When Sri Sathya Sai was at two places at the same time...

Sunday, December 13, 1964 to 

Thursday, December 17, 1964

Divine Visit to Venkatagiri and Srikalahasti (Andhra Pradesh)

Addressing devotees at Venkatagiri

On 13th December, 1964, Swami was at Venkatagiri town, or must we say ‘was also at Venkatagiri?’ He had reached the place a few days earlier in connection with very heavy schedule of Discourses in the Chittoor and Nellore districts. On 13th Swami visited Sri Kalahasti from Venkatagiri. He visited the Vyasa Ashram at Yeredu, near Sri Kalahasti on the 17th. Baba said of the Sadhu who lived there, “The Malayala Swami made all those he came in contact with understand the grandeur of the Real veiled by the unreal. He had come to realise it through study and Sadhana”. 

Sunday, December 13, 1964

Swami at Manjeri (Kerala)

Swami was at Venkatagiri on Sunday, the 13th day of December, 1964, in order to bless the devotees of Chittoor and Nellore Districts of Andhra Pradesh. This information on its own would have been nothing out of the ordinary. The fact that Swami was also seen, spoken to, and fed 600 miles away, at Manjeri in the state of Kerala, is the mind boggling twist.

Ram Mohan Rao of Manjeri was an ardent devotee of Shirdi Baba. He had never seen Swami though he had acquired a picture of Swami to adorn his personal shrine. His daughter, Sailaja had been cured of eczema by pleading to that picture in their shrine. 

In the Pooja Room

One fine day, the house help rushed in to announce the coming of a ‘Sadhu’ (renunciant). “We rushed out to find Swami standing outside our door. We ushered Swami in, and Swami went into our Pooja room”, stated an ecstatic Rao. “I have come today in recognition of your daughter’s Bhakti”, Swami announced. Swami had Rao send word to any devotees who may be willing to join them. A small crowd gathered, and Swami led them all in a wonderful Bhajan. Swami addressed the people of the gathering in their native tongues and also materialised a Shankhamala for the Raos. “People of Kalahasti (a shrine of Lord Shiva in the state of Andhra Pradesh) will be looking out for Me eagerly”, He said and took leave of the gathering. He disappeared as mysteriously as He had appeared. This was not all though. On the 24th of December, the Raos returned to find the lights of their locked house burning brightly. Entering the house with trepidation, they found Swami sitting in the Pooja room! “Were you scared? I came because you were lonely”, He said to them in Kannada. After spending the night with the Raos, Swami rejoiced the couple and the blessed few who were beckoned by Him to join them. Swami said to them at around 4.30 pm, “My devotees at Kalahasti will be restlessly awaiting Me.” He walked out into the street and disappeared!

Source: Sri Sathya Sai Digvijayam (1926-1985)