Telagi was like Baba’s headquarters and from there he used to visit various places. One day he had gone to Sindagi. From there he went to Sangappa’s shop and asked for a rupee. Sangappa was not in the shop and his brother-in-law thought, Baba was some beggar and refused to pay him. Then Baba went to Sangappa’s house, told that he was hungry, took food and went away. Sangappa knew nothing of all this, though he had a long time wish to see Baba. One day Baba went to Sangappa’s house at Bijapur. Sangappa was very happy and so was Baba, who immediately embraced Sangappa. There was something like electric current that passed through Sangappa’s body and he knew Baba was not an ordinary person. But in those days Baba had become very thin, his hair untidy and clothes insufficient. Sangappa decided to take proper care of Baba. So he kept Baba at home and started taking care of him. At that time Baba was still very young and had no proper care. So his speech was crude, dress untidy and behaviour erratic. Another strange habit of his was eating raw leaves of rui, a poisonous shrub. These leaves, thick and soft would release thick white gel, which when it touched skin would cause scabies. But Baba was unaffected. Sangappa’s kind wife taught this boy, the ways of the world and made him a man of social behaviour. Baba, an orphan had found a mother in “Sangappa’s wife. Once Baba disappeared for some days and when he came back Sangappa’s wife asked where he 34 had been. He narrated the following incident (This is some time in 1967-68).
“I had gone to Bombay. There on platform some rich man put a cigarette in his mouth and was searching for lighter. I lighted his cigarette with nothing in hand. I don’t know what he felt, he bought a shirt and dhoti for me and took me to his house” . Next day in horse race he got lot of money and he was very happy. He showed me around Bombay and left me home”.
Sangappa was a fairly rich man. So he could purchase old car for Rs. 1800/- but he did not have money sufficient for petrol. But on account of Baba’s acute wish to see sacred places in and around Bijapur, the car could move around with water as fuel. On some such a day they came to a plantation of a fragrant thorny big flowers (Devada). It is well-known that usually serpents move around such plantation. So nobody enters there without proper protection. But Baba entered, wandered there merrily and returned. Then they came to Bagalkot. There he called for 25 petromaxes, filled them with water and lighted them. They gave out bright light.
For Sangappa’s family Baba was like a family member. Sangappa’s wife’s chronical illness was cured by him. Sangappa’s son had no issues even after three years of marriage. Baba had told him “When I come next your son will serve me”. Accordingly Sangappa’s son had a male child born within a year. From 1972, Baba started staying at Mumbai and Bijapur alternatively. In Bijapur he doesn’t have a separate Ashram, but the office of the lawyer Imane was turned into his Ashram. Regular bhajan and arati going on there. Whenever Baba is at Bijapur his devotees come, serve him and get their problems solved. There are umpteen instances of miracles, but only few can be chronicled.
In 1973, Shri Guddini filed nomination for election. He requested for Baba’s blessings. Baba told him “Whatever may happen, but your cap will never fall down. Guddinni won the election and he firmly believes that is due to Baba’s blessing.
One day, Baba had desired that his devotee couple Chitwad should serve Puran Poli to 50 devotees. There was difficulty of providing ghee. The couple was worried. But Baba told them to bring an empty vessel. The vessel was brought. Baba just stared at it and it was full of ghee.
Baba is considered as a present day incarnation of god Dattatreya. So he is expected to have multiple, simultaneous presence at many places at one and same time. One day he was sitting playing cards on the first floor of the house. Some devotees went to 2nd floor and were surprised to see Baba having tiffin there.
Primary school teacher of Salotgi is a true devotee, of Shri Aurobindo and mother of Pondicherry (Now Puducheri). When lie came to know that Baba was at Bijapur he decided to have Baba’s darshan before going to Pondicherry. When he went to Ashram, Baba was taking afternoon nap. So the teacher was waiting for Baba to be awake. When Baba got up, the teacher bowed at the feet of Baba. There the teacher felt the presence of his mother. Baba helps true devotees by fulfilling their wishes.
Hunshiyal is another devotee who had an experience of Baba’s power for miracle. Once when Hunshiyal was alone with him, he brought down the lantern hanging on the hook in the room and asked him “Do you know its price? The devotee guessed it to Rs. 10 to 15. Then Baba made devotee sit near him and told him “You will witness of Agni’s actual presence. Please see”. He prayed to the lantern “God please give your darshan to the devotee”. Suddenly the lantern lighted itself and there was a dazzling light in the room. Baba said “This reward is not for all. Only true devotees witness such miracle.” Then he blessed him and said, “In 15 months in your house will be born a Laxmi’s child. Perhaps I may be born in your house.”
On another day the devotee went to Ashram for Baba’s darshan. Baba was standing holding a broken Shiv Ling in his hand. He told the devotee “When I was returning after worship this ‘Ling’ fell down and broke. Please go to the market and get a new one. The devotee knew that it was Baba’s way of testing his devotion. He said to Baba “Baba you yourself are the avatar of Ishwar. Of what use is this ‘ling’ to you. I think you doubt my devotion. That is why you gave me the darshan of broken ‘Ling’”. Baba replied “I know you are a real devotee, but you had to go through test. You had in you an obstacle. From today you are free from that. Please do not worry. See the ‘Ling’ is now a whole.” Then he called the devotee near him, rubbed his palm on his (Baba’s) cheek and drew a Rudrax, gave it to him and asked him to wear it. On another day he gave a darshan o f Atma-ling’. On his chest the devotee saw a Ling’ of 5” to 6” in height duly worshipped with Bhasma and Kumkum. But after few minutes ling’ disappeared.
Baba did not show only miracles to this devotee. He has solved his difficulties and removed his grief. His (devotees’) wife suffered from constant cold and sneezing. Whether she touches water, or visits bathroom she would suffer from cold. No treatment was successful. So she told Baba her difficulty. Baba smiled, rubbed his nose and said “See I also suffer from cold”. From that day onwards devotee’s wife was free from cold. The devotee had to go on tour for office work. It involved travelling, wandering in hot sun, irregular food habits and all this made him sick. The devotee told this to Baba. Baba said “Do not worry, I have taken your troubles on my back”. Wonder is that the devotee’s trouble disappeared from that day.
If Baba is pleased with a devotee, he will grant boons with open hands. In 1975, Bijapur area had good rains. Baba had told a devotee to sow sugar cane. But the devotee’s worry was that there was no sufficient water in the well and sugar cane requires more water. But Baba told him “You do not worry, grow sugar cane as I have told. Do not think of anything else.” Devotees did so and got very rich crop. When he told Baba, he said, “You will be tired of counting, so much money you will get” . Baba’s words came true.
Baba had a dog “Vallabh” and for its anti-rabies injection, one devotee Shri Hunsheyal had to move around on his bike. Baba said to him, “How much are you driving around for me?” This was sufficient. His bike which normally would require 5 litres of petrol for every 3 or 4 days, did not require any refilling for 15 days. He thought something was wrong. He opened the petrol tank and found that the tank was as it was. Now he was sure that it was Baba’s miracle and nothing else.
On one Tuesday in 1975, one Shri Roogi went to Baba’s darshan at 9 am. Baba asked him to bring a small pebble. He brought it. Baba took it in his hand and told devotee to watch. The small pebble grew in his hand and both his hands had to support it. Seeing this the devotee felt a lightening pass through his body. Baba giving the pebble asked the devotee to worship it daily in his house. He further added “As this pebble grows your household also will grow”. It has exactly happened like that. Not only that if somebody is sick in the house, if pebble is moved on the sick, the person will get well. The devotee now tells that Ganpati idol’s outline, is slowly rising on the pebble.