Ganesh Damodar Kelkar alias Dada Kelkar was one of the oldest and most prominent devotees of Shri Sai Baba, who was not a resident of Shirdi.

Dada was a very steadfastly orthodox brahmin. He was born in a well cultured family. Good values had been inculcated and hammered in him since his childhood. He had studied Vedic literature in depth. His upasana was very intense. He was very staunchly proud of the values and tenets and beliefs of Hindu religion. Therefore, it was against his upbringing to go to a ‘Muslim’ like Sai Baba. According to the Hindu traditional values of those days, he believed that all Muslims were lowly creatures. He believed that a brahmin saint will take him towards salvation. Therefore, in spite of being attracted to Baba, his mind was not prepared to let him go to Him.

It is said that ‘‘You can not make a person your Guru. It just happens.’’ Dada Kelkar was yet to experience how true this saying is.

His first meeting with Sai Baba

Dada Kelkar knew Raobahadur Sathe well. Therefore, he wrote a letter to Sathe and requested him to find a suitable boy for his daughter. Sathe was surprised to receive a letter on such a highly personal matter.

Sathe had lost his first wife and was thinking of getting married again. He began wondering whether Kelkar was
making a matrimonial proposal to him. He wrote a letter seeking clarification from Kelkar. He requested Kelkar that if he was being considered for matrimony then Kelkar should take into consideration the difference in the ages of Kelkar’s daughter and Sathe. He further added that Kelkar should first take concurrence of Shrei Sai Baba and only then proceed further in the matter.

Dada Kelkar was more inclined towards consulting any well-known brahmin priest from the pilgrimage town of Wai, near Mahabaleshwar. Therefore, he was not very much inclined to take advice of Sai Baba. Further, considering his upbringing, he had some prejudices against Baba. Therefore, he was not very keen on seeking advice of Baba. He also felt that Baba may know the biased thoughts that Kelkar was having in his mind and may not give his go ahead to the marriage.

However, Sathe was very firm in his resolve. Therefore, Dada Kelkar went to Shirdi and took his daughter along with him. Madhavrao Deshpande took them to Baba. The moment they stepped inside the Masjid, Baba blessed the girl. He put a musk melon in her oti, anointed her with kumkum and said, “Send this girl to Ahmedabad!” Kelkar was both surprised as well as overjoyed with this development.

Thus, in 1905, at the age of 50 years, Sathe got married to Kelkar’s daughter. Baba had used this incident and lit a flame of devotion in the mind of Kelkar. Very soon, Kelkar became an ardent devotee of Baba.

During the years 1906 to 1916, Sathe, his wife and children as well as Kelkar family stayed in ‘Sathe Wada’ constructed by his son-in-law. During this decade, Dada Kelkar was fortunate enough to be near his Guru. He could also spend time with other ardent devotees like Upasani Baba, Bapusaheb Jog, Dadasaheb Khaparde, Ram-Maruti Maharaj, Kakasaheb Dixit, Laxmibai Koujalagi. All these devotees were very well educated and had also reached pinnacle spiritual matters. In their company, Dada Kelkar began reading and re-reading various religious and spiritual books.

As indicated above, Dada was a very steadfastly orthodox brahmin. He was very staunchly proud of the values and tenets of Hindu religion. Therefore, during his stay in Shirdi, there were occasions on which his upbringing clashed with certain events. His faith in Baba was put to test from time to time. Baba was teaching him that paramartha is not tied down by artificial boundaries like religion, caste and colour. Baba was making repeated attempts to put across this lesson.

Dr. Jagannathrao Pandit was a close friend of renowned Sai devotee Shri Tatyasaheb Nulkar. He once visited Masjid to avail the Darshan of Baba. After he bowed down before Baba, he was directed to go to Kelkar. After meeting Dr. Pandit, Kelkar left the place to go to the Masjid to perform Baba’s Pooja. He cajoled Dr. Pandit to come with him.

Till that time no one had dared to anoint a Tilak on Baba’s forehead. Only Mhalsapati used to apply Gandha/Tilak
on Baba’s throat. Others used to apply it on Baba’s Feet. Dr. Pandit was not aware of these practices. After Kelkar performed the Pooja as per his routine, Dr. Pandit took the plate containing Gandha and drew a beautiful Tripundra (a typical Tilak generally seen on the forehead of Lord Shankar. It consists of three lines with a dot in the middle).

After seeing what Dr. Pandit had done, Kelkar was petrified. He was afraid that now Baba will loose His temper and become ferocious like Lord Narasimha. However, Baba did nothing of the sort. On the contrary, He appeared to be pleased.

This disturbed Kelkar. He decided to seek an explanation from Baba in the evening. He said to Baba, “If we attempt to apply a small dot of Gandha on Your forehead, You do not allow us to even touch Your forehead. What a strange thing took place this morning? Does it mean that You despise us and love Dr. Pandit’s Tripundra? This baffles people like us!”

Baba laughed with affection and said, “It is like this Dada. Dr. Pandit’s Guru comes from a great brahmin family from higher echelons of the community while I belong to the lowest of the low Muslim society. In spite of this, Dr. Pandit performed my Pooja! The above facts did not hinder him. Not only that, he performed the Pooja considering me as ‘Him’ (the Almighty)! How could I say ‘No’ to him? I had no other go but to allow him to do whatever he wanted to do.”

One may feel that Baba had said all this in a lighter mood. But, Dada Kelkar realized that Baba is fully aware about Kelkar’s deep rooted prejudices about Baba being a Muslim. On making further enquiries, Kelkar came to know that Dr. Pandit’s Guru was Raghunathrao alias Kaka Puranik (also known as Dhopeshwar Maharaj). He was a Sidhdha Purush and really belonged to a very highly respected brahmin family. He was amazed about how Baba knew about this.

Once, Baba had lit up a stove in the open area opposite the Masjid and was busy preparing khara pulav (a salty dish of rice). Just then, Kelkar arrived there. Baba asked him, “Dadasab, I have made khara pulav. Would you taste it and tell me how it is?” Kelkar was very steadfast in observing matters like what he ate, where he ate and similar things. Therefore, just to wriggle out of the situation, without tasting the rice he said, “Yes. It tastes well!” Baba laughed on hearing this and said, “You have not even tasted it and how are you saying it tastes well? Open the vessel and put your hand inside.” Later on, Baba held Kelkar’s hand and put it in the vessel. “Take this small spoon and put some rice in your plate. And do away with your religious do’s and don’ts. Why are you so proud of these things?”

A similar incident took place on a day of Ekadashi, a day considered to be very holy and on which staunch Hindus observe fast. Baba said to Kelkar, “I feel like having mutton. Can you bring it from village Korhala?” He even followed up this request by giving the required amount of cash to Kelkar and added, “You go yourself for this. I know you will do it for me.” Kelkar now faced a dilemma. On the one hand, being a brahmin, he could never go near mutton. On the other hand, he believed that ‘It is the duty of a disciple to follow his Guru’s directions.’ He gave precedence to the wishes of his Guru, put on his clothes and got ready to leave for Korhala. Baba was observing him. He said, “You have become quite old now. Let it be. I will send someone else to bring it.” He then pretended to send a servant named Pandu. Later on he said, “Pandu, let it be. We will bring it on some other day.”

As directed by Baba, Shantaram Balavant Nachane, an ardent devotee of Baba, was staying with his family in Sathe Wada. The building belonged to son-in-law of Kelkar, who prohibited use of things like onion and garlic.

Nachane family was not aware of this rule. Therefore, on the very first day, Nachane’s mother-in-law began cutting onion as she planned to use it in the food that day. The moment Kelkar smelt onion, he became furious. He entered the room from where the smell of onion was coming and began scolding the lady. She was at a loss to understand the reason for his anger and was very much hurt.

After sometime, Kelkar’s grand-daughter began suffering from some eye ailment. She began crying incessantly. He, therefore, took her to Baba. “Put a few drops of onion juice in her eyes!” Baba said. As Kelkar despised onion, he was at a loss as to where he would get them. He then realized that Baba liked onions and always kept some with Him. He was, therefore, confident that he will get the vegetable from Baba. The moment this thought entered his mind, Baba pointed a finger at Nachane’s mother-in-law and said, “Go to your this mother and ask her. Don’t ask me!” The lady had no desire to oblige Kelkar after the scolding he gave her. But, just because Baba had given the order, she complied. After putting the extract of onions, Kelkar’s grand-daughter got relief from her suffering.

Kashibai Kanitkar was a very learned lady of that time. Her family had very close ties with Kelkar’s family. One of her relatives – Shrimati Gokhale wished to go to Shirdi, avail Baba’s Darshan and observe a fast for three days at His Feet. Therefore, to fulfil the lady’s wishes, Kashibai sent her to Kelkar with a note. The lady went to Shirdi on the day of Shimga festival and met Kelkar. As is the practice, people eat a sweet called puran poli on this day and on that day Gokhalebai was observing fast!

She availed Baba’s Darshan, bowed down before Him and sat down. Immediately, Baba said, “Food and the person are both God. Then, why observe fast? Do we need these things? Go to Dada Bhat’s (Kelkar’s) house. Make puran polis and feed his children and grandchildren. And, you also have them. It is a beautiful day of Shimga. Why should you observe fast and go without food?”

Dada Bhat’s wife was having her periods at that time and hence, was not touching anyone or anything as per customs of that time. Just a day prior to that day, Baba had said to Dada, “So? Tomorrow my children will have to go without food? But, how will I allow them to go hungry? Then why am I here?”

There were some devotees like Madhavrao Deshpande, Dasganu Maharaj, Nanasaheb Chandorkar, Nimonkar who had unwavering belief in foolish customs and rituals like untouchability and similar other matters. They were ardent devotees of Baba; but at the same time, they could not give up the orthodox and irrational practices. These had become a way of life for them. On the one hand, they had reached the pinnacle of paramartha; but simultaneously, they were tied down by these customs. But, this did not come in the way of their devotion, love and affection between them and Baba.

Dada Kelkar joined their ranks. Though he got many such experiences and he developed a deep affection towards Baba, it was not easy for Kelkar to give up his foolish customs and rituals in matters like un-touchability and the like.

It is the affection of the Lord towards His true devotees. A disciple may momentarily lose his sense of the right and wrong. He may even utter a few harsh words to his Sadguru who advises him to mend his ways. He may not adhere to his Sadguru’s guidance. But, his Guru continues to lovingly look at these as a mere child’s behaviour. Using very mild words, he may rebuke him and say, “It is not like that”, “Do not behave like this”. The Guru is unable to scold his disciple. There are occasions on which he may assume a different stance and shower the choicest abuses also. But, even while doing so his intention is to shower blessings on his true devotees.

Baba also did the same. He tried to put sense in His devotees by telling them what is right and what is wrong. He illustrated it by giving examples. But, He never insisted on someone following His advice. Ultimately, He allowed everyone to behave as per their wishes. These differences in personal opinions never came in the way of their devotion and affection.

Baba ignored these minor matters; but He always ensured that the devotee does not go astray from the path of
paramartha and spiritual progress. Baba sometimes put the devotee to a test and acted as if He is a novice in these matters.

All this was true more particularly of Kelkar. He was born in a brahmin family and brought-up strictly according to the traditions and customs prevalent in those times. Further, he had studied vedic literature in great detail. It was no wonder that his beliefs were steadfast. Therefore, Baba also left him undisturbed in these matters.

Ganesh Damodar Kelkar passed away peacefully on 3rd January 1924 (ref:Shirdi Gezetteer).

(Source: In Sai's Proximity article by Smt.Mugha Sudhir Divadkar and published by Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi)