<p>When most devotees mourned Baba’s death, a hardcore follower of his from Australia chose to celebrate. <br /><br />Well, that’s not to say Mark Houlahan, a former chemical engineer from New South Wales, Australia, who had quit his job and sell off his entire property for Australian $10,000 to meet the Baba at Puttaparthi way back in June 1993, danced and partied after hearing the news. In reality, he celebrated the teachings of Baba.<br /><br />Houlahan claims that when he was meditating before Baba’s photograph last Thursday morning, Baba predicted his death. “I was stunned to see the Baba announcing his death to me and I begged him not to leave us,” Houlahan told Deccan Herald. <br /><br />At first, the Aussie says, he cried like a child but later resigned himself to the inevitable. Baba ‘spoke’ to Houlahan again at 4:30 am on Sunday, three hours before his death, according to the devotee. <br /><br />Houlahan’s arrival in India was rather abrupt. He had heard about Baba but being an atheist, disregarded every kind of spirituality. <br /></p>.<p><br />One day at office, Houlahan experienced ‘unusual anxiety and depression.’ He came home and meditated and heard Baba asking him to come to India, Houlahan claims. <br /><br />“Thank you, but I’m busy,” Houlahan had replied to Baba. Curiosly, he had decided later to meet him. <br /><br />The Australian married an Indian-origin Englishwoman, Rita Patel, who bore him two children – Jasmine (14) and Joshua (9) – and is pregnant with the third. <br /><br />Houlahan is about to finish his 200-page memoir titled ‘Unveiling the illusion’ to be published in six weeks. He started writing the book 18 months ago as ‘commanded’ by Baba. “English was my worst subject and I always struggled to write essays. When Baba asked me to pen down the memoir, I said ‘No way, that’s impossible’,” Houlahan adds. He did start writing, at night after giving up alcohol. And the words came pouring out. <br /><br />Houlahan defends Baba’s miracles, claiming they were “something to get people’s attention and to give a deep message.”</p>
<p>When most devotees mourned Baba’s death, a hardcore follower of his from Australia chose to celebrate. <br /><br />Well, that’s not to say Mark Houlahan, a former chemical engineer from New South Wales, Australia, who had quit his job and sell off his entire property for Australian $10,000 to meet the Baba at Puttaparthi way back in June 1993, danced and partied after hearing the news. In reality, he celebrated the teachings of Baba.<br /><br />Houlahan claims that when he was meditating before Baba’s photograph last Thursday morning, Baba predicted his death. “I was stunned to see the Baba announcing his death to me and I begged him not to leave us,” Houlahan told Deccan Herald. <br /><br />At first, the Aussie says, he cried like a child but later resigned himself to the inevitable. Baba ‘spoke’ to Houlahan again at 4:30 am on Sunday, three hours before his death, according to the devotee. <br /><br />Houlahan’s arrival in India was rather abrupt. He had heard about Baba but being an atheist, disregarded every kind of spirituality. <br /></p>.<p><br />One day at office, Houlahan experienced ‘unusual anxiety and depression.’ He came home and meditated and heard Baba asking him to come to India, Houlahan claims. <br /><br />“Thank you, but I’m busy,” Houlahan had replied to Baba. Curiosly, he had decided later to meet him. <br /><br />The Australian married an Indian-origin Englishwoman, Rita Patel, who bore him two children – Jasmine (14) and Joshua (9) – and is pregnant with the third. <br /><br />Houlahan is about to finish his 200-page memoir titled ‘Unveiling the illusion’ to be published in six weeks. He started writing the book 18 months ago as ‘commanded’ by Baba. “English was my worst subject and I always struggled to write essays. When Baba asked me to pen down the memoir, I said ‘No way, that’s impossible’,” Houlahan adds. He did start writing, at night after giving up alcohol. And the words came pouring out. <br /><br />Houlahan defends Baba’s miracles, claiming they were “something to get people’s attention and to give a deep message.”</p>
