Indian Skeptic - June - 2008                                    11 KAMALAPURAM

LOVE IS MY FORM ¥ A BIOGRAPHICAL SERIES ON SRI SATHYA SAI BABA

VOLUME ONE - THE ADVENT (1926 - 1950)

R.PADMANABAN

SAI TOWERS PUBLISHING, BANGALORE 2000

RSNR AKA SSB's BIRTHDAY CONSPIRACY

PAGE NOS. 128 fit 129. SATHYANARAYANA RAIU AT SCHOOL PUTAPARTHI

In the Attendance Register of the Government aided Elementary school at Puttaparthi, Sathyanarayana Raju (with Admission Number 154) is listed as being a student of the II Standard in the school year 1936-1937. Calculating accordingly, one would assume his school years at the Elementary School at Puttaparthi to be:

1935-1936 - I Standard

1936-1937- II Standard

1937-1938 - ill Standard

1938-1939 - IV Standard

1939-1940 - V Standard

Interestingly, according to the Attendance Register,-there were only 2 students hi the II Standard- Sathya and B.Babaiya. According to a retired school teacher - and Sathya's former schoolmate, Talipinerii Kesappa-elementary schools in those days had I to V standards. The subjects usually taught included Telugu,Sdence,Mathematics, History Geography and Moral Instruction.

Among other teachers hi the school were an untrained teacher, R. Venkatasubha Raju and a qualified teacher R. Venkatarama Raju (both relatives of Sathya).

After Elementary School, a student usually went. to a Higher Elementary School. This had classes from VI to VIII Standards. Most schools, however, had classes from I standard as well. All these classes [standards] did not have English as a subject. Only when English was offered as a subject were they called 'Forms'. One had to appear privately and pass an English test. Only then, would one be admitted into Form One.

According to the Elementary School system, Sathya would have been certified for qualification to join the Form One, in the Board Middle school in Kamalapuram, on the 11"' of June 1940. Seshama Raju's influence as a Telugu teacher would have been useful. Subject taught in Form One were: Telugu, English,Mathematics, Science and Geography. Carpentry and Weaving were optional subjects. Scouting was com­pulsory in Form One. Sathya passed Form One. Just before the examination he would have gone to attend the Pushpagiri cattle fair as a Boy Scout, for he had by then 'surrendered' his books-sold them to an incoming student at a 'used book7 price. Sathya's guardian and host, his elder brother, Seshama Raju, was being transferred out of Kamalapuram. The required Transfer Certificate, which Sathya obtained or the 20"' June 1941, carried the No.28/4 I/Admission No.245 and had the remark "Yes qualified for promotion".

His teachers at Kamalapuram were: D.Mehboob Khan, who taught English and Social Science; V.Pullachari, who was the Drill and Drawing Master; Ushaf Mia Khan, who taught Mathematics; Chappalli Visweswaraiah, who taught Telugu; and Konda Reddy, who taught Geography.

BUKKAPATNAM

At Bukkapatnam, Sathya joined the VIII,Standard for the Elementary school Leavmg . Certificate [ESLC] Course on the 5th July 1941. His name 'Sathyanarayana' is en­tered under Serial No. 466 of the Admission Register (page number 16). He did the Form One in Middle School at Kamalapuram and later joined the Higher Elementary School at Bukkapatnam (which is lower in standard) in VIII Standard and, hence, must have received a waiver for VII Standard. VII Standard, however, was not equal to Form One. Here, the subjects taught were Telugu, English, Mathematics General Science and Social Science, among others.

In the normal circumstances. Elementary School was from I Standard to V Stand­ard; Middle or Higher Elementary School was from VI to VIII Standards; and High School was from IX to XI Standards.                       .

Kandalam Seshacharulu was his Headmaster. Other teachers were M. V J. Rathnam (Drillmaster), Lakshmaiah, Mehboob Khan, B. C, Subbannachar English) and V.C. Kondappa (Telugu). Sathya's school records at Bukkapatnam indicate that, in 1942, he was not allowed to take the ESLC examination as he did not have minimum re­quired attendance at school. The remark says 'Removed'- which could mean that he sought transfer to join elsewhere. This could be because his brother had secured a post in Uravakonda and also because his incendiary compositions may have made him the centre of trouble at Bukkapatnam town. He was kept out of circulation by elders for quite some time m Bukkapatnam - Baba mentions this to Hislop, as recorded in Conversations with Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. This may be the reason for his shortage of attendance.

All of the 41 students, who attended the ESLC exam, failed. (Sathya joked that they had all failed because they had gone to take the examinations without him.) He left the school on the 6th of April 1942.

5.7.1941 joined VII standard 6.4.1942 left the school.


URAVAKONDA

Sathya joined Sri Karibasavaswami District Board High Sdiool,Uravakonda, on the 1" of July 1943 in Form Three (vide School Admission Register, page no. 41). The name R. Sathyanarayana appears, with the. Registration No. 422.

There were two Sections in Form Three. Sathya was in Section 'B'. Sathya had to bring a Transfer Certificate from the Bukkapatnam School, in order to be admitted to Urvakonda in the Form Three. Getting admission to Form Three, after Form One, without having cleared VIII Standard at Bukkapatnam is not possible. It would be assumed that he must have been engaged in private study to nuke himself eligible. In addition, since his elder brother was a Telugu teacher in the school, his good offices might have been useful.

The teachers for various subjects at Uravakonda, were H. S. Venkataramana (Sci­ence), Thammiraju (Mathematics),N. Peraraju (Telugu), Abdul Rahman (Geogra­phy), Chidambaraiah (secondary grade teacher.teaching Social Science), Peeraraju Rao (English) and Basavanna Goud (History and Scouting). T. Lakshmipathi was the Headmaster.

Each desk was meant for three students. Many claim to have been his deskmates. Most agree that Koti Reddy and Narayan Raju were deskmates of Sathya at Uravakonda. Honnurappa also claims to have been his deskmate.

There is no entry in the school records of Sathya leaving the School. The attend­ance Register of the Government aided Elementary school, Puttaparthy for the month of September (Page 40 K 41 of LOVE IS MY FORM) shows him studying in 2"" dass corresponding to Admit No.154. There were only 2 students hi lind dass.

On page 68 Sathyas transfer certificate No.28/41 Admission No.245 date of birth is shown as 4.10.1929 joined first form on 11.6.1940, transfer certificate dated 20.6.1941 with remark ÒYes qualified for promotion."

On page 69 is the register of admission of the samithi Elementary school, Bukkapatnam Admit No.466 the register records his joining VIII standard on 5.7.1941 and discontinuing on 6.4.1942 with date of birth 4.10.1929 and remarks "Exemp­tion not given for 8th standard Public Exams - Removed.

Page 132 of LIMF

The page 41 of the Register of general withdrawals   shows that Sathya was admitted in the Karibasavaswami District Board High School Uravakonda as admit No.422 on 1.7.1943. This is from the Register of withdrawals. When TC is given to all other students Sathyanarayana just absconded from the school and without taking the TC. There was a mistake in the date of birth as 4.10.1939 which was rectified later.

In this register the date of birth of the 14 students except of three are all different. Though Sathyanarayana's name was in the register he did not attend the school regularly and left the school without even collecting his TC.

When all the school records of RSNR from the 1" standard shows that his birthday is 4.10.1929 except the Uravakonda register of general withdrawals where his name is there but he did not take the TC while all other students took Transfer certificate it is dear that he did not attend the Uravakonda school, and his name might have been entered with the belief that he will change. Naturally the general withdrawal register is not filled up when the students join the school but when he leaves the school. So

when the person who filled the register would have made the mistake. If one reads the date of TC issued one can find that they are issued on different dates months and years.

One thing is very clear that RSNR's viswaroopa nor the editors of the book Love is my Form have carefully gone through this register which is not the admission regis­ter but withdrawal register which is filled up when the student leaves the institution.

In page 87 of LIMF it is sited that at Uravakonda RSNR did not ultimately com­plete his dass but left it midway in order to embark on his spiritual mission. Again it is  noted that sojourn at Uravakonda was a very short period of study.

It should be noted that when Karnam Subbamma and Karnam Kamalamma under Document No.553 of 1945 gifted lands for the Sai Baba.Mandiram in favour of Sri Sathyanarayana Raju the age of RSNR was not mentioned and so the gift deed with­out mentioning the age become, illegal as no gift deed can be made in the name of a minor so there would have been a query about the age of the donee and to prove that RSNR is major the first birthday celebrations were conducted in 23.11.1946 at Puttaparthi and there is no mention on record till then that RSNR was born on 23.11.1926 (see page 331) 579 of LIMF (sale deed page 242 of LIMF). The sale deed cannot be rectified as Subbamma died on 25.11.1945.

1. From 1935 1" standard there is proof till 1944 That RSNR's birth date is 4.10.1929 as per the school registers.

2. About the birth date of 23.11.1926 a Horoscope in English is published on page 30 of LIMF and there is no other proof at all. It is just a page from a book or printed for the book and no record of .the astrologer or his address "or the date on which it is prepared. The Horoscope seems to be a planned one prepared after Prof. N.Kasturi joined RSNR as his secretary. Moreover as per the letter from the Registrar of Hindu Religious Endowment Board all the records registered with them by RSNR up to 1960 are missing in the office.

Except the mention on (Page 19 of LIMF) that Pedda Vankama Raju sought out a venerable Shastri (scholar) in Bukkapatnam ( a nearby village) in whose words he had faith. The sastri stated that these occurrences were auspicious omens signified the presence of Shakti a beneficent power that would confer harmony and joy on the family. Even here it was not mentioned that the horoscope (Kundaly) was prepared by him and biodata of the Shastri.

Page 233 of LIMF

For the first time RSNR celebrates his birthday on 22.11.1946

Page 242 of LIMF also Page 579 of LIMF

1.  Sale deed document date 553 of 1945 by Karnam Subbamma and Karnam Kamalamma to Sathyanarayana date 20.7.1945 Bukkapatnam.

2.  Sale deed settlement document No.526 of 1947 Doddumane Sakkamma to Sri Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Baba 24.7.1947 Bukkapatnam.

3.  Sale deed document No.23 of 1950 Kadiyala Sanjeevaiah and Kadiyala Chinna Venkataswami to Ratnakaram Sathya Narayana 7.1.1950 Bukkapatnam.

No mention of celebrating RSNR's birthday prior to 1947 is there in any of the records, as mentioned below and the statement, from the book Anyatha Saranam Nasthi by Smt. Vijayamma Harachand.

The following school Registers prove that RSNR was born on 4.10.1929. This information was given by the elder brother Seshama Raju to the school

Page 128 s 129

1935-1936 - I Standard

1936-1937 - II Standard

1937-1938 - III Standard

1938-1939 - IV Standard

1939"1940 - V Standard

RSNRs 3 uncles   R.Venkatasubha Raju Kodanda Rama Raju R.Venkatarama Raju

Even if one goes to the villages and enquire their date of births most of them will not have proof for their date of birth as the law to register birth and death date with the registra of birth came in to existence only in 1970. But educated and rich people had their births registered with the priest as it was a requisite for the higher education and job.

Generally to admit children in the schools and parents to give earlier date as their birth date because they could get them admitted in the 1" standard only if they were 6 years old. No one gave a later date as birth date as they would loose the date of age for government jobs and would have to retire early. So the possibility of giving earlier date as date of birth would never exist.                                  

If RSNR's date of birth was 23.11.1926 in 1935 he would have been 9 years old when he was admitted in the 1" standard which if he was born on 4.10.1929 he would have been 6 years old ready to be admitted in 1" standard like any other while in document registered with the registrar the date of birth is essential in the earlier documents registered as document No.553 of 1945 by Karnam Subbamma and Karnam Kamalamma did not contain his date of birth or age as such document can be registered only in the name of majors i.e 18 years. Therefore the document gifting 33 cents of land becomes illegal and against law.

So no one would change the date of birth to an early date or later date and in RSNR's case as it has been changed to an earlier date RSNR would loose both times while applying for a government job and at the time of retirement he would loose 3 years service which would have given him more benefits.

Just because in the case of Urvakonda school register some one has changed the date of birth to 4.10.1939 while in was 1929 all over the 7 years in school and when the Researches pointed out to this mistake it was corrected by then officer as 1929.

1.  No students can be admitted in 1" standard unless he or she is 6 years so RSNR has been correctly admitted in 1" standard in 1935. When he was 6 years old. (LOVE IS MY FORM Page 41)

2.  In all his school admissions and transfer certificate his date of birth is 4.10.1929 (LOVE IS MY FORM Pages 128, 129, 68, 69, 40 S41)


3.  There is no mention of RSNR birth date as 23.11.1926 in any of the printed

records of RSNR up to 1946.

4.  The Horoscope printed in the book( LOVE IS MY FORM Page 28)has no name or address of the Astrologer who prepared the horoscope and the date when it was prepared.

5.   Horoscopes are not prepared as printed and also not prepared in English but in local languages.

6.  The first mention of RSNR's birthday as 23.11.1926 in printed records is in 1946 when he celebrated his birthday on 23"" November. Before this no one knew or cared to know when he was born.

7.  In 1946 RSNR had to publicise his birthdate as 23.11.1926 as Karnam Subbamma and Kamalamma had gifted some land to RSNR by document No. 5 5 3 of 1945 dated 20.7.1945 registered at sub registrars office at Bukkapatnam where the age of the donors and the donee RSNR has not been mentioned. No documents can be registered in the name of minor except in the name of their guardian or the document become invalid (LOVE IS MY FORM Page 242).

8.   Surely there would have been questions and to come out of this predicament for the 1" time RSNR celebrated his birthday publicly on 23.11.1946 thus making the document legal.

9.  The copies of the registered documents of RSNR's Trusts, Associations etc up to 1960 are missing in the Registrars and the office of the Commissioner of Hindu Religious endowment Board.

10. Sale Deed document No.860 of 1946 by Kadiyala Venkatramappa to D.Sakkamma dated 28.9.1946. Why it was not made in the name of RSNR is be­cause he was a minor in 1946 (17 years old ) LOVE IS MY FORM page 579.

11. Later Sale deed settlement Document 526 of 1947 by Doddamane Sakkamma to Sri Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Baba 24.7.1947 (Major 18 years old ) LOVE IS MY FORM page 579.

12. There also had been a sale deed document No.23 of 1950 by Kadiyala Sanjeevaiah Kadiyala Chinna Venkataswami to Ratnakaram Satyanarayana 7.1.1950 (LOVE IS MY FORM Page 579) So RSNR's name has not been changed legally to Sathya Sai Baba in 1950.

13. Would RSNR aka SSB explain why all the records in the Hindu Religious endowment Board about the registered documents by RSNR and to him missing in the commissioner's office? And also explain these controversies.