SHIRDI SAIBABA`S TIMETABLE - PART 5 OF 8

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THE TIME TABLE OF BABA’S DAILY ROUTINE - 5 Baba would daily go to Lendi in the morning between 8.30 and 9.30. He would normally use footwear only when he went to Lendi, and even that was subject to change as fancy took him. He would first come out of the mosque and stand leaning on the wall a while. After that he would stand opposite the Maruti temple to the God Hanuman, and gazing fiercely at the temple would move his hands about making some kind of signals. He would then stand at the crossroads at Gurusthan as if talking to someone, and then proceed further. The devotees who were staying at the wada and those who had recently arrived would have the darshan of Baba there. They would all be standing in lines, eagerly awaiting Baba's arrival from the mosque. Baba would slowly move down the lines, lovingly greeting each devotee by

name, and smiling his benediction at them.

He would then turn left and proceed towards the house of Pilaji Gurve. He would cross in front of the Vitthal temple and turn right towards the Kanifnath temple (located opposite the post office). He would walk a little further and turning another right would enter the Lendi. He used Lendi to complete his daily toilet.

Where the neem and the fig trees are presently located in the Lendi, an ever burning lamp (nanda deep) was lit in a small depression in the ground. Curtains made of jute bags were placed all around the lamp and Baba would sit there for some time, always sitting with his back to the lamp and not looking at it. Abdul Baba used to look after the cleaning of the place and putting the oil in the lamps. He would fill two pots with water as soon as Baba arrived there. Baba would sprinkle the water from those pots in all directions while making some signs. He would not allow anybody to stay there while he did this, even Abdul Baba had to stay away during that time and the devotees who had accompanied Baba to Lendi would also stand outside and wait for Baba.

Baba had himself planted the neem and the fig trees there. One of these plants was weak initially and did not take, so Baba used to daily bend it this way and that, and it became strong and grew well by his nectar-like touch. After spending some time at Lendi, Baba would return to the mosque the same way as in the morning; he never changed this route even once. He gave a lot of importance to a fixed routine or a certain way of doing things. The work may be small or big, but Baba would never agree to an iota of change in it.

As the rush of devotees increased, the daily trip to Lendi started looking like a ceremonial festival procession. As soon as Baba came out of the mosque on his way there, Bhagoji Shinde would hold a ceremonial umbrella, delicately embroidered with tassles, over his head. Nanasaheb Nimonkar and Booty would walk on the right and left of Baba, and this fine appearance was a grand sight. Next - Part 6 of 8