The first time our family met with Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was in 1953 at Ameerpet (Hyderabad). Swami was on His way from Puttaparthi to visit the famous Ajanta and Ellora caves in Maharashtra. He was being hosted by three brothers from Suryapet in Nalgonda district - Venkata Rama Rao, Rama Rao, and Krishna Rao who rented the palace of Suryajung Bahadur for Swami’s stopover.
My mother’s cousin informed us about the arrival of a “Sai Baba.” I had just returned from school, and my mother told me to get ready because we were going to see this special person. We had just heard of Shirdi Sai Baba from my mother’s friend, Ms. Padma Acharya, who is the daughter of the Chincholi Rani (queen of the kingdom of Chincholi). The Chincholi Rani was a devotee of both Shirdi Baba and, later, of Sathya Sai Baba after the latter revealed to her beyond doubt that He is the same Baba come again.
As we reached the palace where Swami was staying, I, a car aficionado, was impressed with the blue-gray Plymouth station wagon that was parked outside. Swami welcomed us as if we were His long-time acquaintances. I was expecting to see someone looking like Shirdi Baba, so I was taken aback by His appearance. He lovingly enquired whether we had a comfortable journey and if we had to wait long. Then He blessed us by materializing vibhuti (sacred ash) and gave us His photograph. He also gave all of us prasadam and blessed me with advice to study well. He was leaving soon but promised that He would visit again. Little did we realize the true meaning of that statement back then.
The Loving Head of the Family
Sure enough, after about seven or eight months, Swami came again. This time He stayed at the bungalow of Sri Visnur Ramchandra Reddy (Deshmukh of Visnur) at Mallampet. My mother was very eager to visit Him as soon as possible. She had pledged her heart to Him, and He had already become her personal God. My father, Sri Raja Omapathi Rao, also came along to see Swami. Swami graciously blessed us with an interview during which my parents invited Him to bless us by gracing our home. “Today, I will be meeting many people. Come tomorrow to pick me up. We shall go to your home.”
We were staying in a rented bungalow at Himayat Nagar (Hyderabad), having shifted out of our 50-room palace at Nampally (Hyderabad). Swami came as promised, and He was so comfortable that it felt as if He was hosting us at our own home. He sat on the floor and dined with us, spoke to us, and endeared Himself also to the extended family that had come.
“This house is small, Omapathi,” said Swami, “you should build a bigger one. See, your other house is so big!”
“Yes, Swami, but…”
“What? Don’t you have money?”
My parents remained silent, and Swami smiled. He nodded to reassure us that all would come in time. Sure enough, by 1955, we built another house next to the Nampally palace. That house was blessed by our dear Swami, who visited us dozens of times. Later, as advised by Swami, an additional story was also added to accommodate more visitors.
Naturally, we were also drawn to visit Swami at Puttaparthi regularly. We couldn’t stay away for long without having His darshan.
The Greatest Treasureof the Domakonda Family
We are descendants of the Domakonda Kamineni family. Our ancestors were Jagirdars (noble revenue collectors) of the Nizam (Ruler) of Hyderabad, administering and ruling a large tract of land as the Nizam’s trusted officials. My grandfather, Sri Venkat Rama Reddy (maternal uncle to my father), was the Deshmukh (Ruler) of Dubbak. He had suffered a severe paralytic stroke but was finally cured by Swami miraculously! Witnessing this was amazing for me, and needless to say, Swami became my beloved God, just like He had become for my parents.
After the government took away the feudal lands, my father was inducted into government service under the ‘Jagirdar Batch’ quota. Back then, it was called the Hyderabad Civil Services (HCS) and later became part of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). He used all the influence and power that came with the IAS designation to serve his beloved SAI. In fact, when he saw that the locals of Puttaparthi constantly pestered Swami in various ways out of envy and jealousy, he prayed to Swami to make Prasanthi Nilayam a separate township. He also did everything in his power to pursue it and finally achieved it. He had great faith in Swami, and Swami, too, had great trust in him.
After independence, when India became a republic, and the privy purse was abolished, we seemingly lost much of our wealth. But we gained the most precious treasure in our Bhagawan, and so, I consider us the wealthiest members of our family! It was literally Swami’s advice at every step that protected our family in every way imaginable, even averting a financial disaster.
Story of Latha Talkies
In 1950, India became a glorious republic. Hundreds of kingdoms and princely states were integrated into India. At that time, all royal families had to relinquish their kingdoms so that the great nation could be built. In honor and respect for this sacrifice and in recognition of the wonderful service done to the people for so many years, the government of India granted what is called the ‘privy purse’ - a nominal amount of money given on a monthly and annual basis for the sustenance and lifestyle maintenance of the past royalty. We continued to receive it until it was repealed by the Constitution (Twenty-sixth Amendment) Act in 1971 under the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. At that time it was Swami who helped us in the most beautiful and dignified manner to transition from being rulers to being citizens of the country.
Swami predicted the loss of our privy purses much before it happened and suggested that we start some business to earn an income. Though He didn’t suggest it, we decided to build a movie theater, and He was compassionate enough to readily bless us to start it. Officially, the theater was inaugurated on September 4, 1968. But the actual opening was done by the divine hands nearly a month before, upon Swami’s return from His visit to East Africa.
At that time, the theater was not fully ready. The movie screen had not yet been erected, and seats in the theater had also not been installed. Swami stayed at our home and said that He did not like inaugurating movie theaters but would do so out of His love for us. He instructed us to conduct a 24-hour Akhanda Bhajan to sanctify the inaugural ceremony. Sri Raja Reddy, an ardent devotee, had come along with Swami. There was also a bhajan group from Bombay (present Mumbai), which included Sri Panduranga Dixit, a renowned singer, to sing the bhajans. Swami inaugurated ‘Latha Talkies,’ the theater named after my mother, and the bhajan session was well attended. Swami spent most of the time at the bhajans, taking only short, minimal breaks in between. He granted darshan and blessed many devotees with vibhuti. Many miracles of healing took place during that single blessed session.
When our privy purses were abolished, the theater turned out to be a lifeline indeed. After some years, we diversified into other businesses and closed the theater. It was Swami again who stepped in and instructed the Managing Director, Dr. Bhattacharya, of the State Bank of Hyderabad, to assist us with the business venture. Whatever we are today is entirely and literally a result of Swami’s love and kindness. I am so grateful to Swami for going out of His way out of love and compassion to help us in time.
Gathering the Intellectuals for the Spiritual Mission
In later years, Swami would conduct the Prasanthi Vidwan Mahasabha (grand congregation of scholars) during the Dussera celebrations, where great scholars and eminent speakers would present discourses on spirituality. The precursor to this was the first Vidwan Mahasabha held in Hyderabad in the early 1960s, which my father had the blessed privilege of organizing.
A huge pandal was erected, and pundits, scholars, and people of eminence were present. In attendance were Sri Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, the former Governor of Kerala and Uttar Pradesh, and Sri P.V. Narasimha Rao, who would later become the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and then the Prime Minister of India. The three-day event went very well, and Swami spoke on all three days following talks by other erudite speakers. Despite the hectic schedule, Swami continued to bless the devotees with darshan and interviews.
I am ever grateful to Swami for all the blessings and opportunities He granted.
Miracles Galore
It is difficult to share all the miracles that I witnessed and experienced in those days. However, as an example, let me share a medical miracle and an ‘out-of-body’ experience that I personally witnessed.
I was active in athletics and games at school. One day, as I was doing a pole vault jump, I felt a sharp shooting pain in my stomach. It became so intense that I could not participate in any further events, including javelin throw and discus throw. Nothing that the doctors did could relieve the pain, and my mother decided that we should go to the Vellore hospital, near the city of Madras (Chennai today). We were staying at a relative’s house in Madras when we learned that Swami was also in Madras, at Sri Venkatamuni’s home.
We rushed for Swami’s darshan. When Swami saw us, He scolded us for staying so far away from Him. He sent His personal car to pick us up with our baggage so that we could stay with Him at Sri Venkatamuni’s home! We were staying in an anteroom and, we did not realize our great good fortune. We were so lucky to be with our beloved Swami. Two days passed, and though I was happy to be with Swami, the pain was unbearable and seemed incurable. On the third day, Swami called me upstairs. He told me to remove my undershirt and shirt and move close to Him. Waving His hand, He materialized a thin and flat blade made of gold.
“Don’t get scared. Look up,” Swami said.
He placed the blade on my navel and just pushed it in. The blade went through, and the pain was gone. I was stunned. There was not even a drop of blood! I had a strange sensation in my stomach for a while, but by night, I was completely cured and well. What a divine way to heal! Baba, the great surgeon!
The second miracle involves Swami going into a trance. My first experience of witnessing Swami go into a trance was at Horsley Hills, a resort near Madanapalle (Andhra Pradesh). Swami had taken all of us there for a memorable divine ‘vacation’. But the one I remember most vividly was when He went into a trance at our home in Nampally when I was about 18 years of age.
Prof. Kasturi (an ardent devotee and Swami’s biographer), Sri Apparao, and Sri Raja Reddy were all with Swami at our home, and Swami was in His upstairs room. Swami completed His bath and was coming out of the bathroom when He just tumbled and collapsed. His body began to shiver and shake, quiver and quake! Sri Raja Reddy came rushing and held Swami’s head on his lap. He began to rub Swami’s palms. But suddenly, Swami clenched His palms into a very tight fist. After that, it was impossible for anyone to open them. Froth began to appear on His mouth, and the atmosphere became very tense. We all sat around Swami and just waited for Him to come out of the trance.
After a while, Swami came out of the trance. He opened His palms, and we were stunned. There was a magazine of bullets from a revolver in each of His palms! The branding on them said ‘Webley and Scott’. Swami later revealed that He had traveled to save a devotee who was in the Indian Army somewhere in Kashmir. His family was far away in Punjab, and he was lonely and dejected. He wanted to end his life and had shot himself in the head. That was when Swami went to him and saved him from death. To prevent him from attempting suicide again, Swami had to remove and bring the magazines with Him – one of them was even missing two bullets!
The Greatest Blessing
Miracles are natural to our Swami, and I have witnessed many more. After a while, they probably did not elicit the same awe and wonder in me because I knew there was nothing impossible for our dear Swami. But even now, when I just think of the nearness and dearness that God bestowed on us, it thrills me, inspires me, and touches my heart. When I think of the love that Swami showers selflessly and compassionately, I am struck with awe and wonder. This love is His greatest miracle, and when we offer our hearts to Him, we experience His love even today.
I do not travel much anywhere these days. I stay at home and experience His omnipresence every day. All the wealth, associations, people, and other possessions will leave me one day or the other, but I know that Swami will be with me forever in my heart. That is His greatest miracle and greatest blessing for me.