Most of us who have visited Shirdi would have definitely seen Lendi Baugh, one of its pilgrimage spots. This was the place where Shri Sai Baba in his lifetime daily spent an hour or two in solitude. Other than Abdul Baba, none accompanied Shri Sai to Lendi.
Amongst the various tombs of intimate devotees of Baba, situated in Lendi Baugh, we come across a tomb of Baba’s pet horse “SHYAMKARNA.”
A horse merchant named Kasam, was distraught because his mare remained issueless for a long time. Hearing Baba’s fame, he visited Shirdi in 1912 with his issueless mare and prayed to Shri Sai to bless his mare with an issue. He also vowed that he would gift the first born to Sai Baba. Sai Baba blessed the mare by applying udi on her forehead and then made her drink udi water.
By the grace of Shri Sai, the mare had a series of issues. So Kasam, as vowed, brought the first- born foal to Sai Baba. Sai Baba named the horse SHYAMKARNA, as his body was brown while his ears were black. The horse loved Sai Baba and Sai Baba too reciprocated. Nanasaheb Khasgiwale of Shirdi was entrusted to look after this house and he also taught him to bow before Sai Baba.
The horse was initially housed in the room situated on the eastern side of the Dwarkamai now called Shyamsunder Hall. Later on, a horse shed was constructed with a donation of Rs.500/- which was received from Mrs.Sakharam Aurangabadkar.
During every Arati, Shyamkarna would stand in Dwarkamai Sabha Mandap and wait for the Arati to start. When the Arati commenced, it danced merrily keeping beat with the tiny bells tied to his feet. After every Arati, it would climb the steps of Dwarkamai and bow to Baba. Baba blessed him by applying udi to his forehead after which all other bhaktas received udi and Prasad.
During the Chavadi procession days, Shyamkarna was fully decorated with a necklace of beads, leg rings and beautiful cloth for his tail. It was worth seeing this horse as he danced all the way to the Chavadi leading the procession. Once Sai Baba entered the Chavadi, he stood outside facing Him.
It was Nana Chandorkar who employed a servant ‘Nanasaheb Khasgiwale’ to look after Shyamkarana, Shri Sai Baba’s love for the living beings was not superficial. Many incidents proved this time and again many a times Sai Baba told his devotees not to merely treat animals without compassion but to see and feel Sainath himself in all living beings. Likewise, He instructed Khasgiwale to treat Shyamkarna as his child and not merely like an animal. One day Shyamkarna refused to eat and Khasgiwale was annoyed. He tried his best to pursue but Shyamkana refused to obey. He lost his patience and hit Shyamakarna with a stick. Although this incident took place away from Dwarkamai Sai Baba suddenly exclaimed in pain, “Oh they are killing that horse! Go quickly and fetch him’!” Upon seeing Khasgiwale Baba asked angrily ‘why are you hitting me with such big stick?’ Khasgiwale was puzzled until Sai Baba lifted his Kafni and showed him livid marks on his body. Devotees sitting in Dwarkamai were astonished to see marks of beating on Sai Baba’s body. They looked at the care taker for explanation and knew that he did not come to Dwarkamai that day. Khesgiwale realized that every time he hit the horse the affect was on Sai Baba. Enthralled at the happenings Khesgiwale fell at Sai Baba’s feet, asked for pardon and promised never to repeat the same. The devotees present considered this as Baba’s leela to prove that he was present in all living beings. Mother can feel and sense the pain of her child but Sai mother took the pain of his children. Truly how caring Baba is!
After Sai Babas Mahasamadhi, Shyamkarna would daily visit Samadhi Mandir and would stand there for some time in silence with tears tricking down his face. He however continued to attend the daily Aratis and also took part in the Chavadi procession.
One devotee of Baba Shri Vittal Yeshwant Deshpande, (Dadar Mumba) interviewed by Shri M.S. Gholap for Sai Leela Magazine (Saileela Feb 1982) gave these details about Shyamkarna
‘I will never forget in my life one scene that I saw in Shirdi. Baba had one horse name Shyamkarna and at the time of Arati, majestically clad “Shyamkarna” used to stand outside Dwarkamai. The wonder of wonders was that till the end of the Arati he used to stand mute and motionless. Some devotees said that during the Arati they had the rare chance to witness some peculiar movement of his lips as if he was silently uttering something. At the end of the Arati when the Chopdar (a person attired in a way which distinguishes him from other watchmen and who performs special duties in a place of worship) intoned the concluding words, Shyamkarna used to fold up his front legs and reverentially touch the floor of the Dwarkamai with his forehead.
This beloved horse passed away in the year 1945 and he was entombed in lendi. Thus Shyamakarna shared his life and in death too is near Sai Baba.
In the Dwarkamai, an idol of Shyamkarna has been installed on the left of Baba’s sitting stone. The donor of this idol was Balasaheb Shulthe of Shirdi. In lendi baugh Mr.K.M alias Appasaheb Vartak a well-known Auditor of big firms in Mumbai and other places made a gift of a Bronze statue of Shri Sai Baba’s favourite horse Shyamkarna to the shrine of Shri Sansthan and the same is installed on a nice raised platform near the well. It is a very beautiful statue the work of a well-known artist from Mumbai, Mr.Kamath. The platform and the statue together costs about Rs.2000 and the expenses were borne by Mr.Vartak.
Sai Baba said to Mrs Tarkhad, “Mother, you have fed me sumptuously up to my throat. My afflicted pranas (life-forces) have been satisfied. Always act like this, and this will stand you in good stead. Sitting in this Masjid I shall never, never speak untruth. Take pity on me like this. First give bread to the hungry, and then eat yourself. Note this well.” (Chapter IX – Shri Sai Satcharitra)
(Source Life of Sai Baba, Devotees experience of Sai Baba by B.V. Narasimha Swamy, Shri Sai Satcharitra)
contributed by Sandhya Udtha
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