THIS IS MY FAKIR

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THIS IS MY FAKIR

Baba said, "Don’t be afraid, don’t care a jot (a small amount), the Merciful

Fakir will save you" in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch.XXIII.

Arthur Osborne knew Sri Narasimha Swamiji as both of them were associated with

Ramana Maharshi. Sri Narasimha Swamiji was the first person to write a book on

Ramana. Arthur Osborne was one of the Western authors who has written book on

Ramana Maharshi. Arthur Osborne expressed his wish to write a book on Sai Baba,

and Sri Narasimha Swamiji readily requested him to make full use of the

publications of All India Sai Samaj, Madras. He happens to be the first

Westerner to write a book on Sai Baba. He presented Sai Baba to the public in

his beautiful book "The incredible Sai Baba." This was published in 1957 by

Orient Longmans."In the 1975 edition of "The incredible Sai Baba", Arthur

Osborne published an Addenda under the title "Continued presence", which is

reproduced here."During our four-year stay in Calcutta, the neighbouring flat

was occupied by a lady, Miss Dutton, who was very pious. When we came to know

her better, she told me that she used to be a

nun having spent the best part of her life in a convent. Being rather impulsive,

a common thing with redheads, she found discipline increasingly irksome and this

led to conflict and unpleasantness. In short she did not get on with other nuns.

Towards the end she felt that she could not stand it any longer. With the

co-operation of the nuns in-charge, she applied to the Pope for absolution from

her vows which was granted without much delay. While her application was pending

with Pope, she was too pre-occupied with her conflicts to give much thought to

her future. When she was about to leave the convent, it dawned to her, how

hopeless her future now was. She was well over middle age, without a

profession, with scarcely any relatives, the nearest being a nephew in far away

Calcutta. One day while she was sitting in her cell immersed in her gloom,

suddenly a tall Fakir appeared before her. How he got in she could not tell, as

it would have been next to impossible for a Muslim Fakir to

gain entrance into a cell of nuns. He looked at her in compassion and told her

"do not worry so much, everything will be alright when you go to Calcutta." He

asked her for a gift of money (Dakshina) given to holy men. She told him that

she had no money. "Oh yes, you have 35 rupees in a bore in the cupboard there",

he replied. Miss. Dutton had completely forgotten about the money she had kept

in the bore of the cupboard. She went in search and there it was, but when she

turned to give the gift, the fakir was not there. He disappeared in the same

way as he had come. Immediately after this, she felt at peace.In Calcutta, her

nephew received her kindly and was looking after her with love and care which

he even extended to her pets. Miss Dutton was full of praise of her nephew, and

grateful to God. She used to get up everyday before dawn to go to church to

attend mass or give thanks, which discipline she seemed to enjoy."Arthur

Osborne feeling convinced that the Fakir

could be no other than the incredible Sai Baba told her, - ‘I will show you a

picture of your Fakir." He produced a photo of Sai Baba from his flat and

showed her. The moment she saw he photograph she exclaimed in surprise. "Oh

yes! This is my Fakir", he even had the same white kerchief on his head", she

exclaimed. Miss Dutton had never heard of Sai Baba before.

(Taken from the book "The Eternal Sai")

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