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ANNA CHINCHNIKAR |
ANNA CHINCHNIKAR [Alias DAMODAR GHANSHYAM BABARE]
(He won a civil suit & got money. He used the money for the renovation of Chavadi in memory of Anna Chinchnikar & his wife, Lakshmibai).
Damodar Ghanshyam Babare came from the village Chinchani in Thana district. Hence, every body started calling him as Anna Chinchanikar. He and his wife, Laxmi Bai came and were living in Shirdi in the service of Baba and were devoted to Baba. For many years they did selfless service not expecting or asking any favours from Baba. Anna Chinchanikar was a simple and rough but straightforward person. He cared for nobody, always spoke plainly and carried all dealings in cash. Though he looked outwardly harsh and uncompromising, he was a good natured, frank and fair person. So Baba loved him.
A civil suit regarding his lands was then in progress at Dhanu. Anna Chinchanikar was anxious about the civil suit and asked, time and again, Baba about the outcome. Baba always used to say "Allah Bhala Karega". A famous lawyer, Achyut Narayan Khare, was handling the civil suit. Once someone wrote to Anna saying that he had lost the case. Anna ran to Kaka Dixit and informed him and then both of them went to Baba in the masjid. As they were entering the masjid, Baba shouted "This old man has no faith in Me, throw away that letter". Later the lawyer informed Anna that he had won the case and a sum of Rs.1,800/- along with the court costs was awarded to him. Then Anna and Kaka went to Baba with the letter Baba immediately said "Have you got faith in Me now?" Anna placed the letter at Baba's feet and said "Baba this is all yours, I do not want it". But, Baba refused to accept the money saying that he was a fakir. Still Anna begged Baba to accept it. While the conversation was going on for some time,. Kaka intervened and suggested that the sum could be used for renovating the Chavadi and that it should be named after Anna and his wife Lakshmi Bai. Renovation was taken up and completed. The sitting platform along the outside of the front wall were added later.
One day Shama asked Baba that why Baba had not blessed this couple with a son, while other devotees were blessed and their wishes were fulfilled. Baba smiled and said "Has it happened so, that whenever anybody has asked me for any thing, I have not given to him "?. Baba being Antaryami saw that the son, would only continue the name of Anna for one generation, while Baba wanted Anna's name to last for a very very long time. .
One day in the afternoon, Anna, while standing, was shampooing the left arm of Baba which was resting on the railing. On Baba’s right side, one aged widow named Venubai Koujalgi alias Laxmibai Koujalgi whom Baba used to call mother, was serving Baba by kneading Baba’s abdomen. Venubai Koujalgi was called by others as Mavsibai who was an elderly woman of pure heart but humorous now and then and was staying with her relative, Radhakrishnamai. She clasped the fingers of both her hands round the trunk of Baba and was pressing Baba's abdomen from one side to another.. She was doing this with so much force that Baba’s back and abdomen became flat and Baba stomach was moving from one side to another. Anna on the other side was standing steady but in the process Mavsibai's face was moving up and down with her movements. At one point of time, it so happened that her face came very close to Anna's face. Perhaps in the lighter vein, she said – “Oh, this Anna is a lewd [bad] fellow, he wants to kiss me. Even being so old with grey hair he feels no shame in kissing me”. These words enraged Anna and he pulled up his sleeves and said “you say that I am an old bad fellow, am I quite a fool? It is you that have picked up a quarrel and are quarreling with me”. All the persons, present in the masjid were enjoying these humorous quarrel between them. But Baba, who loved both of them equally and wanted to pacify them. Baba then said very skillfully and lovingly, “Oh Anna, why are you unnecessarily raising this hue and cry? I do not understand what harm or impropriety is there, when the mother is kissed?" Hearing these words of Baba, both of them became calm and satisfied but all the persons present laughed happily and enjoyed Baba's witty repartee.
Inside Chavadi: There is a large portrait of Baba kept inside the chavadi.
Large Portrait of Baba:
 The above large portrait of Baba kept inside Chavadi was painted by Ambaram residing in Nausari in Gujarat after Baba had given him darshan in a dream in 1953. At that time, Ambaram was only eighteen years old. Ambaram painted this portrait based on his dream vision of Baba. The Nausari villagers were very happy at Baba’s painting done by Ambaram. The residents of Nausari village collected donations and got the portrait framed and brought it to Shirdi and handed it over to the Sansthan. This portrait was first proposed to be kept in the Samadhi Mandir. But as the marble statue of Baba was being sculpted by blessed B.V. Talim at that time, this portrait was placed in the Chavadi.in the place where Baba used to sit during Sej (night) arati and Kakad (early morning) Arati in Chavadi. The marble statue sculpted by blessed Talim was installed in the Samadhi Mandir in 1954 at the hands of Swami Sai Sharananandaji (Wamanrao Patel) on the Vijayadasimi day.  | ||||||||
On entering the south facing chavadi, one can see the above plaque on which was inscribed “ Shri Sai Nath Babanchi Lakshmi Bai Damodar Babre, Chinchanikar Chavadi Saka 1859”. Baba being Antaryami saw that the son would only continue the name of Anna for one generation. While Baba wanted Anna’s name to last for a very very long time. Thus whoever visits Shirdi and Chavadi, seeing the plaque, remembers Anna Chinchnikar and his wife, Lakshmi Bai and this will continue for ever, as per the desire of Baba.
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Om Sai Ram...