- To the point-Ajit Parrot
Punjab is now at the center of media due to the rise of Khalistanist elements. In this Punjab, more than one school-college is running in the name of Baba Purandasji, a Hatha Yogi Saint of Udsin sect. A full-size marble statue of him is also installed in an educational institution. This saint from Dhingad area of Punjab is also called Wariwara Sant by Punjabis and Sindhis. The reason? He would sleep on a bed of sand and make a pillow of bricks. Gaur Kaya of six feet two and three and a half inches, Gaur Varna and the whole body was adorned with Bhabhuti. This saint says, God is the only complete person in this world. We are all His servants. Purnadas became Purandasji because Punjabis do not speak syllables.
Here we have to talk a little about the 'Apathetic' sect. This sect was founded by Srichandra, son of Pujya Guru Nanak. Srichandra used to remember the Lord from an early age. While other small children were playing, Srichandra would sit in the shade of a tree and meditate. Folklore has it that at the end of his life, Sri Chandra Baba went to the opposite bank of the Jhelum River in Jammu and Kashmir, after which he disappeared. That is why the sadhus of the sadhu sect believe that even today it is among us. No information is available about his death.
The talk is about the death anniversary (death anniversary) of ascetic Baba Purandasji. The interesting thing is that this saint, who has various educational institutions in his name in Punjab, was buried in Mumbai on Baisakh Sud Satme (Ganga Saptami) of 1961. Mahant Ganeshdasji of Sadhubela in Mahalakshmi temple compound used to say that he was 150 years old at that time. Babaji's mausoleum is on Mumbai's Worli Naka. At that place also there is a marble plaque that Babaji committed suicide at the age of 150 years. He attended twelve Purna Kumbh Melas. Purna Kumbh Mela is held every twelve years. Bar Kumbh means 144 years. Sant used to say that when railways were not yet in the country, we used to attend the Kumbh Mela on foot.
According to elders, Baba Purandasji came to Mumbai's Worli area while traveling in the 1950s. At that time Worli was not as bright as it is today. There were very few houses. It was mostly a poor population of fishermen and labourers. At that time there was a severe shortage of drinking water. Seeing this charismatic saint, people described the problem of water. The saint asked to dig at a place on the coast of Worli. What is the benefit of digging on the beach? Such an idea occurred to some people. However, two or four devotees obeyed the order of the saint and started digging. After some digging a fresh water well was found. The faith of local people increased in this monk after finding a well of sweet water on the sea shore. Till 2006 water from that well was used. Meanwhile, the use of wells decreased as the Mumbai Municipality managed water.
Then the people of Worli begged the saint - Bapji, stay here. The saint stopped and blew incense there. Even today in the temple of the saint's samadhi, continuous incense burns round the clock. Babaji started two activities here - feeding the poor and charity dispensary. Gradually the activity developed, Morarji Desai was the Chief Minister of Mumbai and even when rationing was imposed, hundreds of people ate here regularly. Acting Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda also visited this saint. This saint does not take anything from anyone. If someone prostrates, put it aside. When the Kumbh Mela comes, the amount deposited will be used to deposit the monks in the Mela. For the past six-seven decades, here every Sunday, the blind, disabled, religious and poor people have been getting food as prasad from Bhandara. Doctors used to check and give medicine for just one rupee. In compliance with the rules announced by the state government during the corona period, the warehouse was suspended to avoid crowding. The hospital is still open. This Thursday 27th April is Vaishakh Sud Saptami (Ganga Seventh). Therefore, Akhand Path Saheb and Bhajan-Kirtan are being held for three days from today.
