Today being October 11, 2008, I am reminded of an incident which happened a year ago on the same day. My mother was reading gujarati book “Sai Sarovar” during the same period from past few months. The book contained original photograph of Shirdi Sai Baba, which is attached herewith. She read the history of the photograph and a desire arouse in her mind to get this photograph anyhow. A family friend was also reading the same book. She is a staunch devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba. Our family friend and my mother exchanged thoughts regarding the photograph. To the surprise of both, they both wanted the same photograph ! They both took a
There is another leela of Shirdi Sai Baba associated with this photograph and me. Before starting the blog, I was member of Sab Ka Malik Ek yahoo group. I had posted my experience there to share with my Sai Family members on January 5, 2008. Since Leelas associated with this photograph are being written in this post, I am copy pasting the same post here (introduction is omitted). A few days later after the photograph was installed in our shrine, I thought that it should be given to my friends and colleagues also, so that they all also be benefitted. So I tried to contact the person who developed another copy of the photo for us, but in vain.
Incidently, i happened to get the photo on the web after Diwali. I saved it to my office and home PC. Today while taking print outs of my study material, I happened to notice the very same photo of Baba and a thought passed my mind that I should take a print. I did so and I saw abeautiful photo of Baba in my hands. I and my parents were trying to get copy of the photo from outside and we found that Baba was residing in our home only. We all were overjoyed seeing the photo that too early in morning.
We decided to take more print outs and gift to our family friends and colleagues. To our surprise we counted the number of copies and it cameto 9. From the above incident I realized the following:
WE TRY TO FIND BABA OUTSIDE BUT FORGET THAT HE RESIDES IN THE HEART OF ALL HUMAN BEINGS. JUST TRY TO PEEP IN YOUR HEART AND YOU WILL FIND BABA INSIDE YOU…
History of the Photograph as given in Sai Sarovar :
Like a bird is not happy without wings, so is snake without a pearl, an elephant is not happy without trunk, so Rumalwala Baba was unhappy without the photograph. He went to Balabhau’s lodge to eat, but could not even eat a morsel. Some how he finished off his lunch and got up to give Balabhau eight annas for the lunch. Then along with the money the photograph also came out from his pocket. He became so happy and emotional that he started dancing and jumping. He said to everyone, “See I got Baba’s divine photograph, see i got Baba’s divine photograph. Baba had said whosoever preserves this photograph, his calamities would vanish”. By getting Baba’s divine photograph, there was no bound to happiness of Rumalwala Baba, he was very excited, his eyes overflowed with tears, he kept the photo nearby his heart and started embracing it again and again. After some days, Rumalwala came back to Indore, he kept the photograph in a recess of a wall.
Some years later, a devotee named Shri Pathakji started coming to Rumalwala Baba. One day took the photograph in his hands. Seeing this Rumalwala Baba, became very angry and said, “You have teased me by taking the photograph in your hands. Now don’t keep it here. You take the photograph and keep it with you. Whosoever will have this photograph, preserve it, worship it, light lamp and incense stick before it, their calamities would vanish. In this way the divine photograph of Baba passed away from Rumalwala Baba to Shri Pathakji.
A Sai Baba devotee named Gajananrao Krishnarao Nirakhe, but people used to call him Bapu Saheb, only for offering service visited frequently Shirdi. He lived in Gandhinagar. After getting the divine photograph of Sai Baba Shri Pathakji, he joined the team of Bapu Saheb for visiting Shirdi. Seeing the utmost devotion to Sai Baba, Shri Pathakji sent that divine photograph to Bapu Saheb through another devotee of Sai Baba named Shri Upasani. He danced and jumped with joy after getting the photo. He got the photograph framed and tied it in his neck. Devotees of Indore built a temple of Sai Baba. The idol of Sai Baba was duly installed by Bapu Saheb.In the year 1987, on 10th and 11th October, in a huge hall of Shreyas School, Baroda, Akhil Bhartiya Sai Sammilan was held. Late Shri Maganlal Jermanwala, author of Sai Sarovar Book was honoured. Indore’s Bapu Saheb was also present on the occasion. He had that divine photograph of Sai Baba which He had Himself given tied in his neck. Sai Baba then inspired Bapu Saheb to give the photograph to Sai Sarovar.
Source : Translated from Gujarati Book “Sai Sarovar“
© Shirdi Sai Baba Life Teachings and Stories
Thank you so much Hetalji for sharing the experience….After reading about the book Sai Sarovar i was thinking how Deva's photo would look like…Saibaba showed it through your blog…I checked it and have same black and White photo saved it on my PC…Im attaching the same…