Shiwaji Nagar, Pune-5
[Original article written in Marathi by Shri S. M. Garje
and published in Shri Sai Leela magazine for the
month of Jan. 76]
At present there are three Sai temples in Pune. One of
them is at Swar Gate, one is at Khadkee and the third
one is at Shiwaji Nagar, Out of these temples, the one
at Shiwaji Nagar is the oldest and many people are
devoted to it. Its history also is strange, curious and
thrilling.
This temple stands on the bank of the Mutha river in the
Shiwaji Nagar area in the vicinity of Rasane chawl. Recently
one road has been constructed in the rear side of this temple
and because of a big retaining wall constructed by the side
of the river, the flood water of the river does not come near
the temple, otherwise in olden days the flood water of the
river, used to come as far as the temple every year during
the monsoon. If we turn left from the new road, we first
come to the Rasane chawl. If we move a little ahead and
turn our face to the right then we at once get the Darshan
of Shri Sai Baba. This darshan gives us the satisfaction of
having taken the trouble of coming to the temple. Shri
Damodarpant Rasane was a Sai devotee, who had the
good fortune to have lived with Shri Sai Baba during the
latter's life time. The Rasane chawl belongs to Shri
Damodarpant. Round about 1945 Shri Nanasaheb Rasane,
the son of Damodar pant converted two of the rooms in the
Rasane chawl into a temple and started there the worship of
Shri Sai Baba. Since that time the worship of Shri Baba is
going on at this place regularly. The morning and evening
aarati became a regular feature and hence devotees started
flocking at the site. Sessions Judge of Pune, Shri Patil, Shri
Chougule, a judge from Helgaum, Shri V. Shankar Mudliar,
Shri P. S. Rao, Shri Ranganathan, Shri Bendre, Shri Gaikwad,
Shri Takawane guruji can be mentioned as the illustrious
devotees, attending the temple. Shri Nikam, from Khed
was a Jamadar in the Police Deptt. He was known to
be a sincere Sai devotee and hence he was called by Shri
Nanasaheb Rasane to join the activities of the temple.
Shri Nikiim accordingly responded to the call of Shri
Nanasaheb Rasane and resigning his job in the Police
Dept, he dedicated his entire life to this temple. Shri Nikam
is closely connected with this temple. He has pie ented to this
temple one Talisman obtained from Shri Sai Baba due to Shri
Nikam's good fortune.
The story of how Shri Nikam came to get this Talisman is
also very interesting and noteworthy for all Sai devotees
and hence it would not be out of place to narrate it here.
One girl from Shirdi named Kashibai, was married to
a gentalman staying in Niphad. Due to her ill luck Kashibai's
husband died within a few years from her marriage. She was
pregnant at the time of her husband's death. She confined
at the proper time and gave birth to a son, who was named
as Madhav. When her son completed one year, Kashibai
returned to Shirdi from Niphad and started stayed with her
father. As Kashibai had no means of livelihood, she used to
work on some body's field fo rthe whole day and used to
earn some money Kashibai's son was more or less a
problem for her. There was nobody at her house, who
could look after him. Hence she found out a solution for
that. She used to leave her son, in the morning in the Masjid
and go away to the field for work. In the evening when
she would return from the work, she used to pick up her
son from the Masjid and then she used to go home. In the
evening, she used to bow down to Shri Sai Baba before
going home. As Kashibai used to leave Madhav in the
Masjid for the whole day, she never had any worry about
him. She used to work in the field whole day and return
in the evening. This became a sort of a routine for Kashibai
for four or five years. After Madhav attained the age of five,
Shri Baba started giving him a rupee every day. In his turn,
Madhav also used to attend to Shri Baba's petty jobs.
(to be contd....)
(Source Saileela Magazine April 1977)
Saileela Magazines can be read at www.saileelas.org
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