Unusual Diwali at Shirdi (Shri Sai Leela April 1986)

[Guest guest]

UNUSUAL DIWALI AT SHIRDI (April 1986)

 

Diwali holidays were fast approaching and I was not sure where and how to

spend seven days away from hostel as I required some change from routine

very badly. One day, casually, one of my friends offered to do reservation

for me which was very unusual, as i always prefer to do all the work

personally especially while going to Shirdi. And hence by Sai-grace, I got

reservation for Sunday noon S.T. which was also unplanned as I had desired

to go by* the morning- S.T. which would have reached me to Shirdi as early

as possible. Anyway, Baba knew what was in store for me and although I

reached Shirdi safely by 6 o'clock in the evening, I could not get room

accomodation in Shanti Niwas — Ladies Combine till 11.30 P.M. with two

Bombay ladies.

 

On Narak Chaturdashi, I woke up early at 3.00 a.m. and secured a front

number in Abhishek queue and once the Abhishek was performed successfully

(in the name of five people including myself) by 8.00 a.m., I was on the top

of the world because inpsite of the heavy rush and being alone, Baba saw

that every thing went off well, right from getting hot water for bath till

packing of the Abhishek Prasad. Later during the day, I was busy with other

activities and was in high spirits to attend the Shejarti as it was a very

successful day.

 

On 12th November, I attended the Kakad Arti and Holy Bath which was

extremely beautiful, it being Diwali. At noon, as the Bombay ladies took

deposit after which the room got transferred on my name, two Bhavnagar

sisters approached me for sharing the room to which I readily agreed and

thanked Baba several times as I was wondering whether I would have to occupy

the room alone for the rest of the days. Out of the two sisters, one had

come to Shirdi for the first time and since they were to leave Shirdi the

very next day by the 11.30 a.m. by Surat bus, unconsciously I took it as my

responsibility to show them around Shirdi within their short period of stay,

thereby doing Sai-seva in my own way. In the evening, it being Laxmi pooja,

I was lucky to keep a packet of Rs. 100/- note for the first time in my life

during the Laxmi pujan and later collected it from the Security office after

the Dhuparti.

 

On Balipratipada, I woke early at 3.00 a.m. and stood in Abhishek queue

for the Bhavnagar sisters, instructing them to be ready before the Samadhi

Mandir opened at 5.00 a.m. Accordingly, they attended the Kakad Arti and

Holy Bath. Once they performed Abhishek, I took them around to places of

interest like Lendi Baug, Curusthan, Dwarkamai, Chawdi, Abdul

Baba and Laxmibai's Cottages and had darshan of Shri Martand Baba. After

having Puri-bhaji packet as lunch in room itself, I saw them off from the

enquiry office from where they collected their deposit-Hardly few minutes

must have passed when two ladies from Room No. 30 were shifted to my room as

there was heavy rush and the Sansthan people decided to keep all ladies in

one room. These Bombay ladies shifted most reluctantly as they were feeling

rather awkward to adjust with me as they had refused to

accomodate me in their room on 10th November night under the pretext that

some gent relatives were to arrive. Anyway, I forgave them in my heart and

considered it as my-duty to accept them willingly. After one hour or so, two

ladies and three children from Hyderabad were also accomodated in Room No.

23 due to heavy rush of Sai-devotees. On the whole, the day passed off

nicely.

 

Thursday was a day to attend all the Artis. I also enjoyed the auction of

Baba's clothes and Prasad. Anticipating the heavy rush, I decided to do

reservation for Sunday well in advance, which materialised inspite of the

unending line. In the noon after the Arti, as if by inspiration, I opened a

new account in Shirdi Syndicate Bank with the same Rs. 100/- note kept

during Laxmi pooja on that auspicious day. After this, the Sansthan

authorities were kind enough to extend permission for two additional days

for my stay in Sansthan's quarter. In the evening, it being Bhaubij, I

performed the pooja of a Sai-brother and the day ended happily after

attending the Shejarti.

 

Friday dawned brightly for me because the Hyderabad ladies had desired to

perform Satyanarayan pooja in which they included me of their own accord and

we successfully performed the pooja in the first batch at 9.00 a.m. As we

had leisure after 10 o'clock for two hours, I took them around Shirdi in the

same way as I had shown the Bhavanagar sisters. After we had darshan at

Khandoba Mandir, one of the ladies who was Staff Nurse at Hyderabad,

automatically walked into the Sainath Hospital for a round, due to which I

too got Sai-chance to peep into this hospital for the first time. The

Hyderabad ladies left the room by 1 o'clock and later in the evening, the

Bombay ladies shifted elsewhere as their expected relatives arrived in

Shirdi. In the meanwhile, three ladies with three children arrived from

Bombay. There was heavy rush during the Shejarti due to which one of my room

mate felt giddy in the crowd

 

On Saturday morning, again, I stood in the queue for Abhishek for the

Bombay ladies and they were extremely contented as they could perform the

Satynarayan pooja too about which they learnt from other devotees while

standing in the same row. They were really blessed to perform both pooja

during their first visit to Shirdi. Before lunch, I showed them around the

Mandir. I got again extension for occupation of the room by two days. So in

that happy mood, we all went to Sakori by 3.30 p.m. and fortunately our

tongawala offered on his own to wait there till 5.30 p.m. so that we could

take darshan of Sri Godavari Mata. To my surprise we had a very close

darshan for nearly fifteen minutes which was rather a very rare occassion of

all my trips to Sakori, and so the day ended happily after attending the

Shejarti.

 

Sunday, being the seventh day of my stay, I took the Bombay ladies and

children again around Shirdi; had Saiprasad in Bhojan Graha with them and

just when we were about to leave for Noon Arti, seven ladies from Worli,

Bombay arrived with their bag and baggage with the intention of staying for

seven days. The very thought that the room would be fully occupied even

after we left, made me feel very happy. Later, I attended the Noon Arti and

gratefully thanked Baba for making my stay comfortable and Diwali extremely

enjoyable beyond my expectation and imagination.

 

Miss Nee/am Sanglikar,

Pune 411 004

 

 

The experiences of Devotees as published in Shri Sai Leela Magazine, can be

read at www.saileelas.org/magazines/SAILEELA/exp.htm