The story of Saint Rohidas

Rohidas was a pious man and a leather craftsman. One day a couple of travelers paid him a visit as he was working on a shoe. 


“We are on our way to the holy river Ganga, come along!” they said.
“I cannot but please take this coconut as a gift and hand it to Mother Ganga in her hand,” he said.


After their holy bath in the river, they beckoned Ganga ji to take Rohidas’s present. And from the water emerged a hand holding a gold bangle.


“Thank him and give him this bangle from me,” said Ganga ji.

The travelers got greedy and instead of going to Rohidas went straight to the King to present him with this unique gift. The King was pleased and presented it to his wife.

“I want one more so it can be worn as a pair,” demanded the Queen.
“Bring me another one just like this or you will be killed,” was the King’s order to the travelers

The stunned travelers went to Rohidas and fell at his feet, crying out, “Only you can help us, we made a grave mistake in our greed!”


Rohidas heard their tale as he continued working on a shoe. He reached out towards the pot of water nearby that he kept to moisten the leather. He dipped his hand in it and produced a bangle from within.


“Here, is it like this one?” he asked. The travellers nodded, astonished.  
“Take it and give it to the Queen, you are safe,” he said, and resumed his work.


When the King and Queen heard this tale, they came in reverence to meet Rohidas. He came to be known as Sant Rohidas and became the beloved saint of the leather artisans.