‘I am a registered sanyasi. Don’t tell about me to anyone’

FAIZABAD: The mere mention of Gumnaami Baba alias Bhagwanjee (believed to be Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in exile) would remain an incomplete saga, if any reference to the family of Dr Priyobrot Banerjee (one of the doctors) and Rita Banerjee is not made.
Recollecting some of the close moments, Rita Banerjee, said, " It was in 1975-76, when we came in touch with Gumnaami Baba.The first person of our household who came in touch with Bhagwanjee was my father-in-law Dr DC Banerjee." She further added that one of the first things which Baba told her father-in-law was, " I am a registered sanyasi. Don’t tell about me to anyone."
" I was called Phoolwa Rani, while my husband was referred to as Bachha by Bhagwanjee, whom we once saw, and he asked us ‘Do I resemble Netaji or not?’ The aura was so intense that I could not establish eye contact with him after the first glance," said Rita Banerjee, and added that Bhagwanjee was fond of typical Bengali food such as Ghonto, Sukhto and Keema (minced mutton).
During his birthday celebrations (held in the vicinity of January 23 and a closed door affair), his family members used to come here, and some of the delicacies served during the birthday party was mishit doi (sweet curd) and khajur gur payas (sweet dish made using a special variety of jaggery).