Sai Baba the Master

[Guest guest]

During the Ramnavami celebrations he used to give two bundles of one-rupee

notes to Dada Kelkar and Bade Baba, to be distributed to the poor after the

celebration.

 

Similarly, the naivedya offered to him everyday by his devotees at the

Dwarakamai was also given away to those who lived by it, fakirs and

bairagis who lived in nearby hutments. To each of them Baba gave a quarter

rupee per day. Later Baba left Dwarakamai for the chavadi in this usual

pomp and eclat displayed by the procession of his devotees. He slept there

for the night in the right wing of the chavadi which is now enclosed by

railings and separated from the left wing where some of the devotees slept.

On the days on which Baba slept in the mosque, Mahalsapathy invariably

slept there with him.

 

When it was time for Baba to leave for chavadi the usual routine was as

follows: Abdul and Radhakrishnamai removed, with their own hand, even the

pig dung, swept the road and sprinkled it with water and drew ornamental

designs (rangoli) on them in white. Then they spread a cloth all the way

from the mosque to the chavadi for Baba to walk on. Then Tatya Patil came

to the mosque and invited Baba to the chavadi. When Baba got ready to step

down from the mosque Pilaji Gurave would begin to play on his shehnai.

There were also a whole band of devotees that started bhajan (chorus

chanting of devotional songs.) Then Shamsuddin (or Shyamakarna) the horse,

went before Baba; behind the horse, the palanquin was carried by the

devotees. Though the horse and the palanquin were offered to Baba for use

he never mounted them but always walked behind them. Baba’s shoes were

placed in the palanquin. The ceremonial umbrella was held over his head as

he walked towards the chavadi.

 

When he arrived at the corner of the musjid, Baba would stop there in

front of the Hanuman temple and make mystic signs. Then he would proceed to

chavadi.

 

 

Source: http://www.saibharadwaja.org