THE PROGENITOR OF THE FORMAL WORSHIP OF SRI SAI BABA: SRI TATYA SAHEB NOOLKAR

[Guest guest]

A meeting of childhood friends

Sri Noolkar and Sri Baba Saheb Neelkanth Ramachandra Sahasrebuddhe were

classmates in the Pune High School. They were close friends, but they did

not meet for 25-30 years after they left school. Now Sahasrabuddhe came for

the first time to Shirdi encouraged by Chandorkar and Dixit. He recognised

Noolkar who was staying at Sathe Wada and talked to him. The friends were

very happy to meet after such a long time. Noolkar invited Sahasrabuddhe to

stay in his room at the Wada and took him the next day to Baba for darshan.

As Sahasrabuddhe saluted Baba, Sri Sai Baba said, "Serve Noolkar." He

repeated the same instructions to Sahasrabuddhe on the second and the third

day. No one could understand the meaning behind Baba's orders to

Sahasrabuddhe to serve Noolkar as they both were of the same status. Baba's

words are indeed unfathomable. It is only when the right time comes that one

can grasp the meaning behind them.

Sahasrabuddhe wanted to go home after a while and requested Baba's

permission through Shama. Baba replied, "Tell him to stay for four days and

then go." After four days Sahasrabuddhe repeated his request only to receive

the same answer again. After this happened twice or thrice Baba said, "Let

him stay in front of the masjid like a dog and await my pleasure. He is not

to leave. WeÕll need him a lot in the coming days. There are many things,

which have to be accomplished by him in the future. I did not bring him here

without a purpose." With this everyone forgot about sending Sahasrabuddhe

away from Shirdi.

Noolkar's ill health - a friend's service

About a fortnight after this incident Noolkar, who was a diabetic, got a

carbuncle on his buttocks. Gradually these carbuncles increased in number

and he became bedridden. Sahasrabuddhe's nature was to serve his fellow men

and he was ever ready to serve. The patient was his close friend and Baba

had also ordered him to serve Noolkar. He began to nurse him day and night.

Sahasrabuddhe decided not to leave Shirdi till Noolkar regained his health.

All the devotees now understood why Baba had earlier refused permission to

Sahasrabuddhe to leave Shirdi.

The two sons of Noolkar, Vaman Rao and Viswanath too come to Shirdi to nurse

their father. Vaman Rao, who was a doctor, came from Bombay with his

surgical instruments and medicines. He removed the carbuncles surgically and

bandaged Noolkar after applying medicine. But Noolkar's health worsened and

did not get any better.\

 

 

(To be continued)....

 

Source (source www.saipatham.org) Saipatham August 2002 Magazine