Laxmiram was from the village Rohishala (near Palitana). He was a Brahmin by birth. He performed bhakti of Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan with unparalleled faith and a deeply devoted heart. Although he lived in poverty, his heart was made of gold.
When the grand yagna commenced in Dabhan, Laxmiram and his friend Anandji Vaniya decided to go for darshan. However, Laxmiram did not have a single penny to his name. He approached a shepherd in the village named Hajo Gamaro and said, “I wish to go for the darshan of Shreeji Maharaj and the yagna in Dabhan; please help me by any means.”
The shepherd replied, “I have nothing else, but I can give you my wife’s silver anklets, worth twelve rupees.” Laxmiram took the anklets, pledged them to Anandji, and received seven rupees. He then offered that sum of seven rupees at the lotus feet of Maharaj with completely selfless intentions (nishkam bhav). Upon taking the money in His hands, Maharaj tossed the coins in the air and exclaimed, “Because this nirgun wealth has arrived, the yagna of Dabhan will be successfully completed.”
After the yagna in Dabhan concluded, Laxmiram and Anandji returned to their village. Upon arriving home, Laxmiram applied a chandlo to Anandji’s forehead, in return for which Anandji gave him one rupee as dakshina. Laxmiram used that single rupee to buy chili seeds, prepared a small garden, and sold the seedlings. Through this trade, he eventually accumulated eight thousand rupees, which he donated for the seva of Gadhpur mandir. Even after Maharaj returned to Akshardham, Laxmiram continued to serve the mandir of Gopinathji Maharaj in Gadhpur throughout his life.
As the dhvaj (flag) of Shree Gopinathji Maharaj continues to fly atop of the mandir’s shikhars, it stands as a representation that the devoted seva of great bhaktas like Laxmiram will continue to fly high in the sky.