Sai Satcharitra-Let us all read it together, a little everyday

April 29, 2005

Chapter XV

Naradiya Kirtan - Paddhati - Mr. Cholkar's Sugarless Tea - Two Lizards.

The readers may remember that mention was made in the 6th Chapter regarding the

Rama-Navami Festival in Shirdi; how the festival originated and how in the

early years there was a great difficulty in getting a good Hardidas for

performing Kirtan on that occasion, and how Baba permanently entrusted this

function (Kirtan) to Dasganu permanently. Now in this Chapter we shall describe

the manner in which Dasganu was performing the Kirtan.

Naradiya Kirtan-Paddhati

Generally our Haridasas, while performing the Kirtan, wear a gala and full

dress. They put on a head-dress, either a pheta or a turban, a long flowing

coat with a shirt inside, an uparane (short dhotar) on the shoulders and the

usual long dhotar from the waist below. Dressed in this fashion for some Kirtan

in the Shirdi village, Dasganu once went to bow to Baba. Baba asked him - "Well,

bridegroom! where are you going dressed so beautifully like this?" 'For

performing a Kirtan' was the reply. Then Baba said - "Why do you want all this

paraphemalia-coat, uparani and pheta etc, doff all that before Me, why wear

them on the body?" Dasganu immediately took them off and placed them at the

Baba's Feet. From that time Dasganu never wore these things while performing

the Kirtan. He was always bare from waist upwards, a pair of `chiplis' was in

his hand and a garland round his neck. This is not in

consonance with the practice generally followed by all the Hardidasa, but this

is the best and the purest method. The sage Narada, from whom the

Kirtan-Paddhati originated, wore nothing on his trunk and head. He carried a

'veena' in his hand, and wandered from place to place everywhere singing the

glory of the Lord."Gurur Brahma Gurur VishnuGurur Devoh Maheshwar;Gurur

Shakshat ParambramhaTashmai Shri Gurur Veh Namah"May the Merciful Sri Sai Baba

always shower His grace on us and our families and remove our problems and

anxieties by giving us all - strength , goodluck, success and happiness with

peace of mind.Sai bhakt,Deepa

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