MORE than 100 followers of the ailing Indian spiritual leader Satya Sai Baba flocked to various centres here last night to pray for him.
The 85-year-old, admitted to a hospital in his hometown of Puttaparthi in south-east India with lung and chest congestion about 10 days ago, is reported to be in critical condition and on life support.
There are at least 17 Sai centres and devotional groups here where his followers gather to pray and discuss his teachings. At the ones in Moulmein Road and MacPherson last evening, about 100 devotees were praying for him.
Mr M. Letchmenon, 70, the chairman of Potong Pasir Sai Centre, said: 'When you love someone, you will definitely be worried when he is unwell. That is how we feel now.
'He has always been guiding us with his teachings and we have benefited from them. We are now praying for his speedy recovery and we believe our prayers will be answered.'
Sai Baba is said to have about 20,000 followers here, but only about 2,000 are 'active' members who take part in weekly services and activities, said Dr Ho Soon Lye, 76, the chairman of the Woodleigh Centre.
Members are from different races and religions and include Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists. Dr Ho said up to 40 per cent of devotees here are Chinese.
Even as some members attend special prayer sessions for his health to turn around, others are taking a more philisophical view of the situation.
Dr Ho, a general practitioner in private practice, said: 'I don't know whether he will pull through, but Baba has said every human body is subject to pain, death. His body may suffer disease but his soul is immortal. What's important is that his consciousness and philosophy will live on.'
Satya Sai Baba has millions of devotees around the world, many of whom believe him to be a living god and the reincarnation of the great spiritual guru, Sai Baba of Shirdi, who died in 1918.
He claims to have performed miracles, including bringing the dead back to life, and his teachings have shaped health and education projects here.
In Singapore, the Sathya Sai Social Service runs various nursing and rehabilitation homes for the aged, destitute, chronically and mentally ill.
Separately, other devotees run the Swami Home for the Aged in Sembawang.
Among followers of Sai Baba is Ms Jannie Tay, 65, the founder and executive vice-chairman of luxury watch retailer The Hour Glass.
She became a follower in 1979, and has found the guru to be a constant source of comfort over the years.
'I thank God I met Sai Baba during the most difficult part of my life. He was there for me. I was starting my business, my eldest daughter had passed away from pneumonia and I had given birth to another daughter who had multiple health issues,' she said, adding that she has become more spiritual and compassionate through his teachings.
'I've learnt that praying and being spiritual is not about us wanting God to give us something, but about us changing our attitudes and mindsets.'
Another devotee, marine engineer Kanagaratnam Aravinthan, 30, is optimistic the spiritual leader will recover. He said: 'Sai Baba is often unwell because he takes on the pain of his devotees and the collective illness of humanity. This is due to his unlimited compassion.'
The Sri Lankan, who has worked here for five years and has prayed to the Indian guru twice daily since he was a child, noted that Sai Baba has made several prophecies about the age he will die.
'He has promised to live until the age of 96, so he will.'
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The 85-year-old, admitted to a hospital in his hometown of Puttaparthi in south-east India with lung and chest congestion about 10 days ago, is reported to be in critical condition and on life support.
There are at least 17 Sai centres and devotional groups here where his followers gather to pray and discuss his teachings. At the ones in Moulmein Road and MacPherson last evening, about 100 devotees were praying for him.
Mr M. Letchmenon, 70, the chairman of Potong Pasir Sai Centre, said: 'When you love someone, you will definitely be worried when he is unwell. That is how we feel now.
'He has always been guiding us with his teachings and we have benefited from them. We are now praying for his speedy recovery and we believe our prayers will be answered.'
Sai Baba is said to have about 20,000 followers here, but only about 2,000 are 'active' members who take part in weekly services and activities, said Dr Ho Soon Lye, 76, the chairman of the Woodleigh Centre.
Members are from different races and religions and include Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists. Dr Ho said up to 40 per cent of devotees here are Chinese.
Even as some members attend special prayer sessions for his health to turn around, others are taking a more philisophical view of the situation.
Dr Ho, a general practitioner in private practice, said: 'I don't know whether he will pull through, but Baba has said every human body is subject to pain, death. His body may suffer disease but his soul is immortal. What's important is that his consciousness and philosophy will live on.'
Satya Sai Baba has millions of devotees around the world, many of whom believe him to be a living god and the reincarnation of the great spiritual guru, Sai Baba of Shirdi, who died in 1918.
He claims to have performed miracles, including bringing the dead back to life, and his teachings have shaped health and education projects here.
In Singapore, the Sathya Sai Social Service runs various nursing and rehabilitation homes for the aged, destitute, chronically and mentally ill.
Separately, other devotees run the Swami Home for the Aged in Sembawang.
Among followers of Sai Baba is Ms Jannie Tay, 65, the founder and executive vice-chairman of luxury watch retailer The Hour Glass.
She became a follower in 1979, and has found the guru to be a constant source of comfort over the years.
'I thank God I met Sai Baba during the most difficult part of my life. He was there for me. I was starting my business, my eldest daughter had passed away from pneumonia and I had given birth to another daughter who had multiple health issues,' she said, adding that she has become more spiritual and compassionate through his teachings.
'I've learnt that praying and being spiritual is not about us wanting God to give us something, but about us changing our attitudes and mindsets.'
Another devotee, marine engineer Kanagaratnam Aravinthan, 30, is optimistic the spiritual leader will recover. He said: 'Sai Baba is often unwell because he takes on the pain of his devotees and the collective illness of humanity. This is due to his unlimited compassion.'
The Sri Lankan, who has worked here for five years and has prayed to the Indian guru twice daily since he was a child, noted that Sai Baba has made several prophecies about the age he will die.
'He has promised to live until the age of 96, so he will.'
[email protected]
