75. Baba converted Shri Keshav Rao Pradhan a Sceptic into ascetic and built His Temple by him at Bhivpuri (Ukrool)

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Bhivapuri is a station in central railway about five miles on the Bombay

side of Karjat on the Bombay-Poona railway line. The Station is mainly built

to facilitate the industrial concern of Tatas situated on a hill nearly but

it has assumed importance on quite a different count. More than 50 years

back one Shri Keshavrao Pradhan had a house with a small piece of cultivated

land at Ukrool a village on the east side of Bhivapuri railway station. Shri

Pradhan had to be on tour in his service, Nasik-Manmad Daund and such other

places being in the itinerary. Naturally he used to hear much about Shri Sai

Baba of Shirdi. But he was a non-believer. On one occasion however one of

his friends nearby compelled him, out of love to accompany him to Shirdi.

Both of them went there and stayed a couple of days. When Mr. Pradhan saw

Shri Sai Baba and witnessed his greatness it made such an import on his mind

that his skepticism was replaced by complete devotion and faith. Thence

forward Shri Pradhan made it a point to go often to Shirdi for having

"Darshan" of Shri Sai Baba. Every time, he used to get an interview with him

he entreated to come to Ukrool. After listening to his often repeated

request Shri Sai Baba one day picked up on of his replices given to him by a

devotee and hand over to Shri Pradahan and said "Go to your own place, erect

a temple of this and don't return here again. Be gone". This happened in the

year 1916. After that event Shri Pradhan revisited Shirdi once, but

venerable Sai Baba remembered him and asked him to quit forthwith. "When I

came to your house, why are you here? Your own place is Shirdi for you now

I" were His words of advice. It was quite alright the replica was with him,

but Pradhan was not able to satisfy for himself the promise, "I have come to

your house". He was some what sad. After some days, he erected a temple near

his house at Ukrool ceremoniously and established the replica there after

due consecration. The daily worship and offerings began to be observed and

some functions performed occasionally at the new temple. The temple is

surrounded by beautiful seneries and there are big trees around. It was a

very quiet place suitable to the Saintly Sai Baba. Nobody disturbed the

peace and silence by the night. It so happened that after the temple was

built, even though there was nobody around, the noise of the temple door

being opened used to be heard after midnight and Sai Baba used to be seen

going about in the precincts of the temple, sometimes taking rest under a

tree. At about 3 A.M. in the night, Sai Baba would return to the temple and

close the door behind him. The noise of closing the door was also audible.

This was seen and heard not only by Shri Pradhan and his family members but

even by the guests at his house. This was a sufficient proof for Shri

Pradhan to make him a devotee of Shri Sai Baba and thence forward, he spent

his time energy and money in Baba's service. Verily this was Brahma embodied

visiting Shri Pradhan's house and there was no other desire left in his mind

except to be united with his beloved Baba. Shri Pradhan spent thousands of

rupees and built the Shrine-room, the spacious meeting hall, a wide verandah

and the guest house. Sai Baba at Shirdi went into Mahasamadhi in 1918, but

this did not mean break in the happiness of having his company for Shri

Pradhan, because Sai Baba's immortal Spirit was always present with him. In

1924, Shri Pradhan's daughter was given in marriage to one Shri V. A. Gupta

of Dadar, Bombay. Shri Gupta .vas a pious gentleman. The new relationship

deepned his faith and he developed a keen interest in the maintenance of the

temple, Bhivpuri (Ukrool) and took part verv jealously in the various

religious functions. Shri Gupta's influence infused devotion towards Shri

Sai Baba among the minds of many of his friends also and the number of

devotees visiting Bhivapuri Sai Temple began to increase. Shri Gupta had an

opportunity to visit Shirdi in 1936. The grandeur of the Samadhi Mandir, the

magnificence of the dally worship, prayrse and the great congregation of

devotees from all parts of the country coming daily and on the special

occasions sent a thrill through the heart of Sri Gupta. With folded hands

and in all humility, he prayed to Shri Sai Baba. "O Baba! when can such a

grand temple come up at your Bhivpuri? After all, it wholly depends upon

your will? The call of the devotee was heard by Sai Baba, and Bhivpuri Sai

Temple more and more famous from that day. In 1939, Shri Pradhan expired,

leaving the responsibility of the temple to his sons and son-in-law, with

the help of friends in the same year, they formed an institution by the name

Shri Sadguru Sainath Seva Samsthan, with seven trustees. Besides Sri G. K.

Deshmukh and Shri A.K. Wani officers of the Hindustan Construction Co. also

take great interest in its activities. As more and more persons experiences

about Sai Baba's benevolent existence, there the pilgrim increased in number

and the old temple become inadequate to accommodate them. Renovation was

therefore undertaken. But though the brick was completed the construction

work was not possible, for want of funds and material. So late Shri Narayan

Purohit started a parayan (continuous reading) of Baba's Satcharitra as a

prayer to Shri Sai Baba to complete the work. After 3 or 4 days, he saw Sai

Baba in a dream wandering about and asking persistently "where is My Dhuni?

If there is no Dhuni, how can this be Shirdi? How will the temple be

complete? Sai Baba was angry and was throwing stones everywhere." He thus

appeared for two consecutive nights during that period, Shri Purohit was

taken aghast. He went to Dadar and related to Shri Gupta the whole story of

the dream. Shri Gupta came to Bhivpuri with other committee members, and by

the system of lots, ascertained the wish of Sai Baba, who gave a positive

indicating to start the Dhuni. A place was fixed for the Dhuni and it was

duly constructed a size 8'x4'. Shri A,R. Walawalkar grandson of late Shri

Dabholkar, the author of Baba's original Satchari-tra in Marathi lit the

Dhuni for the first time on 7-4-1949, the day of Ramanavami at about 10 A.M.

Shri Walawalkar also stayed at Bhivpuri under the directions of Shri Sai

Baba received by him at Shirdi in a dream. Shri Kunaresan Sanarth who met

the committee members on one occasion kindly bore all the expenses for the

roof and other structures around the Dhuni. This Dhuni is continuously

burning, The expenses were first born by Shri Chavan from Dombivli but are

now made out of the donations received. This institution is run very

satisfactorily. Various important functions are held and there are special

functions of Ramnavami and Samadhi Day. Prof. D.D. Parachure offers his

services in the form of Keertans on these two occasions. Many great

personalities have visited this temple and helped it financially and made

good suggestions for its improvements. The interest and enthusiasm of all

these persons deserved sincere appreciation from the trustees. Such is the

wonderful story of Bhivpuri Sai Temple, the story of how Shri Sai Baba kept

His promise and came to stay at Bhivpuri also. This place is now a living

centre of the spiritual influence of Shri Sai Baba and no wonder, persons

who visit it once come to have the darshan of Shri Sai Baba more and more

frequently with renewed devotion.

Surrender Shri Sai Completely ! Stupendous Delectation and Deliverance be

there !!

 

( Adopted from AMBROSIA IN SHIRDI by Ramalingaswamy, Life Member of Shri

Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi at Munja Baba Sthan, Shirdi for more literature on

Sai Baba and consolidated stories of "Ambrosia in Shiridi" before

Mahasamadhi and after Mahasamadhi please visit www.saileelas.org)