SWEET MEMORIES OF TATYA

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SWEET MEMORIES OF TATYA

The Festival of Chavadi and the Festivity of Tatya

 

It is not known for sure from which day Baba started sleeping one day at the

mosque and the next day at Chavadi. In the later days devotees used to conduct

a carnival on the day Sri Sai Baba would start from the mosque and go to

Chavadi. This is the Chavadi Festival so dear to the hearts of the devotees of

Sai. The festival, which was conducted every second day in Shirdi when Baba was

alive, is now celebrated every Thursday. Shej (night) arti and Kakad (morning)

arti used to be conducted only during the evening and the succeeding morning of

Baba sleeping at the Chavadi vadi, Tatya Patil would tell him to get ready to

move but Baba would never oblige. So Tatya would lift Baba up physically on his

shoulders. As Baba started walking Tatya would put an embroidered silk shawl

over his shoulders, though Baba was not at all willing to be draped in such

costly clothing and would never have obliged if such a thing was done by

anybody other than Tatya. Nobody else would dare to do this,

but Baba never objected to whatever Tatya did. Hence such jobs were entrusted to

him and the other devotees used to have their fill of joy. Next, Tatya would

take Baba’s left hand and Mahalsapati his right and they would walk with him

from the mosque to Chavadi. Of course, they were also the pair who took care of

Baba in the mosque. Tatya would hold Baba by the left hand and would hold a

lantern in his right.

As soon as Baba reached Chavadi, Tatya would go inside first and make his seat

ready and arrange a piece of wood as a back rest, then make him sit on the seat

and wear a nice coat. Shama would prepare the chillim and hand it to Tatya, who

would take a puff and when it was well kindled pass it to Baba. First

Mahalsapati and then the others would take turns to smoke it after Baba had

taken a puff or two.

After the shej arti, one after the other the devotees would take udi (sacred ash

from the dhuni - Baba’s fire) and then take leave of Baba and go home. As Tatya

also started for home after preparing the chillim Baba used to say, “Do keep an

eye on me. You may go whenever you feel like it, but some time during the night

make a visit and enquire of me!” Tatya would reassure Baba and go home.

“Experiences of Tatya” in the Marathi magazine Sri Sai Leela Masik