Shirdi Diary by Shri G.S.Khaparde - Part 31

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1912 February 19 Monday
Shirdi

Mr Dixit, his wife, Madhavarao Deshpande, Hiralal & others went away this morning. The Dixits went to Nagpur for the ninnja of their son Babu. Madhavarao went to Harda for a similar ceremony in a friends house. After prayer we held our Panchadasi class. Morgaonkar said that he lost his watch & chain. They were both valuable being of gold. They were searched for in vain. We saw Sayin Saheb go out & again after he returned. The midday Arti passed off as usual except that there were two Chamars instead of only one. Balasaheb Bhate worshipped & wished to stay for the Arti but Sayin Baba ordered him home. After food I lay down for a while and then We continued our Panchadasi class, with our usual members. Later on Dada Kelkar Bala Shimpi & others came. We saw Sayin Maharaj at his evening stroll, & after the Wada Arti attended the Sheja Arti when the artificial gardens and moon were used for the first time. They looked very nice & attracted a large crowd. Sayin Saheb did not appear to dislike them. I think the moon is helpful. Bhishma read Bhagavat and ten Samasa of Dasabodha tonight. Mr Nate kar alias Hamsa writes to me today to say that I ought to return to Amravati by the end of this month.

1912 February 20 Tuesday
Shirdi

We attended the Kakad Arti & the remarkable part of it was that Sayin Saheb left the chavadhi and entered the Masjid without saying a single word except “God is the greatest of all ”. After prayer I, Upasani, Bapusaheb Jog, Bhishma and Mrs Laxmi Bai Kaulgi held our Panchadasi class. When I went to the Masjid after Sayin Saheb returned from his morning walked, he said he wished to get the Masjid rebuilt. He said there was enough money for it & went on talking about it. Some Baroda ladies of the Shirke family have come here. They attended the mid-day Arti. It passed off as usual. Radha Krishna Bai had the eggs of ostrich. Ostrich hung up where Sayin Saheb sits and he had them pulled down & thrown away. We continued our Panchadasi class in the afternoon & I went to the Masjid about 6 P.M. Sayin Saheb told two stories of which, do what I like, I can not recall the first. I asked my wife & all others present & they also forget which is wonderful. The other story was that there was an old women living with her son. He used to assist in the disposal of the dead bury, bury of every body in the village & got remuneration for it. There prevailed a sort of plague & many died. So his emoluments were great. Allah met her one day & told her not to profit by the trade of her son. She spoke about it to her son but the latter paid no attention & eventually died. The old woman then maintained herself by spinning cotton. Allah told her to go to the house of the relations of her husband but she declined to do so. One day some Brahmans came to purchase cotton from her, spied out all the details of her house and broke into it at night. One of the burglars stood naked before her. She told him to run away, as the townspeople would murder him for his crime. So the man ran away. Eventually the old woman died & was born as a daughter of the burglar. I was not quite sure that I understand the story quite right. We saw Sayin Saheb at his evening stroll & at night, after the Wada Arti Bhishma read Bhagavat & Das Bodha.

1912 February 21 Wednesday
Shirdi

I got up as usual but my prayers were disturbed by the noise which Devaji whom we call Sakshatkaribwa made. I managed to control my mind and finished my prayers. Later we saw Sayin Maharaj go out & held our Panchadasi class. After it I went to the Masjid and saw Sayin Baba being served by the Baroda ladies of the Shirke family. A dancing woman of Bombay arrived today & sang a few songs in the Masjid. She says she is a pupil of BalKrishna Bwa. Sayin Baba heard her songs. Then the midday Arti passed off as usual. Sayin Baba was in a very good mood. After midday meal I lay down for a while and then continued our Panchadasi class with our usual members. About sunset I went to see Sayin Baba at his evening stroll, and again after Wada Arti, for the Sheja Arti. The procession & other arrangements were very grand today. The Bhajan was with cymbals & all. The Bombay dancing girl gave a few songs in the Masjid also after the Sheja Arti. At night Bhishma read Bhagavat & Dasbodh.


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