During this period of their journey, a conference of Banjara was held in Bahadur Banda Fort. In the conference many leaders of Banajaras, including Nanusad Kheralia from Karnataka, Verasi Viswanath Naik, Bhav Singh Naik from Maharashtra (Bavan Banda), Shamu Sad from Telangan (AP) who was Sri Balaji’s devotee and the leaders spoke in the conference. It is to be mentioned here that in the earlier part of British rule banjaras suffered a lot.
They were deliberately suppressed. Britishers were restricting the trades of banjaras and were thinking of treating banjaras as criminals because banjaras were also traders and there was competition between them.
As Britishers were becoming powerful, they were restricting the trades of banjaras and were thinking of treating the banjaras as criminals and their activities to be brought under police. It was mentioned earlier that banjaras were the suppliers of arms and provisions to general public and armies of Rajas and Maharajas through their trade and doing yeoman service to the population Thus, it is unfortunate that the banjaras who rendered yeoman services to people of India through the ages by supplying the essential commodities to needy areas and also contending armies, both in times of war and peace and famine should be deliberately suppressed by the British and later on exploited by the unscruplous money lenders, land-lords and other dominant people, Sevabhaya addressed his followers and forecast that Bharath will attain the independence from British and banjaras will get good positions in Government and get a chance to serve the Bharath Matha. He saved the banjaras from the Britishers and got respect from the rich. Each one prayed in the conference.
While travelling from Nasik they came across a thanda of Vadathya Narasing Dada (Harilal Pawar) or Champa (Khemu Singh Jadhav) who was clever, known some magic tricks but was very cunning. He had heard of Sevabhaya’s divine powers. He thought of a plan to test the powers. He asked one of his youth by name Chingarya to dress like a woman and come in front of Sevabhaya.
He requested Sevabhaya to bless the woman who had not concieved for a long time after marriage. Sevabhaya doubted his wishes. However, Sevabhaya blessed that the woman have children. To everybody’s surprise, Chingarya started feeling that he has become a woman and started to behave like a woman and showed signs of pregnancy. After the incident Chingarya and his leader apologised to Sevabhaya and requested him to redress his blessings but Sevabhaya told the gathering that his words would not be taken back. The assembled people felt sorry for Chingarya. It is stated that Chingarya bore seven children (Khemu Sing Jadhav).
Another incident shows that Sevabhaya was very kind to animals. Thanda people in this area went to forest for hunting. They found a peacock and were chasing it. The terrified peacock came flying near Sevabhaya who understood the danger and covered the animal with his shawl or towel. People came to Sevabhaya and asked whether he has seen any bird. Sevabhaya told that he was in meditation and could not see any bird. He sent them back and advised them to be kind to animals and do not kill them. People had darshan of Sevabhaya and went away. This shows that Sevabhaya was kind to animals. continue…Part 10
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