Tuesday, April 09, 2013

Margaret Thatcher and Chandraswami

The Hindu carries a fascinating piece by K Natwar Singh on an encounter between the late Margaret Thatcher, former British PM, and godman Chandra Swami.

Apparently, the Godman predicted that Thatcher would go on to become PM and that she might remain PM for 9, 11 or 13 years. The circumstances in which this forecast was made are interesting. At the first meeting that Singh set up between the two of them in London, the godman floored Thatcher with his extra-sensory powers:

He gave Mrs. Thatcher five strips of paper and requested her to write a question on each. She obliged, but with scarcely camouflaged irritation. Chandraswamy asked her to open the first paper ball. She did. He gave the text of the question in Hindi. I translated. Correct. I watched Mrs Thatcher. The irritation gave way to curiosity. Next question. Again bull’s eye. Curiosity replaced by interest. By the fourth question the future iron lady’s demeanour changed. She began to look at Chandraswamy not as a fraud, but as a holy man indeed. My body language too altered. Last question. No problem. I heaved a sigh of relief. Mrs Thatcher was now perched on the edge of the sofa. Like Oliver Twist, she asked for more. Chandraswamy was like a triumphant Guru. He took off his chappals and sat on the sofa in the lotus pose. I was appalled. Mrs Thatcher seemed to approve.

Mrs Thatcher then requested a second meeting with Swami at which he made his prophesies about her becoming PM. 

4 comments:

Sujatha said...

I did read this interesting piece and was astounded by the universal human vulnerability to the mysterious.

T T Ram Mohan said...

Sujatha,

Human vulnerability to the mysterious is universal, as you rightly point out. But it may be more pronounced in those at the top,whether politicians or businessmen or celebrities. How else do you explain eminent persons, including PMs, flockig to assorted godmen in our country?

-TTR

TTR

Sujatha said...

Politicians , businessmen or celebrities have a short and uncertain lifespan at the top and hence are very insecure which drives them to seek solace, unlike a common man who knows his life is not going to change drastically between today and tomorrow.
Also if I or you were to go to the godmen it is not going to be reported , so one does not actually know how many such people go to the godmen !

Anonymous said...

Thanks for link to original article.
- Ketan Bhatt