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TERRY GALLAGHER'S TESTIMONY "materialisation" trickery. It was the observations and hat began as a wonderful spiritual journey ended with information that followed on from these initial findings that total disbelief and bitter disappointment when we found concerned me most, especially those relating to students being out the truth. sexually interfered with in grotesque ways by Sai Baba. Perhaps I should start at the beginning with a brief account of We returned to the ashram several times during the following that journey. After reading a book called Man of Miracles, I set years, making further observations and having these confirmed by off for India (and Puttaparthi) with my wife and three young college students and long-term devotees living at the ashram. daughters, in an organised group for Christmas 1983. During this time, I was the Central Coordinator for three years for What we found when we arrived in India was something I had the Sathya Sai Organisation in Australia. been searching for all my life: the most beautiful, peaceful atmos- It wasn't until 1993, following the [6 June] assassination phere, with wonderful people searching for their own spiritual attempt on Sai Baba, resulting in the murder of four college stu- truth, living in a community whose whole objective was that of dents and two assistants in the mandir, that we made our last visit improving self-awareness and achieving self-realisation through to India. the teachings of a living guru—Sai Baba. The purpose of this visit was to find the reason why former stu- Adjacent to the ashram, and provided free of cost to the stu- dents of Sai Baba's college would want to kill him, particularly dents, was a primary school for boys and girls, and various col- when they had been given a free education! leges for boys where spiritual teachings were incorporated into The eyewitness accounts were horrific! After bursting into the the normal academic disciplines. mandir, four students found themselves trapped upstairs where We were all very impressed and motivated towards learning as Sai Baba was staying. Each was interrogated by police, then one much as possible about what Sai Baba had to teach us. at a time they were executed. The stench of death was every- The celebration of Christmas came and went, after which our where. family was called for an interview with Sai Baba. As a result of I made further inquiries about Sai Baba having sexual relations this interview and what appeared at with college boys and male students— the time to be the most perfect envi- some of these as young as seven years ronment for students and devotees to " . . of age—and whether this was the rea- advance their spiritual lives, I made a In the many interviews that son for former students wanting to kill substantial donation to the Central followed | also observed more him. I was told, to my horror, that this 3 Trust to help them fund their educa- . " . was an acceptable Indian practice! tional programs. than thirty Instances of rings, I felt sick, and just wanted to take Upon leaving the interview, I was | wae 0 oA Fi A my family and leave the ashram and told by Sai Baba that I should sit on diamonds 2 vibhuti containers... India as quickly as possible. the verandah of the mandir in future, all being produced by Before we did, we were all called for with students from the colleges and interview with Sai Baba, and we told other devotees. As it turned out, this sleight of hand and deception." him what we had experienced and gave me the opportunity to meet peo- been told. ple and observe events very closely Sai Baba made no comment on our that I otherwise might not have had the accusations and was only anxious to opportunity to do. know who had told us these details, requesting us to tell him sev- We all had mixed feelings when we had to leave the ashram eral times! Having had dozens of interviews over the years, this and return to Australia—sad in having to leave, and joy in what was the most stressful and uncomfortable interview our family we had experienced. We returned to the ashram again in 1985 for _ had ever experienced. one month; and then in 1986 we stayed for seven months, at Sai Baba was tense and agitated, and his body language told us which time our daughters attended Sai Baba's school. all that what we had found out about him was the truth! We left It was during this time that I began to observe things that made the interview and returned to Australia. me question what I had experienced on previous visits. Having a The following years were very difficult spiritually; we concen- scientific background, I began to observe a set routine that Sai trated on all the positive aspects we had experienced over the past Baba followed each morning and evening during darshan and, in ten years and found this comforting. particular, how he materialised vibhuti (holy ash). When we attempted to tell others about our experiences and the I will never forget the look of anguish on Sai Baba's face when truth about Sai Baba, no one would believe us, except those who he came onto the verandah of the mandir early one morning and had also had similar experiences—and mostly fear prevents them dropped two vibhuti pellets in front of me as he attempted to from telling others. accept a rose from a college student. There was no vibhuti It has only been in the past twelve months that former students materialisation during darshan that morning! and devotees of Sai Baba have begun communicating with each In the months that followed, I observed how he transferred other, confirming experiences to be true and supporting each other these vibhuti pellets from one hand to the other, using the letters spiritually and emotionally when necessary. he collects from devotees to disguise his movements. In the many I now know the truth about Sai Baba and sincerely pray that interviews that followed, I also observed more than thirty others, too, will follow both their logic and intuition and also find instances of rings, "diamonds", japamalas, vibhuti containers, the truth. etc., all being produced by sleight of hand and deception. Terry Gallagher At first I kept this information to myself. I reasoned that if this Ex-Central Coordinator of Sathya Sai Organisation, Australia was what made people come to see Sai Baba, resulting in their becoming more spiritual, what harm could it do? Eventually I (Source: Terry Gallagher's letter to Faye and David Bailey, The told my wife and children, who also saw through this Quarterly, UK, www.myfreeoffice.com/saibabaexposed/) Terry Gallagher Ex-Central Coordinator of Sathya Sai Organisation, Australia (Source: Terry Gallagher's letter to Faye and David Bailey, The Quarterly, UK, www.myfreeoffice.com/saibabaexposed/) 62 - NEXUS TERRY GALLAGHER'S TESTIMONY AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2000