The Oldest Sai Devotee - Story of Geetabai Gadhiya
A 105 year old lady, Geetabai Gadhiya from Rahata Taluka of Ahmednagar District in Maharashtra, India, is the only person alive today who CLAIMS that she has actually seen Shirdi Saibaba in real. She has not only seen but spoken to Baba, touched his feet & received offerings from HIS divine Hands also! We look at the Statue of Sai Baba; Geetabai has actually seen Sai Baba in real! We make offerings at Saibaba's feet; Geetabai has offered directly in Sai Baba's hands! We have only heard about Sai Baba; Geetabai has heard Sai Baba HIMSELF!We recently came to know about Sai Baba; Geetabai has known Sai Baba since the last 95 years!We have the Darshan of Baba's Samadhi; Geetabai has touched the Holy Feet of Sai Baba! We have written many Sai Bhajans; Geetabai has heard Sai Baba sing! We go walking to Shirdi; Geetabai has been carried by her father to Shirdi. We offer Naivedya to Baba; Geetabai's small hands were filled with offerings by Sai Baba!We call out to Sai Baba; Geetabai has been called out by Sai Baba HIMSELF!
Geetabai was merely 10 years old when she saw Baba but despite her age of 105 years now she has a sharp memory of her childhood while she recalls every detail of the time she spent with Baba. Apart from having 3 Heart Strokes 10 years back, Geetabai today lives on with her 7th generation of descendants and as healthy as before WITHOUT any sort of dependence on Doctors / Medicines what-so-ever. Seeing her Health in such a good shape at her age, many Big Doctors salute her. She can see, hear and talk properly and also does sing Sai Bhajans written by herself. She follows her daily routine of getting up early morning at 03:00 am & carries on throughout the day on her own without anyone's help. She consumes light food, dry fruits and clarified butter (Ghee). Geetabai has seen Sai Baba's Cooking pot, Wheat Grinding Hand Mill and the ever burning Dhuni. She has seen Baba wash his clothes and hang to dry there in the Wada itself. Her father's sister used to stay right besides Dwarkamai in Shirdi, so when Geetabai was 10 years old, she used to go to stay at her house and as in those days, girls were not allowed to go out of the house, much so was also the case with Geetabai but whenever she was allowed to go out and play she used to go and play in Dwarkamai with Sai Baba.
She describes how Baba used to dress up and looked as HE does in HIS photographs. She says on seeing her, Baba used to ask her if she wanted money etc., She says that Baba used to get on a moving bus when he used to go to Rahata and likewise HE used to get down also while the bus was on the move. When Baba used to go to Rahata, many shopkeepers used to openly make offerings to Baba which he would distribute it to all after HIS return to Shirdi. Geetabai was fortunate to have received such an offering of dry-fruits directly from Baba. As during those days there were lots of restrictions on children from roaming out of the house or interacting with anyone, Geetabai could not witness any Miracle of Baba nor does she know as to how big were the crowds which came for Darshan to Baba but she does vouch for the efficacy of Baba's Udi, for which she gives herself as an example. She said that she used to refer to Sai Baba as 'Miracle Baba' for the Miracles he used to do. As she was very young at that time she was not aware of who Sai Baba actually was until after his Maha-Samadhi, they realized that he was GOD!
