Baba Appears as an Old Man
Lovely temple for Sai Baba has come up at Mekkudi, 18 km from Trichy on the Madurai route. It is built at a cost 65 lakhs and it can accommodate over 500 devotees for congregation. Kumbabhishekam took place on 24th and 25th October 2001.
On 25th October 2001 around 11 a.m., a tall bearded old man came to the temple. He was dressed poorly and was holding a bamboo stick of 7-ft height. His personality resembled Baba. On seeing him, my intuition prompted me that it is Sai Baba himself has come in that form. I received him with folded hands and made him sit on a vacant chair. I called Sai Bandhu K. V. Ramani and told him my feelings. He immediately took out an 'Anga Vastra' and bowed to him by placing it around the old man's neck. Then the old man pretended that his legs were paining and asked us whether Baba would alleviate his suffering. We affirmed that Baba would take care of everything. He then looked at Baba's idol and bowed to him. By then, my wife, a few devotees like Swaminathan came there and were quick to recognize the old man as Baba and prostrated before him.
The old man told us that he has kept some 'kanikai', which he will bring it next time. He also told us that he has been visiting this place since a long time and declared that this is a sanctified place and the devotees who come to this temple will be blessed and their problems would be automatically solved.
Then he received the prasad - sweet 'pongal'. He put it in his upper cloth and took leave of us. He walked back to the entrance holding the bamboo shaft for support. Sri Swaminathan escorted him and at the exit door offered him a 'dakshina' of Rs. 10/- with reverence.
Sai Baba appears in any form, at any time, at any place in the form of a fakir, Sadhu, dog, cat, pig etc., and blesses the devotees. We should be alert always to recognize Baba. If we are always thinking of him, then we would have his 'darshan' easily.
By R. Radhakrishnan
