Nagesh Atmaram Sawant

I learnt of Sai Baba in December 1922 by reading Sai Lela Masik at Sawantwadi. His Lilas drew my attention. In 1923 December a lizard fell on my head and that has a very inauspicious significance. My wife was then pregnant at pendur (Malwan Taluka). In January, 1924, I went to Nasik for training at the Police school. My studies did not attract me. I was often thinking of Baba and hoped he would save me and I often prayed to him. I got a picture of Baba from a friend. P Dev for worship. I had failed in my departmental examination at Nasik. People who fail are not given a chance of becoming S.I. I continued as acting S.I. for about five years. I was unwilling to go to Nasik again as it was financially ruinous and I was fully confident that Baba would make me permanent S.I. without my passing the Examination. From 1924, I began my regular annual visits to Shirdi for each Punya tithi (i.e., Dusserah). In 1926, during Mohurrum ordinary leave would not be granted, but I was anxious to go to Shirdi for the Dusserah. Baba appeared in my dream then and I saw him sign some paper in that dream I construed it to mean that I was to sign and send an application for leave. I did so and got leave without any hitch.

In 1929, February, there were Hindu Muslim riots at Bombay. I was on duty at Parel. Suddenly I had headache and fever. An European Police Officer (who was not of my division) came there to see the situation and he said to me “You do not look well”. Then he went to my Superintendent, who was on the road and got oral leave for me to go. He took charge of my place. That was about 3-30 p.m. I went home. In an hour, I learnt that there was a riot in that very place which I had left and that the European Officer was killed during that riot. That sickness continued. I went to the Police Hospital and it was found to be typhoid. After 17 days, I dreamt one night that a big strong man with a black dress on his body and a black cloth on his head caught hold of me and was dragging me. I shouted out “Baba Baba”. Immediately a white individual in white dress appeared and struggled with the black man and I escaped from the clutches of the black man. I shouted “Baba and Datta Maharaj”. Then suddenly, Baba appeared before me out of the frame of the picture that I worship and disappeared. The black man and the other man had already disappeared. I had at that time the smell of soja, Udbath (i.e., Agarbatti). Since then my fever left me. In July, 1929 as a special case, I was exempted from the Examination and given a permanent appointment, as S.I. When I was lying ill in Hospital, my mother had a dream in our village, wherein some one appeared and told her “Do not fear, I will bring your boy safe home, getting him leave.” In a week’s time, I got 3 months leave and went home.

Abba Savant, a friend of mine, aged 44 is a Constable at Bombay living near my quarters. He reported to me that a fresh sadi he had given to his wife one night was placed on a table. She had disbelief in Baba and told him (Abba) that night “You say this is Baba’s gift. But you earned the money by your toil”. Later on in the night or in the morning she again looked at the New sadi. It had every appearance of being burnt in the middle as though a hot coal had been placed in the middle of it on the top fold. All the folds had been burnt through, in the middle and the cloth was of no use. She said “Let us see if a new cloth would be given by Baba tomorrow”. Abba suddenly got some money next day and bought her a sadi.