Baba Murad Shah ji then started to live at that very place where Shere Shah ji used to live. At that time, the place was only a forest with a water pond nearby; where today stands a beautiful Darbar (Place with the holy shrine of Baba Ji). Baba Murad Shah ji always used to read the holy book Heer and keeps on remembering his Master. Baba Ji also had a monkey and a toombi (a stringed, musical instrument) with him. One day, Baba Ji was sitting, when he saw an elderly woman carrying a box of rotis and going somewhere. Baba Ji called out to her and asked: “Mother where are you going?” The woman answered “My sons are to be hanged - I am taking the rotis for them.”Baba Ji said: “They have been acquitted !” The woman felt he was only joking. Ongoing further, a policeman standing there, said to her “Your sons have been acquitted and they have already left.” The woman was speechless and she rushed back to Baba Ji. She, thereafter, often fetched tea for him and washed his clothes and placed them neatly. Baba Ji looked upon her as his mother. One day Baba Ji said to the woman: “Mother shall we send your sons to England?” She answered saying “We are very poor – how can we send them there?” Baba Ji said “I have called you my ‘mother’; ask your sons to go to Delhi and meet a certain person. They will certainly go abroad.” And this is exactly what happened - after some time both the boys reached England.

Every year Baba Murad Shah ji used to organise a mela (fair) in which qawwalis, (religious sufi songs) were sung. Very few attended the fair. Each year during this time, qawwals from Malerkotla came here and sang at the fair. According to those times, whatever money Baba Ji had with him, he offered it to them, and also told them that “after me, Laadi Shah ji will come here to clear your account with your sons and grandsons, and return it to you manifold.” Even today the same Qawwals, generation after generation, have been coming to this place to sing their qawwalis at the opening of the fair. Time kept passing in this manner. Baba Murad Shah ji always walked barefooted. Baba Shere Shah ji had once said to him: “Murad, the day a thorn pierces your foot, know that I have left the world.” It so happened that one day, while walking, a thorn pierced Baba Murad Shah ji’s foot. All at once he remembered the words of his Master, and he knew that his beloved Guru had departed from this world. Baba Ji was not able to bear the separation of his Master and so, he too, at the early age of 28, left his body in 1960. Baba Murad Shah ji had begun his ascetic life at the tender age of 24 and left body four years later.

Baba Ji had always desired that his shrine should be constructed at the very place where Shere Shah ji had lived his ascetic life and where he himself had also lived. But, at that time that land was ‘government land’. People, fearing that if they made Baba Ji’s shrine there, the government authorities might remove it, hence, to avoid disrespect to the place of such a big saint, they made Baba Ji’s shrine in the cremation ground itself. Baba Ji appeared in a dream to the woman whom he called ‘mother’ and asked: “Why was my shrine not made at the place I had indicated?” Mother said: “Government officials were raising objections.” Baba Ji said “All my clothes and personal items that are lying at your house, take them out and put them in an earthen pot and place it there (the place Baba Ji had indicated) and make that my place, too. I myself shall see who dares to remove it!”. This came to pass - and the place which Baba Ji had himself chosen, was also made into ‘his place’. Today, we know this place as Dera Baba Murad Shah. There was only a single photograph of Baba Ji and that too, he had once torn to bits; however, his brother had picked the torn pieces of the photograph and stuck them back together and kept it reverentially.

Laadi Sai ji was Baba Murad Shah ji’s nephew, whom Baba Murad Shah himself had chosen. Laadi Sai ji was born on 26 September, 1946, and was only 14 years old when Baba Murad Shah ji left his body. As the fakir had long back predicted, that ‘in this family, two persons shall be born, who will take the name of God’ - so, the first one was Baba Murad Shah ji; and the second, Laadi Sai ji. At one time, Sai ji went to live with his paternal aunt, in Rajasthan. It so happened, that while playing with his cousins, his voice changed abruptly. At first the children took it to be a joke, but when he called out to his aunt, they saw that it was the voice of Baba Murad Shah ji, saying: “Sister, my shrine is lying desolate. Return Laadi back in the first train tomorrow.” Laadi Sai ji returned to Nakodar and went on towards the shrine. His whole body was burning hot and it appeared as though fire was emanating from the body and he was heard saying: ‘I want to become a fakir’. On being brought home, he developed a fever. Sai ji’s father (Baba Murad Shah ji’s elder brother) went near Baba Murad Shah ji’s photograph and pleaded: “If you wish to take this boy, take him; but make him well again.” A voice emerged from the photograph saying: “Lala, did I not tell you, I will watch you raising your hand on the day when your own son, in front of your eyes, will become a fakir? Now, will you not hit him?” His brother apologized saying, “It was my mistake; please forgive me. This boy is now yours.” Soon Sai ji felt better and went to sleep.

Some years went by and Sai ji was now a young boy. It is said, that ‘to tread the path of God, there is need for a Guru’. Although, Baba Murad Shah ji’s eternal blessings and spiritual strength were always with Sai ji, yet to illuminate the spiritual quest, there was need of a true satguru. Sai ji left home in search of a guru. Sai ji went to several places, sometimes to Kashi, sometimes to Haridwar; once, he even wore a gaatra (a ribbon worn around the neck by Sikhs) around his neck. He searched far and wide, but did not find the one who could open his third-eye (spiritual eye). Then one day, Sai ji reached Bapu Brahmjogi ji’s place, at Nakodar. Bapu ji used to worship Guggajahar Pir and was completely surrendered to Guggajahar Pir. Sai ji reached the dera and sat faraway. Bapu ji called him aloud by the name of ‘Laadi’; then calling him nearby, asked: “Do you wish to become Murad Shah?” Sai ji answered, saying: “Yes, I do”. Bapu ji said “Alright then now we will send you only after making you Murad Shah!”

Bapu ji made Sai Ji his mureed (disciple) and kept Sai ji at his place. Every day, Bapu ji used to put Sai ji to the test - and went on making him spiritually robust and ripe. Another boy, by the name of Mohan (who was Bapu ji’s relative) also lived with Bapu ji. Mohan too, desired to be Bapu ji’s disciple and wished to take forward Bapu ji’s lineage. However, only the one whom the Guru himself chooses, and whose commitment and surrender to the Guru is total, treads this path. Every day Bapu ji was applying an ointment on his body because once, when Bapu ji was pressurized (by their parents) to get married, bapu ji had set his body aflame. Bapu ji often called out to both Mohan and Sai ji, and bid them come to him. He first asked Mohan “Who are you?” Mohan answered saying, “I am your child” - he prided himself on being Bapu ji’s relative. Bapu ji said: “then, lick this medicine which is on the hand and show me.” Mohan became afraid and refused. Then Bapu ji asked Sai ji “Laadi, who are you?” Sai ji answered “The Darvesh of your door.” Bapu ji then said “lick this medicine”. Sai ji started licking it and felt as if he were eating an ice-cream!

Whenever Sai ji went out of Bapu ji’s dera, he used to seek Bapu ji’s permission, and upon returning, he called out saying “Bapu, I have come back.” Until Bapu ji said “Come in” Sai ji used to keep standing outside - whether night came on, or the morning! Sometimes during summer, Bapu ji set-up a wooden ladder against the roof and get sand spread out underneath. The sand was hot because of the heat. Then he first called out to Mohan and asked: “Mohan, who are you?” Mohan answered: “Your child” - Bapu ji then said to him “Climb the ladder - but it must be climbed backwards” Mohan fearfully replied “I will fall” and refused to do so. Then Bapu ji asked Sai ji “Laadi, who are you?” Sai ji replied “the dervish of your door.” Bapu ji then said to him “Climb this ladder, but backwards.” Sai ji first bowed his head to his Guru (Bapu ji) and then, taking his legs behind and entangling them in the rung, started to climb the ladder backwards. When he had climbed right up, Bapu ji kicked the ladder and Sai ji fell down on the hot sand. When Sai ji tried to raise his body, Bapu ji shouted: “Keep lying!” Sai ji, in obedience to his guru’s command, kept lying there. On seeing this, people felt it was an act of atrocity – but to Sai ji, it felt as if he was lying on the cool grass…!

Sai ji belonged to a family of eminent Zaildaars and once, he arrogantly happened to mention this to someone. Bapu ji, on hearing this, broke a glass bottle in the courtyard by hitting it on a stone. The glass splinters lay scattered all over the ground. Then calling to Sai ji, Bapu ji said “Come Laadi, let us see your dance today.” People prayed to Bapu ji, pleading him to forgive Sai ji; but Bapu ji only said: “I am taking out the stench of Zaildari from him.” How must be - the one who was making him dance; and how must be the one - he who was dancing! Fakiri is extremely arduous and only one among a million is able to walk on the path of the guru - but one who does walk the path, gains all! Time went by and once Sai ji’s eyesight became a little weak. A doctor brought a machine to check the eyes and get him a pair of spectacles. Bapu ji said to the doctor “Take the machine away - this eye belongs to the beloved (meaning God). It is his wish to allow him to see (outside); it is his wish to allow him to see from inside.”

Sai ji lived with Bapu ji for sixteen years and by complete obedience to the guru, became his favourite. Once, Bapu ji got a 30-feet deep well dug and made a seating space inside. He first asked Mohan “Will you sit inside the well?” Mohan had always been afraid of such tasks and he refused. Where there is Faith in the Guru, no fear resides therein; and such tests are not atrocities but are meant only to examine and test the disciple. He then asked Sai ji, “Will you sit inside the well?” Sai ji answered, saying “Yes, I will.” Bapu ji made Sai ji sit at the very bottom of the well; Bapu ji seated himself at 20 feet, and closed the top of the well. After staying like this for some time, they came out. Then, Bapu ji went inside and sat down alone in the well and shut the top. Several days passed but Bapu ji did not come out. Then even months passed by and yet Bapu ji did not step out of the well. Sai ji, however, kept remembering Bapu ji, and continued to lead a disciplined life - as he had always lived in Bapu ji’s presence. After a year and a quarter, Bapu ji emerged from the well. There was an ongoing fair on that day. Bapu ji came in his ecstatic state and hailed out “Laadi” to Sai ji. Then calling him near, handed him a pair of ghungrus (anklets worn by dancers) and said: “A lioness has only a single cub who can overpower even lakhs, you have become Murad Shah. After this day, the world will know you by the name of Laadi Shah. Go now, and sit on the seat of your Master, Baba Murad Shah, and fulfill all murad (wishes) of the people.”

Soon after, Sai ji started the construction of Baba Murad Shah Dera and started to live there. After a few years, a very beautiful darbar stood at the place where earlier there had been only a desolate forest. The architectural plan for the shrine had been lying with Sai ji for a long time, proclaiming that the coming times will be like this. Each year, Sai ji celebrated the urs of Baba Murad Shah ji and qawwalis were sung at the Darbar. The qawwali mehfil always began with the qawwalis sung by one ‘Karamat Ali & Party’ from Malerkotla, whose succeeding generation has been coming here from the time of Baba Murad Shah ji. Even today, the same lineage of qawwals opens the session of qawwaali at the fair. On one occasion, Sai ji gave these qawwals a heavy sheet which was filled with money, and said: “Karamat Ali - our credit-debit balance is clear.” This he did, because Baba Murad Shah ji had once promised the qawwals saying that “Laadi Shah will settle your accounts with your sons and grandsons.” Thus, to fulfill the words of his Guru, Sai ji made the amount manifold and gave it to them.

It is said that the one whom the guru chooses, himself one day reaches his Guru. The one whom Sai ji chose, he too, thus came to the Darbar by the name of Gurdas Maan (world-renowned singer - a very simple-hearted and pious man). It so happened, that Surinder Shinda ji and Puran Shah Koti ji were seated next to Sai ji. Sai ji said to Surinder ji: “That young man, who roams around playing the dafli - where is he?” and further added, “he must certainly be meeting you…Tell him ‘You are roaming the world over; but, there is also a place which is awaiting you’.”

In 1982, during the shooting of the film “Ucha dar Babe Nanak da”, Shinda ji spoke with Gurdas Maan ji and said “Our Sai ji of Nakodar, remembers you often and awaits your arrival at the Darbar.” In utter humility, Gurdas ji replied “Whenever he so desires, we will certainly go.” Then one day, Gurdas Maan ji dreamt of a darbar where there stood a water-pond and a mela (fair) was being held. When he awoke, Shinda ji called him up to say “Today is a Thursday. If you have the time, shall we go today?” Gurdas Ji said “Yes, let us go; Even I had a dream today.” During the journey, Shinda ji was explaining to him saying that “If Sai ji gives you anything, do not refuse, but accept it.” On reaching the darbar, Gurdas Maan ji saw that it was exactly the same darbar that he had seen in his dream. Gurdas Maan ji sat near Sai ji. And when he started to leave, Sai ji said: “Gurdas, what did you see?” Gurdas ji said “I had already seen this Darbar in my dream.” Sai ji cut him short saying: “Enough, enough! Do not open too many veils.” Then Baba Ji took-off the dark glasses he was wearing, and putting them on Gurdas ji’s eyes, asked: “See, is it alright?” Maan Ji answered: “It is a little loose.” That very moment, Sai ji snatched back the sunglasses and said - “The day it fits you - take it!”

Five years elapsed and Gurdas ji did not visit to Nakodar because of his hectic work schedule. During those days, Gurdas ji remained very worried and anxious because his wife, Manjeet Maan, due to a dysfunctional thyroid, had gained much weight and her eyes looked swollen. In desperation, he went around showing her to a number of doctors; he even got her treated everywhere - but to no avail. Then a friend of Gurdas ji, Davinder Shayar, called him saying that he knew a very famous astrologer and that Gurdas ji should come there immediately. At the time, Gurdas ji and Manjeet ji lived in Patiala and the very next day they left for the place. On reaching there, they immediately met the pandit who told them that they were smitten by rahu-ketu, and then proceeded to prescribe a long list of various remedies! Utterly disappointed, they were about to return to Patiala, when Gurdas ji said “Manjeet, there is still one place left. Let us go there, too - the place where I had gone five years back - Nakodar.” Manjeet ji immediately agreed and said “let us go.” During the course of the journey, Gurdas ji was contemplating on what he is going to offer to Baba Ji, because in sheer hurry, he had not even taken prasad for Baba Ji. Gurdas ji suddenly realized that he was wearing a wrist watch, studded with small diamonds. In his mind, he decided to offer this watch to Baba Ji. Gurdas ji was still on his way when Sharda ji and a boy were sitting with Sai ji in Nakodar and Sai ji was asking them: “Have you ever seen a diamond-studded watch?” Shardaji said: “It is all your leela (play) - you can show us anything.” Sai ji said: “Alright then. Today we will show you a diamond watch.”

At that time, a Saint from Mandhali, had come to invite Sai ji for the Mandhali fair. He said “Sai ji, almost all the artists have come to our fair at Mandhali; but Gurdas Maan has not yet come there.” Sai ji replied: “Gurdas too, is just about to come.” Mandhali Saint had no clue as to what Sai ji had just said, nor did he realize the full import of Sai ji’s words. Then Mandhali Baba Ji left and soon Gurdas ji reached the darbar. When Gurdas Maan ji entered the darbar, Baba Ji was sitting, facing the other side. Gurdas ji started to bow down to him when Sai ji said: “First go and bow your head to Baba Murad Shah ji.” Gurdas ji did as told and then came and sat down near Sai ji. Sharda ji said “Sai ji, Gurdas came to us only once; he did not come again.” Sai ji said “how does he come to us? He is caught in the rahu-ketu mesh.” Gurdas ji started to weep and silently kept repeating inside: “forgive me, forgive me”, while Sai ji simultaneously started to say aloud: “you are forgiven, you are forgiven.” Guru is he, who without our having spoken a single word knows what the matter is. This is why the elders have said: ‘Drink water after filtering it and make a guru after knowing him.’ That day Gurdas ji saw that Sai ji is a true satguru; nothing is greater than him; in Sai ji, he saw a reflection of God personified. Sai ji then took out a handful of money from his pocket, and handing it to Gurdas ji asked: “There is a fair at Mandhali - will you go and sing?” Gurdas ji replied: “As you command.” Then, as Gurdas ji began to take leave, Sai ji called out to him and said: “Watch??...” Gurdas ji smiled and started to take off his watch. Sai ji said “No, keep wearing it.” But Gurdas ji kept on insisting, saying “Sai ji, please accept it”; while Sai ji kept saying “keep wearing it.” Sai ji Said “Haath per baandhi aur dil pe bani – ek he baat hai.” So when he repeated his request, then finally Sai ji accepted it, saying: “Alright, then I will wear it.” When the bhakt ties, how can the guru untie?

Sai ji spent most of his time in reading the Heer. Waris Shah ji was a fakir who wrote the granth Heer, which was read by every fakir, in which there is talk about that ‘string of true love which unites one with God’. Once, Sai ji gave a book of Heer to Gurdas Maan ji, and on the first page he wrote the words: “Eternal Blessings of Baba Murad Shah shall be upon you – Sevadar Ghulam.” Sai ji signed himself as Ghulam. When Gurdas ji was leaving, Sai ji gave him the book, saying: “Read this only from in-between, because whoever has read the heer, has become a fakir.” Then one day, Gurdas ji was doing riyaz (practice) and during the riyaz, Gurdas ji usually sang the Heer. Just then, Manjeet Maan ji called him from the office to ask: “Shall we make the film Waris Shah?” Gurdas ji saw that the book Heer, was right in front of him in his hands, and that the very same page on which Sai ji had written ‘Eternal Blessings of Baba Murad Shah shall be upon you – Sevadar Ghulam’, lay open front of his eyes. Gurdas Maan ji understood that this was an indication and a direct hint that it was his Guru’s blessings, and said: “Manjeet, go ahead.”

Then, on a certain day, the couplets of Heer was to be recorded for the film. The recording had to be done at Chandigarh city, at eleven in the morning. Gurdas ji, without having informed anybody, went off to Nakodar to see Sai ji. Everyone was very annoyed at this, because prior to the recording, a rehearsal was also due. Sai ji was aware of everything and so, when Gurdas ji reached Nakodar, Sai ji said “Gurdas, he is a fakir who does as he wishes and gets done what he wishes.” Gurdas ji took Sai ji’s blessings and reached Chandigarh. He was asked to rehearse and was handed over the pages from where he needed to read in order to record the couplets of Heer. Gurdas ji, however, without having rehearsed or even looked at the pages, recorded the entire Heer. Everyone was stunned to see that without reading from the pages, he had recorded the complete Heer, and in fact, what he had sung was so perfect that it did not need re-recording! In a way, Sai ji had made him memorize the entire Heer. This is what gurukripa (guru’s blessings) can accomplish! When the film was completed and everything had been done, Sai ji said: “Gurdas, even to make a memorial for such a big fakir is a great task! May God bless you!”

It is only one among a million, who becomes a true disciple of his Guru – as Gurdas Maan ji became, and has remained. Once, it so happened, that Gurdas ji was sitting near Sai ji, and at that time, his song “Boot Polish” had gained much popularity. Sai ji said: “What is this Gurdas, the whole day, only the song “Boot Polish” keeps playing on the TV?” Gurdas ji, being the humble person he is, only said “Sai ji, it is your blessing.” To this Sai ji said “No, it is Guru Ravidas ji who has showered his blessings upon you.” He then asked Gurdas: “Do you remember that boy with whom you got your photograph clicked?” A programme of Gurdas Maan ji had been organized at the village, Mullanpur. After the program, a large number of people were getting themselves photographed. A boy, who polished boots and was wearing tattered clothes, also wished to get his photograph clicked with Maan ji; but the volunteers did not let him come forward. As Gurdas ji’s eyes fell upon the boy, he said to them “let him come in.” There were several ropes barricading the stage, so Gurdas ji said to the boy “open the ropes and come up on the stage.” The boy climbed up onto the stage and for the sake of the photograph, kept down his boot-polish box. Gurdas ji immediately said “No, don’t keep it down; keep this box the way I have kept my dafli - close to my heart. This is your livelihood.” The child got himself photographed and Gurdas ji asked Jassi to pay the photographer so that the child may later receive the photograph. This made the boy very happy. Sai ji said “That child, with whom you have got yourself photographed, is Guru Ravidas ji’s child - and he has blessed you.”

Every single word uttered from Sai ji’s divine lips held a very deep meaning. Once a sardar, wearing a saffron turban, came to him and started to bow his head. Sai ji, stopping him short, said “No, don’t bow down your head.” The sardar said:” but Sai ji, I have come with full faith. “To which Sai ji replied: “This saffron is a symbol of our Lord Guru Gobind Singh ji who sacrificed his four sons; then the fifth - his mother; sixth - his father; and then seventh – himself! We cannot make this symbol bow down. If you wish to bow your head, tie a different colored turban - and then come here.” Sai ji was such a noble fakir that whosoever came to his door, received divine love from him – whether a seeker or an animal. Once, an insect was climbing up on Sai ji’s body. A man standing nearby saw this and looked around trying to find something to kill it. Sai ji said “What do you wish - that I should kill it? He is also His Creature, what right do we have, to take his life?” Sai ji loved everybody and everybody loved him very dearly. One day, a family from Nakodar, came to invite Sai ji at a family wedding. On the day of the wedding, a snake appeared inside their house. The family members caught the snake and left him far away. The next day they went to Sai ji and asked him: “Sai ji why did you not come?” Sai ji answered them saying: “You were going to kill me. I came - but you all threw me out.” Only a few blessed ones can understand His leela (play). Another day a woman was approaching Sai ji, on seeing her, Sai ji said to Sharda ji: “This is the same woman, who came here to ask for a son last year.” The woman greeted Sai ji and Sai ji asked her: “Mother, did you have the son?” The woman replied by saying “Yes Baba Ji, the son was born but he is slightly feeble.” Sai ji said “The kind of bananas you offered resulted in the kind of son you got!”. Sai ji often conveyed his complete message in a succinct maxim.

Gurdas Maan ji met with two accidents – the first one in 2001 and the second, in 2007. Both accidents occurred in the month of January. In the first accident, he got a wound on the right side of the forehead; in the second accident, on the left side. Both the cuts were exactly identical and symmetrical. Gurdas ji said “God probably needed to balance some scale, or he had to settle a score and take a burden off me”. Gurdas ji’s first accident took place on Jan 9, 2001. Maan Saheb had started for Nakodar from Chandigarh, along with his driver. Near Roop Nagar, his car crashed into a truck and his driver Tejpal, succumbed to the fatal injuries and died on the spot. Gurdas ji recounts that it was the first time ever when Tejpal, before beginning the journey, had asked Gurdas ji to wear his seat belt. Gurdas ji did that and soon after, the accident took place. Earlier Sai ji had forewarned the driver that this car was heavy on him and that he should come and leave the car in the Darbar for two days. Gurdas ji, before his departure to Canada for a music programme, had instructed the driver to leave the car at the Darbar. Tejpal, however, went off to Delhi along with his friends and forgot, and after some time, left for Amritsar with them. Before setting out on the journey, they first consumed alcohol in the car. On the way as they reached Jalandhar, he remembered that Sai ji had asked him to leave the car at the Darbar. On reaching Nakodar, he parked the car outside the Darbar; went in and said to Sai ji: “I have come to leave the car.” Sai ji asked: “Is there alcohol in the car?” Now, who could speak a lie in front of Sai ji? Tejpal answered saying, “Yes, it is there.” Sai ji again asked: “Have you come to drop the car or to enjoy a picnic with your friends?” – meaning to say “if you wanted to leave the car, you ought to have left it earlier.” A fakir’s words will always come true; and although Sai ji wanted to rectify the situation, now it was too late. The moment had been lost and Sai ji could now do nothing about it.

On the fateful day when the accident took place, the car overturned thrice, killing the driver, Tejpal. Some people took Gurdas ji out of the car and rushed him to the hospital. Gurdas ji says that he had felt as if his time to leave this world had come, but Sai ji had saved his life. After a few days, he began to recover and even started to walk around. Then on the 26th of January, he was returning after singing at Rurka kalan. Rurka is near Jandiyala, where the shrine of Baba Chinta bhagat ji and Baba Ammi chand ji are located. Like Sai ji, Baba Ammi chand ji was also a great saint who also came to Bapu Brahmjogi ji for his spiritual learning. Every year, on 26th January, a fair is held at Rurkakalan, where since 1988 Gurdas Maan ji has been coming regularly to sing. At that time, Gurdas ji had not fully recovered after the accident; yet he came there for a short time to mark his presence.

The second accident took place on Jan 20, 2007, near Karnal and this time, his driver, Ganesh was driving the car. The accident happened in Karnal; while Sai ji was getting himself massaged at Nakodar. Kala, on seeing the blue marks on Sai ji’s body, asked “Sai ji, how come, overnight your body has developed these bruises?” Sai ji said: “I will just tell you. You keep doing the massage.” He then said “Now switch on the TV.” Kala did so and the news on the TV was reading “Gurdas Maan has met with an accident”. The guru always takes on the misfortunes and sufferings of his disciple onto himself. Just two days after the accident, Gurdas ji came to the dera to meet Sai ji, and tried to sit near him. But, being very badly bruised on the knees and legs, he was unable to sit properly. And even as Gurdas ji tried to sit, Sai ji said to him: “Gurdas, fetch me a glass of water.” Gurdas ji did so; but again, each time when he tried to sit, Sai ji had asked him to go and fetch one thing or another. The onlookers found it all very strange; but Gurdas ji later told them that by making him get up again and again, Sai ji had straightened out all the twisted limbs and sprains of his body. When Gurdas ji finally got up to take leave, Sai ji said: “Tomorrow is the Rurkakalan mela; if you wish, go and sing a little – but do go and pay your homage there. Gurdas ji recounts that he had gone there with the intention that he will sing only for ten minutes; but his guru’s blessings transported him into such a trance that despite the hurts and bandages, he sang for over an hour and a half!

When Sai ji became very old, he came to the fair only once or twice, to give darshan to the devotees who thronged to the mela. Once, Sai ji was climbing the stairs with a very bent back when a sevadar (volunteer) with folded hands, requested him saying: “Sai ji walk a little upright.” Sai ji answered: “Beta, whatsoever we have gained, we have gained only because we bowed down.” In a single sentence, he had said it all!. At every bend, Sai ji imparted some words of wisdom. Many came to test this fakir and each one bowed down before him. On one occasion, a man questioned Sai ji, asking him “Baba Ji what is the ‘matlab’ (meaning) of love?” Sai ji said “where there is ‘matlab’ (implying motive), there is no love!”

Gurdas Maan ji became the most favourite disciple of Sai ji. In 2006, Sai ji took-off his pagri (turban) at the fair and placed it on the head of Gurdas Maan ji. To give the pagri thus to the mureed (disciple) means that the guru is offering his all to his disciple and is making him his very own for all times to come. Before leaving his body, Sai ji had dug his place inside the earth. Ordinary people go on building their houses upwards; it is only a satguru who can make his place inside the earth. He knew he was to leave and Sai ji was heard saying “Whenever I look, every day, only this comes to the mind – ‘let us go, the remembrance comes, let us go, the remembrance comes.’” Leaving aside the attachments of this world; awaiting the moment to meet the beloved; and yearning to meet his Guru, on Thursday, the first of May 2008, Sai ji left his body. His shrine was also made inside Dera Baba Murad Shah. “Mera likh le ghulaman vich naam” – was Sai ji’s favourite qawwali. Sai ji always signed his name as ‘ghulam’ (slave). Each year, Sai ji’s anniversary is celebrated on 1st-2nd May with great fanfare, where lakhs of devotees reach in large groups, to bow down their heads on the holy shrines of Sai ji and Baba Murad Shah ji. Each one brings his murad; each one’s murad is fulfilled; each one carries back the blessings of Two Murad Shahs!.