Ramakrishna G. Kothari was born in 1908. He belonged to Pathare Prabhu caste. His parents first visited Shirdi in 1911. On that visit, they saw Baba standing near the Kathada of the Dwarakamai, distributing Udi to devotees. They were filled with devotion and overwhelmed to see this beautiful sight.

Upon their return home they started worshipping a photograph of Baba (a print of Shamrao Jaykar's painting). They also started doing bhajans and named the bhajan mandali "Sai Laj".

In 1913, Ramakrishna's father was seriously ill with pneumonia. Dr.Naik who was treating him was skeptical of his recovery. He told the family that the chances of recovery were slim and the patient would succumb to the disease. Hearing this, Ramakrishna's mother prayed to Baba and vowed that if her husband survived, she would do a padayatra to Shirdi and thank Baba.

The bhajan mandali also came to his home to perform the bhajans the whole night. At nightfall the disease took a serious turn and the doctor was summoned at 10 pm. He gave the patient an injection and medicines, but told the wife that by midnight her husband would pass away. The relatives, on hearing this, read the Bhagavad Gita to the patient. Simultaneously, Baba's bhajans continued.

At about 11 pm, the patient started to suffocate, and had great difficulty in breathing. The distraught wife seeing his condition wailed and cried, "Baba, save my husband". The crisis lasted till 1 am. When the doctor was called again. Once again the doctor gave the patient an injection, but assured them that the crisis was now over.

The bhajans continued till 4 am. The bhajan singers and the relatives assured the wife that her husband had survived, so she had better get ready for padayatra as per her vow. From that time the patient steadily recovered and was ambulant in a few moments.

The family and the bhajan mandali set out for Shirdi. At kopergaon, the family hired five bullok carts to take them to Shirdi but the wife would not sit in the cart. As a padayatri she kept walking behind the carts although her legs were swollen and bruised.

A short distance from Shirdi there was a stony and thorny path, so she went and rested under a tree. She noticed a man with a white beard in a shepherd's dress. He approached her and said, "Your vow has been accepted by Baba, so Mother, go the rest of the distance by bullock cart".

The lady heard the loving tone in the voice but she adhered to her vow and trudged on foot the rest of the way. When she reached the Dwarakamai, Baba was seated there with His devotees. He said to Nana Saheb, "I met this lady on the way and told her to ride in the cart, but she would not listen. See how swollen and bruised her legs are! But they will be alright by evening".

True to His word, the swelling and the bruises vanished by evening.

They all stayed in Shirdi for a few days and returned home with Udi and Baba's blessings.

(Source: Ambrosia in Shirdi, Volume 2 by Dr.Vinny Chitluri)