Friday, November 16, 2007

Shirdi SaiBaba's tooth and Chilum in Shivaji Nagar temple pune







Wanted to put this clip on this blog since long, but wanted to know more about the tooth. This Diwali during the Shirdi visit i happened to buy few more books on Shirdi Sai Baba. One book named Baba's Rinanubandh, compiled by Vinny Chitluri, published by Sterling Paperbacks has the following information. The information is not exactly copied though.


A female named Kashi Bai from Shirdi was married and thus left Shirdi. After few years of comfortable stay at her in laws, she was widowed. When her husband passed away she was pregnant, a son was born to her, who was named Madhav. When Madhav was five years of age, she returned to her parent's home in Shirdi with him. She use to do house hold chores and take care of the child.

Since her parent's economic condition was not well, the living was quite difficult and thus she decided to word in near by field and earn some money for sustainment. At that time Madhav was 2 years old and she use to leave Madhav in Masjidmai in the morning, and went for work. At dusk after returning from the dusk she use to pick her son back to home. Thus little Madhav would spent the day in the holy Dwarkamai, being in company of Sai Baba.

When Madhav was 4 years old, he started doing some minor chores for Sai Baba, thus at the tender age one more spiritual benefit he got that of seva. Sai Baba used to give Madhav one Rupee daily. Kashi Bai at the same time was trying hard to make both ends meet.

Sai Baba used to donate lots of money daily. Knowing this and her poor conditions, Kashi Bai once while picking up Madhav back to home, asked Sai Baba that while he gave much money each day, to so many, it was unjust that Mahdav received just one rupee, even though he attended Sai Baba's daily chores. Sai Baba calmly replied that the money he gave to other people would stop any time, but he will never stop giving money to Madhav. He said in Marathi " Me Tumche Sarkya anathi mahile cha matti aahe " Meaning I am Saviour of destitute women like you.

Kashi Bai did not understood what Saibaba was saying and she yelled out, " Oh my husband and matti died five years ago." Sai Baba flew in rage hearing this. Kashi Bai looking at ferocious look of Sai Baba, stealthily took Madhav home. So scared was she that for three days she did not dare to visit Masjid. SaiBaba however kept asking about her and Madhav. After three days he called for them. The mother and the child stood timidly before Saibaba. However, Sai Baba, gently and lovingly called them close.

He, gently pulled out one of his loose tooth, took some holy udi and tied them in a rag . Giving it to Kashibai, SaiBaba said, " Keep this with you, Allah bhala karega ( God will take care of you ). She made a talisman of Udi and Sai's tooth and tied it on Madhav's right hand.

After she passed away, Mahdav decided to move to Niphad with his family.

How this tooth was enshrined in Shivaji Nagar Temple of Shirdi Sai Baba.

Damodar Rasne, (Dammu Anna Shri Sai Satcharitra chapter 25), who lived in Ahmednagar district, moved to Pune city. He bought a Chawl ( multi-storeyed building) in Shivaji Nagar. His son Nana Sahib bought two rooms in chawl and converted into shrine in 1945. Soon devotees started to folk, and the rooms would filled to suffocation. Nana Sahib realized to convert the rooms into a temple, to accommodate huge numbers of Devotee. He sought help of another devotee named Nicam, who was working in police department in place called Khed. He resigned from the police department and moved to Pune.

A small temple was built in front of Rasne chawl and Sai Baba's photograph was worshiped with due formalities. Nicam put much energy in building of Mandir (Temple), and maintaining the same. One night he had a vivid dream in which Sai Baba asked him to go to Niphad and get his tooth from Madhav. Nicam felt the job easy as he knew Madhav. At the same time Sai Baba appeared in dream of Madhav and told him to give his tooth to the person coming to him the next day. Madav was surprised by the dream of Nicam and handed him the talisman, happily.

In 1950, Shri B. V. Narshimha Swamiji did the sthapna of the photograph and Sai Baba's tooth and Chilum. They are housed in Silver Padukas as one can see in the videos.