Shri Ramnavmi Celebration

Aum Sairam

During the Ramnavami celebrations Sri Sai Baba e 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 Dwarkamai was also given away to those who lived by it, fakirs and vairagis who lived in nearby hutments. To each of them Sri Sai Baba gave a quarter rupee per day. Later Sri Sai Baba left Dwarkamai for the chawdi in this usual pomp and displayed by the procession of his devotees. He slept there for the night in the right wing of the chawdi, which is now enclosed by railings and separated from the left wing where some of the devotees slept. On the days on which Sri Sai Baba slept in the mosque, Bhagat Mahalsapaty invariably slept there with him.

When it was time for Sri Sai Baba to leave for chawdi 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 chawdi for Sri Sai Baba to walk on. Then Tatya Patil came to the mosque and invited Sri Sai Baba to the chawdi. When Sri Sai 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 Shamsudin [Shyamakarna] the horse went before Sri Sai Baba; behind the horse, the devotees carried the palanquin. Though the horse and the palanquin were offered to Sri Sai Baba for use he never mounted them but always walked behind them. Sri Sai Baba’s shoes were placed in the palanquin. The ceremonial umbrella was held over his head as he walked towards the chawdi.

When Sri Sai Baba arrived at the corner of the masjid, He would stop there in front of the Hanuman temple and make mystic signs. Then he would proceed to chawdi.

Allah Malik