Happy Shri Ram Navami -March 27-2007

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Shri Ram Navami

The birth anniversary of Lord Rama is celebrated in the month of Chaitra, which usually falls in March or April according to the Hindu calendar is known as Ramnavami. Ramnavami is dedicated to the memory of Lord Rama. It occurs on the ninth day (navami). The festival commemorates the birth of Rama who is remembered for his prosperous and righteous reign. Ramrajya (the reign of Rama) has become synonymous with a period of peace and prosperity. It is celebrated with great devotion across the nation and every region has its own regional significance behind the celebration. The public worship starts with morning ablutions, chanting Vedic mantras dedicated to Vishnu, and offering flowers and fruit to the god. People keep a fast throughout the day, breaking it only at midnight with fruit.

In some parts of India, especially Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, public gatherings called satsangs are organised to commemorate the birth of Rama. The pilgrims flock the temples of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, where Rama was born and Pondicherry to participate in Ramnavami festivities. Excerpts from the Ramacharitamanas are recited on the occasion. Rama Leela (the play depicting the major life events of Rama) are organized in different parts of the country. The highlights of the festival are these Ram Leela and colorful processions with brilliant floats of Rama, His consort Sita, brother Lakshmana and the great devotee and monkey-general Hanuman, which are taken out in the streets of different states. People visit sacred places associated with Lord Ram during this holy time.

Ramnavami  in Shirdi

Ramanavi is one of the most important festivals celebrated with great excitement and fanfare. In the year 1897 Goplarao Gund proposed holding in Urus in name of Saibaba in gratitude of a child which he was granted after so many childless years. Saibaba conceded to celebrate his urus on the condition that it be celebrated on Ramnavami. This was indeed an ingenious touch of Saibaba bringing together the Hindus and Muslims together. People may know Urus is a Muslim festival that is celebrated to honor a saint.

You can come to participate in Ramanavami at Shirdi, celebrated every year in March or April. This shows the kind of communal harmony that weaves people of different faiths at Shirdi. Ramnavami has equal and enthusiastic participation of both Hindus and Muslims. In Shirdi, two locally historic rituals are carried out during this festival. The sack of wheat that is kept in Dwarkamai is changed and the old one taken to prasadalaya to be used there, and secondly, the dwarkamai flags are replaced. This year that is in 2007, Shirdi is celebrating the Ramnavami from 26th to 28th of March.

Shri Sai Satcharitra - Chapter 6 - II     

The story of Rama Navami festival in Shirdi. As Rama-Navami is the greatest festival celebrated at Shirdi, another fuller account, as published in Sai Leela Magazine of 1925, page 197, is also referred to and a summary of the festival, as related in both these accounts is attempted here.

Sai Ram. Now let us take up the Rama-Navami festival and its significance. Rama is not only the hero of the Epic Ramayana; Rama is the embodiment of Dharma and Truth. And ultimately, Rama represents the Atma Rama, Para Brahman that we have been talking about in the beginning of this chapter. Just like Rama is not just the human body (He is Vishnu, Who, is not really different from Brahma and Siva). Ravana, His main foe is none other than His great devotee Dwara Palaka (Security guard) Jaya. And the whole drama was to facilitate the eternal truth of the triumph of Truth over Untruth, of Dharma over Adharma. Sita is Maya. All the other gods took the form of monkeys. Adi Sesha (the Primordial Serpent, who probably symbolizes Kundalini) took birth as Lakshmana. Thus the curtain is raised on one of the most beautiful epic dramas ever written. We will discuss more of it later.
Baba was above all religions and rituals, but encouraged the devotees to celebrate all festivals and social/religious rituals. He followed Krishna's dictum (I have no karma to perform, but I do it to set an example to others, He said to Arjuna). Baba too was a great Saint/devotee/God/Guru (He is as we want to see Him). He was always immersed in contemplation of the Brahman and was enjoying an uninterrupted blissful relationship with the One, who became many, including Rama, Krishna, Kabir, Sai etc. But Baba lived among people and He behaved like one among them, and so celebrated or allowed His Chelas to celebrate various festivals. Thus the 'Sandal' procession and "Rama-Navami' celebrations began. The idea behind those celebrations was to teach communal harmony, as shown by a study of this Chapter and born out by the statement therein given below. Sai Ram.

Origin

One, Mr. Gopalrao Gund, was a Circle Inspector at Kopergaon. He was a great devotee of Baba. He had three wives, but had no issue. With Sai Baba's blessings, a son was born to him. In the joy that he felt regarding the event, an idea of celebrating a fair or 'Urus' occurred to him in the year 1897, and he placed it for consideration before other Shirdi devotees, viz. Tatya Patil, Dada Kote Patil and Madhavrao Deshpande (Shama). They all approved of the idea, and got Sai Baba's permission and blessings. Then an application for getting the Collector's sanction for celebrating the Urus was made. But as the village Kulkarni reported against holding the fair, the sanction was refused. But as Sai Baba had blessed it, they tried again, and ultimately succeeded in getting the Collector's sanction. The day for the Urus was fixed on the Rama-Navami day, after having consulted with Sai Baba. It seems, He had some end in view, in this, viz., the Unification of the two fairs of festivals, the Urus and the Rama-Navami and the unification of the two communities - the Hindus and the Mohammedans. As future events showed, this end or object was achieved.

Though the permission was obtained, but other difficulties cropped up. Shirdi was a village, and there was scarcity of water. There were two wells in the village, the one in use, dried up soon, and the water from the second was brackish. This brackish water was turned into sweet by Sai Baba, by throwing flowers into it.

Sai Ram. Readers who are familiar with Sri Guru Charitra and Sri Akkalkot Swamy's Charitra will see some similarities in the above miracle. Sri Akkalkot Swamy, also called as Swamy Samarth, showed this 'water' miracle several times. If He wills it so, I will share those stories too at the appropriate time. Sai Ram.

The water of this well was insufficient, so Tatya Patil had to arrange to get water, from a well by fixing Moats (leather sacks) thereon, at a considerable distance. Then some temporary shops had to be constructed, and wrestling bouts arranged. Gopalrao Gund had a friend, by name Damu Anna Kasar, of Ahmednagar. He also was similarly unhappy in the matter of progeny, though he married two wives. He was also blessed by Baba with sons, and Mr. Gund prevailed upon his friend to prepare and supply one simple flag for the procession of the fair; he also succeeded in inducing Mr. Nanasaheb Nimonkar to supply another embroidered flag. Both these flags were taken in procession through the village, and finally fixed at the two ends or corners of the Masjid, which is called by Sai Baba as Dwarkamai. This is being done even now.

The 'Sandal' Procession

There was another procession that was started in this fair. This idea of 'Sandal' procession originated with one Mr. Amir Shakkar Dalal, a Mahomedan Bhakta from Korhla. This procession is held in honour of great Muslim Saints. Sandal i.e. Chandan paste and scrappings are put in the THALI (flat dishes), and these are carried with incense burning before them in procession to the accompaniment of band and music through the village and then after returning to the Masjid, the contents of the dishes are thrown on the 'Nimbar' (nitche) and walls of the Masjid with hands. This work was managed by Mr. Amir Shakkar for the first three years, and then afterwards by his wife. So on one day, the two processions, the 'Flags' by the Hindus and that of 'Sandal' by the Muslims, went on side by side, and are still going on without any hitch.

Arrangement

This day was very dear and sacred to the devotees of Sai Baba. Most of them turned out on the occasion, and took a leading part in the management of the fair. Tatya Kote Patil looked to all outward affairs, while the internal management was entirely left to one Radha Krishna Mai, a female devotee of Baba. Her residence was full of guests on the occasion, and she had to look to their needs, and also to arrange for all the paraphernalia of the fair. Another work, which she willingly did, was to wash out and clean and white-wash the entire Masjid, its walls and floor, which were blackened and were full of soot on account of the ever-burning Dhuni (sacred fire) of Sai Baba. This work, she did during the night, when Sai Baba went to sleep every alternate day in the Chavadi. She had to take out all the things, including even the Dhuni, and after thorough cleaning and whitewashing replace them, as they were before. Feeding the poor, which was so dear to Sai Baba, was also a great item in this fair. For this purpose, cooking, on a grand scale and preparing various sweet dishes, was done in Radha-Krishna Mai's lodging, and, various rich and wealthy devotees took a leading part in this affair.

Transformation of Urus into Rama-Navami Festival

Things were going on in this way and the fair was gradually increasing in importance till 1912 A.D., when a change took place; That year one devotee, Mr. Krishnarao Jageshwar Bhisma (the author of the pamphlet 'Sai Sagunopasana'), came for the fair with Dadasaheb Khaparde of Amraoti, and was staying on the previous day in the Dixit Wada. While he was lying on the verandah, and while Mr. Laxmanrao alias Kaka Mahajani, was going down with Puja materials to the Masjid, a new thought arose in his mind and he accosted the latter thus - There is some providential arrangement in the fact that the Urus or fair is celebrated in Shirdi on the Rama-Navami day; this day is very dear to all the Hindus; then why not begin the Rama-Navami Festival - the celebration of the birth of Shri Rama here on this day? Kaka Mahajani liked the idea, and it was arranged to get Baba's permission in this matter. The main difficulty was how to secure a Haridas, who would perform 'Kirtan' and sing the glories of the Lord on the occasion. But Bhishma solved the difficulty, by saying that his 'Rama Akhyan' (composition on Rama's birth) was ready, and he would do the 'Kirtan' himself, while Kaka Mahajani should play on the harmonium. It was also arranged to get the 'Sunthavada' (ginger-powder mixed with sugar) as Prasad prepared by Radha-Krishna Mai. So they immediately went to the Masjid to get Baba's permission. Baba, who knew all things and what was passing there, asked Mahajani, as to what was going on in the Wada. Being rather perturbed, Mahajani could not catch the purport of the question and remained silent. Then Baba asked Bhishma, what he had to say. He explained the idea of celebrating Rama-Navami festival, and asked for Baba's permission and Baba gladly gave it. All rejoiced and made preparations for the Jayanti-festival. Next day, the Masjid was decorated with buntings etc., a cradle was supplied by Radha-Krishna Mai, and placed in front of Baba's seat and the proceedings started. Bhishma stood up for Kirtan and Mahajani played on the harmonium. Sai Baba sent a man to call Mahajani. He was hesitating to go, doubting whether Baba would allow the festival to go on; but when he went to Baba, the latter asked him as to what was going on and why the cradle was placed there. He answered that the Rama-Navami festival had commenced, and the cradle was put on for that purpose. Then Baba took a garland from the 'Nimbar' (nitche), and placed it round his neck and sent another garland for Bhishma. Then commenced the Kirtan. When it came to a close, pound sounds of "Victory to Rama" went up; and Gulal (red - powder) was thrown up all round, amidst band and music. Everybody was overjoyed, when suddenly roaring was heard. The red-powder thrown promiscuously all round, went up, somehow entered Baba's eyes. Baba got wild and began to scold and abuse loudly. People got frightened by this scene and took to their heels. Those intimate devotees, who knew Baba well, took these scoldings and outpourings of Baba, as blessings in disguise. They thought that when Rama was born, it was proper for Baba to get wild and enraged to kill Ravana; and his demons, in the form of egoism and wicked thoughts etc. Besides they knew, that whenever a new thing was undertaken at Shirdi, it was usual with Baba to get wild and angry, and so they kept quiet. Radha-Krishna Mai was rather afraid; and thought that Baba might break her cradle, and she asked Mahajani to get the cradle back. When he went to loosen and unfasten the cradle, Baba went to him, and asked him not to remove it. Then after some time, Baba became calm, and that day's programme, including Mahapuja and Arati was finished. Later on, Mr. Mahajani asked Baba, for permission to remove the cradle, Baba refused the same saying, that the festival was not yet finished. Next day, another 'Kirtan' and Gopal-Kala ceremony (an earthen pot containing parched rice mixed with curds is hung, only to be broken after the 'Kirtan', and the contents distributed to all, as was done by Lord Krishna amongst His cow-herd friends, were performed, and then Baba allowed the cradle to be removed. While the Rama-Navami festival was thus going on, the procession, of the two flags by day and that of the 'Sandal' by night, went off with the usual pomp and show.

From this time onwards, the 'Urus of Baba' was transformed into the Rama-Navami festival.

My dear devotees and friends

Wish you all a Happy

SHRI RAM NAVAMI

AND

SAI SHOULD BLESS AND GRACE US ALL IN EVERYWAY.

Jaisairam.