50th Posting Shiridi Sai Baba Bhaktas - NANASAHEB NIMONKAR

(He was affluent, holding honorary positions, the first person to settle down in Shirdi, left all his property & positions and always found in the company and service of Baba. Though ignorant of Sanskrit, he had learnt it & became an expert in Sanskrit language, only with the Grace of Baba).

Shankarrao Raghunath Deshpande alias Nanasaheb Nimonkar was from Nimon which was a small village 20 miles from Shirdi. Balwantrao who was father of Shama, was Nimonkar’s uncle. Nanasaheb Nimonkar was Inamdar of Nimon. As he came from Nimon village, he was called Nanasaheb Nimonkar.

Nanasaheb Nimonkar was a special Magistrate of Sangamner and Village Chief of 5 villages in and around Nimon.  He also owned many acres of land in Nimon village and was very affluent and a very influential person. He was married to Jayaji who hailed from Belapur. He left everything in his ancestral village and went along with his wife to Shirdi and settled there permanently to do service to Baba. Nana used to address Baba as “Deva” and Baba used to address Nana as “Matare Kaka” . Nana served Baba till his Mahasamadhi with utmost love and devotion.

Nanasaheb Nimonkar first met Sai Baba at the Maruthi Temple at Rahata in 1890. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, Personal Assistant to the Collector of Ahmednagar first met Baba in Shirdi in 1891. Nana Saheb Nimonkar was the blessed devotee to whom Baba gave his Holy Padukas in the year 1898.

Once Balwantrao took Nimonkar to Baba saying, "People believe he is a mad fakir. I doubt if he is really mad, but you had better go with me, see him and give me your opinion." Whenever Balwantrao had gone to see Baba the latter kept him at a distance by taking up a brickbat and either flinging it or threatening to fling it at him. Thus He kept him away from going into the mosque. But when Balwantrao and Nimonkar went to see him, Baba did not fling any stone and they went near Baba. Nimonkar was attracted to Baba as soon as he saw Baba and on his return to home he told his uncle with certainty that Baba was a divine saint and not a mad fakir. Balwantrao could not understand as to why stones were hurled when he went to Baba earlier but not on the present occasion. For this Nimonkar said, "That is because you doubted if Baba was mad, but I did not”. From that moment onwards, Nimonkar visited Baba several times.

Sri Ramanavami celebrations were permitted by Baba in the year 1911 in Shirdi. Every year, two new flags were ceremoniously carried in the procession and tied to the dome of the Dwarakamai by fixing permanently. Damodar Sevalram Rasane, a staunch devotee of Baba was supplying the green flag and Nimonkar was providing embroidered flag at the time of these celebrations. This tradition was continued by the descendants of Damodar Sevalram Rasane and those of Nimonkar for the supply of the respective flags. After Baba’s Mahasamadhi, these flags were kept on Baba’s Samadhi and Aarti was performed to them. After Lalkari Laghu Aarti was performed, then all the flags were taken in procession through the village with much dancing and merriment to Dwarakamai. Finally, the two flags were fixed on the top of the Dwarakamai, while the Ochere flag was fixed inside the Dwarakamai.

As Nanasaheb Nimonlar was a special Magistrate in Sangamner, he was frequently meeting Nanasaheb Chandorkar (the Collector’s Personal Assistant) who was also a devotee of Baba and both of them used to talk about Baba. When Nanasaheb Chandorkar started the idea of renovating the dilapidated masjid and collected subscriptions, Nimonkar also contributed some amount and in addition, he supervised the entire renovation work. Baba would not allow the workmen to do the work and thus the renovation work was being prevented by Baba. Baba however had great trust in Nimonkar who took it up when Baba slept at the chavadi and thus Nimonkar got the renovation work completed quickly.

He was always found to be with Baba either in the masjid or when Baba was moving within the Shirdri village. In the side picture, Baba was moving to Lendi garden during 1911-12 with Nimonkar standing on His right side. 

Baba also showed his faith in Nimonkar by making him his banker during the years, 1916-18. As and when the funds were received, Baba used to hand them over to Nimonkar for safe custody. But Shama mistook that money given to Nimonkar as gifts. However, Nimonkar was affluent and was not in need of any monetary gifts. He kept Baba’s money safely and intact. Nimonkar was getting an annual income of about 500 rupees from his estate and his son, Somanath Shankar Deshpande was Inspector of police in Pune who was also sending him money. Nimonkar did not want temporal gifts from Baba. But he desired and got gifts from Baba, far superior to monetary gifts, in the shape of his spiritual advancement. Out of the money he kept on behalf of Baba, Nimonkar was paying for Baba’s expenses like buying Burfi sweet for distribution as presents to the people in the masjid and firewood for the dhuni and the like. Every one in Shirdi called him "Kaka," and also Baba.

Once Nanasaheb’s wife Jayaji wanted to go to Belapur as her son was seriously ill and stay there for some time. She made preparations to go there in consultation with Nimonkar. She consulted Baba for permission and Baba permitted her to go to Belapur. She informed Nana about the same. Nana agreed but asked her to return to Shirdi on the next day itself. Jayaji was not willing to return on the next day as the next day happened to be Amavasya Day and travelling on Amavasya Day was considered as inauspicious. Hence, she was in a dilemma. However, she wanted to take leave from Baba and went to Baba when he was standing near Sathewada on his way to Lendibagh. Nimonkar and others were also present near Baba. At that time, Jayaji came and prostrated to Baba and asked permission to leave. Baba immediately told Jayaji to visit and stay in Belapur for 4 days and come back to Shirdi after meeting everyone there. Baba’s words solved the dilemma in her mind and Nimonkar who was standing there also understood Baba’s views. Thus both of them were satisfied with Baba’s direction.

When Shama was bitten by a snake on his small finger, that part became poisonous. Somebody suggested that he should go to Shiva temple. At that moment, Nimonkar who was present there, said that he should first take Udi from Baba and then go. Then Shama ran to the masjid and Baba immediately saved him from the jaws of death just by simple words of command, instructing the poison to get down.

Once Captain (Dr.) Hate from Gwalior, who visited Baba in Dec, 1911 and who was a staunch devotee of Baba, had sent some money by post to his friend who was in Shirdi. He asked him to buy good quality Shidha and some quantity of Valpapadi  (a variety of beans)  from that money and offer the remaining balance as dakshina to Baba. As per Hate’s desire, his friend purchased all the required items except Valpapadi which he could not find in Shirdi. But all of a sudden, at that moment a woman was carrying some Valpapadi on her head for sale. Hate’s friend purchased all the items from that woman and offered them, on behalf of Hate, with reverence to Baba. Then Baba gave them to Nimonkar and asked him to cook for naivedya for the next day. The next day when Baba sat down to eat, he did not touch any of the items like the dal, rice or other items already kept for Baba as naivedya but he took only Valpapadi and ate it with relish. When Hate came to know about this from his friend he was extremely happy.

In the Chavadi Procession that used to take place between the masjid and chavadi, Nimonkar held over Baba’s head, the white Umbrella which moved in a circle on its supporting stick with its pendants and tassels. While going in the procession, Baba would stop opposite to Maruthi Temple and wave his arms mystically, some fifteen or twenty times and would mutter some words, addressed to Maruthi. Baba was also doing similar things whenever he sat before the dhuni early morning every day. It was interpreted that Baba by doing these hand movements and muttering some words, was having communion with the Gods.

Nimonkar’s daughter-in-law was in the family way and in 1916, her delivery was expected and Nimonkar and his wife started for Poona and visited Shirdi which was on the way. After Baba’s darshan, they wanted leave to go to Poona, but Baba refused permission. Baba also told Nimonkar.that he should stay by Baba's side, bury him and then leave Shirdi. Asked about the delivery, Baba replied, "Why are you anxious? God will help". Then Nimonkars stayed in Shirdi. And at Poona, no body was there to help his daughter-in-law and when she got pains, she was taken to a hospital and there within an hour, she delivered a male child without the assistance of a doctor or nurse and the child was in good health. At that time in Shirdi in the masjid, Baba told Nimonkar that there was a woman who was taken to the hospital where she delivered a male child safely and Nimonkar understood that this matter referred to them.

Once Somnath Shankar Deshpande, CID Inspector at Poona and son of Nimonkar, started to go to his ancestral home in Nimon in 1917 where his brother's wife had recently delivered a child and on the way, he visited Shirdi and had darshan of Baba. When he took leave from Baba, Baba gave him udhi and asked him to save the child. But. Somnath took this advice of Baba as referring to his own boy travelling with him and gave him the udhi and left for Nimon. When he reached Nimon, his brother's new born child was in very bad health and the child’s survival was doubtful. Then he remembered Baba's words at his parting time and felt that the matter referred to this child only and he immediately looked for the udhi. But it was not available. Then he took the child on his own lap and prayed to Baba with lot of faith and devotion. Miraculously in a short while, the child picked up health and became normal. How kind was Baba to protect devotees and their children. The child was named Padmakar and when the child was taken to Shirdi after few months, Baba took the child in his lap and said, “Here is my Dutta” and hence Padmakar’s name was changed as Dutta.

Nimonkar and Shama used to serve food daily to the devotees in the masjid. After all the food brought by devotees were mixed and offered to God and consecrated, Baba used to fill the platters and give them to Nimonkar and Shama for distribution to the devotees present in the masjid. Everyday these two had the fortune of serving the food with their hands in the masjid.  The two considered the distribution of the naivedya as their regular religious duty and performed the task with great love and devotion.

All these details came to light when Somnath Shankar Deshpande was interviewed in 1936 by B.V.Narasimhaswamiji about Nimonkar’s and Somnath’s experiences with Baba. As regards the spiritual benefit Nimonkar received with Baba’s Grace, Somnath said that his father had a desire to read the religious books in Sanskrit as Pothi for parayana purpose, but he did not know Sanskrit. Baba once asked, on his own, Nimonkar to read religious books as Pothi, but he said that he did not know Sanskrit. Baba then asked him to read religious books in Sanskrit even though he did not know Sanskrit as Masjid Mother (Masjidmai or Dwarakamai) would teach him Sanskrit. Then he started reading Shrimad Bhagwat and its commentary, both in Sanskrit without understanding any word in the books. As he continued reading the books, after some time, he started understanding what he had read. Thereafter he read Jnaneshwari also. Thus he became proficient in Sanskrit and at one time when Dixit and Jog had doubts in these Sanskrit books, he cleared their doubts. It would be surprising to observe that both Dixit and Jog were learned Sanskrit scholars. But Nimonkar with Baba’s Grace, had attained that level of proficiency in Sanskrit so as to clarify the doubts of Sanskrit scholars in understanding Pothis written in Sanskrit.

Somnath also said that he was fortunate enough to serve Baba for four days when his father went to Ahmadnagar and stayed there for four days for giving evidence. He said though he was young compared to his father’s age and in spite of this, he felt that service to Baba during the four-day short period itself, was physically taxing for him. The only difference between his service and his father’s service was that his father was doing service while sitting and he, being young, was doing service while standing. Thus Somnath felt that his father doing service to Baba during his entire life time, by being always at the beck and call of Baba, was really credit worthy and was an eloquent testimony of his father’s unswerving devotion to Baba.

In “Shri Sai Sahasranamavali” & “Ashtotharam” composed by B.V..Narasimhaswamiji, special mention was made in verse 521 about the Granting of Holy Padukas by Baba to Nana Saheb Nimonkar and its meaning reads as “One who has bestowed spiritual bliss to Nimonkar by granting Padukas”.

In Oct, 1918, Baba had stopped moving around in the Lendibagh and also stopped his begging rounds, but only was sitting in the masjid. Baba was very much conscious to the last moment of his human life. He did not give any hint to any one about the exact time of his departure. Dixit and Booty were always dining daily with him in the masjid. But on 15^th October after arati puja, Baba asked them to go to the wada for dining. At that time, Laxmibai Shinde, Bhagoji Shinde, Bayaji, Laxman Bala Shimpi, Nanasaheb Nimonkar and Chandrabai Borkar were present in the masjid and Shama was sitting down on the steps. Then Baba gave Rs.9/- to Laxmibai Shinde. Then Baba said that he did not feel well in the masjid and that he should be taken to the Dagadiwada (stone building) of Booty where he would be alright and with these words, Baba leaned on Bayaji's body and went to Mahasamadhi. Bhagoji observed that his breathing had stopped and he immediately told this to Nanasaheb Nimonkar who was sitting below. Nimonkar brought some water and poured it in Baba's mouth and it came out. Then he shouted out loudly, ”'Oh Deva.” Then Baba seemed just to open his eyes and said, “Haa” in a low tone. The news of Baba's passing away spread like a wild fire in the village of Shirdi and all people ran to the masjid and began to mourn this loss in various ways. After discussions for 36 hours, all the people, despite the different view expressed by some of them, have finally agreed unanimously by Baba's inspiration, for the proposal of interment of Baba’s body in the Dagadiwada. On Wednesday evening Baba's body was taken in procession and brought to the Wada and was interred there with due formalities. In fact Baba became the Murlidhar and the Bootywada became a temple and a holy shrine.

From 1890 onwards much before other important devotees started visiting or staying in Shirdi, Nanasaheb Nimonkar, though affluent and also a Special Magistrate, an Inamdar of Nimon, the Village Chief of five villages and also owned several acres of land in Nimon village, discarded all the assets and ignored all the positions and came with his wife and settled in Shirdi much before others, in the service of Baba till Baba’s Mahasamadhi. He was also with Baba even in the Chavadi Procession or in the celebrations of Ramanavami Festival.   Such  was  his  greatness and devotion,  he  had displayed towards Baba and he was, therefore, a blessed devotee of Baba of the highest order. After Baba’s Mahasamadhi, Nimonkar left Shirdi, went to Nimon and then to Ahmednagar and from there he went to Poona where Somnath was there and in Poona, Nimonkar passed away in January, 1919.

Even though the Holy Padukas were given by Baba in the year 1898 to Nimonkar, they were not allowed for public darshan till the year 2008. .Nandakumar Revannath Deshpande (great grandson of Nanasaheb Nimonkar) got a dream in the year 2008 in which Baba instructed him to allow the public to have darshan of the Holy Padukas. Hence, Nandakumar obeyed the orders of Baba and started allowing the public to have darshan of the holy Padukas from the auspicious month of Shravan in the year 2008. The centenary celebrations of Sri Ramanavami Festival were performed in 2011 in Shirdi and Nandakumar had the fortune of hoisting the Flag on the top of Dwarakamai and Nandakumar continued the legacy of his Great Grand Father with equal zeal and devotion.

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Om Sai Ram...