THE STORY OF BABA'S PALANQUIN

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THE STORY OF BABA’S PALANQUIN

The palanquin stayed for three months in the forecourt of Dwarkamai, encased in

its wooden box. The Naik brothers of Harda village had sent a palanquin for the

use of Sri Sai Baba as a gift. Baba, however, did not allow anyone to even open

it and look at it. It fell to Raghuvir Purandhare to give it the great good

fortune of being of service to Sai Baba.

Raghuvir Purandhare was ardently devoted to Baba. He had decided that, come what

may, he would take the palanquin out of the box that very day, sit Baba in it,

and carry him in state to Chavadi. "Baba, I will take this palanquin out of the

box and deck it with flowers. You should ride in it to Chavadi – that

would be a sight for sore eyes, wouldn’t it?" Purandhare asked with

evident delight, taking Sai Baba’s agreement for granted.

Baba never cared for outward pomp. Even though he had the entire world at his

feet, he always behaved like a penniless fakir and went everywhere on foot. He

never climbed on to a vehicle at any time in his life. So this time too, he

shook his head, dismissing the idea of getting into the palanquin.

Purandhare tried to reason with him. "The palanquin has already come. How can

you now refuse to get into it?" Baba was as adamant as before in his refusal.

Purandhare changed tactics. He saluted Sai Baba’s feet and said

obdurately, "You have to get into the palanquin." He thought that he could get

Baba to agree somehow or other and tried to take the palanquin out of its box.

"Don’t open it! Stop! Have I not told you to stop opening it?" said Sri

Sai Baba, "Why do you not listen to me, my brother?"

Baba tried to stop him. He scolded and shouted at him but Purandhare regarded

all these as Baba’s blessings and continued unconcernedly to open the box

and take out the palanquin. Showing great anger Baba shook his satka at

Purandhare and said, "Do you not hear what I am saying? Get away from here!"

The other devotees saw Baba’s anger and ran away. Purandhare, however,

did not even lift his head and continued unconcernedly to do the work and

erected the palanquin.

He was a true devotee of Sai Baba who believed that even the anger of Baba is

but a veiled blessing. As the rain-bearing cloud can only give life-sustaining

water to the crops and not destroy them with fire, so is the anger of Sri Sai

Baba a blessing and not a curse. To his loving devotees the anger is indeed a

loving blessing. As Purandhare continued his work, Baba could not but stop his

tirade. Yes, Baba can punish pride or hatred but he cannot help but love those

who love him. God may rule the worlds, but he is ruled by the heart of the

loving devotee.

Purandhare got a variety of flowers and decorated the palanquin. It looked very

beautiful. Happily he said, "Baba, the palanquin looks beautiful now, but if

you sit in it the beauty will be enhanced much more."

"What you have done is enough. Get away from here!" Baba grumbled. But

Purandhare was made of stern stuff. He said, "I am going. But you have to get

in the palanquin for tonight’s festival and we must carry you to Chavadi.

That’s decided." He saluted Sri Sai Baba’s feet and went away.

The news that the palanquin was ready and that it would be part of Chavadi

Festival that night spread like wildfire throughout Shirdi. Devotees thronged

Dwarkamai in greater numbers than usual to see Baba riding in the palanquin to

Chavadi. Nana Saheb Chandorkar, Booty, Jog and many other devotees got ready

for the festival. All the devotees were happily and eagerly awaiting to see

whether Baba would indeed get into the palanquin or not.

"Jog, do not be in a hurry today. We are not going to celebrate the Chavadi

Festival without the palanquin," said Purandhare. Jog was afraid of crossing

Baba.

"Have you already forgotten what happened this morning? You can do as you like,

but don’t put me in an awkward position," said Jog.

"Baba and Purandhare are a match for each other. Let them both have it out and

decide. Do not come between them, Jog," Nanasaheb Chandorkar intervened. Jog

fell silent at this. Purandhare went to Baba and pleaded with him to get into

the palanquin. Baba refused outright to even consider it. Purandhare was even

more adamant. He said that he would not take part in the Chavadi Festival

unless Baba got into the palanquin and took part.

The other devotees were trying to first pacify one and then the other but

everyone ardently wanted to see Baba in the palanquin in the Chavadi Festival,

carried as befits a king. Baba could not refuse the ardent desire of so many

loving devotees but he could not forsake his principles either. So, in the end,

after many deliberations and much carrying of proposals between Baba and

Purandhare, a compromise was duly arrived at. Baba agreed that his padukas

would be carried in pomp in the palanquin, while he would walk behind it in his

usual manner.

Purandhare and the other devotees were disappointed that Baba was not going to

ride in royal style in the palanquin, but accepted this compromise of

Baba’s padukas being carried in the palanquin, albeit unwillingly.

"Baba, shall I carry the palanquin?" asked Purandhare eagerly at the beginning of the festival.

"No. You light the 125 torches first. The palanquin can be lifted later," said

Baba. The torches blazed. The palanquin was lifted up in the glorious light of

125 torches and it reached Chavadi in the splendour of that light. No doubt the

palanquin felt that its life’s purpose was fulfilled by the good fortune

it had in carrying the padukas of Sri Sai Baba. It must have conveyed its

heartfelt thanks to Raghuvir Purandhare for making it all possible!

Baba returned to the mosque as usual the next morning, but refused to let the

palanquin accompany him back, so it stayed on in Chavadi for two or three days.

During this period someone stole the silver decoration pieces off it. When this

news was conveyed to Baba, he had a hearty laugh and said, "It would have been

better if the whole palanquin had been stolen!"

The devotees were perturbed by the theft of the silver ornaments. Purandhare

decided to build a shed for safety. The only place suitable for this shed was

the space between the mosque and Narayana Teli’s house. For this it was

necessary to drill some holes in the walls of the mosque as well as Narayana

Teli’s house. Narayana Teli was a devotee of Sri Sai Baba so he would

agree, but getting Baba to agree to boring holes in the wall of the mosque was

a different matter altogether.

It was therefore decided to complete the job in the two to three hours that Baba

spent every day at Lendi garden. The work started the moment Baba left for

Lendi. The drilling the holes in the walls of Narayana Teli’s house was

over, however the work on the walls of the mosque had barely started when Baba

returned from Lendi around ten in the morning. Seeing Baba return and knowing

what his reaction would be, those working on the walls and those watching the

work all ran away in fear. Only Fakira, the brother of Tulasi Ram, and

Purandhare were left. Fakira was holding the roof beams and was standing on the

walls of Narayana Teli’s house and Purandhare was drilling a hole in the

walls of the mosque, so Baba could easily catch them.

Baba caught Purandhare by his neck and growled in anger, "What are you doing?"

"Baba, I am building a room for your palanquin," said Purandhare.

Baba was beside with himself in anger. "Earlier they dug up my mosque and took

away all the cash. Even the nimbar was not spared. Now you have started boring

holes in the walls too!" He pushed Purandhare to the door of the mosque and

taking a brick in his hand, said menacingly, "You better go away from here or

you will get some kicks from me."

"Baba, you can hit me or do whatever you want to me, but I am not moving from

here until I build the room for the palanquin," said Purandhare who was as

adamant as Baba.

Baba showered Purandhare with abuse and pushed him away. He washed his feet and

entered the mosque but the hail of abuses and curses did not stop. Purandhare

was unperturbed by all this. Baba had once said to him "I have known you for

700 years. No matter how far you are from me, I take responsibility for looking

after you." So Purandhare knew that the ties of love bound Baba to him. He did

not pay much heed to Baba’s fulmination.

Baba sent for him after a while. Purandhare entered the mosque and stood by the

outer side of the hand railing. Baba said in tones of anger and annoyance,

"Will you not heed me? Do you want to destroy the walls of the mosque?"

Purandhare respectfully replied, "No Baba, I will take care to see that the

walls are safe."

Baba calmed down and said, "All right, go and finish the work as you wish. But

do the work with care and concentration." It was noon. Baba’s afternoon

arati was over and all the devotees had gone for their lunch. The devotees who

had finished lunch started trickling back to the mosque. Purandhare, however,

did not go for lunch but continued to be fully immersed in the work.

Baba said, "You too go and have lunch." There was no response from Purandhare.

Baba again said, "Are you not feeling hungry? Go have your lunch and come."

Purandhare did not move. He did not care to have lunch while the work was still

unfinished. Baba started pacing about impatiently. After a while he said

complainingly to Kaka Saheb Dixit who was present, "Look at this obsessive

fool! He could have had his meal and then finished the work! Why does he not

heed me however much I tell him to eat? How can he not know his own hunger?"

Baba waited for five minutes to see whether Purandhare would go for his meal.

He again said, "How can I deal with this zealous maniac? His intestines must be

crying out for food."

"Baba, he does not have much leave left, so he wants to complete the work fast.

Shall I ask him to go for lunch?" asked Kaka Saheb Dixit. Baba skeptically

said, "He is not obeying even me - is he likely to listen to you? Bhagoji, go

and call him."

Purandhare was continuing his work but was also listening to all these words.

His heart melted to see the love Baba had for him. He came running and fell at

Baba’s feet and started weeping. Baba put his hand on Purandhare’s

head and caressed him.

"What happened now brother? Why are you crying?" asked Baba consolingly.

"Baba, I obstinately disobeyed you and am doing work which you did not really

like. Why do you have such love for me? In the morning you shouted at me, you

said that you would beat me, you even threatened to kill me. And now you are

feeling so miserable that I have not eaten. Who else but you can show me such

love which exceeds even my mother’s love for me? Baba, you are my mother,

my father, my guru, my god. You are indeed everything to me. I do not want

anything else in this world except you. Please grant me the great good fortune

of serving you every second of my life," importuned Purandhare tearfully. "All

right, but have your meal," said Baba like a loving mother.

Purandhare wiped his eyes and rose to his feet. He turned and was about to go

out of the mosque when a doubt assailed him again. "Baba, will you demolish

what I have done the moment I go? asked Purandhare.

Baba smiled. "Don’t be childish. Go have your meal and come back,"

promised Baba, "I will do nothing of the sort."

Later he turned to Kakasaheb Dixit and said, "What can we do? If the child

unknowingly passes stools on our leg do we strike it? Do we cut off the leg? We

have to put up with it."

Purandhare returned after lunch and began to work again. By evening the shed was

built. He had intended to have two doors on it but could complete the fixing of

only one of them as he had to return home the next day. He thought that with

Baba’s permission, he could request Tatya to complete the work.

He came to Baba and said, "The work is almost finished. Only one door is yet to

be fixed, but my leave is over and I must depart for Bombay tomorrow. If you

permit me I will ask Tatya to finish the work."

"We can see to that later," said Baba lovingly. "You go and rest first. You have

been working since morning without a break." He gave udi to Purandhare, who

saluted his feet and left.

After Purandhare left, Baba said to Kaka Saheb Dixit, "Kaka, a person’s

progress depends on their faith and devotion."

The kakad arati was finished next day. Purandhare saluted Baba’s feet and

asked leave to go home.

"Brother, what we decide to do, we must do. We should not do only half the work

and hand the balance over to someone else to complete," said Baba. "Complete

your work and go home tomorrow."

Baba had not wanted Purandhare to take up this work at all. He had shouted at

him and tried to stop him from doing it, but now, due to the love he had for

Purandhare, Baba wanted him to complete it. Purandhare’s eyes filled with

tears. He saluted Baba’s feet mentally and agreed. He resumed work on the

palanquin shed and finished it.

When the job was completed to his satisfaction Purandhare examined the shed and

the palanquin carefully once again to see if anything had been left undone. He

then went to Baba and prostrating at his feet asked for permission to go home.

Baba blessed him, "Go, but keep coming to Shirdi frequently." Purandhare took

udi from Baba and touched it respectfully to his eyes and agreed to come as

often as possible to Shirdi.

The palanquin also seemed to bless Purandhare. "Come again soon, Purandhare. You

have given me the immense good fortune of a permanent place at Baba’s

feet. I will never forget the good deed you have done me. May you always have

good fortune."