Hatha yogi fails to walk on water

Mumbai: Hatha yogi L. S. Rao’s much advertised feat of walking over water without wetting his feet proved a big flop today.

As Rao placed a foot in a specially constructed tank after a few minutes of prayers and breathing exercise, he landed on the bottom.

The feat was scheduled to be performed this evening at his ashram campus, 25 miles from the city, and about 500 persons including some VIPs were present.

Rao later explained to pressmen that his failure was due to “malfunctioning of his rectum” and therefore he could not create vacuum inside the body.

The failure of Rao infuriated ticket holders who surrounded him and demanded return of the ticket money. Timely intervention of a posse of policemen present there saved the situation.

Rao had announced that he had collected about ` 50,000 as sale proceeds of tickets for the performance.

As the people insisted upon returning the money, Rao later agreed to do so tomorrow.

Besides this, he has also collected a good amount through advertisements, sole rights for photography, television, etc.

Though the main feat failed, Rao earlier performed some rare feats like swallowing nitric acid, oneinch long nails and glass pieces and walked on fire for a distance of 12 feet.

His drinking a small cup of nitric acid casually as one drinks a glass of water, without any ill- effects, instilled confidence among the audience that he will succeed in walking on water — the piece- de- resistance of the evening.

The 76- year- old Hatha yogi told the gathering that he had earlier performed the feat of walking on water several times privately.