Badave

About 30 years ago, my father in-law Mr.Vabale then Vakil of Ahmednagar, was a great devotee of Sai Baba. I was a Badave or Poojari of Mohiniraj at Nevasa. I had one son. But several children were born to me before and after that had died young. My wife, child and I went at the instance of my father-in-law (who was a friend of Nana Saheb Chandorkar) to Shirdi. My wife said nothing and none of us said anything about our grievances or prayer. My wife mentally prayed for Sai Baba’s blessings that children to be born later should not be short-lived but be healthy and long-lived. Baba placed his palm on her head and said, ‘Have no anxieties’. Thereafter, I had only one daughter and three sons born to me and they are alive except one son who died at the age of 17. At that visit, Baba asked me for Dakshina. When I paid something’ he wanted more. This he repeated several times till my funds were practically exhausted. I wanted to give him one rupee more but somehow failed to give it. We returned and I told my wife about it. Some years later, I fell on bad days, my finances were very low and I was knocking from pillar to post getting little or nothing. Then my wife reminded me that I wished to pay Rs.1 to Sai Baba and had omitted to do so. At once, I sent Sai Baba Rs.1 by M.O. Since then the tide has turned. I have had good days and no financial difficulties. This was about 20 years ago. Baba was alive then. I came to Poona in 1914 and I am doing business as estate broker etc. My sons are doing good business here.