Aahe Nilaa Shailo....

Who is he and why is he called Bhakta Salbeg.

In days where there was Mughal invasion of the holy land of Puri, Odisha there was a Muslim Soldier called Salbeg. At the end of one day he returned home severely wounded. His mother being a Hindu Brahmin advised him to pray to Lord Krishna and suddenly and miraculously his wounds were healed and to his surprise he felt relaxed. 

Impressed with this incident he was attracted to Hinduism and enquired more about this. His mother guided him the ways of life and then he turned to be a devotee of Lord krishna. He came to know Lord Jagannath is the incarnation of Krishna and then wanted to his darshan in Srimandir. But Srimandir being the a place of hindu worship where non hindus are not allowed entry he was barred from entering the temple. Devasted by this he cried a lot and the barefoot walked towards Vrindavan where he lived for a year. During his stay there in Vridavan he used to write and sing Bhajans in praise of Lord Krishna and so on.

A year later he got to know about the fact that in Rathyatra the lord of Puri Comes out of the temple itself and goes to his aunty's house for 9 days. And during these days anyone can see and meet Jagannath. With this hope Salbeg travelled back to Puri to see his Bhagwan but he know that he wont be make it to Rathyatra, on his way back he prayed to Lord to wait for him till he reaches Bada danda. Its witnessed that on the return journet to Srimandir, Nandighosha (Chariot Of Lord Jagannath) dint move forward and said to be waiting for Salbeg. late in the afternoon when Salbeg reached Bada dand and saw his lord on Nandighosh then only the chariot moved. What a relation between Bhakta and Bhagawan ... for those who believe he is there and for those who don't he is not.

One whose ancestors invaded states destroying thousands of place of worship in other religion and practice, the Lord does not differentiate and showers his blessing on those who do bhakti to him...

Below written one is probably the best bhajan by Salbeg ....

Aahe Nila Shaila Prabal matta Varan
mo aarata nalinee bana ku kara dalana!

Gajaraja chinta kala thai ghora jalena,
Chakra peshi nakra nashi, uddhrile aapana!

Ghorabane mrugini ku padithila kashana,
Kede bada beepatti ru kariaccha tarana.

Kurusabha tale suni Draupadi ra janana,
Koti bastra dei hele lajja kala barana!

Ravana ra bhai Bivishana gala saran,
Saran sambhali tanku, Lanke kala raajana.

Prahlada pita se je bada dushta daruna,
Stambha ru bahari taku bidarila takhana.

Kahe Salabega hina jaati re mu jabana,

Sriranga charan tale karuachhi janana. 

     Jai Jagannath.