The article “The phenomenon of Satya Sai Baba” (Open Page, May 15) is full of negativity. Can an ordinary magician rise to such a phenomenal level as Satya Sai Baba did, and engage in selfless service to humanity? Apart from the many services he undertook, Sai Baba was the moving force behind the Telugu Ganga project, which brought drinking water to Chennai.
No magician has ever done such great service to the nation. Science is limited to physical laws. Meta-physical laws are beyond its scope.
R. Krishnamoorthy,Chennai
I do not call myself a devotee of Satya Sai Baba but I am impressed by what he, as an individual, achieved in his lifetime. One may or may not believe in the concept of reincarnation or the miraculous powers of Sai Baba, but none can deny his contribution to society. What is wrong in giving a state funeral and declaring official mourning for a person who lived a life of service?
P. Raj,Hyderabad
The author describes the mourning declared for Satya Sai Baba's death as a tragedy. Sai Baba did for the country a lot more than what our corrupt and selfish politicians, who are given state funerals, do.
Sampath Kumar,Chennai
I am not a follower of Satya Sai Baba but I hold him in great admiration for his service to humanity. As far as I know, the Baba never responded to criticism or praise.
I know of a man who had to undergo an open heart surgery but did not have the resources. Someone advised him to go to Puttaparthi. He is now normal, thanks to the free surgery at Sai Baba's super speciality hospital.
C.S. Sukhavanam,Coimbatore
Rational thinkers view miracles with scepticism. People turn to godmen for solace and succour in times of distress. Soon, they build an aura of invincibility around such men, start attributing powers to them, which are beyond the realm of human comprehension.
Satya Sai Baba might have been one such person but it would be unfair to focus only on his miracles and leave out his spiritual contribution and service to humanity.
R. Ravichandran,Chennai
According to Sri Aurobindo, there are many levels of human existence: body, mind, overmind and supramental consciousness. What the writer of the article says may be from the level of the mind which, under normal conditions, is dominated by reason and the thinking process. It is said that mind and reason cannot, by virtue of their inherent limitations, comprehend the flow of supramental consciousness. The article seeks to measure electromagnetic waves with a yardstick. It has relegated the vital point, Satya Sai Baba's total involvement in charitable work, to the background. Free education and free medical service, and provision of drinking water for millions speak volumes about his greatness.
M. Vathapureeswaran,Tiruchengode
The article made interesting reading. Instead of building a scientific temper, particularly among the young, we create a halo around self-proclaimed godmen. They impress a few eminent and politically connected persons, and turn on the propaganda machinery through them.
Gradually, the well-oiled machine confers divinity on the godmen. Even making an objective assessment of their claim to divinity requires courage. There is always pressure to keep one's views to oneself. It will take a lot more time for India to shed its image of a land of snake-charmers and roadside astrologers.
S. Vasudevan,Chennai
I remember the war of words between two newspapers during the Emergency. One supported Rajneesh, while the other supported Satya Sai Baba. Readers were equally divided between the two living ‘spiritual gurus,' thanks to the columnists.
Professor Abraham Thomas Kovoor, son of a clergyman in Kerala, a leading psychiatrist and president of India/Sri Lanka Rationalists' Association also challenged Sai Baba many times. Sai Baba never responded to the challenge.
R. Kumaraguruparan,Chennai
