ILLUSION OF A SWAMI
ILLUSION OF A SWAMI (GODMAN) SLEEPING ON FIRE BED
After fire eating swamis, here comes a swami sleeping on fire-beds. When even a match stick singes the skin, is it possible for a human being to lie on fire for four hours, fully clothed and emerge unscathed, body and robe? Even fall asleep in the process? Ramababu Swamiji (80) from Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, ostensibly did precisely that on Sunday on 15th November morning when he slept on a homa fire and prayed for the well being of the society, say his devotees at the Ghanagapur village in northern Karnataka. Doctors, psychologists and rationalists are dismissive of the incident, believing it to be an ‘illusion.’
Here is what is propagatged to have happened. The swami - who accidentally survives on a diet of bananas and water - told the local villagers that he would talk to Lord Ganesh (elephant-headed deity) about the ills affecting society and pray for their welfare. The visiting swami came to the Dattatreya temple at Ghanagapur village in Gulbarga district and expressed his intention of lying on the lit homakund (ritual fire), measuring 3ft x 3ft. Then to the astonishment of the devotees who had flocked the temple, the swami, in his orange robes, did precisely that, shut his eyes and apparently slept for the next four hours. His followers told that the swami had done this four or five times, earlier in Tamil Nadu, claiming he has spiritual powers. Narendra Nayak, president, Federation of Indian Rationalists’ Associations (FIRA), said, “Off hand I can give two explanations. He may be wearing a fire-proof suit inside his dress or he maybe sleeping outside the homa kunda. The photograph may give an illusion that he is on it.”
