China spins new yarn on Sai Baba

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China spins new yarn on Sai BabaTuesday September 28 2004 12:13 IST IANS

KATHMANDU: After dragons, exotic flora and images of the Buddha, Chinese weavers

have turned to a new design for textile exports - Satya Sai Baba, one of India's

spiritual gurus.China has entered the lucrative market of making memorabilia of

the 78-year-old Baba, who has millions of followers all over the world, by

churning out polyester silk with busts of the godman in orange, yellow and

black.Chinese silks and polyesters are exported to Kathmandu where they are in

high demand for garments for tourists as well as the Tibetan diaspora living in

the Himalayan kingdom.Amidst bales of bright coloured cloth in traditional

design, there is also the face of the Baba, smiling enigmatically against a

white background."The Chinese have a quick eye for profit," says Mahendra

Shrestha, who has been selling strips containing four images of the Baba for

Nepali Rs.100 per strip. "From the traditional designs, they are venturing into

any new design they think will have a market."There are at least two Sai Baba

centres in Kathmandu alone. However, there are none in mainland China, the

nearest being in Hong Kong.The Baba, born Satyanarayana Raju, has a sprawling

ashram at Puttaparthi, in Andrah Pradesh.The Baba is known by his trademark

halo of shoulder-long frizzy hair, saffron robe and hand raised in the posture

of conferring blessings.Photographs, posters and calendars of the Baba are a

familiar sight in India and even neighbouring Nepal where senior politicians,

army chiefs and even members of the royal family are followers of the miracle

man who materialises objects out of thin air and whose photographs are said to

produce 'vibhuti' or sacred ash.There have been cases of enterprising designers

trying to cash in on the exotic and then running into trouble with devotees,

like when they used images of Hindu gods on bikinis.However, it is unlikely

that the Chinese design on the Baba will create a similar uproar.Mahendra

Shrestha says: "The cloth with the Baba is thicker than that used to make

dresses. It is intended to make wall hangings or, at the most, bags."

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