I HAD THE DARSHAN OF SRI SAINATH MAHARAJ!

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I HAD THE DARSHAN OF SRI SAINATH MAHARAJ!

Sri Anant Jayadev Chitamber of Ahmednagar had the immense good fortune of

the darshan of Sri Sai Baba when he was young. His father, Sri Jayadev

Chitamber, was the Principal of the primary school in Shirdi between 1912

and 1927. It was in this school that Sri Madhavarao Deshpande (Shama) had

worked earlier as a teacher. Hence, Sri Anant Chitamber’s childhood was

spent in the presence of Sri Sai Baba. We can see how much the divine

influence of Sri Sai Baba’s presence has had on even small children from the

reminiscences of Sri Anant Chitamber. Here is the translation of his

reminiscences written in a Marathi article published in Sai Leela masik in

1975.

_The Editor

In 1912 my father was transferred to Shirdi as the Headmaster of the primary

school. I was only 15 months old. He worked there until 1927, approximately

14 years. The school was near the Maruti temple. So I spent my childhood in

Shirdi. I was eight years old when Sri Sai Baba entered mahasamadhi in 1918.

So I was not so young as to be entirely unaware of him. Even now I can

remember those sweet moments spent with Sri Sainath Maharaj. I used to go

every day to Dwarkamai and salute him with my head placed on his feet. I

would take part in the aratis and sing along with the others. I directly

witnessed Baba going around the village for alms, giving darshan to his

devotees and going to and coming from Lendi garden. I can still see him in

my mind’s eye, sitting at the mosque with his close devotees and puffing on

his chillim

I can remember to this day the kirtan done by Sri Tukaram Bua Ajgaonkar in

the presence of Sri Sainath Maharaj under the aegis of Sri Das Ganu Maharaj.

Sri Bua must have been seven or eight years old at that time. (Sri

Dharmadhikari, the grandson of Sri Tukaram Bua is presently working as a

priest in Sai Baba Sansthan – Ed.) I had seen all the close devotees of Sri

Sai Baba in my childhood. I had the great good fortune of seeing the

devotees such as Kakasaheb Dixit, Jog, Madhavarao Deshpande, Tatya Kote

Patil, Gopalrao Buty, Abdul Baba, Dhabholkar, Purandhare and Das Ganu

Maharaj.

I can still recollect those devotees sitting in Dwarkamai with Sri Sai Baba,

taking part in the Sej arati at Chavadi etc. How was this possible for me?

It is only the accumulated merit of many lifetimes that has enabled me to

receive this gift from Sri Sai Baba. I was just eight years old. But as a

result of having had the good fortune of Sri Sai Baba's darshan and his

blessings these memories are imprinted in my mind. I can never forget these

incidents. I feel that Sri Sai Baba had intended that I should remember them

always and hence had blessed me with his grace and lit the lamp of these

memories in my heart.

 

(To be contd....)

 

Source (source www.saipatham.org) Saipatham September 2001 Magazine