THE SAI TEMPLE OF VILLE-PARLE, WHERE A HOUSE BECAME A SHRINE

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THE SAI TEMPLE OF VILLE-PARLE, WHERE A HOUSE BECAME A SHRINE

Srimathi Chandrabai Borkar is one among the few privileged devotees who had

the great good fortune of doing service to Baba during his lifetime. Her

life is an example to us of how Baba held her hand and led her forward at

every step. Her love for Baba was infinite. She was such a devotee that she

transformed her own house into a temple of Sai Baba. The temple is called

Sri Ram Sai Niwas, on Tilak Road in Ville–Parle, Mumbai.

Saipatham interviewed Mrs. Mangala Borkar, Mrs. Chandrabai Borkar’s

daughter-in-law, and learnt the details of the close intimacy her

mother-in-law had with Baba and the way their house evolved into a temple.

The following are her words on Srimathi Mangala Borkar.

“My father-in-law, Sri Chandrarama Borkar, was working on the railways as a

mechanical engineer, and his job entailed frequent transfers so his wife was

left on her own. As she could not bear to stay alone at home, she used to

spend six months with her husband and six months in Shirdi in the presence

of Sri Sai Baba. This was eighty years ago when very few people had heard of

Baba, and in those days she used to stay in the hotel of Smt. Saradabai

Chandorkar. Once Yamubai, the young daughter of Smt. Saradabai, was unwell,

so her mother brought her to Baba and told him of her daughter’s sickness.

Then Baba, pointing to Chandrabai who was sitting beside him, told Smt.

Saradabai, “Put her into her lap". She did so, and Yamubai regained her

health in no time. From that day onwards my mother-in-law used to look after

Yamubai.

Mrs. Bayijabai looked upon Baba with greater love and affection than a

brother, and vowed not to eat until after he had eaten. Her son, Tatya Kote

Patil, was childless for a long time. Once my mother-in-law importuned Baba

to present Tatya with at least one child. Baba said to her, "Yourself and

‘that fellow’ will get children at the same time! Now you get lost...” My

mother-in-law was amazed at Baba’s words because she was already 50 years

old at the time and couldn’t believe she could bear a child so late in life.

But by the grace of the benevolent Sri Sai Baba, my mother-in-law soon gave

birth to a baby boy and he is none other than my husband Sri Rajaram

Ramachandra Borkar. Likewise, Tatya also begot a son, who was called Baji

Rao Kote Patil.

 

(to be continued)

 

Mrs Mangala Borker, Ville-Parle, Mumbai

Courtesy of Sai Prasad Magazine, Deepawali Issue, 2000

 

(source www.saipatham.org)