From a Non believer to a Staunch Believer of Sai baba
Some time in 1961, when I was still at School doing my 9th Standard, my friend K.S.Narayan told me "Dai, Believe Puttabarthi Sai Baba is coming to Mylapore tomorrow morning and he will give Dharshan to all his devotees from a Balcony in a House near Sai Temple in Mylapore. Do you want to go?". I said "why not let us go and find out."
Next morning we got on our bicycles and went to see Puttabarthi Sai Baba. Police had Blocked off the traffic on the street, which meant we had to demount and push our bicycles to get a good view. We were early so we got a good vantage spot right across from the house that had been decorated to welcome Sai.
We soon realised this was movie actor Ranga Rao's house. The question arose as to why a Holy Man chose to come to a Movie stars house. Movie stars in my days were unethical people who would do a song and a dance to make a buck.
Then there was a commotion saying Baba was here and followed by total silence. A posh light blue Studebaker Limo with a Cream top pulled up in front of the house. Police kept all the people away and the driver jumped out and opened the door and alighted Sai Baba Himself with chants of "Om Sai Ram, Om Sai Ram" from devotees lips.
Sai Baba came out of the Studebaker Car and I did not believe what I saw. A Man in rich Red Crepe silk Robe, with a fair complexion suggesting make up and red lips and Big Bushy Afro hair style.
This to me was the furthest from my mental picture of a Sadhu. He was nothing like Shridi Sai I thought.
Sai Baba went into the house and then appeared on the first floor Balcony facing the road where we were standing. From there he waved to all the devotees and gave his blessings. Unbeknown to me Think he blessed me too. ( This Incident will come to life one more time in 2005)
My friend too had the same impression and we went back home disillusioned as a Sadhu had to be simple and not in silk robes.
So I remained a devotee of Shridi Sai at heart.
From 1976 to year 2000 after I moved to Sydney, I read many articles that accused of Baba being into all sorts of illegal and criminal activities etc etc. I also read that many successful people I was proud of like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and President Abdul Kalam were Baba followers. Did not know who to believe.
As an Individual I remained Confused and perplexed until the turn of the century, the new millenium arrived.
- Sai Baba all around me- 2001
On 13th April 2000 I received my Millenium Gift, a Brain stem stroke caused by a blocked Right vertebral artery turning me into a vegetable overnight with paralysed left leg and left side of the body. Satan had kissed me and my life was hanging on a thread of hope.
Every neurologist and every neurology student at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital was keen on seeing me and examining me and I could not understand why? My Case was even presented at a conference whilst I was still struggling to stay alive in the hospital. Then the Truth came out. I heard two doctors dis cussing that it was a Text book case and no one has ever survived this kind of Brain stem stroke where one half of the Brain. A Stroke specialist told me in 2001, Mr Krishnaswamy, Be Happy that you are where you are today as in my 16 years as Head of Stroke Department, I have seen cases like yours only in autopsies. Very few survive and you are a lucky man. Stay strong and keep smiling he said.
By December 2000 I was at my wits end. I was back on my feet and was able to walk with the help of a walking stick, but my left leg was a dead stump of a tree. I could not feel any pain or temperature sensation on the entire left side of my body and the right side of my face and right hand. My Nose Tongue and mouth were burning 24/7 and I was scared to turn my head to any side as it affected the blood flow to the brain and triggered what you call TIA Transient Ischemic Attacks caused by reduced blood from to a part of the Brain.
I had to be different. Everyone was having a stroke caused by very high blood pressure that resulted in arteries getting ruptured, causing bleeding in the Brain cavity and the blood clotting killing brain cells in the affected region. This is called hemorrhagic Stroke. MY Stroke was exactly the Opposite caused by lack of blood called Ischemic Stroke caused by the hypo perfusion of the PICA artery in the Brain Stem.
I was not allowed to drive as looking left and right gave me TIAs and so did big bumps.
However dead I may have been, unable to go back to work and my only companions were a Windows XT Computer plus my faithful dog Rajah. I was PIG Headed.
Nothing was going to stop me from taking a school boys Cricket Team to Indian and I did as I had promised the kids and organised matches in Madras and Bangalore and I was not going to disappoint them. Never.
So Jan 2001, we were packed and ready to fly out the next morning. About 8.00pm I got a Phone Call. Those days we still used Land Lines. The Voice at the other end said Hello Ram. Remember me. I am Krihsnan from GE Alsthom. We worked on the Sydney Harbour Tunnel Project. I said Ofcourse Krisnan I dont for get friends. But unfortunately it has been over ten years since the Harbour Tunnel was built and we lost touch. I told him his call was a pleasant surprise.
He Said Ram I happened to meet and Talk to Jeevan Menon and he told me the bad news that you had suffered a brain stem stroke and struggling to cope and also told me you are going to India Tomorrow. So I had to talk to you before you left. I am here listening I told him.
Let me tell you my side of a story he said. My 7 year old son fell down and broke his arm and needed steel rods and pins to hold the pieces to get so the bone would rejoin. Everything was fine and we went to the hospital to have the steel rods removed and my son was going to be fore we thought.
Unfortunately the lady surgeon who removed the steel rods and plates, cut a main nerve and since then my child has been suffering terrible pain 24/7 and was wetting himself with pain. e were totally shattered and one of the reason I have not kept in Touch with you too. There was nothing the doctors in sydney could do besides giving pain killers that were not helping.
Some friends told me to take my son to India and see if Ayurvedic treatment could help.. We had no clue where we wre going as You know I am from malaysia. We ended up in Bangalore and another family member suggested that we consult a Dr Balakrihsnan and we did go to see him. My son was in so much pain he refused to allow the Doctor to examine him.
The Doctor told us o go back to our hotel room and phone him when my son fell asleep. We did and Dr Balakrishnan drove to or hotel. He sat next to my son and took out a Packet of Vibhudi and splashed it all over my sons hands. He told us let the boy sleep and you call me tomorrow and tell me how he is feeling and how bad the pain is. and he said good Bye and left. He refused payment saying he had done nothing as a doctor to deserve any payment and left.
Believe it or not the boy woke up next morning saying papa Maaa I have no pin in my hand. what happened ? How did this happen. He was able to move his hands freely and even punch the cushion etc to test and his hands were totally healed.
From that Day Ram we have become staunch Sai baba Followers.
He said Ram dont take my word for it. Just give yourself a chance and you may receive Babas Blessings. I said why not. I was not expected to live and I am still here so it has to be devine intervention. So I took down all Details of Dr Balakrishnan in Bangalore and said Thanks mate for caring.
Some time in 1961, when I was still at School doing my 9th Standard, my friend K.S.Narayan told me "Dai, Believe Puttabarthi Sai Baba is coming to Mylapore tomorrow morning and he will give Dharshan to all his devotees from a Balcony in a House near Sai Temple in Mylapore. Do you want to go?". I said "why not let us go and find out."
Next morning we got on our bicycles and went to see Puttabarthi Sai Baba. Police had Blocked off the traffic on the street, which meant we had to demount and push our bicycles to get a good view. We were early so we got a good vantage spot right across from the house that had been decorated to welcome Sai.
We soon realised this was movie actor Ranga Rao's house. The question arose as to why a Holy Man chose to come to a Movie stars house. Movie stars in my days were unethical people who would do a song and a dance to make a buck.
Then there was a commotion saying Baba was here and followed by total silence. A posh light blue Studebaker Limo with a Cream top pulled up in front of the house. Police kept all the people away and the driver jumped out and opened the door and alighted Sai Baba Himself with chants of "Om Sai Ram, Om Sai Ram" from devotees lips.
Sai Baba came out of the Studebaker Car and I did not believe what I saw. A Man in rich Red Crepe silk Robe, with a fair complexion suggesting make up and red lips and Big Bushy Afro hair style.
This to me was the furthest from my mental picture of a Sadhu. He was nothing like Shridi Sai I thought.
Sai Baba went into the house and then appeared on the first floor Balcony facing the road where we were standing. From there he waved to all the devotees and gave his blessings. Unbeknown to me Think he blessed me too. ( This Incident will come to life one more time in 2005)
My friend too had the same impression and we went back home disillusioned as a Sadhu had to be simple and not in silk robes.
So I remained a devotee of Shridi Sai at heart.
From 1976 to year 2000 after I moved to Sydney, I read many articles that accused of Baba being into all sorts of illegal and criminal activities etc etc. I also read that many successful people I was proud of like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and President Abdul Kalam were Baba followers. Did not know who to believe.
As an Individual I remained Confused and perplexed until the turn of the century, the new millenium arrived.
- Sai Baba all around me- 2001
On 13th April 2000 I received my Millenium Gift, a Brain stem stroke caused by a blocked Right vertebral artery turning me into a vegetable overnight with paralysed left leg and left side of the body. Satan had kissed me and my life was hanging on a thread of hope.
Every neurologist and every neurology student at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital was keen on seeing me and examining me and I could not understand why? My Case was even presented at a conference whilst I was still struggling to stay alive in the hospital. Then the Truth came out. I heard two doctors dis cussing that it was a Text book case and no one has ever survived this kind of Brain stem stroke where one half of the Brain. A Stroke specialist told me in 2001, Mr Krishnaswamy, Be Happy that you are where you are today as in my 16 years as Head of Stroke Department, I have seen cases like yours only in autopsies. Very few survive and you are a lucky man. Stay strong and keep smiling he said.
By December 2000 I was at my wits end. I was back on my feet and was able to walk with the help of a walking stick, but my left leg was a dead stump of a tree. I could not feel any pain or temperature sensation on the entire left side of my body and the right side of my face and right hand. My Nose Tongue and mouth were burning 24/7 and I was scared to turn my head to any side as it affected the blood flow to the brain and triggered what you call TIA Transient Ischemic Attacks caused by reduced blood from to a part of the Brain.
I had to be different. Everyone was having a stroke caused by very high blood pressure that resulted in arteries getting ruptured, causing bleeding in the Brain cavity and the blood clotting killing brain cells in the affected region. This is called hemorrhagic Stroke. MY Stroke was exactly the Opposite caused by lack of blood called Ischemic Stroke caused by the hypo perfusion of the PICA artery in the Brain Stem.
I was not allowed to drive as looking left and right gave me TIAs and so did big bumps.
However dead I may have been, unable to go back to work and my only companions were a Windows XT Computer plus my faithful dog Rajah. I was PIG Headed.
Nothing was going to stop me from taking a school boys Cricket Team to Indian and I did as I had promised the kids and organised matches in Madras and Bangalore and I was not going to disappoint them. Never.
So Jan 2001, we were packed and ready to fly out the next morning. About 8.00pm I got a Phone Call. Those days we still used Land Lines. The Voice at the other end said Hello Ram. Remember me. I am Krihsnan from GE Alsthom. We worked on the Sydney Harbour Tunnel Project. I said Ofcourse Krisnan I dont for get friends. But unfortunately it has been over ten years since the Harbour Tunnel was built and we lost touch. I told him his call was a pleasant surprise.
He Said Ram I happened to meet and Talk to Jeevan Menon and he told me the bad news that you had suffered a brain stem stroke and struggling to cope and also told me you are going to India Tomorrow. So I had to talk to you before you left. I am here listening I told him.
Let me tell you my side of a story he said. My 7 year old son fell down and broke his arm and needed steel rods and pins to hold the pieces to get so the bone would rejoin. Everything was fine and we went to the hospital to have the steel rods removed and my son was going to be fore we thought.
Unfortunately the lady surgeon who removed the steel rods and plates, cut a main nerve and since then my child has been suffering terrible pain 24/7 and was wetting himself with pain. e were totally shattered and one of the reason I have not kept in Touch with you too. There was nothing the doctors in sydney could do besides giving pain killers that were not helping.
Some friends told me to take my son to India and see if Ayurvedic treatment could help.. We had no clue where we wre going as You know I am from malaysia. We ended up in Bangalore and another family member suggested that we consult a Dr Balakrihsnan and we did go to see him. My son was in so much pain he refused to allow the Doctor to examine him.
The Doctor told us o go back to our hotel room and phone him when my son fell asleep. We did and Dr Balakrishnan drove to or hotel. He sat next to my son and took out a Packet of Vibhudi and splashed it all over my sons hands. He told us let the boy sleep and you call me tomorrow and tell me how he is feeling and how bad the pain is. and he said good Bye and left. He refused payment saying he had done nothing as a doctor to deserve any payment and left.
Believe it or not the boy woke up next morning saying papa Maaa I have no pin in my hand. what happened ? How did this happen. He was able to move his hands freely and even punch the cushion etc to test and his hands were totally healed.
From that Day Ram we have become staunch Sai baba Followers.
He said Ram dont take my word for it. Just give yourself a chance and you may receive Babas Blessings. I said why not. I was not expected to live and I am still here so it has to be devine intervention. So I took down all Details of Dr Balakrishnan in Bangalore and said Thanks mate for caring.
