Sai Satcharitra - Chapter VI
RAMA-NAVAMI FESTIVAL AND MASJID REPAIRS
Efficacy of the Touch of Guru’s Hand - Rama-Navami Festival - Its Origin, Transformation etc. Repairs to the Masjid.
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 Sadguru 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 (Sacred ashes) to my forehead 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
Thou, and I 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 carefree. 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. Sai Baba too blessed him 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 Krishna 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 beehive
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 worth 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 Mahalsapati,
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 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.
Bow to Shri Sai Baba - Peace be to all