The ‘Yad Rakh’ Papers (2011/12)
Following is the full original 2011-2012 correspondence between Dr. Venkatlaxman Saride (a medical doctor in South India) and Bhau Kalchuri, submitted to this website by Christopher Ott and posted by permission of Dr. Venkat. A few small editorial interpolations have been made within square brackets by Kendra Crossen Burroughs. Related documents and articles can be found in the website menu under the heading Did He Speak?
Date 27/12/11
From
Dr. Venkatlaxman Saride
Visakhapatnam [Andhra Pradesh]
To
Shri Bhau Kalchuri, Chairman, AMBPPCT, Ahmednagar
Jai Baba Dear Bhauji.
This is regarding your story of ‘Yaad rakh, Remember this’ verbal communication by Baba on the night of 30th January, 1969. This story, revealed by you 30 years after it had happened, has been the subject of much discussion among us Baba lovers. Many are not able to believe the story. It would be very kind of you if you throw light on its veracity and authenticity.
This story (of Baba having talked to you in a clear voice during the night of 30th January 1969) was revealed by you to the Baba world in the year 2001/2002 or so I think.
Will you please tell us why you chose to reveal the fact 30 yrs after it happened? Almost all of the mandali had dropped their bodies. Even Eruch was not there. You could have revealed the story soon after its happening to Adi K. Irani, Mehera, Mani, Eruch, Aloba, Ivy Duce, Francis Brabazon or others of the mandali. You yourself had said how, soon after Baba dropped His body, Dr. C. D. Deshmukh kept on asking you repeatedly whether Baba said anything in the last moments before dropping His body but you had told him then that there was nothing that Baba said in the final moments and of course nothing at all about this crucial conversation.
When you first told us this story (during one of your talks) you had said that while you were recuperating from heart surgery and anesthesia in Pune someone gave you a book written by Osho for you to read; in that book Osho had mentioned that it was not possible for Baba to break His silence after so many years of keeping silence; then after this you had said Baba appeared to you physically or in the special way you are used to and asked you why you had not revealed to anyone that He had spoken to you audibly ‘Yaad rakh’ in Hindi and ‘Remember this’ in English on the night of 30th January 1969. It was then that you had decided to tell everyone.
So it was Osho’s comments that proved to be a catalyst and made you remember this crucial conversation between yourself and Baba or you were remembering the conversation all the time, kept the whole matter to yourselves for 30 yrs but decided to tell the Baba world only after reading the comments of Osho.
It is said that soon after Baba dropped His body the mandali members held urgent meetings in order to come to a common consensus regarding what to tell the world regarding the mystery of His silence and silence breaking. Even at that crucial juncture you did not reveal this fact of a very significant verbal communication from Baba on the night of 30th January 1969, but surprisingly the revelation of the same was made possible by the comments made by such a controversial character as Osho.
As part of the story you have also said that Baba resumed His silence after the aforesaid verbal communication and continued His silence till the last moment. You have also clarified that this ‘speaking’ by Baba of the aforesaid phrases did not amount to His breaking of His silence. I would like to know whether or not this is a contradiction in itself? If Baba has spoken then He has spoken undoubtedly and if His speaking a phrase or two clearly and audibly does not amount to silence breaking then a different meaning/connotation needs to be attached to what His silence and silence breaking constitutes.
In the year 1993/94 [1992] the Glow magazine published an article in which Eruch told of a sound like ‘OM’ that he had heard moments before Baba dropped His body. This account of Eruch was interpreted by the editor of the magazine as proof of Baba having broken His silence. The Glow article led to lot of excitement among the Baba followers. Even at that time you did not care to reveal your story of ‘Yaad rakh, Remember this’.
The above is my personal, long-standing unanswered query and I do not mean any ridicule or disrespect. The query is sincere. You were the only one to whom Baba made this significant verbal communication and so you are the only one who can clear the mist.
With all due respects,
In His Love,
Dr. Venkat
* * *
On Fri, Dec 30, 2011 at 1:46 PM, Bhau Kalchuri wrote:
To: Venkatlaxman Saride
By email:
Subject: Remember this…Baba did not break His silence
Beloved Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai!
My dearest Dr. Venkat,
I received your email dated 27 December 2011. As you have asked me to reveal what is the truth, so I tell you. Baba did not break His silence at that time. He told me in English, “Remember this.” I am telling you. You just always remember this—He would show me ‘Yaad Rakh,’ through signs. He would not speak.
Eruch, of course, was not there at that time, no Mandali member. It was night time; I was keeping watch. My dearest Dr. Venkat, I tell you the truth, because you have asked. All this time, I was silent, but anyone may interpret in his own way. But this is the truth, I am telling you: Baba did not break His silence at that time. Through His gestures, He would speak different languages, and “Yaad rakh” is also one of them. It is His word. Up until now, I kept quiet; I did not say that “No, Baba did not break His silence.”
But now, the matter has come up to my throat. I must tell you the truth. Baba had said, “Yaad rakh,” through gestures. He would speak different languages through His gestures.
In Andhra of course, [there are] different languages— so His gestures would be such that people would know that He knows the language of Andhra. Marathi, Hindi, Telegu, Russian! all the languages, through the [alphabet] board, and then through gestures, while keeping silence. He would not speak, but through gestures, He would show as if He was telling the truth through gestures, and He knows the language. They would feel it in Hamirpur; His gestures would be different. Eruch was interpreting.
Afterwards, Baba would send me to Hamirpur because I knew their language. They would accept anything when I said, “Baba had said this: ‘Satchitanand Paramanand Meher Baba Vidyanand.’”
I was thinking, “They will ask different questions, and if I say this prayer, ‘Satchitananda Paramananda, Meher Baba Vidyanand…’ what will happen? I did not tell Baba, but when I told the people of Hamirpur, “This prayer is given by Baba,” they started singing, “Satchitananda Paramananda, Meher Baba Vidyanand….” And still it is going on.
People from different countries also go there and sing, “Satchitananda Paramananda…” The Andhraites find that people are very much interested in this prayer, because Baba has given it, so they sing Satchitananda Paramananda in Telegu.
There was one Bhaskar Raju in Andhra who had the party of five persons to sing “Satchitananda Paramananda.” They would come every year during Amartithi and they would sing it. Bhaskar Raju’s own son was in America. Then he would also sing “Satchitananda Paramananda,” there. I would come every year to America and he would come with a party of five persons: “Satchitananda Paramananda!” I was amazed how his prayer had become so popular. Every year I would hear it, even in America! Why has it become so popular? Baba is behind it.
And Baba said, “Hamirpur is My heart, and Andhra is My mind.” “My mind,” remember this: that mind which takes you towards Baba.
Jai Ho! Jai Ho!! Jai Ho!!! Jai Jai kar Ho my dearest Dr. Venkat. This is the truth, and I revealed it. It is not because of different interpretations of different persons that I am revealing this truth. Osho could not understand. He was not even on any plane; I tell you the truth. He was an intellectual giant who became famous when he would tell such things which, of course, all the new people did not know. They would believe Osho. All the Osho group is nothing but intellectual. Anyway, Osho is not here, but I am here so I am telling you the truth.
Jai Ho! Jai Ho!! Jai Ho!!! Jai Jai kar Ho yours, my dearest Venkat, Jai Ho!
With all love and Jai Baba to you,
In His Love and Service,
Bhau
* * *
At 06:02 PM 1/4/2012, you wrote:
Jai Baba Dear Bhauji,
Thank you very much for your reply.
From your reply myself and other Baba followers have understood that—
1. You clearly ‘heard’ the sound of Baba ‘speaking’ “Remember this” in English on the night of 30th January 1969.
2. “Yaad Rakh” in Hindi was with gestures only.
Please confirm this.
Thanking you,
In His Love,
Dr. Venkat
* * *
From: Bhau Kalchuri
Date: Sat, Jan 7, 2012 at 8:12 AM
Subject: “Yaad Rakh”
To: Venkatlaxman Saride
To: Dr. Venkat Saride
By email:
Subject: “Yaad Rakh”
Beloved Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai!
My dearest Dr. Venkat,
I received your email dated 4 January 2012. This is your dream, and you don’t remember your dream. Baba never broke His silence. “Yaad Rakh,” is the important thing, and that was in gestures that He told me. “Yaad Rakh.” In English, too, “Remember this.”
So what should I tell you? After many years, when Baba departed, I was feeling so lonely. Still I feel lonely because I did not see Him speak from beginning to end. I was waiting and waiting for this— that Baba would speak to me. But “Yaad rakh”— this incident was in my heart, not in mind. Mind had no scope to reach me.
Please note it down and know well that He did not speak, either in English or in Hindi. Only gestures. Really speaking, Baba said in Hindi, “Yaad Rakh,” not in English. This much I know. [Emphasis added.]
Jai Ho! Jai Ho!! Jai Ho!!! Jai Jai kar Ho yours in the world, my dearest Dr. Venkat, Jai Ho!
With all love and Jai Baba to you,
In His Love and Service,
Bhau