Bangalore – Sholapur

In due course Ramdas and Janardan Pant reached Bangalore and were put up at Bhavanishankerrao’s house in Malleswaram. Their stay here was only for a couple of days. At the wish of the devotees in the house, Janardan Pant performed a kirtan which was also attended by the people of the neighbourhood. At the time, there was in the house a purohit who was called in for some religious ceremony. When Ramdas retired to the room, which he occupied for rest, the purohit came to him and read him a severe lesson. He took him roundly to task for abandoning the householder’s life. Ramdas silently swallowed the ‘bitter’ pill and dismissed the matter with a smile, for explanation and argument with him were found to be of no avail.

Their stay in Bangalore coming to a close they left for Sholapur. At Sholapur station a batch of friends was awaiting their arrival. Govind Ramakrishna Joshi and his son-in-law were among the party. At this time, the annual celebration at Madhavrao Kulkarni’s house in Anjangaum was in progress, and it was proposed that Ramdas should first attend this function and then proceed to Uple-Dumala. They were also joined at this place by Prem Singh. The party in due time reached Anjangaum. The celebration at Madhavrao’s was then in full swing. Ramdas felt great elation in the company of Madhavrao and other devotees.

Anant Buwa, son-in-law of Govind Ramakrishna Joshi, entertained the assembly with his kirtan, and Ramdas had also to deliver a discourse on bhakti.

From Anjangaum the party consisting of Ramdas, Janardan Pant, Prem Singh and two devotees from Uple-Dumala, who had specially come to invite and escort Ramdas, started in bullock-carts. They reached in the evening a small wayside village called Yavli. Remaining here for the night the party, early the following morning, prosecuted their journey towards Uple-Dumala. The reception which the people of Uple-Dumala accorded to him was simply beyond description. Men, women and children of all castes, creeds and races had with one mind joined hands in making the reception a grand success. He was led through the streets of the village in the midst of a huge procession to the accompaniment of fire-works, bhajan and the Indian band. The devout mothers, the frontyard of whose huts along the path were swept and besmeared with cow-dung and ornamented with rangoli, stood on their door-step with light and offerings. The scenes all around manifested the signs of a gala day. Festoons decorated the houses and the roadways. The procession after passing through all the streets of the village at last halted in front of Babarao Kulkarni’s house, and Ramdas was taken inside the house where preparations had been made for his stay. The house was filled with the enthusiastic crowd to overflow. The continuous refrain of the divine Ram-mantram rang forth from every one in the assembly. Soon it was followed by dancing. The Muslims of the place also took whole-hearted part in the reception. To the surprise and delight of the Hindu devotees a pious Muslim joined the dancers singing aloud the Ram-mantram. Singing and dancing continued the whole night. The devotees appeared to have forgotten themselves in the ecstasy produced by the melody of the divine Name.

His stay in this village prolonged for about eighteen days. People from the neighbouring villages also came in hundreds to swell the concourse. The divine Name “Ram” issuing from the lips of every one in the village surcharged the atmosphere with intense spiritual fervour.

The programme of bhajan, kirtan, feasts and discourses by Ramdas was worked out in a regular rotation. The devotees poured on him their pure and glorious love in every possible manner. To give a detailed account of the events, during his residence at this place, would be a laborious task. So he puts down here one or two important items.

Among the devotees of the village was a young widow belonging to the shudra caste. From a month previous to his visit to this village, this devout soul had been observing a rigorous fast avowing that she would taste food only after Ramdas had taken a meal prepared by her at her house. The young mother whose name is Anjani Mata came to him and invited him for dinner. Meanwhile, the other devotees of the place had already divided up the days of his stay among themselves for the offering of food to him. He now placed the problem before them and pleaded on behalf of the mother. One of the devotees volunteered to forgo his turn in favour of Anjani Mata. So he had the unique privilege of enjoying the nectarine food prepared by that divine mother.

One day he had an invitation from a Muslim. Ramdas went to his house followed by many brahmin devotees. The strangest part of it all was that the faithful Muslim condescended to perform Ramdas’ pada puja in the proper style. When the puja was over, the Muslim going inside his small hut brought his long suffering wife out on the verandah where Ramdas sat and making her sit beside him prayed to him to pass his hands over her body. It was evident from the condition of the woman that she was sinking under a slow and continuous fever. She had been reduced almost to a skeleton. As requested by the Muslim, Ramdas passed his hands on her head and back and also gave her a part of the milk given to him by her husband. Then he left the place. Some days later when he was away in another village, he came to know that this ailing mother having been cured of her fever in about a week’s time was able to help her husband in the fields. All glory be to the great Lord whose will is so powerful and whose ways are so mysterious!

In the evenings Ramdas would run to the bank of the local river and dance in circles in which hundreds of the village devotees joined, singing the divine Ram-mantram. Altogether his stay in Uple-Dumala was marked by the supreme triumph of love in the light of which people of every denomination mingled together in a spirit of perfect equality and brotherhood. Where the love of God manifests there the darkness of conventional distinctions that breed strife and misery disappear. O Lord! Victory ever attends Thy Name.

The account of Uple-Dumala cannot be complete without the mention of a few prominent devotees of the place. Raghunath Maharaj, Krishnaji Pandharinath, Bappa Saheb, Babarao Kulkarni and a Gujarati merchant were the outstanding figures who contributed their wholehearted services towards not only the success of the programme but also in planting the seed of the divine Name in the hearts of all the villagers.

At the pressing invitations from the neighbouring villages, Ramdas visited, on leaving Uple-Dumala, Bhatambare, Kaudgaum, Ambe-Jawalajee and many other villages. Everywhere thousands of people came to meet him. The so-called untouchable classes freely came forward to touch his feet. Devotion and love rose in floods. The Name of God spread far and wide and the hearts of the people bathed in an ocean of joy. The reception he got in every one of these villages was exactly similar to the one he had while entering Uple-Dumala.

About this time the annual Kartik festival at Pandharpur was approaching. So, on the suggestion of Janardan Pant and other devotees, Ramdas went with them to Pandharpur for this festival. This time he and the party stayed in a dharmashala. He was made to visit the temples for darshan of Vithoba. On the last day of his stay he spent a few hours beneath a cluster of tall trees near the banks of the Chandrabhaga river. Here he met all the devotees who had come for the occasion from the various villages he had visited. He received also an invitation from Digambar Kulkarni, a vakil, to his place, Usmanabad. Ramdas promised to fulfil his wish after completing his tour in the Sholapur District.

From Pandharpur Ramdas and party went to Angar via Anjangaum. They had to halt at Anjangaum for a day. There were now a dozen devotees in his company. As usual they were guests of Madhavrao. Here an incident took place which is worthy of note. Madhavrao and the members of his family were overjoyed at his visit and set about making preparations for a fine feast. Meantime an old relation of Madhavrao in a neighbouring house, was seriously ill. Madhavrao had, of course, his fears because he had intimation early that morning that the condition of the old man was precarious. About nine o’clock news reached the ears of Madhavrao and his household that the old man had passed away. Now Madhavrao was of orthodox belief and practice. According to the orthodox rules, when a near relation died, the entire family is considered to be polluted by the death, and under such pollution religious functions of any kind are tabooed. Even to touch them or to eat food at their hands is held to be irreligious. The sad news at this happy juncture greatly upset Madhavrao. All the work of their preparations suddenly stopped. Madhavrao with a face cast down with regret and disappointment came to Ramdas and apprised him of the unpleasant tidings. In reply he assured him that there was nothing wrong. “God would not have your function spoiled. The old man may not have died. Let us wait for further news.” Strange as it would appear, a quarter of an hour had not passed after this talk, when a messenger came running to tell Madhavrao that the old man still breathed and the supposition that he had died was wrong. Hearing this, Madhavrao’s joy can be better imagined than described. Cheer again lit up the faces of the members of his house on whom for a time a shadow had fallen. The preparations went on apace. After dinner Ramdas was taken to see the old man. Although alive he had not clear consciousness of this side of life. After a few minutes Ramdas returned to Madhavrao’s. When he was leaving Anjangaum, about four o’clock, by which time the last person in the house had partaken of the feast, news came again that the old man died, and this time once for all.

At Angar Ramdas was received by the devotees of the place with as much love and devotion as on previous occasions. Kirtan, bhajan and feasts were the order of the day. After a short stay here, Ramdas and the party proceeded to Uppalai where again he was welcomed into the modest and sacred hut of Govind Ramakrishna Joshi. Oh! what words can adequately express the overflowing love, simple faith and exalted devotion of this glorious couple, Govind Ramakrishna Joshi and his wife Radhabai. Here again a full programme of bhajan, kirtan and dinner was gone through.

From Uppalai, at the invitation of the Jahagirdar, Raghunath Maharaj Yeshwant, he proceeded to a village called Ashti. It so happened that when Ramdas came to the Jahagirdar’s house his wife was in her menses, and it is the custom with the brahmins, during such periods, a lady should observe segregation and should not be touched, as such touch is considered to be pollution. The Jahagirdar was in a fix as to the management of the kitchen. With the help of a neighbouring lady he got meals ready for the guests. All the time the Jahagirdar’s wife was feeling greatly disappointed that she could not take part in the festivities. Most of all she took to heart that she was losing the opportunity of even touching the feet of Ramdas.

He had, as prearranged, to stay with the Jahagirdar only for a day. The anxious mother appealed to Ramdas through her husband that he should prolong his stay at their place until she passed the period of pollution which is generally three days, but Ramdas could not accede to her wish. So about four o’clock the same day he started. When he came out of the house he saw the mother in a corner of the frontyard. On a sudden prompting from Ram within, Ramdas went up to her and asked her to touch his feet. She hesitated but he assured her there was nothing wrong if she touched him as he was not only her child but the Lord had freed him from all conventional restrictions. The mother responded with a face suffused with delight and laid her head at his feet. The darshan over, he turned towards the friends who were waiting for him. They must have been not a little astonished at this strange act of Ramdas, but they were calm and indulgent.

Mention has to be made that at this place also he came in contact with two Muslim friends who were extremely kind to him.

Passing through various other villages Ramdas with the party came to Khandali. Wamanrao Balwant Kulkarni was as kind as ever in the loving service of his guests. Soon Digambar Kulkarni came here to take Ramdas with him to Usmanabad. They took a train to Usmanabad where he remained Digambar Kulkarni’s guest. The visit to this town is memorable in many respects. Some of the prominent events relating to this visit are chronicled here.

On the second day of his arrival he had invitations from two merchants. He was first taken to the house of one of them in a motor-car followed by a procession and with an English band playing in front. The reception Ramdas received at his house was right royal. Evidently the merchant was a rich man. Ramdas was made to sit on a raised dais, decked and decorated like a throne. As soon as he took his seat the merchant induced him to discard for the time being his plain khaddar cloth and put on instead laced and silk clothes. He besmeared Ramdas’ body and face with sandal paste, heaping on him at the same time various costly presents. After partaking of the prasad they had him photographed. When it was time to depart, Ramdas divested himself of the rich robes and redonned his plain khaddar piece. The merchant insisted upon Ramdas’ accepting his costly gifts of clothes, etc. Declining the offer with thanks Ramdas said:

“These glittering things are not meant for a wandering fakir like Ramdas; so you have to excuse him for not accepting them.”

Ramdas left the merchant’s house in company with another merchant who took him to his house where he was treated with similar hospitality.

The house of Digambar Kulkarni became a veritable bhajan mandir. The Name of God resounded within its walls throughout the day and till late in the night. He would sit in a spacious hall in the upper storey of the building whilst all the devotees who assembled there would stand in rows against the walls and sing the Lord’s Name in chorus. Digambar Kulkarni took the lead in bhajan. On the day following Ramdas’ arrival, a Hindu Vakil from the neighbourhood came in and took his seat beside him, and latterly stood up and joining the chorus danced with the others. When bhajan stopped and lull was restored, this Vakil approaching Ramdas sat down facing him.

“Swamiji,” he began, “I greatly wish that you should hear the tale of my conversion. It came about in a wonderful way. In the first place I must tell you that until an hour ago I was a rank sceptic. My house is situated adjoining this. I could hear from there the loud singing going on here. When I heard it and also the thumping on the floor of this storey, I made enquiries as to what the noise was about. I was told that a sadhu had arrived at the house and that the singing and dancing was on account of him. I thought that the people in the house were extremely foolish that they should behave so boisterously simply because some wandering mendicant was present with them. I did not stop merely thinking of their folly but felt a curiosity to see the sadhu who was the cause of so much commotion in the house. I decided to have only a peep at him from the staircase and then turn back. Accordingly I slowly entered the house and went up the staircase to a height from which I could have a good view of the sadhu. I saw, but my mind refused my turning back. I felt an irresistible desire to climb further up and enter the room and I did. I thought there was no harm in witnessing the fun. I sat and watched with a queer state of mind the progress of the bhajan. I was tickled to behold stout-bodied educated men jumping and dancing. I could not stop at that. I came to think: “What does it matter if I repeat the mantram sotto voce? Nothing wrong I suppose if I do so, and I commenced muttering the mantram to myself, my hand automatically clapped in a slow key. ‘What if I stand in a corner just as the others do? I would not bellow forth like them. Repeating merely with the lips will not be detected.’ Suiting action to the thought I got up and stood in a far corner in line with the others and my lips moved and I uttered the mantram inaudibly. My hands continued clapping. ‘If I sing a little louder the sound will be drowned in the chorus, and nobody the wiser and no harm done.’ I went on taking the mantram a little louder. All the time my feet were feeling restless. ‘What does it matter if I slightly move the feet up and down?’ and I did move the feet. So far I was aware of the course of my conduct. What followed next, I confess, is beyond me to say.”

The fact was he had danced more wildly than the others, sung more loudly than the others and clapped hands more furiously than done by others.

At the close of his narration a friend in the party whispered into his ears advising him to receive initiation of the mantram from Ramdas. He replied to the friend: “There is no need for it. I know what I am about. The initiation is meant for people like you.”

Soon after, the photographer came with a dozen copies of Ramdas’ photo taken on the previous day. The assembled devotees eagerly secured a copy each, of whom our vakil friend was one. On getting his copy, this friend, going near Ramdas, took out of his pocket his fountain-pen and handing the photo and the pen to Ramdas requested him to write down on the top of the photo the Ram-mantram. Observing this, the friend who advised him to get initiated roared with laughter and exclaimed:

“There you are. What is this if not initiation?”

“No, no,” returned the Vakil friend. “I am simply asking him to write down the mantram. That is all.”

Another day Ramdas was invited to the local High School where he had not only to speak a few words to the students but also distribute prizes to them.

Two more events that occurred, one following closely on the other, are of utmost significance. One afternoon, about forty persons belonging to the cobbler caste came to pay a visit to Ramdas, passing through the streets in procession singing the Lord’s Name to the accompaniment of cymbals, veena and mridang. He received them at the gate of the vakil’s house. They considered it no small privilege that they could approach him and touch his feet. Before leaving they expressed a desire that he should attend their congregation to be held in his honour in their locality, at nine o’clock in the night. The same day he had another invitation from the prominent brahmins of the place for a harikatha performance at the Sri Panduranga temple of the town. It was decided that he should proceed to the temple directly after his visit to the locality of the cobblers had terminated.

About eight in the night a big group of the cobbler devotees came to take him to their place. He passed through the streets in procession joined also by many brahmins of the town and the devotees who had accompanied him, and reached the spot fixed as the trysting place for the people of the cobbler community. Here the gathering that he met was unimaginably vast. He was given a seat in an open shed where the chiefs of the community performed his pada puja. Then commenced the programme of darshan. The process may be compared to the tale of the locusts and the granary. Each man, woman or child of the community was individually presented to Ramdas and, since there were many thousands of them assembled, the function of presentation slowly and regularly continued indefinitely. The brahmin friends who had come with him freely mingled in the crowd of the so-called untouchables rubbing shoulders with them. They even accepted the prasad of parched rice distributed by the cobblers. Time flew. The period allotted for the function which was one hour exceeded. The crowd around him for a furlong was so thick that exit through it was well-nigh impossible. He consulted some of the friends as to the hour of the night and learnt it was eleven o’clock. He was due as arranged at the temple at ten o’clock. Where was escape from the crowd when it was increasing in proportion minute after minute? He came to the edge of the verandah which he occupied and saw before him the huge mass of humanity clamouring more and more for darshan. Suddenly he took a leap into their midst, as one from the deck of a boat takes a jump into the ocean, and passed through the crowds like a live wire. He wriggled, jumped, rolled and almost swam through them. At last he reached the road and then flew like wind, but he was not going in the direction of the temple. He visited, at the request of a Vakil, his house and remaining there for a quarter of an hour again raced towards the temple. As he went forward the whole mass of the cobbler community followed him. He reached the temple. A big gas-light was at its entrance and in a vast pandal in front of the temple were collected over a thousand people of the higher castes. He directly entered and passed through the crowd. He found them all inside, expecting his arrival. He took his seat on a raised and decorated dais prepared for him. It was indeed a mammoth gathering. As he entered the place the people of the cobbler caste also freely made their way inside and mingled with the brahmins by taking their seat in between them. He was watching from his seat the wonderful work of God which brought a people who were despised as untouchables in close touch with the intolerant brahmins, and that too within a temple. The brahmins turned their faces to each other, stared, winked and whispered. The situation was extremely tense. Ramdas simply smiled witnessing the strange phenomenon before him. Suddenly stillness and silence pervaded the place. As the saying goes, you could hear a pin drop. Such was the stillness that came upon the assembled people. On one side was standing the Haridas who was none other than the headmaster of the local High School. His opening words were:

“My tongue refuses its function at the sight of this unusually crowded audience. I must declare that I am having vishwarupa darshan. It is practically proved that distinctions of caste, creed and colour are the offspring of utter ignorance. It is the supreme Lord Himself who is manifest as all beings. I am blessed by the sight.”

This was all he said and closed his kirtan. These two incidents that took place, close upon one another, really baffle description. What peace and bliss, what freedom can man enjoy when he attains the vision of God in all creatures and things! But as it is, he is a slave to false traditions that breed hatred and strife between man and man.

Ramdas’ stay coming to a close, he and the friends started to depart. A motor-car was engaged to take them to the railway station. The party took their seats in the motor-car which stood at the entrance of Digambar Kulkarni’s house. The devotees of the place crowded round the car to bid him farewell. Just when the car was about to start, the Vakil friend, the new convert to the path of devotion, hurried through the crowd and opening the door of the car placed his head on Ramdas’ feet. After a while Ramdas raised him to find him sobbing like a forlorn child. Gazing on Ramdas he questioned between sobs: “O! Swamiji, when shall I see you again?” The motor-car moved and gathering speed ran on.

Catching the train for Bombay, Ramdas with Janardan Pant travelled towards that great city.