Sai Baba: A Whiff of Fraud
(This article was written and adapted for Nirmukta by Sanjay Dadlani. The original post can be found here)
As a former devotee of Sathya Sai Baba I would like to relate an experience I had of his apparent omnipresence.
Back in my college days, travelling to the college naturally required me to cross a few streets when walking to the building. One morning, just as I was about to turn into a street crossing and walk over, the most fantastic smell entered my nostrils. It was the well-documented jasmine smell that is associated with the 
Baba and it was unmistakably ‘his scent’, and which led me to the conclusion that Sai Baba was near me in a disembodied and etheric form. Similar experiences have been reported by other devotees. I would have liked to have stopped there and inhale more of “the divine presence” had I not been conscious of my educational committments, and so I thanked Sai Baba for his presence with me that morning and moved on.
A few months later I found the same smell assaulting my nostrils. I was initially filled with a sense of wonder and was about to thank Sai Baba for his divine omnipresence again when I suddenly realised that I was at the same street-crossing and it was around the sametime as the previous experience!
Something sure smelled fishy, pun not intended, and I took a few minutes to do some detective work. I discovered that the smell was originating from a shop about 4-6 meters away from the street-crossing, a dry-cleaning business run by an Indian family. As a part of their own religiosity they had the custom of offering prayers to God before they started work, and sure enough there was a couple of agarbatti (incense) sticks burning in front of a deity’s picture. The smell had wafted out into the street because the shop door was kept open, and as I neared the entrance to the shop the smell became stronger. Incidentally, this family were devotees of Sathya Sai Baba though I do not recall noticing his picture there.
I was disgusted. Sick and thoroughly disgusted. Not only did I have to suffer the painful realisation that Sai
Baba was not with me at those instances, but I had to deal with the fact that I had bought into the propaganda that such events were typical of Sai Baba’s “omnipresence” when they had a perfectly mundane and rational explanation. It also made me wonder about the authenticity of the other experiences recorded by Sai devotees. Knowing their capacity for exaggeration, it’s perfectly possible that a large number of “omnipresence” instances accompanied by otherworldly smells and other ‘signs’ can have their occurrences explained in a similarly rational manner.
Written by Sanjay Dadlani
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i will pray 2 baba that u will be goin in right path from now onward coz no one like sai bad thinking
I will think for the both of us.
This man pulls gold rolexes out of his hair to demonstrate his spiritual wisdom – does that sound like the real thing to you? I met so many desperate people in India, going to him for help. He’s never helped anyone. I went to see one of the “great” hospitals he supposedly built – it was just an empty structure – it didn’t even have windows.
He’s a filthy rich fraud.
Please, don’t turn to charlatans like this for spiritual guidance.
As a newcomer seeking information on the Sai Baba phenomenon, I read Phyllis Krystal’s book, SAI BABA THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE.
It was very convincing that Baba is legit; however, I read the court transcripts of one of Yogananda’s favorite disciples, Donald Walter. The transcripts, indeed, revealed a sexual predator on the loose in Ananda Village in Northern California.
Some of the posts are critical of Baba but I don’t find any concrete evidence – with Walters I found very damaging concrete evidence.
I am still neutral re Baba and am seeking the truth. I would appreciate any enlightening comments (pun intended).
Andrew Treacy.. plz do not cum to any conclusion until u see him!go to puttaparthi find out by yourself don read books & cum to conclusions..believe ur eyes not anytin else!
almighty is not the one who can do miracles..almighty is the one who make you follow in the right path in the right ways…
All bow to the almighty flying spaghetti monster.
world would have been a better place if each and every man thinks of betterment in himself rather than thinking/criticizing others.Sai Baba is a man who is doing so many good deeds for poor,For education,for health and many things like this..Every man on this earth should know his deeds rather than just critisize.Tell me what have you done?
The progress of a culture occurs when bad ideas are cirticized. Criticism is a very important aspect of civil society. Sai Baba is a rapist and a pedophile. You may find comfort in defending such lowlifes, but at least defend them by examining the criticism and not by simply asking others to not criticize people who keep India backward. As for the good deeds the charlatan has done, I don’t see how conning millions of people into donating millions of dollars and then using a part of that loot to maintain the image you have built for yourself, thus ensuring more donations from deluded fools, constitutes ‘good deeds’.
your absolutely rite aakash i appreciate ur thoughts!
If he can bring lingams,gold chains and watches by waving his hand surely he can bring hospitals,sanitation facilities etc by waving his hand or may be he can gurgle out more gold lingams non stop(Gold’s price is now sky rocketing)
I GO WITH THIRUVALLUVAR U ARE RITE IF HE HAD REAL SUPERNATURAL POWERS HE WOULD ELIMINATED POVERTY IN INDIA.VIP S DOESNT NEED ANY GOLD CHAINS AND WATCHES AS THEY DO HAVE PLENTY WITH THEM…ALL THAT FACILITIES NEEDED BY POOR
It is pretty obvious that all those watches and vibhuti are by sleight of hand. But how does one set up a water project, and sanitation facility, or a tertiary care hospital through magic? Instead of hyperventilating over Sathya Sai Baba’s so-caled miracles, you would do the world a service if you studied his charitable activities. I do know a few doctors who spend sabbaticals there, more info would be welcome.
It is sad to know that India’s famous cricketer is hardly rational in his thinking.
http://www.newkerala.com/nkfullnews-1-71115.html
Gavaskar celebrates 60th birthday in Puttaparthi
Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, Jul 10 : Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar today celebrated his 60th birthday at the ashram of Satya Sai Baba in Puttaparthi.
The legendary cricketer, the first batsman to reach 10,000 runs in the history of test cricket, told mediapersons that he came here to the Ashram on a call from the spirtual teacher.
The ”little master” was accompanied by his family, including his cricketer-son Rohan Gavaskar and brother-in-law former test cricketer Gundappa Viswanath.
He refused to be drawn into any serious discussion on cricket.
— UNI
This guy is a criminal IMHO.
It’s interesting that even though I spent 14 years of my life (the first few of which my cognitive abilities were no better than a chimp’s) as a “Sai devotee”, I never knew about this relationship between incense and Baba’s omnipresence.
Whenever I did smell anything of the sort, which was quite often, I just thought it smelled nice. Alas, had I known Baba was blessing me with his presence, I may not have become the atheist I am today.
It’s also rather interesting that something which makes believers believe more made you believe less. Perhaps Baba should have stopped stalking you after the first time.
Good post all the same, Sanjay.