Sant Gagde Maharaj
Gagde Maharaj with Meher Baba
Born: 23rd February 1876
Died: 21st December 1956
Maharaj met the spiritual teacher Meher Baba several times. Meher Baba indicated that Maharaj was one of his favourite saints and that Maharaj was on the sixth plane of consciousness. Maharaj invited Meher Baba to Pandharpur, India, and on 6 November 1954 thousands of people had Maharaj and Meher Baba’s darshan.
While at Deccan College, Merwan formed a dramatic troupe which rehearsed at his uncle Rustom’s and aunt Piroja’s house on Sachapir Street. The group staged two or three public performances at a local theater with the proceeds donated to charity.
Merwan and his friends would sometimes attend kirtan performances – Hindu songs with narration about God or the gurus and saints. Gadge Maharaj was a Hindu saint of the sixth plane, who in his youth wandered in India living off alms, He was later known as a “perfect saint” because not only did he teach the love of God but also performed selfless service by managing a leper colony in Pandharpur, India. Once Merwan heard the great saint performs a kirtan in Poona. Although the humble saint was dressed in rags, Gadge Maharaj radiated divine love, and all who attended were profoundly impressed. (Lord Meher Vol1-p-190)
On 12th September, 1954 a mass darshan program was held at Wadia Park in Ahmednagar.
Baba said “There are many good saints in India. There are some on the Path. Some are advanced souls. There is one, Gadge Maharaj, in the Deccan. He is a great one.
“Gadge Maharaj has a very large following. He is about 90 years of age and walks about all the time, telling others. Winterfeldt, Darwin Shaw, John Bass, Dana Field, Joseph Harb and others put up their hands. Ben Hayman said he arrived in India too late.
“Gadge Maharaj came to Me, he bowed down to Me. I made him sit near Me. He was sitting for a long time near Me. He is very well known in different parts of India, although he works in the Deccan. Wherever he goes, a huge crowd gathers around him to hear him speak. And he loves Me; he knows My greatness.”
Adi K. Irani related, “Once Gadge Maharaj told me: ‘Tell Baba to bless me. He is the World Teacher and I am just an ordinary saint. He is the Big Sun and I am just a flame. Tell Him to bless me!’ ”
Baba continued: “In India, there are many saints, but seven of them are My beloved children. I am thinking of having a big meeting after the 15th of February. I want to invite these seven (saints). This meeting will be a very great affair, and I do not want you to miss the opportunity. If I invite you, try to come. Elizabeth, you must not try, but must come. After that meeting, the breaking of My silence, My glorification, My manifestation, all will happen in quick succession, as I have declared.
Meher Baba used the word “saint” (Sant in Hindi) primarily to refer to advanced souls on the mental (5th or 6th) planes. Sant Gadge Maharaj of Pandharpur (died Dec. 21, 1956) was a well-known Hindu saint of Maharashtra. Meher Baba identified him as a sixth-plane saint.
“Gadge Maharaj…was one of the greatest saints alive in India, and … was even considered to be a Sadguru by many devotees.
(Lord Meher-Vol-12-p-4398)
Sant Gadge Maharaj, born Debuji Zhingraji Janorkar on February 23, 1876, in Shendgaon village of Maharashtra’s Amravati district, emerged as a prominent Indian saint and social reformer. Hailing from a washerman’s family, he dedicated his life to uplifting the marginalized and promoting social justice.
Renowned for his distinctive appearance, Gadge Maharaj traveled from village to village with an upturned food pan on his head and a broom in hand. Upon entering a village, he would immediately begin cleaning its streets and gutters, emphasizing the importance of sanitation and leading by example. Through his actions and teachings, he sought to eradicate superstitions, illiteracy, and unsanitary practices prevalent in rural India.
A gifted orator, Maharaj conducted “kirtans” (devotional songs) to impart moral values, urging communities to serve humanity, show compassion, and abandon blind faith and rituals. He campaigned vigorously against animal sacrifices and substance abuse, striving for both the material and spiritual upliftment of the poor.
In November 1954, Gadge Maharaj met the spiritual master Meher Baba. During this meeting, Maharaj expressed his deep concern for the world’s suffering and implored Meher Baba to continue offering his darshan (spiritual presence) to provide solace to humanity. This interaction highlighted Maharaj’s compassion and his recognition of the need for spiritual guidance in turbulent times.
Gadge Maharaj passed away on December 20, 1956, near Walgaon, Maharashtra. His legacy endures through various initiatives, including the Sant Gadge Baba Gram Swachata Abhiyan, launched by the Maharashtra government to promote village cleanliness. Additionally, Amravati University was renamed Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University in his honor, reflecting his lasting impact on education and social reform.
References:
- Sant Gadge Baba – Social Reformer Information
- Saint Gadge Baba Biography – Ambedkarite Today
- Lord Meher Online Edition – Gadge Maharaj
- Wikipedia – Gadge Maharaj
- The Mooknayak – Gadge Baba Cleanliness Movement
- Meher Baba Travels – Saint Gadge Maharaj
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