The houses of the Five blessed ones from whom
Baba took bhiksha
Bayajabai, who
served Baba Bhiksha
throughout his life in
Shirdi
served Baba Bhiksha
throughout his life in
Shirdi
Bayajabai house. It is said that baba used to stand on the
stone
seen in front of the door
seen in front of the door
The next houses Baba went to on his
rounds were also very close to each other those of Bayajabai (Tatya's mother),
and Bayaji Appa Kote Patil (in whose arms Baba passed away). They are just
beyond Narasinh Lodge opposite Ithiraj Hotel (its sign is in Hindi only),
around the corner from what is currently Saikkon Colour Laboratory. It was in
this area that the photo of Baba on his begging rounds was taken. Bayajabai's
family later moved to a bigger house a few metres away behind Mahalaxmi Temple.
This has been converted into a hotel and is now known as Bayajabai Guesthouse.
Finally, Baba used to go to the
house of the local money-lender, Nandaram Marwari. This is in the lane between
Dwarkamai and Gurusthan behind what is now the Madras Hotel. Like the other families
to whom Baba went for bhiksha, this one was devoted to Baba and, also like the
others, received many blessings from him. Baba sometimes went to all or any of
these houses more than a dozen times a day (later the number of daily visits
became fewer). In the case of Nandaram's wife, Baba would sometimes shout and
heap abuse on her if she was slow in preparing the offering. Nandaram's
descendants are still living in part of this house, which has been extended;
the rest of it has been turned into a lodge.
On
Vijayadasami, as part of the annual celebrations, Baba's bhiksha routine is
ritualistically re-enacted by devotees. The Participants are selected by
lottery and taken ceremoniously in the procession to the five houses, via
Dwarkamai, starting at the Samadhi Mandir.
