You shall find me alive in Photograph of his mandir.

Dear readers,
Few days back I had written about the importance, history and unique Photo of Baba in our family which was blessed by Baba to my mother. There I had mentioned chapter 9 from Sai Satcharitra where Babasaheb Tarkad forgets to offer Naivedya to Baba (which of course was the photo of Shri Sai Maharaj).

The reason to mention about photograph was to lay stress that Baba had clearly indicated that he is not limited to physical body, HE is present everywhere and one who sincerely bows down and offer Him his Namaskar it is accepted by Baba in any form be it a inanimate thing like photograph or a stone idol .His presence is everywhere.

And there are many such leela to strengthen this fact.

Coming back to Tarkhad, I am personally very attached and extremely touched by each Leela the family has experienced. There is no such incident which does not touch my soul and make me think deep of that golden time when they shared beautiful relation with Baba.How fortunate and blessed is the Tarkhad family! I shall be writing all here one by one as I am extremely touched by those experiences and would share with all of you who have not heard or read them.

Continuing the Leela of chapter 9 from Sai Satcharitra I shall like to give detail of how this photograph which Tarkhad worshipped came to their home.

One fine day Ram Chandra (Babasaheb)and Jyotinder both had an identical dream .They saw in the dream a beautiful small mandir (Devara) in their home. The dream had such a great impact on both of them that they immediately made a sketch of that .While sitting for breakfast when they exchanged their dream, they immediately got the sketch they had drawn and were astonished to find the sketch same. Without loosing any time they decided to get this temple made. They purchased Sandalwood and appointed an expert carpenter .

In their terrace at home in Bandra making of mandir began. It took more than a year to complete the mandir. At the end of it 9 feet tall & 2 1/2 x 21/2 feet square Sandalwood Mandir was ready. (Here is the picture of the same mandir made of Sandalwood.)


But now there dilemma was from where to acquire Baba's portrait, for Pratistha in it which can be put for worshiping in that Mandir?

Dear readers you must be aware that Baba never allowed anyone to photograph him by a camera hence to get his portrait was a big task but Tarkhad's were confident that the dream was Baba's creation and he will therefore fulfill the same.

As per to their habit one Friday afternoon they visited Chorbazar, they would dress up in unique attire –Ramchandra would wear Coat /Trouser with English cap and Jyotindra in Coat /Trouser with black color Gandhi cap .When they were strolling one Muslim shopkeeper came shouting to them and said “Hey Gentlemen, all of these days I am looking forward to meet you as I have a parcel for you in my shop.” They were astonished how they were only selected by this person and they doubted that he might dump some stolen article on them .

So to clear their doubt Ramchandra and Jyotindra simultaneously asked "What packet? Who gave it? For whom is it?” The shopkeeper told them a strange story. He said a saintly looking person came to his shop and handed over to him a parcel and asked him that on Friday a Hindu father and his son will come to this place. Father shall be wearing an English hat and son wearing a black Gandhi cap, hand over this parcel to them and also paid shopkeeper 50/- Rs as service charge. (Mention of the labour charge in Sai Satcharitra chapter 19 is made,Baba never took any service for free .One day Baba asked one boy to bring ladder,Baba climed it passing house of Vaman Gondkar and Radha Krishna Mai and got down ,reason is not known why but at that time Mai was running high fever with malaria and may be it was for taking away the fever ,immediately after getting down, Baba paid Rupees 2 to the persons who brought the ladder. Somebody asked Baba, why he paid so much for this. He replied that nobody should take the labour of others, in vain. The worker should be paid, his dues promptly and liberally.And here the same Baba did he paid the shopkeeper of His future labour in advance.)

Shopkeeper said "As the description he gave fits you perfectly, I am handing over the packet".

But they were still doubtful about the stolen material so they made him open the parcel before taking the delivery of it. He unpacked the parcel and it was a black & white Portrait of Lord Sai enclosed in a nice Wooden Photo Frame. Both of them were in tears and they confirmed to the shopkeeper that it is their Parcel. They profusely thanked him and offered to pay some money in return. The shop keeper declined to accept any money as he had strict instructions of the Donor.

They use to travel in a Studebeker champion car and they could carry the photo frame safely to Bandra. They had another pleasant surprise as the photo frame fitted exactly in the Sandalwood Mandir without calling for any alteration. The entire Tarkhad family was overwhelmed with joy, which had no bounds.

They then consecrated Sai Baba's Photo in the Sandalwood Mandir.
Jyotindra use to religiously get up early morning and at 5 a.m. he would perform the pooja by sandalwood paste to Baba's forehead and light a silver lamp (NIRANJAN) in which the one paisa coin given by Baba was placed, Sugar cubes were offered as prasad, which they all used to consume at lunch time. After the Pooja father and son would leave for their textile Mill at Byculla .


After this incident they all were eagerly waiting for their next trip to Shirdi. One day Balasaheb developed an urge to send cotton bails to Baba so that he can make Kafanis out of it for his personal use. He suggested to Jyotindra to go to Shirdi along with his mother and deliver the offerings to Baba. But Jyotindra was rather reluctant because who will perform the pooja at home? Then Babasaheb took upon himself and gave him the assurance that he will carry out the ritual as practiced by Jyotindra and there will be no let up on that count. Satisfied with this answer he left for Shirdi with his mother.

They entered Dwarkamai and presented their offerings to Baba. He told them to be seated over there. One of the Sai devotees who was stationed in Shirdi and was frantically trying to take out a Camera photo of Sai for past few days and was unsuccessful came to Baba and requested for the last try. Baba suddenly became angry and shouted at him and said,

“Hey, what are you craving for my photo. Please go to my Bhau's place
and you will find me alive in that photograph in his mandir".

No sooner Bhau heard this they were more than pleased for what all they had done in their house. Baba was confirming that he is receiving their worship daily. Bhau immediately got up and prostrated in front of Baba and prayed to Lord Sai internally stating that he may be granted such arrant that he shall never be able to forget Sai and shall keep singing only his prayers and nothing but his prayers. So in this way Sai Baba got himself consecrated into Sandalwood Mandir at Tarkhad's residence.

This is first incident about the photo which reached with grace of Baba in Tarkads house.Second incident where Baba indicated his presence in the photo I am sure all must have read in Sai Satcharitra! For those who have not read I am giving a small detail here.

As per to chapter 9 given in Sai Satcharitra Baba reflects the same, Jyotindra had taken promise from his father to worship the photograph while he was in Shirdi with his mother.Babasaheb Tarkad assured him that he would perform the puja daily and offer naivedya to Baba and than he would have his Lunch. Only after Jyotindra was fully convinced of his father's words did he accompany his mother to Shirdi. But on 3rd day his father forgot to offer naivedya. And there at Shirdi Baba said to Mrs Tarkad

''What could I do O! mother? Today as every day I went to Bandra
but there was no rice, , nothing to eat or drink. And hungry I have to
return".

She could not understand but Jyotindra understood and requested for permission to leave for Mumbai but Baba did not let him go and asked him to stay for few days more.

(This is the same photo here to which prasad was offered by Jyotindra Tarkad and the same photo which was given by the shopkeeper.)

In Mumbai Balasaheb had forgotten on third day to keep sugar candy during the pooja time. He realized this only in the afternoon when there was no prasad in his plate. He immediately got up and wrote a letter to Jyotindra in Shirdi requesting him to seek pardon from Baba for his grave mistake. And there in Shirdi Baba has already indicated of not getting the Prasad for which Jyotindra wanted to return back .Both father and son being restless wrote letter to each other about the happenings .The two letters crossed each other and on receiving them and going through them both father and son were in tears. They realized the depth of Baba's love for them.

This way Baba reminded them that he is very much present in that Photo frame and he accepts their daily offerings unfailingly. Jai Sai Ram.



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