When Diggi Bazaar Darbar was being constructed, Sai Sadhuram Sahib was only 15-16 yrs old. Baba Gobinddas Sahib assigned the duty of looking after the expenses and keeping a watchful eye on the laborers. He accepted this responsibility with joy and did his duty diligently and to the best of his ability. Dada Shyamdas was in charge of buying goods like cement, bricks, stones, marbles, wood etc. Baba Gobinddas Sahib joined the laborers in their task and he himself would also carry the building materials on his head.
Baba Sadhuram Sahib tells us that the laborers used to say that he was very strict with them. They commented that Chote Baba was very particular and vigilant about every small detail. Even at this young age Sai was so dedicated to his job that he would hurriedly have his meals and resume his duty, or sometimes he would spread his sheet and rest at the site itself. Sai says that more than work, one should be aware of their responsibility and be conscious of the task. Since at that time the funds were insufficient the work was not done on a contract basis but rather on daily basis. By the Grace of God the entire Darbar was completed with the available Darbar’s fund without asking for any donations. In those days the disciples offerings never exceeded more than five rupees. Baba Gobinddas Sahib was extremely cautious and never spent anything unnecessarily. Sai Sadhuram Sabib said that after partition all the Darbar belongings, like ornaments, utensils and other valuables which were brought from Sindh, were sold to complete the construction of the Ajmer Darbar. In Sindh in Halani, the Darbar had zamindari against which the Bharat Sarkar had taken a loan which they returned with interest, this amounted to Rs 40000. Baba Swaroopdas Sahib and Baba Madhavdas Sahib had land of their own worth Rs One lakh and Twenty Five thousand, all this money was utilized only for the construction of the Darbar. This money was never used for anything else not even to run the Bhandara. This is how Halani Darbar at Ajmer was built from the funds it had.
At the opening of the Darbar only 10 families were able to attend because many disciples could not afford the fares to reach the Darbar.
One of the disciples came and told Baba that one Sant had built a Darbar in Bombay. He had asked his disciples to donate their one months salary towards the construction of the Darbar, so he asked Baba why should he not do the same. Baba replied, my disciples are householders. Our blessings are always with them, they have children, so first let them provide for their own families. We are fakir’s, we are capable of staying anywhere. Hearing this the disciple became quiet. Baba’s policy was, it is better to starve rather than to beg. He inculcated this discipline in such a manner that even in the face of hunger one should not lose our self-respect.
This same discipline was also evident in recent times during the demonetization period. Sai knowing about all the difficulties that their disciples were going through to get cash from the banks had given strict instructions that everyone should stop keeping Bheta (cash as ardaas) in the Darbar and specially to them directly. Only when the situation improved did they reverse their instructions and start accepting the Bheta.