The main stories of chapter six are about the celebration of the Urus and the Ram Navami festivals, and the renovation of the Masjid. At the time of the construction of the Sabha Mandap, Baba flew into a rage, held a pillar with one hand and Tatya’s neck with the other. Then, shaking the pillar vigorously, He uprooted it. Baba took off Tatya's Pheta, lit it, and threw it into the pit. Then, he took a rupee coin from his pocket and threw that too into the pit. A short while later, Baba became calm, and later, presented Tatya with a beautifully embroidered Pheta.
I shall now talk about the Urus and Ram Navami festivals. Urus literally means the wedding with God, or uniting of the soul with God at the time of death. It is an annual celebration, and was started on the 16th of March, 1897, by Gopalrao Gund, who was the circle inspector of Kopergaon at that time. Gopalrao had three wives but no children. With Baba's blessings, a son was born to him. Out of gratitude, he wanted to venerate Baba as an Auliya. Baba's permission was sought, and Baba gave his consent. However, the Kulkarni of the village opposed it as he was concerned that, with a shortage of water and the arrival of thousands of devotees into Shirdi for the celebrations, there would be an outbreak of cholera. One of the two wells had brackish water, so Baba threw some flowers into it and the water turned sweet. The other well had insufficient water, so Tatya Patil had to arrange to get water from a well situated far away by fixing moats to it. Thus, the water problem was solved, the official consent was obtained, and the festival was celebrated with great pomp.
The Sandal procession was started by Amir Shakkar of Korhale on Friday, the 7th of April, 1911, and as it was Ram Navami that day, this festival was also celebrated on the same day. I often wondered how the Urus were celebrated in Shirdi when Baba was still alive. I asked Pawar Kaka, author of the Bhavartha Sai Satcharita, about this, and he told me that Urus were celebrated for those Auliyas, or Pirs, who had attained the zenith of their spiritual powers. They were still living and were being honoured and venerated by celebrating the Urus for them. These Pirs are known as Jindavalis, and have magnificent spiritual powers. Baba was Supreme, and much more than any Jindavali. Now, Ghanibai, a descendant of Abdul Baba, is celebrating the Urus. These celebrations are then followed by the Sandal procession.
The Sandal procession takes place between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., when the descendants of Abdul Baba perform this beautiful ceremony. A platter with sandalwood scrapings, along with incense, is taken in procession around the village to the accompaniment of music. The platter, the incense, and the gifts to be offered are carried under a canopy. The canopy consists of a Galif, or Chadar, which is attached to four wooden poles. The Galif is green in colour with golden Kalams written, or inscribed, on it. On top of every post is a Panja, a silver replica of a hand. The Sandal procession to venerate the Auliyas, the Muslim saints, is described in chapter 6 of the Sai Satcharita. At the Samadhi Mandir, gifts like Chadar, fruits and sweets are offered. The procession then goes to Abdul Baba's Dargah, and again, the gifts are offered there. The procession ends in the Dwarka Mai, where sandalwood mixed with rose water and Ittar are pasted on the Nimbar with bare hands.
Now, here are some little known facts about Baba and the festival of Ram Navami. It was on Friday, the 7th of April, 1911, that the festival of Ram Navami was celebrated. It was Krishnarao Jogeshwar Bheeshma who proposed the idea of celebrating the Ram Navami festival as it fell on the same day as the Urus. Baba's permission was obtained, and it is being celebrated to this day in Shirdi. On that auspicious day, two ornamental flags were taken in procession. A beautiful flag was brought by Damu Anna Rasne and the other by Nanasaheb Nimonkar. With a great deal of merriment, the flags were taken in procession around the village, and hoisted in two corners of the Dwarka Mai. A cradle was placed in the Dwarka Mai to celebrate the birth of Lord Shri Ram, and there were Kirtans and Bhajans throughout the day. The next day, Gopal Kala was performed and the festivities ended.
Baba celebrated Ram Navami right from the early days of His stay in the Dwarka Mai. On this auspicious day, He washed the entire Dwarka Mai Himself. At about 12 noon, He bought a little oil and a few lamps. From the rest of the money, He bought some Gulal, and put some on Dhuni Mai and then on His own head. Then, He put some on each step leading to the Dwarka Mai, and each and every corner, and finally applied some to the entrance. Later, when the devotees started flocking to Shirdi, they had Katha and Kirtan in the Sabha Mandap, followed by the birth of Lord Shri Ram, after which, Baba distributed Pedas and Barfis.
(Reference: Shiladhi, by Dr. Keshav B. Gavan...
