Close to Akola was Amravati, where Lord Krishna had eloped with Rukmini according to the scriptures. In Amravati was the Gopal Mandir built by a leading saint of the area known as Tai Maharaj. She had obtained a darshan of Lord Krishna when she was very young, and since that time had dedicated her entire life to his worship. Some person in Akola came to her and showed her a photograph of Shri Nathji and said to her: “People worship him as God.” Tai Maharaj was ill at the time but the mere sight of the photograph put new life into her. She was so touched by the face that she simply had to go and see Shri Nathji at Akola.