Takarkheda Ashram

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 The Ahmedabad Beginnings: Seeds of Seva

When Shri Janardan Swami was still doing his job, he used to go every Saturday and Sunday to Shri Prabhakar Jambhekar’s place in Ahmedabad. There, meditation, _naam-smaran_ [chanting the Lord’s name], and discussions on spirituality would take place. Swami would also relieve the problems, illnesses, and sorrows of the people coming to him.

 The Invitation to Takarkheda

Shri Dilipsinha Rathod Kaka , who was a friend of Shri Prabhakar Jambhekar and father of Shrimati Kirtiben Rathod who is very diligently taking care of Ashram today since many years and looks after its management, also used to come there. He saw Swamiji’s work, and whenever Swami came to Ahmedabad, he would come for _darshan_.

He requested Swami, *“Please come to our village, Takarkheda. Let your feet touch our home — the dust of your holy feet will bring us welfare.”*

Accepting his request, Swami would visit Takarkheda from time to time. 

Divine Grace  

The ST [State Transport] bus stand at Takarkheda is right next to the present-day Datt Mandir. Swami would get down from the ST bus there. At that time, the old and dilapidated Datt Mandir’s priest, the late Bhika Maharaj Laxman Pandharkar, used to sit on the temple’s veranda.

He would see Swami and would go to Shri Rathod’s house to find out who this person was and what he did. The reason was that Bhika Maharaj used to see three great saints -our Shri Janardan Swami, Shri Akkalkot Swami, and Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati -conversing together on the temple veranda at dawn .

He spent two years investigating whether this Swamiji’s authenticity.

God’s Gift: A Temple Donated with Faith

Once he was convinced, he donated his Shri Datt Mandir along with the land attached to it to Swamiji through a deed of gift. While donating, Bhika Maharaj laid down a condition: “You must look after me till I am alive “.Swami accepted his condition and fulfilled it accordingly. Even after Shri Janardan Swami attained _nirgun_ [left his mortal body], his sons continued to honor that condition.

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The Original Story: Buva Dada Maharaj of Limdi

Before Shri Bhika Maharaj Pandharkar, the late Shri Buva Dada Maharaj alias Shankar Maharaj Kulkarni, originally from Limdi, Gujarat, used to live here. Without narrating his history, the above history would be incomplete.

It is as follows: The late Shankar Kulkarni, having developed detachment from worldly life, left his home and family and wandered until he reached the village of Takarkheda on the banks of the Tapi River. During his travels, due to an accident, he was thrown into a thicket and babul thorns pierced his eyes, blinding him. In that condition he continued his journey and reached Takarkheda. Showing him sympathy, the villagers gave him a place in the Shiva temple near the riverbank and asked him to stay there.

There he performed _tapascharya_ for many years and attained certain _siddhis_ [spiritual powers]. Later, he even regained his eyesight. As he had innate knowledge of Ayurveda, he would prescribe medicines, and whatever he said would come true. He had attained _vaacha siddhi_ [the power of speech fulfillment].

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How the Datt Mandir was Built

The people of Takarkheda village then gave him about two acres of land to live on and built him a small house there. As people’s work was getting done through his help, the number of visitors increased. Once, a couple from Sarangkheda came there and said, *“Maharaj, we have no children. Bless us. If you grant us a son, we will give you whatever you ask.”* At that time Maharaj said, *“Give me an idol of Dattaprabhu — I will build a temple here.”*

As Buva Dada had said, that couple was blessed with a son. As promised, they brought an idol of Dattatreya from Rajasthan and gave it to him. Then Shri Buva Dada Maharaj built a temple and installed the idol in it — such is the history.

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He had no children. When Bhika Maharaj was a child, his parents brought him there and said, *“Keep this son of ours with you. Teach him worship and rituals so he can earn his own livelihood.”* Accordingly, Shri Bhika Maharaj was kept there. Shri Bhika Maharaj served him a great deal, and therefore Shri Buva Dada Maharaj donated this land to him through a gift deed — such is the miraculous history.

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Restoration Under Param Pujya Janardan Swami

After Param Pujya Shri Janardan Swami received this place, he slowly began the renovation of the temple and the dilapidated house using the _guru dakshina_ he received. Later, Swami built rooms for disciples and devotees to stay in, and also constructed toilets.

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The Legacy Continues: The Charitable Trust

While Shri Janardan Swami was alive, he had made his will. As stated in the will, a trust was created and the  

*“Paramhans Sadguru Shri Janardan Swami Kher Charitable Trust, Vadodara”* was established.

As mentioned in the will, Swamiji’s second son *Shri Abhaydada Janardan Swami Kher* was appointed as the successor, and he is presently carrying on Swami’s work wholeheartedly.

—The work continues — from Swamiji to Abhaydada, the Guru-parampara flows on.