Before describing Rama-Navami Festival and Masjid
Repairs, the author makes some preliminary remarks about
Sad-Guru as follows:-
Efficacy of the Touch of Guru’s Hand
Where Real or Sad-Guru is the helmsman, he is sure to
carry us safely and easily beyond the worldly ocean. The
word Sadguru brings to mind Sai Baba. He appears to me,
as if standing before me, and applying Udi (scared
ashes) to my fore-head and placing his hand of blessing
on my head. Then joy fills my heart and love overflows
through my eyes. Wonderful is the power of the touch of
Guru’s hand. The subtle-body (consisting of thoughts and
desires), which cannot be burnt by the world dissolving
fire, is destroyed by the mere touch of the Guru’s hand,
and the sins of many past births are cleaned and washed
away. Even the speech of those, whose heads feel annoyed
when they hear religious and Godly talks, attains
calmness. The seeing of Sai Baba’s handsome form, chokes
our throat with joy, makes the eyes overflowing with
tears, and overwhelms the heart with emotions. It
awakens in us ‘I am He (Brahman)’ consciousness,
manifests the joy of self-realization, and dissolving
the distinction of I and Thou, then and there, makes us
one with the Supreme (One Reality). When I begin to read
scriptures, at every step I am reminded of my Sadguru,
and Sai Baba, assumes the form of Rama or Krishna and
makes me listen to his Life. For instance when I sit to
listen to Bhagwat, Sai becomes Krishna from top to toe,
and I think he sings the Bhagwat or Uddhava Gita (song
of teachings by Lord Shri Krishna to His disciple,
Uddhava) for the welfare of the devotees. When I begin
to chitchat, I am at once put in mind of Sai’s stories
for enabling me to give suitable illustrations. When I
myself start to write anything, I cannot compose a few
words or sentences, but when He of his own accord makes
me write, I go on writing and writing and there is no
end to it. When the disciple’s egoism props up, He
presses it down with His hand, and giving him His own
power, makes him gain His object, and thus satisfies and
blesses him. If any one prostrates before Sai and
surrenders heart and soul to Him, then unsolicited, all
the chief objects of life viz. Dharma (righteousness),
Artha (wealth), Kama (Desire) and Moksha (Deliverance),
are easily and unsolicitedly attained. Four paths, viz.,
of Karma, Jnana, Yoga and Bhakti lead us separately to
God. Of these, the path of Bhakti is thorny and full of
pits and ditches, and thus difficult to traverse, but if
you, relying on your Sadguru, avoid the pits and thorns
and walk straight, it will take you to the destination
(God). So says definitely, Sai Baba.
After philosophising about the Self-Existent Brahman,
His Power (Maya) to create this world and the world
created, and stating that all these three are ultimately
one and the same, the author quotes Sai Baba’s words
guaranteeing the welfare of the Bhaktas:-
"There will never be any dearth or scarcity, regarding
food and clothes, in any devotees’ homes. It is my
special characteristic, that I always look to, and
provide, for the welfare of those devotees, who worship
Me whole-heartedly with their minds ever fixed on Me.
Lord Krishna has also said the same in the Gita.
Therefore, strive not much for food and clothes. If you
want anything, beg of the Lord, leave worldly honours,
try to get Lord’s grace and blessings, and be honored in
His Court. Do not be deluded by worldly honor. The form
of the Deity should be firmly fixed in the mind. Let all
the senses and mind be ever devoted to the worship of
the Lord, let there be no attraction for any other
thing; fix the mind in remembering Me always, so that it
will not wander elsewhere, towards body, wealth and
home. Then it will be calm, peaceful and care-free. This
is the sign of the mind, being well engaged in good
company. If the mind is vagrant, it cannot be called
well-merged."
After quoting these words, the author goes on to relate
the story of Rama Navami festival in Shirdi. As
Rama-Navami is the greatest festival celebrated at
Shirdi, another fuller account, as published in Sai
Leela Magazine of 1925, page 197, is also referred to
and a summary of the festival, as related in both these
accounts is attempted here.
Origin
One, Mr. Gopalrao Gund, was a Circle Inspector at
Kopergaon. He was a great devotee of Baba. He had three
wives, but had no issue. With Sai Baba’s blessings, a
son was born to him. In the joy that he felt regarding
the event, an idea of celebrating a fair or ‘Urus’
occurred to him in the year 1897, and he placed it for
consideration before other Shirdi devotees, viz. Tatya
Patil, Dada Kote Patil and Madhavrao Deshpande (Shama).
They all approved of the idea, and got Sai Baba’s
permission and blessings. Then an application for
getting the Collector’s sanction for celebrating the
urus was made, but as the village Kulkarni reported
against holding the fair, the sanction was refused. But
as Sai Baba had blessed it, they tried again, and
ultimately succeeded in getting the Collector’s
sanction. The day for the Urus was fixed on the
Rama-Navami day, after having consultation with Sai
Baba. It seems, He had some end in view, in this, viz.,
the Unification of the two fairs of festivals, the Urus
and the Rama-Navami and the unification of the two
communities - the Hindus and the Mahomedans. As future
events showed, this end or object was achieved.
Though the permission was obtained, but other
difficulties cropped up. Shirdi was a village, and there
was scarcity of water. There were two wells in the
village, the one in use, dried up soon, and the water
from the second was brackish. This brackish water was
turned into sweet one by Sai Baba, by throwing flowers
into it. The water of this well was insufficient, so
Tatya Patil had to arrange to get water, from a well by
fixing Moats (leather sacks) thereon, at a considerable
distance. Then temporary shops had to be constructed,
and wrestling bouts arranged. Gopalrao Gund had a
friend, by name Damu Anna Kasar, of Ahmednagar. He also
was similarly unhappy in the matter of progeny, though
he married two wives. He too was blessed by Sai Baba
with sons, and Mr. Gund prevailed upon his friend to
prepare and supply one simple flag for the procession of
the fair; he also succeeded in inducing Mr. Nanasaheb
Nimonkar to supply another embroidered flag. Both these
flags were taken in procession through the village, and
finally fixed at the two ends or corners of the Masjid,
which is called by Sai Baba as Dwarkamai. This is being
done even now.
The ‘Sandal’ Procession
There was another procession which was started in this
fair. This idea of ‘Sandal’ procession originated with
one Mr. Amir Shakkar Dalal, a Mahomedan Bhakta from
Korhla. This procession is held in honour of great
Muslim Saints. Sandal i.e. Chandan paste and scrappings
are put in the THALI (flat dishes), and these are
carried with incense burning before them in procession
to the accompaniment of band and music through the
village and then after returning to the Masjid, the
contents of the dishes are thrown on the ‘Nimbar’ (nitche)
and walls of the Masjid with hands. This work was
managed by Mr. Amir Shakkar for the first three years,
and then afterwards by his wife. So on one day, the two
processions, the ‘Flags’ by the Hindus and that of
‘Sandal’ by the Muslims, went on side by side, and are
still going on without any hitch.
Arrangement
This day was very dear and sacred to the devotees of Sai
Baba. Most of them turned out on the occasion, and took
a leading part in the management of the fair. Tatya Kote
Patil looked to all outward affairs, while the internal
management was entirely left to one Radha Krishna Mai, a
female devotee of Baba. Her residence was full of guests
on the occasion, and she had to look to their needs, and
also to arrange for all the paraphernalia of the fair.
Another work, which she willingly did, was to wash out
and clean and white-wash the entire Masjid, its walls
and floor, which were blackened and were full of soot on
account of the ever-burning Dhuni (sacred fire) of Sai
Baba. This work, she did during the night, when Sai Baba
went to sleep every alternate day in the Chavadi. She
had to take out all the things, including even the Dhuni,
and after thorough cleaning and whitewashing replace
them, as they were before. Feeding the poor, which was
so dear to Sai Baba, was also a great item in this fair.
For this purpose, cooking, on a grand scale and
preparing various sweet dishes, was done in Radha-Krishna
Mai’s lodging, and, various rich and wealthy devotees
took a leading part in this affair.
Transformation of Urus into Rama-Navami Festival
Things were going on in this way and the fair was
gradually increasing in importance till 1912 A.D., when
a change took place; That year one devotee, Mr.
Krishnarao Jageshwar Bhisma (the author of the pamphlet
‘Sai Sagunopasana’), came for the fair with Dadasaheb
Khaparde of Amraoti, and was staying on the previous day
in the Dixit Wada. While he was lying on the verandah,
and while Mr. Laxmanrao alias Kaka Mahajani, was going
down with Puja materials to the Masjid, a new thought
arose in his mind and he accosted the latter thus -
There is some providential arrangement in the fact that
the Urus or fair is celebrated in Shirdi on the
Rama-Navami day; this day is very dear to all the
Hindus; then why not begin the Rama-Navami Festival -
the celebration of the birth of Shri Rama here on this
day? Kaka Mahajani liked the idea, and it was arranged
to get Baba’s permission in this matter. The main
difficulty was how to secure a Haridas, who would
perform ‘Kirtan’ and sing the glories of the Lord on the
occasion. But Bhishma solved the difficulty, by saying
that his ‘Rama Akhyan’ (composition on Rama’s birth) was
ready, and he would do the ‘Kirtan’ himself, while Kaka
Mahajani should play on the harmonium. It was also
arranged to get the ‘Sunthavada’ (ginger-powder mixed
with sugar) as Prasad prepared by Radha-Krishna Mai. So
they immediately went to the Masjid to get Baba’s
permission. Baba, who knew all things and what was
passing there, asked Mahajani, as to what was going on
in the Wada. Being rather perturbed, Mahajani could not
catch the purport of the question and remained silent.
Then Baba asked Bhishma, what he had to say. He
explained the idea of celebrating Rama-Navami festival,
and asked for Baba’s permission and Baba gladly gave it.
All rejoiced and made preparations for the Jayanti-festival.
Next day, the Masjid was decorated with buntings etc., a
cradle was supplied by Radha-Krishna Mai, and placed in
front of Baba’s seat and the proceedings started.
Bhishma stood up for Kirtan and Mahajani played on the
harmonium. Sai Baba sent a man to call Mahajani. He was
hesitating to go, doubting whether Baba would allow the
festival to go on; but when he went to Baba, the latter
asked him as to what was going on and why the cradle was
placed there. He answered that the Rama-Navami festival
had commenced, and the cradle was put on for that
purpose. Then Baba took a garland from the ‘Nimbar’ (nitche),
and placed it round his neck and sent another garland
for Bhishma. Then commenced the Kirtan. When it came to
a close, pound sounds of "Victory to Rama" went up; and
Gulal (red - powder) was thrown up all round, amidst
band and music. Everybody was overjoyed, when suddenly
roaring was heard. The red-powder thrown promiscuously
all round, went up, somehow entered Baba’s eyes. Baba
got wild and began to scold and abuse loudly. People got
frightened by this scene and took to their heels. Those
intimate devotees, who knew Baba well, took these
scoldings and outpourings of Baba, as blessings in
disguise. They thought that when Rama was born, it was
proper for Baba to get wild and enraged to kill Ravana;
and his demons, in the form of egoism and wicked
thoughts etc. Besides they knew, that whenever a new
thing was undertaken at Shirdi, it was usual with Baba
to get wild and angry, and so they kept quiet. Radha-Krishna
Mai was rather afraid; and thought that Baba might break
her cradle, and she asked Mahajani to get the cradle
back. When he went to loosen and unfasten the cradle,
Baba went to him, and asked him not to remove it. Then
after some time, Baba became calm, and that day’s
programme, including Mahapuja and Arati was finished.
Later on, Mr. Mahajani asked Baba, for permission to
remove the cradle, Baba refused the same saying, that
the festival was not yet finished. Next day, another
‘Kirtan’ and Gopal-Kala ceremony (an earthern pot
containing parched rice mixed with curds is hung, only
to be broken after the ‘Kirtan’, and the contents
distributed to all, as was done by Lord Kri shna amongst
His cow-herd (friends), were performed, and then Baba
allowed the cradle to be removed. While the Rama-Navami
festival was thus going on, the procession, of the two
flags by day and that of the ‘Sandal’ by night, went off
with the usual pomp and show. From this time onwards,
the ‘Urus of Baba’ was transformed into the Rama-Navami
festival.
From next year (1913), the items in the programme of
Rama-Navami began to increase. Radha-Krishna Mai started
a ‘Nama-Saptah’ (singing the glory of God’s name
continuously day and night for seven days), from 1st of
Chaitra, For this, all devotees took part by turns, and
she also joined it, sometimes early in the morning. As
Rama-Navami Festival is celebrated in many places all
over the country, the difficulty of getting a Haridas
was felt again. But 5 or 6 days before the festival ,
Mahajani met accidentally Balabuva Mali, who was known
as modern Tukaram, and got him to do the ‘Kirtan’ that
year. The next year (1914), another Balabuva Satarkar of
Brihadsiddha Kavate, District Satara, could not act as a
Haridas in his own town, as plague was prevailing in his
town, and so he came to Shirdi; With Baba’s permission,
which was secured through Kakasaheb Dixit, he did the
Kirtan; and was sufficiently recompensed for his labour.
The difficulty of getting a new Haridas every year was
finally solved from 1914 by Sai Baba, as He entrusted
this function to Das Ganu Maharaj permanently, and since
that time, he has been successfully and creditably
conducting that function uptill now.
Since 1912, this festival began to grow gradually year
by year. From the 8th to 12th of Chaitra, Shirdi looked
like a bee-hive of men. Shops began to increase.
Celebrated wrestlers took part in wrestling bouts.
Feeding of the poor was done on a grander scale. Hard
work and sincere efforts of Radha-Krishna Mai turned
Shirdi into a Sansthan (State). Paraphernalia increased.
A beautiful horse, a palanquin, chariot and many silver
things, pots, buckets, pictures, mirrors etc. were
presented. Elephants were also sent for the procession.
Though all this paraphernalia increased enormously, Sai
Baba ignored all these things, and maintained His
simplicity as before. It is to be noted that both the
Hindus and Mahomedans have been working in unison in
both the processions, and during the entire festival,
there has been no hitch or quarrel between them at all
so far. First about 5000-7000 people used to collect,
but that figure went up to 75000 in some years; still
there was no outbreak of any epidemic or any riots w
orth the name during so many past years.
Repairs to the Masjid
Another important idea occured to Gopal Gund. Just as he
started the Urus or fair, he thought that he should put
the Masjid in order. So in order to carry out the
repairs, he collected stones and got them dressed. But
this work was not assigned to him. This was reserved for
Nanasaheb Chandorkar, and the pavement -work for
Kakasaheb Dixit. First, Baba was unwilling to allow them
to have these works done, but with the intervention of
Mhalsapati, a local devotee of Baba, His permission was
secured. When the pavement was completed in one night in
the Masjid, Baba took a small Gadi for His seat,
discarding the usual piece of sack - cloth used till
then. In 1911, the Sabha - Mandap (court - yard) was
also put in order with great labour and effort. The open
space in front of the Masjid was very small and
inconvenient. Kakasaheb Dixit wanted to extend it and
put on it a roofing. At great expense, he got
iron-posts, and pillars and trusses and started the
work. At night, all the devotees worked hard and fixed
the posts; but Baba, when he returned from Chavadi next
morning, uprooted them all and threw them out. Once it
so happened that Baba got very excited, caught a pole
with one hand, and began to shake and uproot it, and
with the other hand caught the neck of Tatya Patil. He
took by force Tatya’s Pheta, struck a match, set it on
fire and threw it in a pit. At that time, Baba’s eyes
flashed like burning embers. None dared to look at Him.
All got terribly frightened. Baba took out a rupee from
his pocket and threw it there, as if it were an offering
on an auspicious occasion. Tatya also was much
frightened. None knew what was going to happen to Tatya,
and none dared to interfere. Bhagoji Shinde, the leper
devotee of Baba, made a little boldly advance, but he
was pushed out by Baba. Madhavrao was also similarly
treated, he being pelted with brick pieces. So all
those, who went to intercede, were similarly dealt with.
But after some time, Baba’s anger cooled down. He sent
for a shopkeeper, got from him an embroidered Pheta and
Himself tied it on Tatya’s head, as if he was being
given a special honour. All the people were wonderstruck
to see this strange behavior of Baba. They were at a
loss to know, what enraged Baba so suddenly and what led
Him to assault Tatya Patil, and why His anger cooled
down, the next moment. Baba was sometimes very calm and
quiet and talked sweet things with love, but soon after,
with or without any pretext, got enraged. Many such
incidents may be related; but I do not know which to
choose and which to omit. I, therefore, refer them as
they occur to me.
In the next Chapter the question whether Baba was a
Hindu or a Mahomedan will be taken up; and His Yogic
practices and powers, and other matters will be dealt
with.
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