Hemadpant

Govind R. Dabholkar – Annasaheb - The Author of the original Sree Sai Satcharita in Marathi

We have seen that Sai Satcharita was composed by Annasaheb Dabholkar, but the work itself says at the end of each chapter that it was composed by Hemadpant at the inspiration of Sai Baba. Now the readers will ask, who is this Hemadpant? For their information we say that Hemadpant is a name or significant title bestowed on Mr. Dabholkar by Sai Baba Himself at the first meeting. How and when it was bestowed and how significant and prophetic it turned out to be, the Author himself has told us in the 2nd Chapter of the Satcharita. For the present we give below a short sketch of his life.

The author Mr. Dabholkar was born in 1859 in a poor Adya Gowd Brahmin family in a small town by name Kelave-Mahim in Thana district. His father and grand-father were religious and devout persons. As the family was poor, his primary education was done in his native-place and then his English education up to the 5th standard was finished at Poona. On account of his adverse circumstances he could not continue his education any further. He could only manage to pass the Public Service Examination of the time. Then he had to accept the post of a school-master in his native place. His good nature, intelligence and work were noted by Mr. Sabaji Chintaman Chitnis who was then Mamlatdar in the Colaba district. He appointed him first as a Talati (village-officer), thence as an English clerk and afterwards Aval (head) clerk in the Mamlatdar’s Court. Sometime afterwards he was appointed as a Forest Settlement Officer and again as a Special Officer on Famine Relief Works at Broach (Gujrat). The duties of the post were most satisfactorily discharged by him. In 1901 he was appointed as a Mamlatdar of Shahapur (Thana district) and in 1903 as a Resident Magistrate 1st class, at Bandra where he served till 1907. Thence he was transferred to Murbad, Anand, Borsad (Kheda district) and was again posted in 1910 at Bandra as a Resident Magistrate. It was in this year that he had the good fortune to go to Shirdi and get the darshan of Sai Baba. He retired from service in 1916. After this, he again got a temporary Govt. job but that was of very short duration. After his retirement he served Sai Baba heart and soul till Baba’s samadhi and afterwards managed very skillfully and efficiently Sai Baba’s Shirdi Sansthan till his death, which occured in 1929. He left behind him his wife, one son and 5 daughters, most of whom were married to suitable and worthy husbands.

Source: First edition of N.V. Gunaji’s book in English adapted from the original in Marathi.