The Great Muslim Devotee of Lord Jagannath Salabega

The great devotee of Lord Jagannath Salabega was born in a Muslim family. His father Lalbega was a warrior in the Mughal army. It is alleged that his mother Fatima Biwi was a Converted Muslim. It is also alleged that she was a Hindu Brahmin Widow, who was kidnapped by Lalbega while returning from Puri.

He heard about Lord Krishna, Rama, Epic Ramayan & Mahabharat etc. from his mother in his tiny age. He lost his mother, when he was a kid. One day he got stricken by a severe disease and everyone lost their hope. While he was in bed, he listen the Bhajans of Lord Jagannath and all his mahimas. He has started praying Lord Jagannath for his cure. By the grace of Lord, he got cured. That arouse the bhakti of Salabega towards Lord Jagannath. Because of that, he was discarded from his house and his religion. Finally he came to Puri and started writing bhajans of Lord Janannath. He was very curious for a glimpse of his Lord. Being a Muslim, he was not allowed to enter into the Jagannath Temple. He waited curiously for the Car Festival and took a house very near to Sri Mandir.

Two alleged great events happened because of pure bhakti of Salabega. First one, when he was coming to Puri from Delhi via Balasore. During that travel, he stayed near Swami-Narayan Temple at balasore for some time. He was not allowed inside the temple to attend the Evening prayers. In the next evening, the priest found that the Statue of Lord is disappeared. And at the same night, the king of balasore had a dream that the lord has came out of his temple for a glimpse of his great devotee staying outside the temple. Immediately after that the King has ordered for a hole in the wall of the temple, so that Salabega can see the lord. After the hole being made, the statue of lord reappeared.

The other incidence happened during Ratha Yatra. When the Chariot of Lord Jagannath came closer to the house where Salabega was staying, he started weeping. And suddenly the Chariot stopped there. Salabega made darshan of The Lord very happily and after that the chariot started moving. After the incidence, all came to know about the great bhakta of Lord Jagannath.

Bhajans of Salabega

Salabega has written a number of bhajans in the bhakti of Lord Jagannath. Some of his best bhajans are as under:

1. Ahe nila saila prabala martya barana(Most Famous)
2. Pati tapabana bana au kete belaku
3. Chal Sakhi Ame darsana Kariba
4. Eka To Bhakata
5. Jagabandhu He Gosai
6. Mo Rupa Jharana Jhare
7. Dinabandhu Daitari

Though he was a Muslim by Religion, but his endless and fruitless bhakti towards Lord Jagannath has made him a great devotee. He has dedicated his whole life in writing Bhajans of Lord Jagannath. After detah, his body was cremated in Puri only, where he was residing.