Yogiraj Swami Gajanan

‘Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high!’ quote Rabindranath Tagore. Where humanity bows in reverence & people of all caste & creed find solace - there lie in various pockets around the world such tranquil abodes built by saints & their disciples which give peace, serenity & freedom from the daily turmoil of the human existence.

Balapure kaka is one such disciple of the great saint of Shegaon, ‘Shri Yogiraj Gajanan Maharaj. Shri Sudhakar Balapure is popularly addressed as ‘Kaka’, both respectfully & adoringly. A fountain of love, a child like enthusiasm, an instant smile and at times even a parent like sternness are some of the features of his multifaceted personality.

In the year 1942, at village ‘Kokarde’, Shri Sambhaji Balapure & Smt Sunderabai Balapure were blessed with a son who was named ‘Sudhakar’. It is said that the ancestors of Balapure family migrated to Balapur from ‘Kokarde’ and that the place where they settled was named as ‘Balapur’.

Incidentally, ‘Kokarde’ is the place where Shri Gadge Maharaj was born. Kaka, in his childhood, had an opportunity to be in the holy company of Shri Gadge Maharaj for about three years. Kaka, humbly acknowledges Shri Gadge Maharaj’s blessings and also teachings, in Kaka’s early age; which, eventually brought Kaka on a very broad spiritual path.

Balapur is the holy town blessed by the presence of Gajanan Maharaj, on the occasion of ‘Dasnavami’ day to bless the devotee couple of Swami Ramdas, Shri Balakrishna & Smt Putlabai as they were unable to make their yearly pilgrimage to ‘Sajjangad’, due to old age & declining health. Swami Ramdas had appeared in a dream, & asked Balakrishna to celebrate Dasnavmi in his home town Balapur where Swami would visit them and bless them.

On that day, Gajanan Maharaj appeared and Balakrishna saw the dual vision of Swami Ramdas and Gajanan Maharaj. Balakrishna at once understood the deception of the materialistic body form and witnessed the unison of the great soul-the divinity of life.

Sudhakar’s (kaka’s) childhood days and education were destined in the holy town of ‘Shegaon’ which Maharaj had treaded upon. Wasn’t this coincidence prophetic? Kaka lost his parents quite early. At a very early age of his life, he was thrown upon to face the challenges of life. But Kaka says that this was Shri Gajanan Maharaj’s way of teaching him the realities of life.

True. This must be the reason, why Kaka is moved deeply, whenever he comes across a person in difficulties.

Kaka’s elder brother Shri Mahadev Balapure decided to bring Kaka to Mumbai. In Mumbai, Kaka toiled hard and accomplished any task that came his way, so that he would meet the basic needs of life and in the spare time, meditate upon the holy name of Maharaj.

In the year 1968, Kaka went by foot on a pilgrimage from Mumbai to Shegaon. It was on this journey, that ‘Maharaj’ gave ‘darshan’ to Kaka in the form of an old man who said to Kaka “If you have such a deep longing for Maharaj, do not look behind, keep on moving ahead”. Soon after, the old man seemed to have disappeared. Maharaj showered his divine grace upon ‘Kaka’.

Kaka was employed in “Apco shipyard”. A few years later the company closed down. Based on his experience with “Apco”, kaka was reemployed as a ‘fitter’ with Patel Engineering works at Goregaon, Mumbai. Later, Kaka was promoted as a highly skilled fitter and subsequently group in-charge.

During this period, ‘Kaka’ married Yamukaki who hailed from the village ‘Shambhuchi takkar’ in Amravati district. Their married life commenced in a small tenement of one room measuring 10 x12 ft. Kaki also hailed from a family who were worshippers of Lord Shiva and devotees of Shri Gajanan Maharaj. She continued to offer her services at the feet of His Holiness, Swami Gajanan Maharaj.

While Kaka was in service, he had to leave for work at 5.00 a. m. Maharaj ensured that Kaka’s dream of spreading the teaching of Gajanan Maharaj and devotion to him be fulfilled. Kaki offered her services by doing the puja and archana. Kaki used to fall ill often, and then through a divine intervention, she decided to offer ‘jhunka-bhakri’ as prasad every Thursday.

‘Jhunka-Bhakri’, the very basic diet in Vidharba and was a favourite of Maharaj, it was eaten with relish. Maharaj does not ask for laddoos, sweetmeats, or elaborate meals but a simple and nutritious diet. Kaki soon regained her health and vigour and till date the ‘Jhunka-Bhakri’ naivedyam is the holy offering placed every Thursday for Maharaj.


Kaka is empowered with a vision that truly values devotion, respect and sanctity of the divine, and service to mankind. That the teachings of Shri Gajanan Maharaj live on in this great state and consequently the nation and the world at large. Kaka respects other spiritual leaders too, calls on them on utsavs, occasion and felicitates them. Kaka is also invited to functions organized by other congregations which he accepts and need be, contributes too humbly. The give and take of spirituality flows free and benefits the disciples.

But what drives Kaka is his unheeded devotion and bhakti to Shri Gajanan Maharaj and service to mankind. ‘Kaka’ would like to spread the message of Maharaj’s undying love for humanity and the social, environmental lessons which Maharaj conveyed through his actions (mentioned in the ‘pothi’ of Maharaj) be remembered in every household and that people pay obiescence to the holy picture of Shri Gajanan Maharaj.

Blessed by Shri Gajanan Maharaj, Kaka is selflessly working for the happiness of the mankind. Many troubled people came to him with their problems, in this very ‘Math’. With Kaka’s good wishes and Maharaj’s blessings, their problems were resolved and they regained peace of mind. Some of them never came back again, but Kaka still prays for them.

That’s the way Kaka is! Tomorrow, even if Kaka will be left alone, he will still be praying for the well being of mankind. Thousands of men, women & children come searching for solutions to their day to day problems, but Kaka tirelessly consoles, encourages & assures them that Maharaj would never let them down. A photo of Maharaj, a stotra, a jaap, application of Maharaj’s vibhuti &/or Maharaj’s pothi are handed over to the devotees at the initial stages, by which Kaka initiates the devotees to the Bhakti marg.

Slowly the devotee feels and experiences the divine grace. Thus through the intervention of ‘Kaka’ the unquenching path of ‘Bhakti’ unfolds for the devotee to tread on.

Undoubtedly ‘Kaka’ gains a special place in the hearts of all the devotees in the form of a spiritual mother, guru, friend, philosopher and guide.



An Article by Prof. (Mrs.) Nilima Prabhu