Shri Sai Satcharitra - Chapter 15 - Part I

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Naradiya Kirtan - Paddhati - Mr. Cholkar's Sugarless Tea - Two Lizards.

The readers may remember that mention was made in the 6th Chapter regarding the Rama-Navami Festival in Shirdi; how the festival originated and how in the early years there was a great difficulty in getting a good Hardidas for performing Kirtan on that occasion, and how Baba permanently entrusted this function (Kirtan) to Dasganu permanently. Now in this Chapter we shall describe the manner in which Dasganu was performing the Kirtan.

Sai Ram. How Sri Dasganu was pulled into the darbar of Sai Maharaj is a very interesting story in itself and I hope to share the same with all Sai devotees at the appropriate time. Sri Sai used Sri Dasganu as a very effective tool in propagating the Bhakti Marg and pull many devotees to Shirdi. Sai Ram.

Naradiya Kirtan-Paddhati
Generally our Haridasas, while performing the Kirtan, wear a garland and will be dressed for the occasion. They put on a head-dress, either a pheta or a turban, a long flowing coat with a shirt inside, an uparane (short dhotar) on the shoulders and the usual long dhotar from the waist below.

Dressed in the above mentioned fashion for some Kirtan in Shirdi village, Dasganu once went to bow to Baba. Baba asked him - "Well, bridegroom! where are you going dressed so beautifully like this?" 'For performing a Kirtan' was the reply. Then Baba said - "Why do you want all this paraphernalia-coat, uparani and pheta etc, doff all that before Me, why wear them on the body?"