The Third Miracle: Blessings of Saint Gajanan Maharaj

Dear friends, hope you all are doing well. Today being Thursday, I am sure most of you must have visited temples and had a good darshan of the Almighty. Now for other readers especially from western part, Thursday is considered very auspicious for saints, saints like Shirdi Sai Baba, Swami Samarth and Gajanan Maharaj et al and hence devotees visit shrines of Saints, many people even observe fasting on this day. Maharashtra, it is said is known as Land of Saints yes this Wikipedia link is worth a read, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Maharashtra

In this blog I am going narrate an incident that almost scared me to the hell and how Lord Gajanan Maharaj's and my parents' blessings saved me from that hell. I will try to keep this as brief as possible.

After taking charge of my Branch in April 2012, everything was going smooth, though it was my first rural assignment and first posting as a branch manager, I should be thankful that through the blessings of the Saint and my staff in the Branch who were very co-operative. Here, I must mention that in this branch there was this practice that on every Thursday after the banking hours, the whole staff would gather and perform aarthi of Gajanan Maharaj along with reciting shlokas and bhajans. On some days, customers would gather too for the aarthi, I personally used like this very much and I am sure so did my staff and customers. As a matter of fact, even today this practice is followed and will be followed in future to by his blessings. Perhaps, this aarthi or puja is what has saved and will save many sincere Branch Managers, staff and the Branch itself.

Let me now narrate the incident, it so happened that during the month of November 2013, I had gone on leave for a fortnight and returned, it was wednesday and during those times wednesday in that place a NBD (Non Banking Day), which means that on this day no customers shall visit the Branch  and it was purely to remove any backlogs. Fresh from the holiday, I was all geared up with my work, though, I missed my family terribly. So around in the noon with sun at full charge and we sitting in a nice cool Branch powered by AC and chatting around, that's when a customer came to meet me, he had a passbook and seemed to be anxious, it was about some unauthorized withdrawal from his account. On closer look it was not some small amount but a sum to Rs.5 Lacs! Yes, you have heard it right. This itself was enough for me to start investigating. Honestly even I was tense and immediately checked the account and it was confirmed fraud by the person who had at various instances withdrew Rs.1 lac totaling Rs.5 Lacs. My staff and me were in very tense situation, it was clear fraud and though not by the Bank or staff but yet it was something which one cannot be taken lightly. I immediately rang my Regional Office and informed the Admin Manager who was very nice guy and knew that I was new to the Bank it was my first assignment. He initially did get very angry, however then cooled down and spoke go me very reassuringly, I am still grateful to him and still in touch with him. It was some divine intervention, perhaps  it was Sant Gajanan Maharaj's blessings to protect on of his many children from the impending issue and get him out of it.

Me and my staff gathered and assessed the damage or call it gravity of the situation. The situation was indeed a tense one. Now, let me take you through my Branch and my staff, my branch was a small one with one officer that's me and one more Rural Banking officer, who was common for two Branches, then there were three clerical staff with one being very senior and used to handle cash. then there was one Canteen Boy named Deepak, about whom I mentioned in my earlier post and then we had one young lad who worked as Business Facilitator who was not on the Bank payroll. So, in all my Branch had all male staff and no female staff. The age of youngest staff was 22 and the eldest one was 54. I have deep respect for my staff even today, to each one. The senior staff was one of the most respected and so were others and we all worked as a family. We worked together, prayed together, laughed together and even ate together as if we were not just colleagues but brothers or some very good friends.

I shall continue about the further developments on this issue and how blessings of Gajanan Maharaj saved me. May this article help some one to realize the power of friendship and togetherness.

"II Om Gajanan Jai Gajanan II"

FIRST DIVINE EXPERIENCE AND SOME MORE!

II Om Gajanan Jai Gajanan II

Dear Friends, today is Thursday, auspicious day for the Saints, saints like Gajanan Maharaj, Sai Baba, Swami Samarth et al. Yes, I had described briefly about the Saint Gajanan Maharaj, Shegaon and the holy temple, though I agree this brevity took 3 chapters or blogs of mine. However, friends, even you would do the same after experiencing his holiness and divinity. Now, without wasting time let me get to the purpose which I started the blog.

As I mentioned earlier, that when I got the posting to Sangrampur Branch, I was very heavy hearted and did not want to leave my earlier place, however as they somethings happen for good, this was one of them. However, in Chikhli itself I had heard about the Saint and Shegaon, so, the first thing I did before joining my Branch was to visit Saint Gajanan Maharaj's temple and seek his blessings and friends let me tell you, that was the best thing I did ever. His love and affection is fathomless and I thank him for the same, perhaps, I can say that on behalf of all the devotees.

Now, without wasting time let me get to the divine experiences and miracles. Friends, someone learned man has said correctly that food, clothing and shelter are indeed basic needs. So, for the first two weeks I was staying in a lodge nearby to temple and used have my breakfast and dinner at the temple mess. The food especially rice was very delicious and I personally like the devotees thronging around it like bees near nectar filled flower. Also hailing from Mumbai I used to get homesick at that movement seeing so many people from different parts of the country made me happy and I could overcome the periodic home sickness. On week ends I would go for house hunting but found nothing close to heart which I could call my home. In the evening I would sometimes visit the temple of Gajanan Maharaj or would just sit in the front courtyard and admire the congregation of humanity, occasionally I would get a glimpse of Temple's elephant which used mingle well with people, the whole experience was amazing.

After searching many homes I was not satisfied and I could not afford to pay the lodge rent everyday. Suddenly one morning Deepak my branch's canteen boy (He was not just a canteen boy but heart of the Branch, a very dedicated fellow and great helpful guy to be with) visited my lodge and told me that he wants to show me a house, so off we went and he took through many lanes and finally we enterd the house. The house was on the first floor and the owner was Shegaon Branch's Guard and an ex army man. The house was indeed beautiful and by local standards it was way better well ventilated and had a huge backyard with a wonderful view something like a large balcony! I imagined my family standing at the backyard by the beautiful view. Thats it! I made my decision and told Deepak that I would like to rent and then we spoke Shri.Dhumale the owner who was more than happy to lend. And the very same evening I shifted from the lodge to this beautiful house which will be my home for rest 2.5 years filled with beautiful memories with lovely and affectionate people. For the skeptics this was mere co-incidence but for many including me, it indeed is a 'miracle', a 'divine intervention', maybe Gajanan Maharaj took pity on me and helped me, by keeping me close to him. i am grateful to his holiness, to my parents and to this day to Deepak and the Shri.Dhumale and his family, who have become our extended family and they all graced  with their presence in  my wedding. This connects me to the next miracle which I have mentioned in the following paragraph.

My father being a very ritualistic and spiritual person suggested a date for housewarming with boiling of milk in this new home. In fact I would like add that me and my cousin were seeing each other and were deeply in love (well its a norm in southern India for cousins to get married), after many years, our family slowly acknowledged and my cousin's father who happens to be my maternal uncle asked my date and other details for Horoscope match known as kundli match. (In India parents invariably look for horoscope match between girl and boy to predict the compatibility, even if its love marriage. Though some people changing this trend believe purely in compatibility alone). It made both of us anxious, me more though I was happy that my uncle is slowly accepting me. Tense, I visited Gajanan Maharaj and asked for his blessings and promised  that I shall break a coconut if all works well. So, coming to the point the my father finally after consulting gave me a nod for housewarming and the day co-incidently was on Thursday. So, in the morning I did all the prayers and kept the milk for boiling and  the milk boiled well, which is a auspicious sign. Now, the miracle, after this I left for my Branch and in the Branch my cousin who is now by the Grace of Maharaj and our Parents' blessings is my loving wife, that our horoscope matched and its an auspicious sign! This news made me very happy and the very evening I went to temple and took divine darshan of Gajanan Maharaj and his blessings, thanking him profusely, being Thursday Maharaj's palkhi (palanquin) was placed at the courtyard, touched it and felt blessed and as promised offered one coconut. It was indeed one of my happiest moments and day in my life. May his blessings shower more such days to all and everybody be happy together. 

Now, dear friends the above too are indeed 'miracles'! For believers it is indeed. Only some people would understand these miracles,  ask some sincere lovers and they would vouch for it, ask some person looking for a decent home for his family and they would vouch for it. Shree Gajanan Maharaj's love is for all and believe in him and in yourself and see the miracles unfolding. Dear friends, I am sure you must have experienced too, you may be from any religion, no bindings, so please in the comments section share your divine experiences and miracles.

II Gan Gan Ganat Bote II The third chapter.

Friends, first of all let me apologies for writing after a long gap.I still have no excuses to tell you all, may be that is how its is desired by Lord Gajanan or sincerely may be its my own procrastination.

In my earlier post, I had mentioned about Lord Gajanan' padukas and how his blessings are always there for his devotees. Now let me take you the rear end of the temple where a very ancient statue of Lord Hanuman is present and there is 'Audumbar Tree' (Fig Tree) next to it. Now, just next to the temple is a huge kitchen and store room which prepares 'Maha prasad' for all the beloved devotees of Shree Gajanan Maharaj. There is a huge hall in which at any given point of time can house hundreds of devotees for the 'Maha Prasad' containing 2 Chapattis, rice, vegetables and small portion of sweet. There is a saying in Sanskrit which goes 'Anna Hey Para Brahma' which translates to as Food is superior and is equal to Divinity and the Maha prasad is distributed free of cost. Devotees from all around come here and partake in this Mahaprasad. Trust me dear readers, it is a mammoth task to arrange food for so many people.  Just to give you a glimpse, one hall is huge enough to feed hundreds of devotees at a time, the process is so systematic that you would indeed be amazed. With Saint Gajanan Maharaj's blessings, such a huge task is accomplished by the temple administration very easily.  Again, a miracle, isn't it?

The temple of Gajanan Maharaj looks even more majestic in the evening will cool weather and birds chirping all around with the 'Varkaris' (Devotees) singing kirtans (devotional songs) and playing chimes, devotees from all walks of life sitting and enjoying the beauty is indeed a worthy sight. The Saint really takes care of all his devotees. Its like devotees as children playing in the temple as courtyards and he looking at them with a divine happy smile on his radiant face with love and affection for all.

As a matter of fact, I was told by one of good friend that even if you have a glimpse of the 'Kalash' or Temple dome peak (as shown in the first picture of this blog above), it will be indeed a great blessing for the person. And I firmly believe in it. Dear readers, one should take time to visit this place 'Shegaon' take darshan of our Saint and seek his blessings, I am sure you wont be disappointed at all and rather leave contented.

Dear friends, I can keep on writing about the beauty of the temple and his holiness' grace, however, I humbly request you all to visit Shegaon and visit Gajanan Maharaj's temple and seek his grace and blessings and I am sure your worries will all vanish. Have firm faith in Him and he shall guide you to the right path. I can keep on writing but it will much better if you could visit the temple and feel it for yourself. From here on in my next blog I shall  narrate about some 'Miracles' (read 'divine experiences') that I myself have experienced and still by the grace of his Holiness keep feeling and experiencing and with his blessings in future too I and all his devotees shall feel his love and divinity and in case you have experienced too then I request you to narrate the same in comment section.

I end this chapter here and will begin a new, may Gajanan Maharaj's grace be always there with you.

II Om Gajanan Jai Gajanan II

              

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