(He maintained a diary covering all the incidents and miracles in Shirdi. This diary
not only covers the period after his arrival in Shirdi, but also prior to his arrival.
His diary covers the period from 1909 to 1926 & is the first written document on
Baba with abundant information, throwing light on Baba’s life. He attained beatitude
with Baba's Grace).
Hari Sitaram Dixit, H.S.Dixit was also called as Kaka Dixit, Kakasaheb Dixit, Dixit
or simply Kaka. Dixit was born in 1864 in a Brahmin family in Khandwa. He studied
in different places, including Bombay, took a Law degree and was practicing as an
eminent lawyer, was also a Solicitor of repute and earned a very good name. He was
also a Notary Public and Justice of Peace and also a Member in several public institutions
and was a prominent political and social worker. He was also an elected member of
the Legislative Council and rendered exemplary service to the public with selflessness.
He was also an active member in National Congress. Kaka and Nanasaheb Chandrokar
were old and close friends. Kaka was in London and one day while boarding a train
in 1906, he slipped on the platform and got his leg injured forming a limp in his
leg. There was sprain in his leg. It was a deep wound. Due to this reason he was
not able to walk straight. He went through many treatments in London, operation
was also undergone, still he was not able to walk properly and this remained as
it was. Due to his lameness he got a chance of placing his feet on the soil of Shirdi.
In the year 1909, once he went to Lonawala to spend vacation and stayed in his bungalow.
There he met Nanasaheb Chandorkar his classmate. After school education, Nanasaheb
got engaged in government service and Kakasaheb started his own legal practice.
After many years they met in Lonawala. On the advice of Nana, Dixit wanted to visit
Shirdi. He was in Ahmednagar staying with Mirikar, his friend and wanted to go to
Shirdi. At that time, Shama was in Ahmednagar itself to see his ailing mother-in-law.
Mirikar came to know about this and arranged Kaka’s visit to Shirdi through Shama.
Kaka and Shama went to the railway station, but train accommodation was not there;
however through a railway official whom Kaka knew, got train accommodation in 1stclass
and reached Kopargaon where they met Nana who was on his way to Shirdi. All the
three reached Shirdi. Kaka came to Shirdi first time on 02-11-09 and had darshan
of Sai Baba with utmost
happiness. Baba told him that he was waiting Kaka’s arrival and that he also arranged
to send Shama to bring him.
In Shirdi and in Lonavala and in his house in Vile Parle, Bombay, Dixit was inviting
regularly his friends and even strangers also to dine freely with him and consequently
his Lonavala house became known as Anna Dhana Hindu Hotel and this situation prevented
other hotels from doing hotel business in that town. In his Vile Parle house also,
he allowed regularly several cats and dogs to eat food without any restriction.
Such a generous person he was and he followed all the views of Baba.
Dixit got Baba’s permission to construct a residential quarters in Shirdi on 09-12-09
and started construction work forthwith. And he completed the construction work
in about four months and the quarters were ready in 1911. The original wada can
be seen in the side picture. The residential quarters were called Dixitwada and
was inaugurated on Ramnavami day .in the same year. Dixitwada was located just opposite
to Gurusthan. Dixit lived in a modest room in the first floor, leaving the entire
area for the use of visiting pilgrims. Dixit did parayana every day in this wada
which was attended by several people, including visiting pilgrims on Baba’s advice.
Dixit used to read daily Nath Bhagvat, 11thChapter which is most important. Puja
was also performed regularly in this wada. It was in this wada that Hemadpant, the
author of Sri Sai Satcharita used to stay always when he was in Shirdi. The building
was later used as Bhojan Griha or canteen in Shirdi till mid 1990s. Dixit bequeathed
part of the wada to the Sansthan and later the whole wada was given to the Sansthan.
A small part of it was open as a reading room. In a recent extension to the wada,
a few of Baba's personal things and the items used by Baba were subsequently put
on display in a museum called: "Museum Hall".
Dixit jotted down noteworthy instances indicating the miracles done by Baba on a
regular basis and thus wrote a diary in Marathi covering all the incidents and miracles
in Shirdi. This diary not only covers the period after his arrival in Shirdi, but
also prior to his arrival. His diary covers the period mainly from 1909 to 1918
and also from 1918 to 1926. Dixit passed away in 1926. Dixit diary in Marathi was
translated into English and English version was published perhaps in Madras Dixit
diary in English is the first recorded document about Baba and has 140 pages. Dixit
diary was the first great
source of abundant information, throwing light on Baba’s life, incidents and miracles.
This is the first diary.
After seeing Baba, his interest in his profession started diminishing and in 1911
he stayed for a long time in Shirdi in Dixitwada. Dixit jotted down noteworthy instances
indicating the miracles done by Baba in his diary. He gave up his lucrative legal
profession in 1912. He reserved a room in Dixitwada in the 1st floor for his stay
and use. He lived alone for 9 months during 1912 in that room in complete solitude
as per Baba’s desire. Baba used to send his Prasad daily to Kaka. In that room,
he was reading pothis, religious books. After some time, Baba permitted through
Shama that Kaka could attend mid day aratis and to join in the meals in the masjid.
At this stage, he almost lost his liquid finances and became poor.
Seeing terrible change in Kaka’s life, his wife Saraswathibai was perplexed and
came to Shirdi to live with Kaka. But no ladies were allowed in upstairs as per
the practice. Baba was also firm in this regard and told Kaka to continue his practice
undisturbed by any body. Baba also told Saraswathibai that she should not have any
fears about Kaka and he would look after Kaka carefully. Kaka was fond of bhajans,
devotional songs and used to sing bhajans on Baba. Baba once gave a kafni to Kaka
who used to wear during his stay in Shirdi. Thus Kaka became an ascetic in Shirdi.
Bade Baba was liked by Baba very much. Bade Baba was always a constant companion
of Baba and used to first smoke the chillim and then give it to Baba for his smoke.
Bade Baba used to take lunch along with Baba by sitting to the left of Baba in the
masjid. Baba was daily giving some money to him. That was the position he was enjoying
during the time of Baba. After Baba's Mahasamadhi, Bade Baba wanted to live in Shirdi;
but no body was prepared to give him any shelter, even a house on rent. This was
all due to communal prejudices prevailing at that time. Despite protests by several
people including Nanasaheb Chandorkar, Dixit gave him shelter in his Dixitwada.This
approach of Dixit proved that he followed the foot steps of Baba literally.
He had a leading role in Baba’s Samadhi in Butiwada and in creating the Saibaba
Sansthan of Shirdi in 1922, of which he worked as Honorary Secretary till his death
in July 1926. He also started in 1923 “The Sai Leela”
magazine in Marathi edited by Kaka Mahajani.
Even after Baba’s Mahasamadhi, Kaka continued his services to Baba. After his Mahasamadhi,
Baba helped Dixit in several ways. Once when he was in financial troubles and when
he was asked to repay a large sum of Rs.30,000/- to his creditors within a few days,
he was in a quandary and was perplexed. Baba came to his rescue and all of a sudden
his old friend’s son, on his own, brought the same amount and gave it to Kaka—which
solved the matter.
In July, 1926, Dixit, Dabholkar and Purandhare were going in a train and after boarding
the train, Kakasaheb said, "How kind is Sai Baba? He takes care of the minutest
needs of His devotees. If we had missed the train our day would have spoiled and
we had to spend the night in Colaba". Eulogizing about Baba Dixit closed his eyes.
Purandhare and Dabholkar assumed that Kakasaheb got fully immersed in Baba's devotion.
After some time, Dabholkar whispered to Kakasaheb, "Bhau, are you awake?" He repeated
this statement for about three times, but he did not get any reply from Kakasaheb.
So a railway doctor was called at Mahim station. On examination, the doctor concluded
that while speaking about the greatness of Baba, Kakasaheb left his mortal coil.
Then Kakasaheb's dead body was taken to his house in Vile Parle. On July 5, 1926,
Monday, Ekadashi day at the age of sixty two, Kakasaheb merged with Lord Baba which
is heaven. Baba once told him, "Kaka! I will take you in vimana (heavenly vehicle)".
Kakasaheb's death was pleasant and peaceful. From the angle of attaining beatitude,
his death could be considered as a blessing from his Sadguru. It is said in Gita,
"The last wish or thought that a man has at the hour of death, determines his future
course (for next birth) and that person attains the same".
Dixit bequeathed part of the wada initially to the Sansthan and later it was given
in full. Until the mid-1990s the building was used as a canteen. A small part of
it was later made a reading room. In a recent extension to the wad some of the items
used by Baba were placed on display in a museum with a sign board above the door:
as "Museum Hall".
Dixit was highly devoted to Baba and had greatest faith in Baba who blessed him
spiritually. He was a devotee of the highest order and followed scrupulously all
the directions of Baba. He attained beatitude or Moksha in 1926.