Page 45 - My Father-Final Book

My father was working as a laborer in the incense factory below our apartment, at a very old age, and this caused him a lot of hardship. During those days, once I overheard my father telling Mr. Natu that he had completed 1 crore (10 million) Japa while counting and packing incense sticks during that job. It was amazing to know how he made use of such a job to complete his japa. This had a definite impact on my spiritual practice.
The Thursday prayer used to be held in one temple where a priest named Jagannath Pujari lived. He was the same person who visited us at the time I was selected for admission to the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, described earlier (cf:His Family Life).
My father lived in his father in law's big apartment complex in Shukrawar Peth for some time. The Khaladkar family lived next door to him. The Khaladkars were impressed with my father’s calm nature, habit of helping others and devotion to Shree Shirdi Sai Baba. Khaladkar family was financially very poor. Ambutai Khaladkar, the mother, started going to Thursday Arati prayers. Ambutai’s husband Madhavarao was employed as a contractor in the Military Engineering Services. He used to go to Delhi frequently for his work. He had memorized the entire Bhagavadgita and recited it each day before taking any food. Once when he went to Delhi, his four years old son, Ram started crying, missing his father. He would not stop at any cost. So, Ambutai brought Ram to my father. My father placed his palm on Ram’s head, and Ram stopped crying because he was able to see his father in Delhi. Due to my father’s blessings, the financial condition of the Khaladkar family improved. They purchased a big house in Shaniwar Peth, which is still their home and is named Sai Krupa. Ram got a very good job, and later had the opportunity
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