Sai Niwas, the ancestral home of the Dabholkars, in Bandra draws hordes of Shirdi Sai Baba devotees every thursdays writes Rajesh Subramanian.
As you enter Bandra’s St Martin Road an ancient hallowed bungalow beckons you. It’s the ancestral abode of late Govind Raghunath Dabholkar alias ‘Hemadpant’, the author of the sacred book ‘Shri Sai Satcharita’. What sets this structure ( built in 1911 ) apart from the others and makes it special is the fact that it has been graced by Shirdi Sai Baba himself. “ One early morning in 1917 Hemadpant had a vision. Sai Baba appeared to him in his dream in the form of a well-dressed Sanyasi, woke him up and said he would come home for meals that day. It was Holi and during lunch time the leaves were spread and arranged with 'rangoli' marks around them and all the members of the family sat for lunch. As the anna-shuddhi (ghee) was served footsteps in the staircase were distinctly heard. When Hemadpant opened the door he saw two men Ali Mahomed and Moulana Ismu Mujavar. They apologized for disturbing them during lunch and handed over a packet wrapped in an old newspaper. After the two left Hemadpant uncovered the packet and saw, to his great wonder and surprise, a big nice picture of Sai Baba. Hemadpant couldn’t control his tears. The picture was placed on the central seat reserved for the special guest and offered the Naivedya. This way Baba visited Sai Niwas in 1917 “, reveals one of the volunteers. The main hall of the bungalow is where a splendid idol of Sai Baba (known as dnyan murthi ) is placed. Devotees who visit Sai Niwas are given a leaflet containing sai mantras along with a rosary. “ People chant the verses and meditate. On Thursdays bhajans are held during the aarti time and prasad distributed “, says Amol Sharma, a regular visitor. Sai Niwas has been synonymous with Sai Baba since the early nineties. Soon word spread and more and more devotees started flocking here to be the recipient of Baba’s blessings. “Visiting Sai Niwas is as good as going to Shirdi. This place is known as a wish-fulfilling shrine. Each time I come here I feel rejuvenated and a sense of exuberance engulfs me “, confides Santosh, a vile parle resident who has been coming to Sai Niwas since the last three years. While another ardent Sai Baba devotee Ashok opines, “ This place has tremendous positive vibrations and its because of the prayers and bhajans that devotees conduct regularly. Another noteworthy aspect is that the doors of this house are wide open for any devotee who can seek baba’s blessings. Devotees who have experienced miracles in their life tell others about this holy place and that’s how the place has become so special “. While Sai Niwas attracts hordes of people on thursdays and sundays on festivals like diwali and dusseera the bungalow is choc-o-bloc with devotees who come from all over mumbai. The dabholkar’s have been religiously and diligently conducting all the rituals and are continuing the family tradition of spreading the wonderful teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba.
As you enter Bandra’s St Martin Road an ancient hallowed bungalow beckons you. It’s the ancestral abode of late Govind Raghunath Dabholkar alias ‘Hemadpant’, the author of the sacred book ‘Shri Sai Satcharita’. What sets this structure ( built in 1911 ) apart from the others and makes it special is the fact that it has been graced by Shirdi Sai Baba himself. “ One early morning in 1917 Hemadpant had a vision. Sai Baba appeared to him in his dream in the form of a well-dressed Sanyasi, woke him up and said he would come home for meals that day. It was Holi and during lunch time the leaves were spread and arranged with 'rangoli' marks around them and all the members of the family sat for lunch. As the anna-shuddhi (ghee) was served footsteps in the staircase were distinctly heard. When Hemadpant opened the door he saw two men Ali Mahomed and Moulana Ismu Mujavar. They apologized for disturbing them during lunch and handed over a packet wrapped in an old newspaper. After the two left Hemadpant uncovered the packet and saw, to his great wonder and surprise, a big nice picture of Sai Baba. Hemadpant couldn’t control his tears. The picture was placed on the central seat reserved for the special guest and offered the Naivedya. This way Baba visited Sai Niwas in 1917 “, reveals one of the volunteers. The main hall of the bungalow is where a splendid idol of Sai Baba (known as dnyan murthi ) is placed. Devotees who visit Sai Niwas are given a leaflet containing sai mantras along with a rosary. “ People chant the verses and meditate. On Thursdays bhajans are held during the aarti time and prasad distributed “, says Amol Sharma, a regular visitor. Sai Niwas has been synonymous with Sai Baba since the early nineties. Soon word spread and more and more devotees started flocking here to be the recipient of Baba’s blessings. “Visiting Sai Niwas is as good as going to Shirdi. This place is known as a wish-fulfilling shrine. Each time I come here I feel rejuvenated and a sense of exuberance engulfs me “, confides Santosh, a vile parle resident who has been coming to Sai Niwas since the last three years. While another ardent Sai Baba devotee Ashok opines, “ This place has tremendous positive vibrations and its because of the prayers and bhajans that devotees conduct regularly. Another noteworthy aspect is that the doors of this house are wide open for any devotee who can seek baba’s blessings. Devotees who have experienced miracles in their life tell others about this holy place and that’s how the place has become so special “. While Sai Niwas attracts hordes of people on thursdays and sundays on festivals like diwali and dusseera the bungalow is choc-o-bloc with devotees who come from all over mumbai. The dabholkar’s have been religiously and diligently conducting all the rituals and are continuing the family tradition of spreading the wonderful teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba.
