Satsang RamChandra Dada Patil

Satsang RamChandra Dada Patil

RamChandra Dada Patil

How great was the Rinanubandh of these two? Their love was deep and unfathomable! Ramchandra was born in Shirdi. He was the only son of Radhabai and Dada Kote Patil. Ramchandra had 3 sisters. He was born to affluence, his ancestral property spread far and wide in Shirdi and neighboring villages which yielded many all types of grain and sugar cane. Hence he had only to supervise the laborers.

Ram Chandra was very bright and he studied up to 7th std [Marathi Medium] but most of all he was interested in legal system He was responsible for incorporating the village of Beragaon into Shirdi [Maruti Mandir has 2 Vighras one for Shirdi and one for Beragaon] It’s said that in those days the boundary of Shirdi was up to the Chavadi beyond which was Beragaon.

He was the Secratary of Dakshina Bhiksha Sanstha. Baba’s seva he started doing at the tender age of 11years, he had immense faith in Baba and took Babas word as law. In 1916 he was extremely sick and dying of Influenza [Ref Sai-Sat-Charitra # 42] Baba gave him shatshatkar and said “Tu gabro nakos ,tula pushkal aayuse ahaya”[Don’t be afraid you have a long life ahead of you] Ramchandra was greatly relieved to hear this and he immediately asked about his friend Tatya, Baba however said “Two years from today Tatyas death will occur, but don’t tell this to anyone!.” Ramchandra did recover, but he could not bear what Baba said so he told Bala Shimpi who was a dear friend of his. Tatya was a dear friend since childhood and they grew up together. Baba strengthened this bond between them ‘by making them eat out of the same plate daily in the Dwaraka mai.’

Ram Chandra was married to Sitabai but as she did not bore him any children, he remarried and had 2 sons. After Baba’s Maha Samadhi the devotees were working the whole night to get the Samadhi ready. Mir Shakar a Phelwan [body builder] of Kohrale saw the developments and went to Appaji Kote Patil Ramchandra’s grand father and managed to convince him, that it was bad for the village to keep a dead body in it. Besides they were going to build the Samadhi in Butti Wada. So they would get a Brahmin priest whom so ever they wanted. Then they could lock the building and Muslims would not be able to enter. This appealed to Appaji and he called a meeting and told the villagers his views. Then the villagers agreed to take the body out of Shirdi.

Ramchandra heard this and disagreed saying that Baba’s last wish should be followed and honored. This enraged Appaji and he told him not to step into his house again. Ramchandra agreed, as he was determined to honor Baba’s wish at any cost. He did not enter his grand fathers residence for 12 years. Although his first wife Sitabai resided there. Tatya was well revered in the village and he sided with Ramchandra. The villagers met again but there was a split a few people agreed with Appaji but most of the younger villagers were adamant to honor Baba’s wish. Single handedly he set out to convince the devotees that had gathered in Shirdi for Baba’s Maha Samadhi about the importance of honoring Baba’s last wish, and he succeeded.

For 36 hours the body lay in Dwarakamai. At 4pm on Thursday the body was placed in the Samadhi after a grand merunik [procession] through the village. On the 13th day he arranged for a feast. The devotees distributed laddus to 1000’s and 1000’s of devotees and wonder of wonders the same number of laddus remained after every distribution. Thus for 2 months laddus were distributed to all the devotees who attended and those who could not attend. I for one have a special place in my heart for a great devotee. And I am eternally grateful to him and Gopal Rao Butti for gifting us the Samadhi and Samadhi Mandir.

Butti was extremely fond of this young man and he often invited him to Nagpur. Butti asked him to stay with him and help him with his business but Ramchandra could not bear the thought of leaving Shirdi.

Ramchandra was Sarpang [head official] of the Shirdi gram panchyat for 20 yrs. The Nagar Palika has a photograph of his hanging in their office. Along with these duties, he actively participated in the Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan and was the Joint secretary for a long time. Ramchandra would get up early in the morning and have a cup of tea after that he would eat nothing till the noon Aarati. He attended the Aarati daily and was never sick for a single day. He died at the age of 70. That day he had invited some guests for lunch and they were late in coming, so his family suggested that he have his lunch. He replied that he would wait for the noon Aarati. He sat down, as he was feeling giddy. Before they could seek medical help; he quietly and peacefully breathed his last. His descendents still live in Shirdi.

(Source Sai Leela Magazine)