Baba, The Black Sheep (standard:other, 5389 words)
Author: Juggernaut	Added: Nov 04 2010	Views/Reads: 3586/2563	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A story on people that potray themselves as mystics.

Baba, The Black Sheep 

By 

Subba Rao 

No parent names his son Baba. It is suffix to a given name in India,
particularly in the South, when a person attains some position, 
spiritually speaking, and generally given to older people. This is in 
total contrast to the word Bubba in the United States that refers to 
men with gaudy, ungentlemanly, or coarse behavior, particularly from 
southern states. 

Practically, anybody can call himself Baba, since the suffix Baba is a
self-proclamation to Babaship. Among Hindus, Brahmins known to have 
good knowledge on scriptures could be good candidates for the title. 
But anybody can scale the invincible barrier that surrounds and protect 
the Brahmins to claim Babaship with self-proclamation. A Baba could be 
from any caste among Hindus, or even a Muslim can be a Baba, as long as 
he cultivates appropriate attire and learns some tricks to convince 
people that it is to their own benefit to become followers or 
believers. Self-proclamation to Babaship is almost an equal opportunity 
(self) employment in India. Followers of a Baba can change their 
allegiance from one to another, if they were for some reason 
disappointed in their Baba. For example, if their Baba were to be 
exposed as a fake. Few Baba stood the test of time and retained their 
followers, so that they even trained and left their heir apparent to 
run the show. 

Nobody is against people calling themselves Baba. Satyanarayana was a
school dropout, one day he gave himself the suffix Baba, and became 
Satyanarayana Baba. Then dropped Satyanarayana altogether from his name 
and started calling himself Baba and the others started to call him 
Baba to his satisfaction. This was a clear-cut case of 
self-proclamation to Babaship, since no body bestowed him with the 
title. People just don't change their names for nothing. He spent years 
in reading scriptures and practiced how to present the material 
eloquently in public. He attracted small gatherings at his home and 
then at the nearby temple where he became a resident speaker on various 
religious topics. Like copper metal which transmits heat or electric 
energy as fast as it absorbs it, a Baba has to learn quickly and retain 
the subject matter to present eloquently. 

To enhance the legitimacy of a Baba, the physical appearance plays an
important role. One should sport a beard (uncut preferred), and long 
hair; also wear appropriate loose-fitting garb or loin cloth in shades 
of yellow, orange, or red, representing the color of purity of the sun 
at dawn or dusk to absorb and destroy sin and sustain morality. 
Application of ash or pure limestone powder to shoulders and forehead 
would symbolize purity and disinterest in worldly comforts. 

When Juggernaut was thirteen years old, after school he took private
math lessons from his schoolteacher at his home. In that area, he first 
encountered a man wandering around butt naked. People called him 
Digambaram Baba (naked Baba). He was always naked, except once in a 
while when he wrapped a rag around his waist. He was always talking to 
himself in sign language while walking. On a few occasions, Juggernaut 
found Dhigambaram Baba far away from the street where his teacher 
lived. He walked slowly, non-stop for hours, covering many streets. 
Some people, mostly women, walk a few feet behind him, asking for 
solutions to their personal problems. They followed the wandering Baba, 
for his response. To walk behind a naked man in public is something 
that needs courage, particularly for women. Perhaps, if someone were 
that desperate, they would attempt anything. 

Nobody knows Digambaram Baba's religion or caste. Many believe that he
was a Muslim; his followers were mostly old people and Hindus. His body 
from head to toe never seemed to receive an intentional wash, though 
his slow walks in the rain did some unintentional cleansing. People 
believed that Baba could foretell the future or answer any troubling 
question, if he was in a mood to do so. Otherwise, he might wander 
miles without responding to the queries. The followers carried some 
‘prasad' (sacred gift) such as a fruit for him. Juggernaut wished to 
confront him one day when nobody was around and ask about his own 
future. But this seemed impossible he could never walk behind a naked 


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