Page 43 - My Father-Final Book

the festival of Shree Ganesha Chaturthi and Shree Gauri Poojan, my mother was having her monthly period. Therefore, my father had to do the preparation for the festival, including cooking. Shashi Patawardhan visited my father that day. My father prepared the prasad (holy food), and offered it to Gauri goddess with a prayer. And, lo behold ! At this prayer, the food vanished from the plate. Shashi Patawardhan witnessed this event. Then, he understood that my father was a great devotee and Yogi. Shashi became a devotee of my father. It was Shashi Patwardhan’s brother in law who had hosted me and my sister when we went to Mumbai for my interview for admission to the Indian Institute of Technology where I did my Bachelor’s and Master’s education in Engineering. (cf:His Spiritual Evolution).
He invited my father to visit his house at Bagalkot and stay with them for a week or two. He was very insistent, so in 1949, my father, mother and Mr. Limaye went to Bagalkot. Patwardhans owned a big house and farm. The farm produced lot of peanuts. Therefore, Patawardhans wanted to start an oil mill with an electric oil press. They had already purchased the necessary machinery. It was decided that my father would inaugurate the opening of the mill.
There was a very old well near the farm, but it was dry. My father asked Patwardhans to perform Puja at the well and he prayed to Sai Baba for help. Instantly, ashes appeared in his palms. Whentheasheswereputintothedrywell,fountains of cold water started coming up. This helped the nearby community.Mr. Limaye had written his experiences with my father in a notebook. It includes this visit to Bagalkot and Vijapur. [Illustrations 17-18: Mr. Limaye’s notebook of experiences with my father]
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