Khedda Operation
Decades ago, a baby elephant survived a Khedda Operation in the Madumalai forest. Her mother
had been killed along with many other elephants that had been herded into deep camouflaged pits.
She was mother-less, crying and hungry.
Sai Baba was nearby, he was returning from Mysore. Hearing her cries he went to her, and being told of her plight by an officer of the forest he said, "Is it so? Then I will take care of this baby."
Just ten days old and two feet high, Sai Baba put her on the back seat of His car and took her to Bangalore.
He said, "I put honey on my finger, put it into her mouth and she began sucking the honey. Later, I fed her milk through a feeding bottle, and from then on she forgot all about her mother ".
I christened her Sai Geetha.
She was taken to Puttaparthi, the home of Sai Baba, where she was reared and nurtured by him throughout her life.
had been killed along with many other elephants that had been herded into deep camouflaged pits.
She was mother-less, crying and hungry.
Sai Baba was nearby, he was returning from Mysore. Hearing her cries he went to her, and being told of her plight by an officer of the forest he said, "Is it so? Then I will take care of this baby."
Just ten days old and two feet high, Sai Baba put her on the back seat of His car and took her to Bangalore.
He said, "I put honey on my finger, put it into her mouth and she began sucking the honey. Later, I fed her milk through a feeding bottle, and from then on she forgot all about her mother ".
I christened her Sai Geetha.
She was taken to Puttaparthi, the home of Sai Baba, where she was reared and nurtured by him throughout her life.
Images of Sai Geetha
On a visit to Prasanthi Nilayam, India in April 2007, my wife and I were called for an interview with
Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
During that interview Swami asked "How is your tummy? "
I replied, "Much better. Thank you Swami, much better than Sai Geetha's!"
I had learnt of Sai Geetha's condition on a recent visit to her enclosure where I had been drawing.
I had the sketchbook with me and held it up.
He studied it for some time, looked across and said "now do paintings"? To Jan my wife!
"Yes Swami". She said.
The following days were spent drawing, filming, and collecting reference in preparation for the paintings.
We returned to the UK towards the end of April, and I commenced work on the first canvas.
Just one month later in May 2007, we received the sad news that beloved Sai Geetha had died. The book a collection of paintings inspired by that interview.
On a visit to Prasanthi Nilayam, India in April 2007, my wife and I were called for an interview with
Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
During that interview Swami asked "How is your tummy? "
I replied, "Much better. Thank you Swami, much better than Sai Geetha's!"
I had learnt of Sai Geetha's condition on a recent visit to her enclosure where I had been drawing.
I had the sketchbook with me and held it up.
He studied it for some time, looked across and said "now do paintings"? To Jan my wife!
"Yes Swami". She said.
The following days were spent drawing, filming, and collecting reference in preparation for the paintings.
We returned to the UK towards the end of April, and I commenced work on the first canvas.
Just one month later in May 2007, we received the sad news that beloved Sai Geetha had died. The book a collection of paintings inspired by that interview.
The book was blessed and held by Sri Sathya Sai Baba in February 2011,
and awaits publication.
