Sai Mahabhakte Bhikkubai belonged to Marathi community and resided in Shirdi. On 2nd December 1936, she narrated in her own words the experiences she had with Shri Sai Baba to Late Shri.B.V.Narasimha Swamji as below:
My ancestral home is Ahmednagar. I knew Radhakrishna Mai as a friend at Ahmednagar. It was Radhakrishna Mai who had a photo of Sai Baba told me about Him. She was worshipping Sai Baba with Aarti and other rituals. She told me she wanted to go to Him. Radhakrishna Mai's grandfather was a lawyer there and his name was Baba Saheb Ganesh. She stayed with him in Shirdi. I was married to a person from Sangamner and he died at an early age. I came from there when I was 14 years old along with Radhakrishna Mai. She was serving Sai Baba since 1908 in Shirdi.
Gangagiri Baba of Vanjargaon was performing a massive Nama-Sapthaha under the Tamarid Tree near Dixit Wada in Shirdi. There used to be a huge gathering every day and among many pilgrim groups that came, one was from Sangamner and when that group returned to Sangamner, it brought from my friend Radhakrishna Mai a photograph of Sai Baba, a lot of Burfi Prasad and an invitation to me to go over to Shirdi and settle there. I accept the invitation of Radhakrishna Mai and came to Shirdi without any jewels and property. I then went and had darshan of Sai Baba. He told me to live with Radhakrishna Mai and be busy serving the devotees. During the end of 1916 i.e., 1 or 2 months after Radhakrishna Mai died, I had gone to Nagar to draw my pension as the widow of a man that died in the war at rupees 6 per month. On my way back, at Kopergaon, near the banks of River Godavari, I was reminded of the tragic passing away of Radhakrishna Mai, whose body was cremated there. My mind was in a turmoil. I had brought over my garland to Shirdi for offering that to Baba. When I went to place it near Baba, He said, "I don't want this garland of mental uneasiness" (Talha Haar Mala Nako). Baba did not receive the Garland. Hari Sitaram Dixit requested Him to take the Garland as I had brought it all the way from Ahmednagar for Him with such great trouble. I then went near Baba lifting up the garland with both hands. Then as I neared Baba, the garland somehow snapped into 3 parts; one was left in each hand and one fell on the floor. I was at a loss to understand as to how that garland got severed like that into 3 pieces. When this was happening, Baba kept on telling "I don't want it".
I had also brought with me along with the garland a watermelon and some milk sweets and I placed the pedas and the cut fruit before Baba. Baba took them and distributed amongst the devotees who were present at that time inside Dwarakamai. Then I took a slice and cut off the outer skin and presented part of it to Baba and asked Him to eat it. Dixit also requested Him to eat it. Baba then said, "This woman was weeping and shedding tears at Godavari and she has brought it with such a troubled heart and so I will not accept it". The fact was that at the River Bank I was weeping and blaming Baba mentally for not having saved Radhakrishna Mayi and for allowing her to die such a wretched death. Baba knew everything that was in my heart and hence His refusal to accept my offerings.
Baba at His noonday meal daily used to give me a vessel full of food which I used to take home.
On the day of Baba's Maha Samadhi, I was greatly agitated at his leaving me desolate and I was weeping at about 10:00 p.m., in my house saying "Baba, I cannot see you again". I came out and outside my front-door I saw a serpent and felt that It was Baba and said, "I cannot recognize you in this serpent body. I know only your Sai Baba form". On hearing this, Immediately the serpent disappeared.
(Source: Devotees' Experiences of Sri Sai Baba Part I, II and III by Sri.B.V.Narasimha Swamiji)
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