 Once , Khandoba and Mhalsa play a game of saripat ( translated as game of dice or chess ) . Khandoba loses everything to Mhalsa in the wager , except his dhoti , his flag , his staff ( wand ) and his bhandari , the bag of magical bhandara ( turmeric powder ) . In a dream , he sees Banai and falls in love with her . He goes on a hunt in the forest , gets away from the army and stays with Banai for twelve years . He marries her in non @-@ ritualistic marriage and brings her back to Jejuri . A variant describes how Khandoba arrives in Chandanpur on a hunting expedition and becomes thirsty . A Dhangar directs him to Banai 's vada . Banai offers him water or sends a pot of water , in which Khandoba reads Banai 's name . In another version , the pot with nine jewels is a sign for Khandoba to recognise Banai , the girl he saw in his dream . He falls for her and loses purposefully in saripat with Mhalsa and accepts a twelve @-@ year exile . In this period , he disguises himself as an impoverished , old leper and becomes a man @-@ servant of Banai 's father . Some folk songs have erotic overtones , for example , some songs give erotic descriptions of Banai 's beauty which maddens Khandoba . 
