SHIRDI SAI BABA IN KARNATAKA - PART 2

(Photo shows the outside view of the Temple)
Then the moment came for installing the idol of Baba. Rajesh did not know from where to get it. Baba once again guided him and told him to go to Shirdi for the idol. Next day, Rajesh went to Tumkur and was enquiring about how to go to Shirdi. Different people told him different methods. An old man, chewing mouthful of pan, called him and asked him if he wanted to go to Shirdi. When Rajesh confirmed, the old man asked him to go to Pune where a tonga would be waiting for him and would take him to Shirdi. When he reached Shirdi, Rajesh was stunned by seeing so many people. He was standing in front of Dwarakamai. He did not know where to go and how to buy. Once again the same fakir who came to his house was there. He warned Rajesh that people in Shirdi would cut his purse and rob him. He advised him to go to a particular shop and buy the first idol he saw. Rajesh bought the idol. It was very heavy. Without thinking any further about visiting the Samadhi Mandir or Dwarakamai, he returned back to his place.

So far, so good. Rajesh could not get anyone to install the idol and he did not know any mantras. Baba guided him not only for the installation, but He taught him how to do daily puja also. After some more days, Baba asked him to quit his job and dedicate himself to Baba. Rajesh argued that he had two young daughters who had to be brought up and groomed. Baba asked him to have faith in Him and not to worry. Rajesh duly resigned his job. He spent all his time in Baba’s service. After a few months, time came for paying the examination fees of his daughters. Rajesh needed Rs. 3, 000. He told Baba, “I have followed your instructions, see, what has happened now. I do not have any money to pay the fees.” Baba told him not to worry. He asked Rajesh to put his fingers in the slit of the cloth tied to the hundi vessel and take out three times whatever came without opening the cloth completely. Rajesh thought that this was another of Baba’s jokes. There had been no visitor for the past several days, and at most the vessel might contain a fiver or a tenner. However, he followed the instructions and placed his fingers inside the vessel and lifted out a one thousand rupee note. He repeated it two more times and removed, in all, three thousand rupees. Baba then asked him to go and pay the fees. Rajesh was diffident. He told Baba that it was His money and how he could use it. Baba asked him not to worry and pay the fees immediately. Since that moment, Rajesh’s duty has been to visit Baba’s devotees as per Baba’s directions and give them Baba’s instructions.