NANDA DEEP & LENDI GARDEN
Not
far from the Samadhi Temple is Lendi
Garden towards northwest direction. It was a vacant wasteland in
the old time. Baba laboured to raise a garden on this land, he dug
a well here with the help of devotees to supply water for the plants
as well as drinking purpose. In earlier times a small rivulet called
‘Lendi’ was flowing in the close proximity of this place. Baba was
using one side of this open space as his lavatory.
Lendi Bagh (Garden) assumed much spiritual
prominence as a place, where Baba meditated for a few hours everyday.
He had chosen a place under the shade of twin tree ‘Peepal’
and ‘Neem’, where he maintained a perpetual lamp ‘Nanda Deep’,
serviced by his close attendant Abdulla. Baba used to visit Lendi
Garden twice a day, often followed by a band of devotees. This was
also known as ‘Lendi procession’
in older times. But at those hours when Baba retired to Lendi Garden
no one was allowed to enter and be anywhere near him. At that time
his aspect was forbidding and stern. During those moments he remained
alone and undisturbed. As he used to stir from his meditation and
come out of the garden, people followed him with all paraphernalia
of the procession.
Today there is a small temple like structure, which
houses the perpetual lamp ‘Nanda Deep’ in between the two
trees. A Dattatreya temple is also
here near the Aswattha tree opposite NandaDeep. The tomb
of ‘Shyamsunder’, a noble and devoted
horse of Baba, is also situated in Lendi Garden. After Baba’s aarti
this horse used to bow down to him with much reverence. After Baba’s
leaving his physical body Shyamsunder continued to offer salutation
to his Master’s tomb. He passed away in the year 1945. The Muslim
devotees used to lovingly call him ‘Shamsuddin’.
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