Balwant Ganesh Khaparde

[Guest guest]

Balwant Ganesh Khaparde

 

Born in Amrawati

to Ganesh and Lakshmi Bai S

Khaparde. Both parents were devoted to Baba; spiritually

advanced, and very affluent. His home was more like a palace replete with

cooks, clerks, watchmen; and 8 grooms or Sykes. They had two bullock carts, one

cowherd, and maids. His parents often gave shelter to needy families and

students. On an average there were twelve to fifteen students perusing

education in their home. There were about 50 people living there excluding the

children. His mother was a gracious hostess. She treated every one equally. In Sai Satcharita #7 ‘the

wonderful leela of the plague is given’. Khaparde writes in his diary on 8-1-1912, that Baba got extremely

angry and abused violently. “It appears that plague is likely to reappear

here”

It was Balwant who started shivering with high fever. This made

his mother very restless. She came to Baba to seek permission to take the child

home. Baba gently said, “The sky is over cast, but it will rain, bringing

forth a harvest, and the clouds will melt away”; and lifting His Kafni showed her four egg sized buboes in His groin.”

See I have to take upon myself all your sufferings”. At Aarati Baba cursed violently at the plague. He also said

that He had saved Balwant. Balwant

remained sick for three weeks, on 8-2-1912 he was well enough to go to Dwarakamai,

and place his head on Baba’s feet.

Balwant

and his elder brother came to Shirdi on 5-12-1910. They brought baskets of

fruits and garlands for Baba. Balwant often sat on

Baba’s lap and asked Him to tell him stories and Baba obliged. Khaparde was a politically marked man, so Baba kept him at Shirdi. Thus his law practice dwindled and Balwant got a taste of poverty. On one hand he lost the

luxuries of life, but got to spend a lot of time with Baba, and received His

blessings.

The Khaparde’s had three sons. They

were Bahu Saheb [Devidas], Baba Saheb [balkrishna] and Anna Saheb [balwant Rao]

 

(Source Shri Sai Leela Magazine)