Lets explore Shirdi - Dwarakamai

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THE NIMBAR

In a Masjid the Nimbar is said to represent the Darga at Macca. The devout

Muslims do Namaz in front of it. In Baba's Dwarakamai it is next to the

everburning lamps on the western wall. It is garlanded daily. Mention is

made of this Nimbar in several places in the Sai Satcharitra. The Urs

started in 1897 during that time the Sandal Procession also took place. This

procession is held in honour of great Muslim saints. Chandan paste and

scrapings are put in a Thali and carried around the village in procession.

After returning to the Masjid the chandan is pasted with the hands on this

Nimbar. This Sandal procession was started by Amir Shakkar Dallal of Korhla.

Now the descendants of Abdul Baba carry on this tradition. (Ref. ESS, Ch.

VI).

After the Noon Arati the devotees went home, Baba then went inside, and sat

behind the curtain, with His back to this Nimbar for meals. There were two

rows of Bhaktas one on each side, after all the Naivedya was mixed together

and placed before Baba, who consecrated it and everybody dined to their

hearts' content. (Ref. ESS, Ch.XXXVIII).

 

EVER BURNING LAMPS

Baba was very fond of lights. He kept lamps burning perpetually from the

beginning of His stay in Dwarakamai. Once the grocers refused to supply Him

with oil. Unperturbed He returned to the Dwarakamai and lit the lamps with

consecrated water and a few drops of oil (Ref. ESS, Ch V). The Jyoth' has

been burning perpetually since Baba's time, even when the lamps are cleaned.

 

The oil drippings from the lamp have healing properties. Numerous devotees

have wonderful experiences with this oil.

 

 

JAATH' (HAND MILL)

Karma is the lower stone, and Bhakti is the upper stone, and the handle is

Gyana. In 1910 cholera broke out in Shirdi and Baba got a quantity of wheat

and started grinding it. Then four women completed the grinding and then

Baba said to them "Take the flour and throw it on the village border limits

" and thus this Leela stopped cholera from raging in Shirdi. Besides the

philosophical significance and grinding the cholera germs Baba daily ground

sins, mental and physical afflictions and miseries of his innumerable

devotees and He is still doing so (Ref. ESS, Ch. I). Devotees can touch this

hand mill entreating Baba to grind their sins. Another hand mill which Baba

used while cooking, is kept in the show room of Samadhi Mandir.

 

 

(Adopted from Ambrosia In Shirdi by Dr.Vinny Chitluri, this book can be read

at http://saileelas.org/books/ambrosiainshirdi1.htm and this book is a

virtual guide on Shirdi with

lots of rare photos on Baba)