SANCTIFICATION OF CHAVADI BY BABA

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SANCTIFICATION OF CHAVADI BY BABA

Originally chavadi was a structure intended to be the venue of gathering of

village elders to discuss matters of public concern. Once during very heavy

rains, the whole mosque was wet and there was not a single dry spot left where

he and his devotees could sit in comfort. In those days it did not have the

front yard covered as it is today nor was the floor. It was a mud mosque and

its floor was smeared periodically with cow dung. On that day one Narayana Teli

proposed to Baba that they should all go to the chavadi which is protected from

the rain. Then Baba, in his characteristic manner, refused to go there himself

and told the devotees to go there. His devotees insisted and finally, taking

liberties with the indulgence he showed them, held him by his arms and brought

him to the chavadi. One he slept in that place, he made it a rule to spend

alternative nights in the chavadi. His movements from and to the chavadi, were

all accompanied by a procession of his devotees in all ceremony, pomp, and

music.

Madhav Rao Despande who was to be very dearly loved and addressed by Sai Baba a

little later as ‘Shama’ records his observation of the great saint

during the early years of his stay at the Masjid:

I was an assistant teacher in a school. A window of that always looked on the

adjoining mosque. Through that I occasionally watched Sai Baba who was taken by

people to be a mad fakir. I had no regard for him... I used to sleep in the

school. Baba was the sole occupant of the mosque. Yet I could hear English,

Hindi and many languages being spoken in the mosque (at night) evidently by

Baba. I inferred that he had remarkable powers and began to have faith in him."

There arose a problem due to the spread of Sai’s fame. One Mohiddin

Tambuli having good physique with strong muscles, was selling betels and

talismans in Shirdi. The native of the village honoured him thinking that he

had some divine powers. When the greatness of Sai was unfolding, unable to bear

it, one day he quarreled that either he or Sai should be in Shirdi and said that

the same should be decided by a wrestling contest between them. He fought with

Sai and won the fight. From that day onwards according to that condition Sai

stayed in the garden at the bank of Lindi lake. Devotees like Tatya took

darshan there itself. Sai did not come to the village in spite of their

repeated requests. One day suddenly there was some transformation in Tambuli

and having decided to live near the tomb of mahatma, he left Shirdi. His

physical strength was conquered by Baba’s spiritual strength and his

hatred by Baba’s love. Then Baba returned to the Masjid.

(Author: HH Pujya Acharya E. Bharatwaja in Sai Baba the Master)

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