Caught Cheating On Video!
About a week ago, I was rummaging around in my loft looking for some of my older books on Sai Baba when I came across my "Sai video". This is a film that always had a special place in my heart, as it was a darshan movie that has a clip of Sai Baba coming upto me, blessing a picture, standing right in front of me and holding my hand before blessing me with a tap on my head. It was filmed in August 1997.
I decided to bring it down and watch it again, if only to re-familiarise myself with the moment. The interesting thing about this tape is that it is a rare three hour tape as compared to the other ones lasting 1 or 2 hours. In 1997 a film-maker was allowed to film darshans in Puttaparthi and his movies were sold in the Prashanthi Shopping Complex. Who knows what he was doing; maybe it was Atilio Spinello collecting darshan footage for his movies and who contributed copies of his footage to the ashram video shop out of generosity. In any case, these films were of variable length and my movie was one of the 3-hour ones. Thus I have 3 hours of unadulterated darshan footage.
As I rewinded the tape to watch it straight from the beginning, a wave of reminiscence washed over me especially when it got to "my" scene. It's really embarrassing to watch now, the camera seriously zooms in to me as I'm staring up Sai Baba's nose in awe. Then I remembered a scene that took place just before 'my' scene, Sai Baba materialised his famous vibhuti ash for a person. I rewound it straight back and watched it again.
Jumping Jackflash! Sai Baba is caught cheating on camera, in my video! The basic scene is that Sai Baba waves his right hand in the air in that famous "mystery" gesture, walks over to the crowd, reaches to a person from the middle of the crowd and taking his letter before proceeding to materialise vibhuti for a person in the front row. It's the familiar trick: holding a pellet of vibhuti ash (mix ash with water and dry it out into 'tablets') in his left hand, surreptitiously switching it into his right hand while hoping nobody notices and then just "materialise" it as if everything is normal. This scene is amazing in that, if only for a split second, Sai Baba makes the most amazing GOOF as you can actually see the vibhuti pellet in his right hand when he takes the letter!
To be fair, the cameraman is a devotee and so randomly zooms into Sai Baba's head and shoulders at inopportune times, so you can barely see the 'switch' from the left to the right hand although this is obvious to the trained eye. When Sai Baba reaches over to take a letter in his right hand you can actually see the vibhuti tablet, what a goof!
Then the movie cuts to 'my' scene. After that, a scene occurs where Sai Baba comes out of his apartment and calls a young boy over to him. They exchange a few words of conversation and the boy gives a letter to the Baba, who playfully slaps him (supposedly a "cute" gesture) before proceeding to materialise vibhuti and giving it to him.
Here's the trick: As Sai Baba comes out of his apartment, there is a vibhuti tablet in his left hand which is unseen because Baba is holding his robe in his left hand ostensibly to prevent himself from tripping up. Cue the boy and taking his letter. As Sai Baba is shown full-length, the camera clearly catches Sai Baba making the 'switch' from the left to the right hand under the cover of the letter in a sneaky manner. After he makes the switch, Sai Baba quickly "playfully" slaps the boy as a distraction device (since devotees will be caught up in how "cutely" Sai slapped the boy). Then Sai Baba "materialises" the vibhuti tablet, crushes it with his fingers and gives it to the boy.
This is nothing new to seasoned fomer devotees and other critics who are well familiar with the Movies section of Exbaba.Com; this was only very surprising and shocking to me because this occurs in a movie in my possession.It also makes you wonder how long Sai Baba has been getting away with this kind of deceptive behaviour and how much he relies on his awestricken devotees who will almost never notice these cheap tricks even if performed right in front of them. It is true what they say; do not get distracted by his face or his actions, always watch his hands. It is a well known fact that Sai Baba possesses monumental charisma (a large part of which may be projected onto him by devotees) and it is this charisma that blinds devotees.
What happened to the videos? The ashram soon halted the production of these regular videos just like they ban everything else more or less; books (even Sai Baba books!), pens, paper, cameras, binoculars, hearing aid batteries, bags and so forth. Gee, now I wonder why? Goodness knows how many times Sai Baba has been caught on camera performing his sloppy magic tricks that pass off as "miracles". Just imagine how many more instances I could find as I watch the full 3 hours of the tape!
Oh, and you can bet money on this, as soon as I figure out a way of transferring VHS footage into a digital format these two movie clips will be added to Exbaba.Com's movie section. Fer shure.
I decided to bring it down and watch it again, if only to re-familiarise myself with the moment. The interesting thing about this tape is that it is a rare three hour tape as compared to the other ones lasting 1 or 2 hours. In 1997 a film-maker was allowed to film darshans in Puttaparthi and his movies were sold in the Prashanthi Shopping Complex. Who knows what he was doing; maybe it was Atilio Spinello collecting darshan footage for his movies and who contributed copies of his footage to the ashram video shop out of generosity. In any case, these films were of variable length and my movie was one of the 3-hour ones. Thus I have 3 hours of unadulterated darshan footage.
As I rewinded the tape to watch it straight from the beginning, a wave of reminiscence washed over me especially when it got to "my" scene. It's really embarrassing to watch now, the camera seriously zooms in to me as I'm staring up Sai Baba's nose in awe. Then I remembered a scene that took place just before 'my' scene, Sai Baba materialised his famous vibhuti ash for a person. I rewound it straight back and watched it again.
Jumping Jackflash! Sai Baba is caught cheating on camera, in my video! The basic scene is that Sai Baba waves his right hand in the air in that famous "mystery" gesture, walks over to the crowd, reaches to a person from the middle of the crowd and taking his letter before proceeding to materialise vibhuti for a person in the front row. It's the familiar trick: holding a pellet of vibhuti ash (mix ash with water and dry it out into 'tablets') in his left hand, surreptitiously switching it into his right hand while hoping nobody notices and then just "materialise" it as if everything is normal. This scene is amazing in that, if only for a split second, Sai Baba makes the most amazing GOOF as you can actually see the vibhuti pellet in his right hand when he takes the letter!
To be fair, the cameraman is a devotee and so randomly zooms into Sai Baba's head and shoulders at inopportune times, so you can barely see the 'switch' from the left to the right hand although this is obvious to the trained eye. When Sai Baba reaches over to take a letter in his right hand you can actually see the vibhuti tablet, what a goof!
Then the movie cuts to 'my' scene. After that, a scene occurs where Sai Baba comes out of his apartment and calls a young boy over to him. They exchange a few words of conversation and the boy gives a letter to the Baba, who playfully slaps him (supposedly a "cute" gesture) before proceeding to materialise vibhuti and giving it to him.
Here's the trick: As Sai Baba comes out of his apartment, there is a vibhuti tablet in his left hand which is unseen because Baba is holding his robe in his left hand ostensibly to prevent himself from tripping up. Cue the boy and taking his letter. As Sai Baba is shown full-length, the camera clearly catches Sai Baba making the 'switch' from the left to the right hand under the cover of the letter in a sneaky manner. After he makes the switch, Sai Baba quickly "playfully" slaps the boy as a distraction device (since devotees will be caught up in how "cutely" Sai slapped the boy). Then Sai Baba "materialises" the vibhuti tablet, crushes it with his fingers and gives it to the boy.
This is nothing new to seasoned fomer devotees and other critics who are well familiar with the Movies section of Exbaba.Com; this was only very surprising and shocking to me because this occurs in a movie in my possession.It also makes you wonder how long Sai Baba has been getting away with this kind of deceptive behaviour and how much he relies on his awestricken devotees who will almost never notice these cheap tricks even if performed right in front of them. It is true what they say; do not get distracted by his face or his actions, always watch his hands. It is a well known fact that Sai Baba possesses monumental charisma (a large part of which may be projected onto him by devotees) and it is this charisma that blinds devotees.
What happened to the videos? The ashram soon halted the production of these regular videos just like they ban everything else more or less; books (even Sai Baba books!), pens, paper, cameras, binoculars, hearing aid batteries, bags and so forth. Gee, now I wonder why? Goodness knows how many times Sai Baba has been caught on camera performing his sloppy magic tricks that pass off as "miracles". Just imagine how many more instances I could find as I watch the full 3 hours of the tape!
Oh, and you can bet money on this, as soon as I figure out a way of transferring VHS footage into a digital format these two movie clips will be added to Exbaba.Com's movie section. Fer shure.
Copyright © Sai Baba EXPOSED! 2005-2007. Discuss this post!
posted by Swami Saiexposedananda at
04:51
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12 Comments:
I have seen the 'switch' several times in person and it's plainly obvious. Sai Devotees see the switch too, but they are brainwashed into thinking that swami is 'testing' their faith by appearing to perform a magic trick! The amount of brainwashing that goes on in Sai circles is incredible.
One of the famous lines that is in circulation there is "Yadbhavam tadbhavathi" - meaning "as is the thought, so is the feeling". Die hard devotees argue that Swami is a reflection of what you think about him and if you see him switching vibhuti balls it's because of your lack of faith and therefore your fault!
By
Anonymous, at 15 June, 2006 06:45
The problem is, I think, that people believe what they want to believe, and then see only what supports that belief. Objectivity is overruled by devotion.
Cheap magic tricks by a stage magician do not even register as such by a person who wants to believe in miracles.
By
Anonymous, at 19 June, 2006 19:01
Hi Doug,
yes, this is true. I have heard devotees claim that they have seen such "fraudulent" movies on huge 19-inch screens or so and they haven't seen any evidence of fraud. What can I say? They must either be blind or, as you say, they simply don't see what they don't want to see.
One of the reasons why I got so excited is that, whereas accusations of forgery can always apply (even when tenable or not), I found it hard to believe that my own tape can be a forgery. I bought it from Sai Baba's ashram in 1997 and it is 3-hour unedited darshan footage tape, and one can very clearly see the trick. I watched it in disbelief.
By
Swami Saiexposedananda, at 20 June, 2006 01:19
great work
By
Anonymous, at 08 February, 2007 10:35
hi
i,m not any one's devotee
but heres a question or two
what do you want to achieve?
has he built schools and hospitals
have people benifited from his existance,,,?
has any body from yours?
By
Anonymous, at 24 September, 2007 09:45
Thank you, Peace! I am nobody’s devotee either. Just looking for some answers to my questions. I have lots of them.
What is your purpose, H.H Swami Whoever?
You spent ten years being Sai Baba’s devotee and realized that it was your mistake. So what? Now you are going to do the opposite for another ten years? What a waist of talent! How much time have you spent to build this website?
Look around; there are thousands of people who need somebody’s help. They are everywhere, in every country, in your neighborhood. Make your talent work for good, do something useful.
By the way, if you will achieve something in this direction, please let me know and I will join you … maybe become your devotee.
By
Anonymous, at 05 December, 2007 23:29
Thank you, Peace!
I am anybody’s devotee either. Just looking for some answers to my questions. I have lots of them.
What is your purpose, H.H Swami Whoever?
You spent ten years being Sai Baba’s devotee and realized that it was your mistake. So what? Now you are going to do the opposite for another ten years?
How much time have you spent building this nice looking website?
Look around - there are thousands of people who need your help. They are everywhere, in every country... in your neighborhood as well. Make your talent useful.
And you know what?... If you achieve something in this direction, please let me know. I will join you...
By
Anonymous, at 05 December, 2007 23:56
hi like you i used to tell peoplethat Sai Baba was a con man until one day while working and having a difficult day and not knowing what to do i prayed to Shridi Baba for guidenace to solve the problem and in the next instance i saw Satya Sai Baba materilise and helped me.
My friend you were with him for 10 years i was against him for 20 years and now i am a staunh believer of Sai Baba.
S kindly refrain from abusing the facts of people being brain washed etc etc.
Have a nice day my brother
By
Anonymous, at 28 November, 2008 13:46
My dear brothers and Sisters....
I once heard that Sai Baba used to sell Ground nuts near Putta Parthy. And I also heard that after few years he went to South Africa and learned some magics and did some things which i say you later...
And he came to India with them and cheated people by showing meracles. And let me tell you one thing
which really happened...
Once there was a believer
of CHRIST JESUS. He wend to see Sai Baba. And he showed to that Christian JESUS CHRIST..Then that christian was shocked for
what he had shown..
And for a movement he was
confused what had happened. as hed had shown JESUS the GOD.
So we obviously think that Sai Baba might be more powerful than JESUS.
So he asked GOD what was happening and then he prayed to GOD. and GOD replied to him saying Say to him that "I did not believe in man JESUS, but the JESUS who was crusified".So he asked Sai Baba to show him crucified JESUS. then he could not show JESUS..
This says that Sai Baba is just a cheater..as if he was GOD he could have shown him the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Next day that christian went to his duty(who works in Sai Baba hospital) and that day Sai Baba visited the hospital and when he had seen him he came near him
and kept his hand on his shoulder i.e to appiriciate him and Sai Baba knows that he is a cheater and a SINNER and is going surely to HELL...
and i had said that i would be saying one thing that is when he went to SOUTH AFRICA he worked under "SATAN", the devil and probabilly have come to decieve people and make them to go to HELL..
SO To get MUKTHY or MOKSHA there is only one way that is through the LORD JESUS CHRIST..
And JESUS said that "I am
the Way, the TRUTH and the life.No one con come to heaven but through me". Believe in your heart that Jesus is the only SON of GOD.
and it is written that "Who so ever shall confesses with the mouth the LORD JESUS CHRIST,and believe in the thine heart that GOD has raised him from the death, thou shalt be saved". for further to know what is truth or who is real GOD search in net....
I hope Who ever reads these will under stand what is truth....
By
Anonymous, at 22 April, 2009 15:47
indians are so stupid iam really ashamed to call myself indian ...
schools and hospitals doesnt even out raping kids lies magic tricks... if he goes out of the country i think he will go to jail.
By
Anonymous, at 29 October, 2009 18:01
while searching the magic tricks, i happened to visit this blog and now have a desire to comment.
treditional concept of the God in hinduism is differnet than the belief of the general people acceptance. those believers don't know corrent treditional idea of God. my purpose here is neither to disprove that Baba as God nor to approve He as God, or may be a fraud.
Be Aware of the Reality.
I believe there r many people who can do pure magic/miracle than this poor magic trick of producing locket, rings or so called holy ashes. my point is that the real magician can produce many objects for certain period but vanish after that. because that is the law of magic and those objects r produced by magicians' mind. and they r halucinatory. the object the Baba has produced does not vanish. so that those objects r hand/mechine-made-product that he gave his devotees switching his hand. the devotees, who don't have brain except blind faith, stun by these tricks. however, i m not denying he may not have any magical capability except tricks.....he may have.
i express sorry to those whose feeling is hurt after reading this comment.
Just look outside from the dark cave of blindness. Enjoy and have nice time...........
Watch these tube videos to open ur mind or to know the fact of magic trick.
http://www.xploremagic.com/Close-up-Magic/sai-baba-magic-trick-revealed.html
By
chheennaa, at 04 November, 2009 07:04
the great sai baba is dying ha ha the fortune teller unknwn to his own death has fooled hundreds of people to this past few years. After his death no doubt he is going to remain for many as god. But friends if u believe we have our rational mind, with us, then use it and put a logic to find who are actually these conmen and who produces them? Till now many of us know about the tricks of this people yet this people are being sustend and get protection by the government. so a question arise who is behind all this?
Truely conmen or godmen like saibaba is protected by whom?
In our country like india where 80% of population living under poverty where, 45% of child are under nourishmen and people dye becoz of simple curable diseases due to lack of acess, in this type of situation antone who can give them a free medical alliance or save them can be easily nouned as a god. In India it is easy to get a new god.
By
guraas, at 06 April, 2011 11:31
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