Shirdi Diary by Shri G.S.Khaparde - Part 13

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1911 24 December Sunday
Shirdi

In the morning I got up early and went to the Kakad Arti. On my return I prayed and walked about. Mr Maruti got permission to return So he went away with all his family after saying good bye to nearly every one. He is a very very good man. Wamanrao Patel also went. Then came a large number of visitors. Among them was a lady by name Annsuyabai. She appeared to be spiritually advanced and Sayin Maharaj treated her with great consideration and gave her four fruits. Later on he told the story of a man having five sons. Four of them demanded & obtained partition. Two of these four decided to reunite with the father. The latter ordered the mother to poison one of these two & she obeyed. The other fell from a tall tree, got injured, & was on the point of death but was allowed by the father to survive about twelve years until a son & a daughter were born to him & then he died. Sayin Baba said nothing about the fifth son & to me the story looks incomplete. After the midday meal I lay down for a while & then sat reading the Ramayana. The mail arrived & I had a good read out of the dailies. In the evening we went as usual to Salute the Sayin Saheb oppose the Chavadhi, and at night had Bhishmas Bhajan and Dixits Ramayan. Dr Hate is still here & is a very very nice man. Mr Mahajani is also here.

1911 25 December Monday
Shirdi

In the morning after prayer I saw Sayin Maharaj go out, & sat talking with Mr Mahajani & others. Many guests came &many more came, and things are wearing a rather busy appearance. Mr Govarthandas gave a dinner and invited nearly every one here who has come to see Sayin Maharaj.

My son Balvant had a dream last night in which he thought he saw Sayin Maharaj & Mrs Bapusaheb Jog in our Elichpur house. He offered food to Sayin Baba. He told me about the dream & I thought it was a mere fancy, but today he called Balvant & said “I went to your house yesterday & you fed me but gave no Dakshina. You should give twenty-five Rupees now.” So Balvant returned to the lodgings and went with Madhavarao Deshpande and paid the Dakshina. At midday Arti, Sayin Maharaj gave me prasad of Peda, fruits, & made a distinct sign to me to make a bow. I at once prostrated myself. He had some confidential talk with Madhavarao Deshpande. The latter has promised to tell me all about it. Today the breakfast was very late, & was not over till 4 P.M. I had it with Govarthandas, or rather at the Mandap near our lodging spread at his expense. After it I felt very lazy & sat talking. We all saw Sayin Maharaj in the evening both before he came out as usual for his stroll & then again when he was taken in Bhajan procession to Chavadhi. Kondaji Fakir lost his daughter tonight. She was interred near our lodging. Bhishma had his Bhajan & Dixit read Ramayan.

1911 26 December Tuesday
Shirdi

I got up early & attended the Kakad-Arti. Sayin Maharaj was in rather an unusual mood; took his stick & with it tapped the ground round about. By the time he descended the steps of the Chavadhi, he walked twice backward & forward & used violent language. In my return I prayed, bathed & sat in the verandah in front of my room. I saw Sayin Maharaj go out. The Injadars of Kalyan & Poona are here. I am afraid Mungi hunts with them. He is at any rate very familiar. Mungi whom I met here last year, came last night & tried to put up with me. I would not let him. He then put his coat in my room, but with the help of Rama Maruti, I told him to take it away & he did so.

Mr Gokhale pleader of Poona came. He had seen my wife at Shegaon before when Ganpat Baba was working in the physical world. There was with him a seller of Indian toys & another. They saw me after the mid-day Arti & after I had taken my meals. I lay down for a while in the third quarter of the day and then sat talking with Mahajani, Dr Hate & others. We saw Sayin Maharaj in the afternoon at the Chavadhi & later on about dusk when he came out for his stroll. He was very gracious. Today he spoke with my son Balvant & got him to sit, even after he told every body else to clear out. He told him not to admit any guests in the evening & to take care of him & that in return he (Sayin Baba) would take care of him. Madhavarao Deshpande is ill. He has caught cold and is lying down a good if not actually confined to bed. In the evening there was Bhishmas’ Bhajan as usual & Dixits’ Ramayan afterwards. Mr Bhate was there to hear the Purana. We began the Sundar-Kand today.


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