Shirdi Saibaba Chronology

[SS91]

1910
Baba's 'Handi' ritual, occasionally cooking food Himself in a big copper pot and distributing it to devotees and poor people without discrimination. This practice continued till this year. After wards owing to Das Ganu's keertans (musical recitals praising Baba), Baba's fame spread far and wide and devotees started flocking together in large numbers offering large quantities of food as 'naivedya' and thus there was no need of 'Handi.

1910
Ramachandra Atmaram alias Babasaheb Tarkhad from Bandra (Bombay) first visited Shirdi.

1910
Rao Bahadur Moreshwar W. Pradhan of Santacruz (Bombay) first visited Shirdi.

1910
Govind Raghunath alias Annasaheb Dabholkar (Aged 51 years), the author of Shri Sai Satcharita (Marathi), had his first darshan of Sai Baba and received significant and prophetic title of 'Hemadpant. Baba gave him his blessings and inspired him to write SAI SATCHARITA - a religious scripture describing BABA's life story and his divine play (leela) as monumental as GURU CHARITRA- the old monumental POTHI - a poetic religious scripture inspiring worship to GURU, NARASINHA SARASWATI.

1910
Balkrishna Vishwanath alias Balasaheb Deo (Dahanu Mamlatdar) first visited Shirdi prompted by Nanasaheb Chandorkar. Deo used to describe him as Baba's child - with a full sense of surrender.

1910,
Bhadrapad Shuddha 5H. H. Gajanan Maharaj of Shegaon (Buldhana District of Maharashtra) left His mortal coil. (First appeared in 1878). At that very time at Shirdi, Sai Baba grieved profusely and said, "Hallo! My Gajanan is gone. I must take bath again in reverance to the Great Soul."

1910
Shrimant Gopalrao Mukund alias Bapu saheb Butty of Nagpur, (a rich statesman) started staying permanently at Shirdi.

1910
Harishchandra Pitale's son suffering from epilepsy, was cured by Baba's mere glance at him. Baba gave Pitale three rupees and reminded him of two rupees earlier received by him from Swami Samarth of Akkalkot and thus showed his oneness with all the other SAINTS (Vibhutis)

1910, Ashwin Vady13
Sai Baba pushed his arm into the brightly burning Dhuni to save a blacksmith's child. 'The arm was scorched and burnt. Nanasaheb came from Bombay with Dr. Parmananda but Baba did not allow the doctor to treat him.Bhagoji Shinde's service of massaging the arm with ghee and bandaging it continued till Baba's Samadhi. This episode is in testimony to BABA's cosmic existence- HIS super consciousness.

1910, Dec 5
Hon'ble Mr. Ganesh Shrikrishna alias Dadasaheb Khaparde of Amraoti (Maharashtra) first visited Shirdi. (Refused on 10 Dec. 1910) Mr.Babasaheb Khaprde was an ardent devotee of BABA and his efforts were instrumental in bringing Loka Manya Tilak- (a great national leader -Khapurde's contemparary) to Shirdi for Baba's darshan and blessings in his movement for India's freedom from the British Rule

1910, Dec10
Foundation-stone of Dixit Wada laid with Baba's permission

1910, Christmas
Lala Lakhamichand of Santacruz (Bombay) came to Shirdi. Baba loved him very much and affectionately accepted his petty gifts given with love.

1910
Megha returns to Shirdi and stays till his death. In Baba's company he underwent mysterious experiences which transformed Megha from an athiest to an ardent devotee of Baba and spent his life in the service of Sai -Shiva. He regarded Baba as Shiva-Shankar (Lord Shiva-Shankar -the welfare Doer).

1911
Madrasi Sanyasi Vijayanand, while on a pilgrimage to Manas Sarovar, haulted at Shirdi and breathed his last while reading 'Bhagawat' (a religious script written by Saint Eknath) for 3 days on Baba's advice.

1911, March
Tatyasaheb Nulkar (Aged 48), the Sub-judge of Pandharpur breathed, his last at Shirdi . Baba showed HIS oneness with Tatya Nulkar and described him as a pure soul and expressed HIS grief at Nulkars demise.
After Tatyasaheb Nulkar passed away, Megha took over the regular daily worship of Baba in the Dwarakamai. (He used to stand on one leg while performing the Arati). Tatyasaheb Nulkar relinquished everything and stayed at Shirdi in Baba's company till his demise Baba bestowed him with the unique experiences in self realization. Baba advised him and Mr Shyama Deshpande to perform Guru worship (Pooja).

1911
Ram-Navami Festival was started at Shirdi owing to the efforts of Shri Bhishma and Kaka Mahajani

1911, Ram-Navami
Construction of Dixit Wada was completed and was inhabited with due rites.

1911
Extension and roofing of the open space in front of the Dwarakamai was carried out by Kakasaheb Dixit. Baba got enraged and tried to shake and uproot a pole. Then removing Tatya Patil's pugree, struck a match, set the pugree on fire and threw it in a pit along with one rupee as if an auspicious offering to avert evil. Baba never liked renovation of his dwelling place viz. Dwarkamai (the masjid) and opposed any such effort by the devotees.

1911
Somdav Swami alias Haridwar Swami visited Shirdi.

1911, June 27
Kashinath Govind Upaswii (aged 41 years) first visited Shirdi and returned again on 6 July. Baba ordered him to stay for 4 years in the Khandoba Temple.

1911, Dec
Kashinath Upasani composed the famous 'Shri Sainath Mahimna Stotra (hymn) in Sanskrit. (Now being recited daily during Arati at Shirdi.)

1911, Dec
Bubonic plague raged at Shirdi (Lasted upto March 15 next year) Baba however saved lives of plague inflicted devotees by taking upon himself i.e. on his body the malody.

1911, Dec
Baba's grinding of wheat in the hand-mill. It was not wheat that was ground but plague or cholera itself was ground to pieces and cast out of village. Seeing this Annasaheb Dabholkar (Hemadpant) was inspired to write 'Shri Sai Satcharita.'

1911, Dec 5
Dadasaheb Khaparde of Amraoti arrived at Shirdi again with family and stayed for 3 months. Shri Krishna Bhishma the author of Arati book 'Sagunopasana' accompanied him. Dadasaheb Khaparde wrote diary (daily record of his stay at Shirdi in Baba's company).

1911, Dec 11
Waman Rao Patel (Aged 22 years) (Later Swami Sai Sharanananda) first arrived at Shirdi.

1911, Dec 13
Chandrabhan Shet Marwadi, uncle of Khushalchand of Rahata. expired.

1911, Dec 16
Dr. Capt. Hate first visited Shirdi (who had just appeared at LCPS examination.) Baba sent him a messege in the dream saying, 'have you forgotten me?'

1911, Dec 19
Sai Baba's great devotee and a great saint of Nath-panth order, Shri Rama Maruti visited Shirdi. (Stayed for 34 days.) '. Ram Maruti offered 'Naivedya' to Baba and Baba very affectionately took a part of it (SWEET SANJA).

1911-12
Sagun Meru Naik arrived at Shirdi at the age of 23 and on Baba's advice settled permanently running a small restaurant for the devotees visiting Shirdi.

1912, Jan
Dadasaheb Khaparde's youngest son Balwant was cured of bubonic plague by Baba by taking the disease on himself.

1912, Jan 3
Megha fed some Brahmins on completion of his Gayatri Punascharana (a religious ritual). Dadasaheb Khaparde attended it at Sathe Wada.

1912, Jan 19
Megha died at Shirdi at about 4 A.M. Baba lamented loudly and followed the funeral procession for some distance. Baba showered flowers on Megha's body.

1912, Jan 20
Bapusaheb Jog started performing Baba's Pooja and Arati after Megha's death.He continued this till Baba's Samadhi and even some years afterwards until he shifted to Sakuri and joined Upasani Maharaj there.

1912
Transformation of Dwarakamai (the masjid) started. Pits were patched up and the stone slabs fixed on the floor. Baba gave up sack-cloth seat and started using cushion scat and boister in deference to devotees' wishes

1912 Jan
Ganapatrao, father of Tatya Kote Patil passed away. Tatya Patil stopped sleeping in the Dwarakamai with Baba.

1912, Feb 25
Madhavrao Deshpande (Shama) left Shirdi to attend Kakasaheb Dixit's son's thread-ceremony at Nagpur and Nanasaheb Chandorkar's son's wedding at Gwalior. From there accompanied by Appa Kote, he went on a pilgrimage to Mathura, Prayag, Ayodhya, Kashi and Gaya. At Gaya Madhavrao saw Baba's picture at the priest's house and was reminded of Baba's words, "After visiting Kashi and Prayag I would be reaching the religious place ahead of Shama."

1912, Mar 15
Dadasaheb Khaparde returned to Amraoti. Mrs. Laxmibai Khaparde stayed behind.

1912, Ram-navami
Dada Maharaj Satarkar, known as 'Modern Tukaram', was invited to perform Ram-navami Kirtan.When he bowed down in obeisance, Baba said, "I know this man since last 4 years". Bala Buva had never met Sai Baba before but 4 years ago at Bombay, he had prostrated before Baba's picture. Thus Baba proved to His devotees that seeing His picture was equivalent to seeing Him in person.

1912, April
First visit of Balaram Dhurandhar along with his brothers. Before they arrived Baba had expressed, "Today many of my Durbar people are coming". Baba offered Balaram Chillim to smoke and since then his 6 year old asthma was cured for ever

1912, Shravan 15
Guru-sthan padukas were installed under the Neem Tree at Shirdi

1913.
First visit of Mahadev Rao Sapatnekar of Akkalkot accompanied by his younger brother Pandit Rao. When Mahadev Rao prostrated before Baba, Baba shouted 'Chal hat' (Get away) in the protest of absence of faith in Saptnekar's mind and his prejudice for Baba.

1913
Baba gave at Dwarakamai darshan of himself as Vitthal and Rakhumai of Pandharpur to the wife and mother of R. B. Purandare of Bandra.

1913, Ram-Navaimi
Bala Buva Satarkar performed Ram-Navami Kirtan at Shirdi and Baba gave him a gift of Rs.150/- for the Kirtan. These coins were collected in a dish (Thali) after Baba's prayer (Aarti). Baba poured the whole dish in Satarkars bag (zoli)

1913, May
Wamanrao Patel (Aged 24 - 25 Years.) (Swami Sai Sharanananda ji) visited Shirdi again and this time stayed for 11 months.

1913
Rao Bahadur Sathe got a son by Baba's Grace at the age of 57 years.

1914
Sapatnekar of Akkalkot arrived at Shirdi again with wife and returned being blessed for begetting a son.

1914, Feb 14
Mr.B.V. Deo (Memlatdar of Dahanu in Thane Distict) was charged and reprimanded by Baba for stealing His rag and after lot of abusing and scolding was favoured with instruction to read Dnyaneshawari regularly every day as per Deo's desire. This episode is an example of how Baba sometimes displayed his transcendental powers to read devotees mental inclinations even without formal oral communication.

1914, Feb 22
A Sadhak of Yoga (Swami Ram Baba) visited Shirdi and seeing Baba eating bread with onion got suspicious and disappointed. However Baba proved His power of omniscience by reading his mind and the Sadhak returned highly satisfied and blessed.

1914, April 2
Before the year was over, Baba appeared to Deo in a dream and inquired if he understood Dnyaneshwari properly. Deo said 'No' and added that without Baba's Grace it will not be understood. Then Baba explained to Deo how to read it slowly (and without making haste) with full concentration for knowing the subtle meaning between the lines (Bodha -Knowledge)

1914, Ram-Navami
Das Ganu was ordained by Baba to perform Ram-Navami Kirtan at Shirdi every year.

1914, Shravan
H. H. Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati (Aged 80 years) (Tembe Swami) left His mundane body at Garudeshwar on the banks of River Nannada in Gujarat.

1914. July 15
Kashinath Upasani left Shird! (total stay 3 years, 19 days) and proceeded towards Nagpur, Khadakpur etc.



OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.