18" SRL Baba Doll. Limited Edition for 77th Birthday. The Holy Sai Baba Doll?
Date: 03-02-02 By: Robert Priddy From: Website: http://www.saibaba-x.org.uk/ A website selling this doll has opened at http://www.sairamlotus.com/home.ihtml. Significantly, it is 18 holy inches long! One can but imagine how many devotees and their children will want to take their dolls to darshan for an extra blessing, that is, a more genuine one than the Chinese factory workers could give it. But the Seva Dals will not be allowed to allow such dangerous weapons as these Seva Dolls into the darshan areas, you bet. They could, of course, contain concealed weapons... not that anyone would EVER want to take a weapon to darshan. Why would they? Unthinkable! This doll looks really lifelike, and it'll be exciting to find out whether it also says 'Sai Baba, Mamma, Pappa' or even perhaps - as some dolls do - simulates the two basic 'natural functions'. Now we come to the big question. No price is quoted on the webpage. But the price IS quoted if you set about ordering one. Guess what... a truly holy and mysterious price... ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT DOLLARS! Seems as the price has been 'artificially' fixed! Where the money will go to is not stated, of course. The marketer states of the doll's unusual clothing (see below): "Similar to outfit Swami wears for special occasions like Convocation;" I'd love to see it!! Wouldn't Sai Baba Himself look Himself in hot pants with frills? All this is a leelas of His, if the following information vouchsafed to us by this Chinese/American 'devotee entrepeneur' is to be trusted:-
Robert Priddy
...and here is the "doll show" copied from http://www.sairamlotus.com/home.ihtml:
Aum Sri Sai Ram
Welcome to
Sai Ram Lotus
home of the SRL Baba DollThe SRL Baba Doll is the 'Mother-of-all-dolls' as it is complete by itself. It is made in the likeness of 'Sathya Sai Baba' (literal meaning: Divine Truth, Divine Mother and Divine Father). You will find more information about Sathya Sai Baba at What's New . The SRL Baba Doll has been made with many of the visible attributes of the Avatar and is suitable for all ages. It is a reminder to children that God is with them at all times and encourages them to love God in all forms. The virtues and values exemplified by Sathya Sai Baba are drawn to them. To understand the magic of this doll go to Made In His Likeness .
When one considers over thirty thousand visitors a day come to receive Swami's Darshan, this is truly a Limited Edition of only Ten Thousand (10,000) Collectible Quality, Hand-stitched Dolls made with Love. (see 'Creation of the SRL Baba Doll'). Gift the blessings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba to someone you love, including yourself. He is an 18" soft, lovable, good companion who listens well and loves unconditionally. In keeping with Swami's wide range of colour and looks, each doll is a hand-painted original. When you receive your SRL Baba Doll, it will have been blessed with Sathya Sai Baba's vibhutthi on the 'aum' between his brows. Your gift package comes with a starter sheet for special prayers and a 'Spiritual Journey' book authenticating its number in this Limited Edition; in a box that is a portable puja area, that you can set up almost anywhere. Shop On-line
Visit us often at What's New in both Sai Ram Lotus and the Baba Community. We will direct you to Sai Baba links to learn more about this remarkable man who truly lives the Universal Love that He teaches. With practise, one can communicate with Him on the physical, the mental-emotional and/or the spiritual plane. The SRL Baba Doll simply makes this easier for some people.
Creation of the SRL Baba Doll
This doll was created from LOVE; not the love we call 'devotee love', but that of maternal love. It is the love of a mother for her multi-challenged son, who is now an adult. From the moment he set eyes on a picture of Sathya Sai Baba, he laughed and said, "Baba Doll". In his mind, Swami looked like an adorable doll. For three years, he alone was steadfast in his vision of a SRL Baba Doll, a doll to remind children about God.
During the preliminary discussions, Rev. Diane Hoover suggested a Secret Pocket for heart-felt prayers and a Special Journal for a child's perspective of his or her Spiritual Journey. It took another two years, from the time Swami accepted our letter to the finished product. In Shanthi Gardens & Library in Puttaparthi, Lotus discovered the story of how young Eklavya received shaktiput (transmission of spiritual energy) from his guru Dronacharya through a doll Made In His Likeness.
Making dolls without any previous experience is a lesson in trust. Whenever the project felt like a dead-end, an opening or a person would appear. Clearly we were operating on God's time. Thus, it was a series of 'coincidences' that directed us to visit Babyland General Hospital where adoptions run between US$170 to US$345. There, the Creative Director referred us to Loveland, Ohio, U.S.A., where doll sculpturer Chris Kissell (pronounced 'kiss all') used a special wax formula to sculpt the head so that a mold could be created. It was then brought to Toronto, Canada where the smile was added by Andrew 'Golden-Hands' Benyei. With great faith and no pre-arranged agenda, a ticket to Hong Kong was purchased for Lotus Lin to go find a doll manufacturer. Two days before she left, our family was invited to a Paduka Puja. The rose petal base of the SRL Baba Doll box was from this Paduka Puja. The doll is manufactured in China near the town of Darling Hill. Rev. Janine Gwendoline Smith blessed the project by painting the sample face. Our project is dedicated to Swami's 77th Birthday (November 23, 2002). So, the multi-national birthing process for the SRL Baba Doll has been:
Shanthi Gardens
Baby Land
Creative Director
Love Land
Kiss All
Golden Hands
Paduka Puja
Darling Hill
77th BirthdayWe believe your own journey with the SRL Baba Doll will be blessed with a continuation of the magic that created it. Shop On-line
Background
of the Sai Baba Doll This doll is made in the image of Sri Sathya Sai Baba in honour of his Divinity, for being a living example of Truth, Peace, Love, Non-violence and Right Conduct. He teaches: "There is only one God - he is
omnipresent. 'Omnipresent' means he is everywhere at the same time, including in this Sai Baba Doll. It has been deliberately Made In His Likeness. Children love to take their favourite toy everywhere with them. |
Category / Dolls / BD01 SRL Baba Doll Gift Set / | |
SRL Baba Doll Gift Set | |
18" High Character Doll made in the image of Sri Sathya Sai Baba; Soft hug-able cloth body with head that turns; Realistic eyes; Synthetic wig; Hand-painted face; Dressed in every day orange tunic and pants; Secret pocket for special prayers; Starter prayer sheet; Journal for your Spiritual Journey; and, Puja box (12 3/4" x 25 l/2" x 6 l/2"). US$108. |
Red Tunic & Pants |
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Tunic and pants made for the 18" SRL Baba Doll in warm red polyester/cotton blend; Similar to outfit Swami wears for special occasions like Convocation; Gold snaps; Gold embroidery on pants; Finished seams throughout; High quality clear plastic garment bag over hanger. US$11. |