Smt.Adilakshmi Ammal and Shri.Govinda Swami alias Bhavu Swami were part of the Madrasi Bhajan Mela whose leela has been mentioined in Holy Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 29 and Shri Sai Leela Magazine year 1931.

Smt.Adilakshmi Ammal aged about 50 years and her husband Shri.Govinda Swami alias Bhavu Swami were residents of No.95, Annapillai Street, Chennai. Govinda Swami was called by nickname Bhau Swami as his Guru Guru was Ram Bhau of South Kanara. Govinda Swami worked in Madras Electric Tramways. They went to Shirdi along with their two female children on 23rd August 1915 to have darshan of Sai Baba.

They first went to Nasik where they served Sant Narsing Bua who stayed in Kala Ram Temple there. He directed the couple to visit Shirdi and have darshan of Shri Sai Baba.

Accordingly they came to Shirdi. To their amazement they found Sai Baba’s Durbar very grand. Many girls danced in front of Him. Harikatha’s/Keertan’s were performed by various Keertankar’s. Acrobatic feats were exhibited by Circus people. Always there used to very thrilling crowds at the Dwarakamai Masjid and many accompanied Baba when He went to Chavadi on alternate days. The Madrasi Bhajan Mela Members stayed in Shirdi for about 1 ½ months.

The Madrasi Bhajan Mela group sang Bhajans very well and people were appreciative of their songs. The Mela wanted recognition and money. Three, of the party, were very greedy, but the lady, Adilakshmi Ammal, was of a different type. She had great love and devotion for Baba.

One day during the noon aarti, tears were rolling down the eyes of this lady when everyone was chanting Baba’s namavali. She was loudly chanting the names of Sitapati Sri Rama. People all around were perplexed. They did not know what had happened to her. They were wondering at her joyful mood. Later on in the afternoon, she told all, that when they were singing Baba’s name and seeing Him, Baba had appeared to her like  Lord Sri Ramachandra. Sri Rama was her favourite deity. Seeing her beloved god in person, she was delighted and tears of joy were flowing from her eyes and she was chanting Sri Rama’s name. She told this vision of hers to her husband also. Being a man of the world and thinking only of money, he did not believe her story. He thought that as women are usually sentimental she was imagining things, otherwise, when everyone was seeing Baba, how could she alone see Sri Rama? The lady however did not resent his belittling her vision. She knew that Baba had graced her with the darshan of her beloved deity. From that day her mind became even more composed and free from avarice.

Smt.Adilakshmi Ammal’s husband Shri.Bhavu Swami did not have much faith in. During their stay, one day  when he was fast asleep, he had a dream vision in which he found himself to be in a big city. The Police had arrested him, tied his hands behind with a rope and took him to a lock-up room in a nearby police station. The police tightened the grip and were about to start softening him. The man looked outside the cage and was surprised to find Baba standing there and looking at him with very kind eyes.

He being a very cunning person, told Baba: “Deva, it was because of your fame that I came to visit You. Why should this calamity fall on me when You are standing so near me?”. Baba smiled and said, “You cannot escape from the consequences of your actions.” The man was surprised, “I have not done anything now, so why this misfortune?”. Baba, still smiling, said, “If not now, you must have committed some sin in your previous life.” The man was becoming desperate. He said, “I don’t know anything about my previous life. Even if I have done some wrong, why the consequences are not burnt away and destroyed because of Your presence? Like a dry grass burning in the fire.” Then Baba smiled some more and asked, “Do you have that much faith in Me?” The man had to reply, “Yes”. Then Baba asked him to close his eyes and think of Him. As soon as he closed his eyes, he heard a thumping sound of something falling down. He opened his eyes and saw that he was free. He also saw that the police constable who had held him had fallen down and was bleeding. The man was frightened and looked at Baba. Baba was still smiling, He said, “Now you are well caught. The officers will take good care of you!” This time, the man’s intention was very clear. He prayed Baba to pardon all his sins and save him. He said, “You are my only saviour. There is no one else. Please save me”. Baba asked him to close his eyes once again. The man obeyed His instructions. When he did open his eyes, he found that he was free; there was neither the police nor the police station. Only he and Baba were standing in space. He fell at Baba’s feet. Then Baba asked him, “Is there any difference between this namaskara and the earlier ones? Think well and then reply.” The man replied, “My earlier namaskaras were with the intention of getting money from You. The present one is because You are god. Besides, I thought earlier that You, being a Muslim, were spoiling us, the Hindus.” Then Baba asked him, “Do you believe in Mohemmadan gods?” The man was honest enough to say, “No”. Baba, who is a sarvajna, one who knows everything, then asked him, “Don’t you have a panja in your house? Don’t you worship the same during Tabut in your house? Don’t you have another deity, Kadbibi, in your house whom you worship on marriages and other festivals? Don’t you appease her also?” The man admitted all these.

Then Baba smilingly and conclusively asked him, “What more do you want?” The man, being a follower of Saint Ramadas, was thinking of seeing his guru. Baba read his thoughts and said, “Look behind”. To his amazement he saw his guru standing behind him. As soon as he tried to prostrate at the feet of his guru, Samarth Ramadas vanished. Then the man turned around. He had a doubt. He asked Baba, “You look to be old. How old are You?”. Laughingly Baba said, “You say that I am old! Just run a race with Me and see who wins!” Saying thus, Baba started running and vanished in the dust raised by His foot steps. The man woke up from his dream.

In this way Sai Baba released him in the dream. After waking up from the dream, he started thinking seriously about the dream and particularly about the questions and answers. His attitude changed and started realizing how great Baba was. The mind which was seeking external objects turned to inner peace and calmness. The man realized that this peace and equanimity could be obtained only at the divine feet of Baba.

Baba used to give the Bhajan Mela Group Burfi supplied by a local shopkeeper. Baba used to give the group two rupees worth of Burfi on a daily basis. The group members felt that they did not want Burfi. Baba used to give only Rs.4 in Cash.

On 30th August 1915 Smt.Adilakshmi Ammal offered Naivedyam to Sai Baba. She prepared Baji and Payasa with intense devotion chanting Baba’s name throughout while she prepared the dishes. Then she took and placed the dishes before Him. A Brahmin Widow by name Durgabai placed the plate containing the offerings of Smt.Adilakshmi Ammal at the bottom row i.e., little away from Sai Baba.

But, the Antaryamin gradually moved up to that dish and began to eat it with relish and shared the dish with Shyama and others. Thus, Sai Baba ate the whole dish. Smt.Adilakshmi Ammal was overjoyed at the acceptance of her offerings and devotion by Sai Baba. Baba who knew the couple’s hearts responded positively with love. When the group was about to leave, Baba assured the group that they would be paid Rs.200 to Rs.300 for the Railway Fare to Kashi which was the next destination of the group. But, the amount was not paid to them. But while on the way to Kasi, the group went to Harda Ghat and there they got all the pilgrimage expenses which was donated to them by various devotees.

Once Smt.Adilakshmi Ammal told Smt.Tarabai Tarkhad that she is feeling something wrong about herself and that when she met Baba He might beat her up. Later on, she went with the same impression in mind to Baba and as assumed by Smt.Adilakshmi Ammal, Baba started abusing her and kicked her off when she went to prostrate at His feet. Here, the devotees should understand that Baba knew her heart very well and real facts about her and thus in His Justice He inflicted the punishment which she had already expected from Him!!

Many years after Sai Baba’s demise the couple shared this wonderful experience with Shri Sai Leela Magazine. People in Shirdi addressed Smt.Adilakshmi Ammal as Buamayi and her Husband as Bua.

(Source: Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 29 and Shri Sai Leela Magazine, Year 1931, Ambrosia in Shirdi by Vinny Chitluri. Photo Courtesy: Shri.Jignesh C.Rajput, Surat)