sai Baba's teachings. Mr. Bailey is a British
concert pianist and taught students at the Sathya Sai Baba College.
When some of his students complained to him about being sexually
molested by Sai Baba, he quit the organization and began documenting
the stories of abuse.
former devotee who is using the Internet to warn others to keep their
sons away from Sai Baba. After 26 years of following Sai Baba, he quit
when he heard the story of a 15-year-old California boy who said he
had been abused on multiple occasions. Mr. Meloy said this boy and
others in families of devotees "were born with the idea that Baba is
God. So they submit because they're afraid to displease their parents,
let alone God himself, who's asking them to participate in these
acts."
newspapers, and the FBI with allegations of abuse by the Indian
spiritual leader. He says he gets 50 to 100 e-mails and phone calls a
day from former devotees, many of them looking for advice on what to
do about the tales of abuse they have heard.
his story of being sexually touched. Marc-Andre St. Jean of Montreal
said that when he visited Puttaparthi in 1992, Sai Baba took him into
a private interview room, and asked him to drop his pants. Then he
touched Mr. St. Jean's genitals. He said he had a kidney problem and
at the time he thought Sai Baba was just trying to help him.
devotees, helped persuade seven co-ordinators of the Sai Baba movement
in Quebec to hand in their resignations.
representative on the national Sai Baba council. He said he and other
co-ordinators resigned after comparing the stories of Quebecers to
those of Mr. Larsson and others who suffered more severe abuse.
Baba $90,000 as a birthday present, and the 70 centres across Canada
probably donated even more this year, for the 75th birthday.
who resigned wonder why so many others have remained devotees. "But
when you believe he is God, and you have invested yourself in a
spiritual community, it involves too much to suddenly decide he is not
God. Your whole spiritual world falls apart. It's too hard to bear,"
she said.
organization for the past 30 years. He said he does not care to read
the allegations against Sai Baba, and like most other devotees, he
obeys his guru's command not to use the Internet.
said. Mr. Singh said the Canadian and other leaders who have resigned
from the organization around the world "can do whatever they want to
do; it's their business."
The Daily Telegraph Saturday Magazine/October 27, 2000
By Mick Brown
and her husband had met me off the plane, she pulled a large picture
from the back seat of the station wagon. Framed in gilded-gold, the
picture showed the couple and their three children posing with an
elderly, chubby-faced Indian man with an ostentatious Afro haircut,
dressed in a red robe. Staring out of the picture, it seemed the
Youngs were shining with happiness. "And to think," said Carrie, "this
is the man we used to think was God."
and truthful. A handsome, clean-cut couple in their mid-40s; both
worked in the computer industry. The past year, said Jeff, had been
difficult, what with all that had happened, but they were pulling
things together.
Sathya Sai Baba, he told them - the man the Youngs had revered as God
for more than 20 years - was, in fact, a sexual abuser. Over the
course of four years, in his ashram, while Sam's parents sat a few
metres away - thrilled that their son should be in such close
proximity to the divine, secure in their belief that the god-man was
ministering to their son's spiritual welfare - Sai Baba was actually
subjecting him to sustained and systematic sexual abuse. "You'll meet
Sam at the restaurant," said Carrie. "He's prepared to talk about
this. He thinks it's important too."
be described as angelic. For the next four hours, they told me the
story of how they had come to Sai Baba; of their spiritual
aspirations, the dreams, the visions, the miracles - and the nightmare
their lives had turned into. And always, throughout the conversation,
the same question repeated itself: how could it possibly have come to
this?
powerful holy man - a worker of miracles, it is said, an instrument of
the divine. His following extends not only to every corner of the
Indian sub-continent, but to Europe, America, Australia, South America
and throughout Asia. Estimates of the total number of Baba devotees
around the world vary between 10 and 50 million.
it is necessary to have some understanding of what his devotees
believe him to be, and of the powers that are attributed to him. Among
his devotees, Sai Baba is believed to be an avatar: literally, an
incarnation of the divine, one of a rare body of divine beings - such
as Krishna or Christ - who, it is said, take human form to further
man's spiritual evolution.
and disciple, Professor N. Kasturi, Sai Baba was born "of immaculate
conception" in the southern Indian village of Puttaparthi in 1926. As
a young boy, he displayed signs of miraculous abilities, including
"materialising" flowers and sweets from nowhere. At 13, he declared
himself to be the reincarnation of a revered southern Indian saint,
Shirdi Sai Baba, who died in 1918. Challenged to prove his identity,
Kasturi writes, he threw a clump of jasmine flowers on the floor,
which arranged themselves to spell out "Sai Baba" in Telugu.
Serenity) in his home village. This has now grown to the size of a
small town, accommodating up to 10,000 people, with tens of thousands
more housed in the numerous hotels and apartment blocks that have
sprung up around. There is a primary school, university, college, and
hospital in the ashram, and innumerable other institutions around
India bearing Sai Baba's name. In India, his devotees include the
former prime minister, PV Narasimha Rao, the present Prime Minister,
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and an assortment of senior judiciary,
academics, scientists and prominent politicians. Unlike other Indian
gurus who have travelled in the West, cultivating a following among
faith seekers and celebrities, Sai Baba has left India only once, in
the '70s, to visit Uganda. His reputation in the West spread largely
by word-of-mouth. His devotees tend to be drawn from the educated
middle-classes.
omniscient, capable of seeing the past, present and future of
everyone; his "miracles' include materialising various keepsakes for
devotees, including watches, rings and pendants, as well as vibhuti or
holy ash. Like Christ, he is said to have created food to feed
multitudes; to have "appeared" to disciples in times of crisis or
need. There are countless accounts of healings, and at least two of
his having raised people from the dead.
with a particular emphasis on Christian charity, enshrined in his most
ubiquitous aphorism, "Love All, Serve All".
emerges twice daily from his quarters adjacent to the main temple and
walks among the thousands of devotees seated on the hard marble floor.
Hands reach forward to touch his feet or to pass him letters of
supplication. Occasionally he pauses, to offer a blessing or to
"materialise" vibhuti in an outstretched hand. It is during darshan
that Sai Baba, by some unseen criteria, chooses people from the crowd
for private interviews. Some devotees might wait for years.
subject of rumbling allegations of fakery, fraud and worse. But he has
proved remarkably immune to controversy, the accusations doing little
to dent his growing following or the esteem in which he is held. But
all that, it appears, is about to change.
document called The Findings, compiled by an English former devotee
named David Bailey - which threaten to shake the very foundations of
Sai Baba's holy empire. Sai Baba may represent an ancient tradition of
belief, but the instrument of accusation against him is an altogether
modern one. Originally published in document form, The Findings
quickly found its way on to the Internet, where it has become the
catalyst for a raging cyberspace debate about whether Sai Baba is
truly divine or, as one disenchanted former devotee describes him, "a
dangerous paedophile".
drawn by an interest in the guru's reputation as a spiritual healer.
"I couldn't see him as a God," says Bailey, "but I did think, this
could be a great holy man who has certain gifts."
figure among devotees. He travelled all over the world, speaking and
performing at meetings and would visit the ashram in India three or
four times a year. Over the course of four years Bailey claims to have
had more than 100 interviews with Baba. At Baba's instigation, Bailey
married a fellow devotee, and together they edited a magazine to
propagate Sai Baba's teachings. But the closer he came to Sai Baba,
Bailey told me, the more his doubts multiplied. The miracles, he
concluded, were B-grade conjuring tricks, the healings a myth, and
Baba's powers of being able to see into people's minds and lives
merely a clever use of information gleaned from others.
college came to him alleging that they had been sexually abused by the
guru. "They said, `Please sir, can you go back to England and help
us."' They were unable to tell their parents because they were afraid
of being disbelieved, and feared for their personal safety.'
Baba and began to assemble a dossier of evidence from former devotees
around the world. The Findings is a chronicle of shattered illusions.
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.
contained in The Findings are of an altogether different magnitude.
They include verbatim accounts of abuse from devotees in Holland,
Australia, Germany and India. Conny Larsson, a well-known Swedish film
actor, says that not only did Sai Baba make homosexual advances
towards him, but he was also told by young male disciples of advances
the guru had made on them.
Californian devotee of some 26 years standing - received a letter from
an American woman who had read The Findings on the Internet. Her 15-
year-old son, she said, had also been abused. Included in the letter
was a four-page statement from the boy himself alleging multiple
sexual abuse.
The effects of this have been enormous. There has been a rash of
defections from Sai Baba groups throughout the West. >From other
devotees, however, the response has been one of disbelief and denial.
"Sai Baba," says Bailey, "is a simple sex maniac who's on an ego trip,
after money, after power. He is a sheer conman." No, say others, "Sai
Baba is God."
story of how they had come to Sai Baba was not atypical. In the early
'70s, Jeff had become interested in "the spiritual quest", initially
through psychedelics, then through yoga and meditation. He learned of
Sai Baba through a friend, and in 1974, at the age of 18, visited
India for the first time.
remember feeling peace like I had never felt before; feeling loved
like I'd never been loved before." He returned to Los Angeles, where
he lived in a community with fellow Baba devotees. He met Carrie,
whose childhood had been characterised by parental abuse, and her
teenage years by drug abuse. She, too, became a devotee of Sai Baba.
They married, moved to the Midwest and started to raise a family. Over
the years, they visited Sai Baba from time to time. They founded a
community, home-schooled their children according to his teachings,
and strove to lead a life of purity and self-discipline.
visited the ashram with a family friend and was singled out for a
private interview with Sai Baba. Eighteen months later, the Youngs
returned to Puttaparthi; again Sai Baba singled out Sam and called him
and the family for an interview. "He made [a big fuss of] our group,"
said Jeff. "He materialised a ring for my son. He told everybody that
Sam had been a great Shirdi Sai devotee in a previous life - he just
poured it on." During the course of that visit, the Youngs were called
for seven interviews, while Sam had some 20 private meetings. The
family felt blissfully privileged. He materialised rings, watches,
bracelets, gave them robes and the silk lungi he wore next to his
skin.
each occasion they would be gifted with two or three interviews. Sam
had twice as many. "We had no idea what was going on," said Jeff.
Sai Baba had