Bayyaji Appaji Patel

By: Dubagunta Sankaraiah

Bayyaji Appaji Patel also known as Bayyaji Patel or Bayji Kote knew Baba since his childhood. His house was one of the five houses from where Baba used to seek alms regularly. Baba begged bread from the time he arrived in Shirdi and till the end i.e, till his Mahasamadhi.

Appaji Patel was sturdy and strong, and he was, in general, thinking that he had the strength of mythological Bhima. He also displayed his strength on several occasions by lifting Baba after massaging his legs and placing him in front of Dhuni. But Baba wanted to put his pride down and accordingly on one occasion, he could not lift Baba at which Baba laughed and his pride came down.

Baba used to give, for full 14 years till his Mahasamadhi, four Rupees daily to Appaji Patel and advised him not to part with or spend it but use it toward investment only and accordingly he saved all such amounts and invested them for purchase of as many as 84 acres of land. He had already 10 or 11 acres of other lands. Thus, with Baba’s Grace, he became very rich.

In 1897, i.e, when Appaji was 7 years old, the Urus celebrations began. Urus celebrations were started by Gopalrao Gund. He was a Surveyor in the Survey department. He had three wives but no issues. With the blessings of Sai Baba, a son was born to him. In the joy that he felt due to this, an idea of celebrating a fair or ‘Urus’ occurred to him in the year 1897.

In 1913, his father who was over 70 years of age went out as usual on horseback and returned with a stroke of paralysis. He went to Baba and asked for his Udi. Baba said, “I will not give Udi. Allah Malik Hai.” On the third day of the attack, his father passed away on an auspicious day. The next day Appaji Patel went to the masjid and then Baba asked him not to worry about the loss of his father and said that his father would take birth as his son shortly. As per Baba’s words, he had a son subsequently.

On 15th October 1918, Baba leaned upon Appaji Patel and passed away into Mahasamadhi. At that time, there were many troubles. The government took charge of all the properties. There was wrangling between Hindus and Muslims. Muslims said that Baba should be buried in a separate building to be constructed at the expense of people like Appaji Patel and few others, who had derived benefit from Baba’s daily bounty. Ultimately Baba was interred in the Dagdiwada.

On 16th October Wednesday, arati and pooja were performed as usual to Baba’s Body as per Baba’s instructions given to Laxmanmama Joshi in his dream. Baba’s body was taken in procession from the masjid and brought to Dagdiwada and interred with all formalities in the Dagdiwada. Baba thus miraculously occupied the temple premises instead of Muralidhar in the Dagdiwada

In 1932, Baba gave Appaji timely intimation about a bull. At Shirdi, a bull was marked with a trident, being thus dedicated to God Shiva and was freely grazing all over the village and near the Lendi garden also. It was creating harm to the gardens and hence he along with others contributed some money for the expenses of sending it to a pinjrapole at Yeola. The bull was then entrusted to one Bhiku Marwadi with the money for taking it away to be left at the pinjrapole. Bhiku returned after some time and told them that he had performed that duty. That night Baba appeared in Appaji Patel’s dream and said, “Are you sleeping? I have been tied to the door of a butcher.” Then he immediately woke up and consulted Tatya Patel and others on this dream. All of them concluded that the bull had been left with a butcher and not left at the pinjrapole at Yeola as asked by them. So Appaji Patel started at once and went to Yeola and searched for the bull at the two pinjrapole-places there. It was not there, and he learned that Bhiku had not taken the bull there. Then he went around and looked near the butchers’ quarters. The bull was located and was lifting its head over a wall at that time and was found in a butcher’s place. It was to be butchered that very day by the butcher and the butcher told him that he had purchased it for Rs.14 from Bhiku. The bull was thus rescued and placed in the pinjrapole. A case was filed against Bhiku who was charged, convicted, and sentenced to 2 months’ imprisonment. Even after Baba’s Mahasamadhi, Baba was active, guiding and protecting all the devotees in the same way which he used to do when he was in his mortal coil.

Appaji was interviewed by Sri Narasimha Swamiji in 1936 and shared his experiences Appaji was one of the very few who were present in Dwarakamai when Baba took Mahasamadhi.