A Divine Photograph History

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“