Shri Sai Baba
Shri Sai Baba's life and teachings are well documented in Sai Satcharitra by Shri Hemadpant in Marathi which was personally blessed by Shri Sai Baba.
Shri Hemadpant got Shri Sai Baba's blessings in 1910 to write this work. Said Shri Sai Baba "Let him make a collection of stories and experiences, keep notes and memos; I will help him. He is only an outward instrument." Subsequently SaiSatcharitra has been translated into a number of different languages. The one in English is called Shri Sai Satcharitra by Shri Nagesh Vasudev Gunaji.
The following is a very short summary on the life of Shri Sai Baba to serve as an introduction. We recommend that you read one of the more authoritative books to really understand the life and teachings of Shri Sai Baba.
Chandbhai, the headman of a village called Dhoopkhede (in Aurangabad, India), once lost his horse and was looking for it. Suddenly he heard a voice say "You look tired. Come here and rest a while". He turned around and saw a young Fakir (Baba). The fakir smiled at him and said "What are you looking for in this jungle, Chandbhai". This surprised Chandbhai and he wondered how the fakir knew his name.
Slowly, he said "I have lost my horse. I have looked for it everywhere, but cannot seem to find it". The fakir told him to look behind a clump of trees. Chandbhai was pleasently surprised to find his horse grazing peacefully behind those trees. He thanked the fakir and asked his name. The fakir said "some people call me Sai Baba."
Sai Baba then invited Chandbhai to have a smoke with him. He got the pipe ready, but there was no fire to light it with. Sai Baba thrust a pair of tongs into the ground and brought out a burning coal. Chandbhai was wonderstruck. He thought "this is no ordinary person" and invited Baba to come to his house and be his guest for a few days.
Next day Baba went to Chandbhai's house and found everybody in a very joyful mood and festivities going on all around. He found that Chanbhai's wife's nephew was getting married. The bride was from Shirdi and the marriage party was going to Shirdi. Chandbhai invited Baba to accompany the marriage party to Shirdi. At Shirdi they camped in a field next to Khandoba's temple.
After the wedding, Saibaba stayed on at Shirdi. At first he lived under a neem tree and begged for food whenever he needed it. He then went to Khandoba's temple, intending to stay there, but the temple priest met him at the entrance and told him to go to the mosque. That is how Baba, started staying at the Mosque which was later called Dwarkamayi.
Baba preached at Shirdi all his life and performed numerous miracles to convince people that God exists. He healed people's diseases, provided moral and material comfort to his Devotees. Baba helped bring Unity and Harmony between all communities. He said that God is one, but called by different names. He said follow your own religion and seek the truth.
One day a rich millionaire named Booty came to Sai Baba and said he was going to construct a stone building for Shri Krishna. Baba helped him plan the building. Before the building was completed Baba fell very ill. On the 15th of October 1918, he breathed his last. His last wish was to be buried in Booty's building.
Booty's stone building came to be known as Samadhi Mandir. Shri Sai Baba was buried here and a beautiful shrine was built over it. To this day, people flock to Shirdi to pay homage to Shri Sai Baba.
Schedule of daily program at Shirdi
| Number | Programmes................................................................. | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kakad Arati | 5:15 a.m. | |
| 2. | Holy Bath of Shri Sai Baba | 6:00 a.m. | |
| 3. | Darshan Begins | 7:00 a.m. | |
| 4. | Satyanarayana Pooja | 9:00 a.m. | |
| 5. | Abhishek | 9:00 a.m. | |
| 6. | Noon Arati | 12:00 Noon | |
| 7. | Pravachan or Pujan | 4:00 p.m. | |
| 8. | Dhuparati | Sunset | |
| 9. | Bhajan, Keertan, Vocal Music, etc | 9:00 p.m. |
Shirdi is located approximately 296 Kilometers from Mumbai (Bombay) City in India. The nearest railway station is Kopargaon 15 kilometers on Manmad-Daund section of Central Railways.
Samadhi Mandir
Samadhi Mandir of Shri Sai Baba was actually owned by a millionaire from Nagpur, a famous Sai devotee Shreemant Gopalrao. Gopalrao wanted to keep an idol of Murlidhar here. However, Baba himself became Murlidhar and the Mandir became the Samadhi Mandir of Baba. The Mandir is built with stones and Baba's Samadhi is built with white marble stones. A railing is built in marble around the Samadhi and is full of ornamental decorations. In front of the Samadhi are two silver pillars full of decorative designs. Just behind the Samadhi is Sai Baba's marvelous statue made of Italian marble which shows him seated on a throne. This idol was made by late Balaji Vasant.This statue was installed on 7th October 1954. Above the statue is an open, silver umbrella. The front of the Mandir has an assembly hall where about 600 devotees can be accomadated. Here is the show-case where various things handled by Baba are kept. On the first floor of the Mandir are pictures depicting the life of Baba.
The routine of the temple starts at 5 o'clock in the morning with Bhoopali, a morning song, and closes at 10 o'clock in the night after Shejarati is sung. Only on three occasions the temple is kept open overnight .ie. on Gurupoornima, Dassera, and Ramnavami. Every Thursday and on each fesitival, a Palakhi with Baba's photo is taken out from the temple.
Dwarkamai
Shri Sai Baba came to Shridhi with a marriage procession. He stayed at Dwarkamai till the very end of his life. Dwarkamai is situated on the right side of the entrance of Samadhi Mandir. Here he solved problems of the people, cured their sickness and worries. Before Baba's arrival in Shridhi, Dwarkamai was an old mosque in a dilapidated condition. Baba turned it into Dwarkamai and proved that God is one.The first level of Dwarkamai has a portrait of Baba and a big stone on which Baba used to sit. This level has two rooms. One contains the chariot and the second a palkhi. Just in front of the room where the chariot is kept is a small temple. A saffron flag flies over it.
The second level of Dwarkamai has a square stool made of stone, which Baba used for taking a bath. The main attraction of this place is the oil painting of Shri Sai Baba sitting in a carved wooden shrine. This level also has the grinding stone and the wooden vessel called Kolamba in which Baba used to keep the Bhiksha brought from the village.
Gurusthan
Sai Baba first came to Shridhi in the form of Bal Yogi - a child ascetic. He was first spotted seated under a Neem tree. This place came to be known as Gurusthan. The renovation of Gurusthan was made on 30th September, 1941. The present temple was built after this period. There is a small shrine in Gurusthan. On a elevated platform of this shrine a big portrait of Baba is placed. On the side is a marble statue of Baba. In front of the portrait is a Shivling and the Nandi. Photos of twelve Jyotirlingas are kept in the temple. The branches of the Neem tree have come out through the roof of the temple.At a short distance lies Baba's CHAVADI. Baba used to sleep here every alternate day. The Chavadi is divided into two parts. One part of the Chavadi has a large portrait of Baba along with a wooden bed and a white chair belonging to him.
There is a cottage of Abdul Baba, an ardent devotee of Shri Sai Baba, in front of the Chavadi. The Lendi Baug was looked after by Abdul Baba. There are photos and various things which were handled by Sai Baba and Abdul Baba in the cottage.
There is a Maruti Mandir located at some distance from the cottage of Abdul Baba. This mandir was visited by Baba for the sat-sang with Devidas, a Balyogi, who lived at the Mandir ten to twelve years before Baba arrived.
There are also temples of village deities named Shani, Ganapati, and Shankar to be visited.
Lendi Baug
At some distance from Gurusthan there is the Lendi Baug. This Baug was made and watered daily by Baba himself. It got its name from a Nalla (a drain) which used to previously flow there. Baba used to come here every morning and afternoon and take rest under a Neem tree. Baba dug a pit, 2 feet deep, under the Neem tree and kept a Deep lit in that pit. One octangular Deepgriha called Nanda Deep has been built in marble stone in memory of this place. It constantly burns in a glass box. On one side of the Deepgriha is a Peepal tree and on the other side is a Neem tree.Some distance away is a Datta Mandir below an Audumbar tree. In the Mandir there is a statue of Datta built in marble stone. The statue of Datta was installed on 6th December, 1976. Just behind the Datta Mandir is a Samadhi of the horse, Shyamsundar which belonged to Baba and which used to bow to him.
Lendi Baug also has a well dug by Baba with the cooperation of his devotees.
At the entrance of the Baug are the Samadhi's of ardent Sai devotees Tatya Kote Patil, Bhau Maharaj Kumbhar, Nanavalli and Abdul Baba.
Khandoba Mandir
This temple is situated on the main road. In front of this temple Baba was welcomed by Poojari Mhalsapati, of this temple, saying "Aao Sai", when Baba stepped in Shridi. In this temple there are icons of Khandoba, Banai and Mhalsai.Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi was established in the year 1922 to carry out the noble service of Shri Sai Baba. From the year 1922 to August of 1989 the establishment staff provided various facilities for the devotees. On May 4, 1990 Bhoomi Pujan of 'Sai Baba Bhakta Niwas' was performed. A building to accommodate 3500 devotees, having 560 self-contained rooms and two spacious halls has been constructed.
Sai Baba used to cure many diseases. Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi built a 'Shri Sainath' Hospital to continue to provide service to patients. The Hospital is well equipped with modern machineries like 'Manojkumar Intensive Care Unit', 'Smt. Janaki Devi Suri Sonography Centre', 'Raju Batra X-ray Machine', etc.
The Hospital provides many services such as eye diagnosis, cataract operation, family planning, cancer research, homoeopathy, etc. In the near future there will be a expansion of the Hospital, establishment of a medical research centre, and an addition of a nursing and medical college.
The Sansthan runs a 'Prasadalaya' to provide lunch and dinner to the devotees. Nearly a 1000 devotees can take Baba's prasad at the same time. The kitchen of the Prasadalaya is equipped with modern cooking machineries and is free of pollution. Food-packets are available to the devotees from 8:00 in the morning to 12:00 noon. There is a canteen service available to the devotees day and night.
The Sansthan is publishing various photos and books on Shri Sai Baba in many languages. The trust has started English medium schools three years ago. Scholarships are given to the poor and clever students every year by the Sansthan. The Chairperson and the members of the trust are taking keen interest to provide facilities to the villagers and devotees.
Shri Sai Baba Sansthan has been providing tremendous and continuous service towards noble causes. To provide any type of aid to the Sansthan please contact the following:
Address for Communication:
Shridi Office:
Executive Officer
Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi
P.O. Shirdi - 423109,
Kopargaon, Ahmednagar,
Maharashtra, India.
Bombay Office:
Chairperson
Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi
'Sai Niketan', 804 - B,
Dr. Ambedkar Road,
Dadar, Mumbai - 400014
Maharashtra, India
1. For proper guidance and assistance to the devotees, Reception centers have been opened opposite the S.T. Bus stand.
2. On arrival to Shirdi, devotees should immediately get in touch with the above mention Reception centers of the Sansthan and should thereafter proceed to the Enquiry Office for booking their accommodation which is made available after registration of name and other particulars.
3. Occupied room(s) should be locked before going out.
4. If the accommodation provided is in the common hall, luggage should always be left in charge of a member of the party to safeguard it from anti-social elements.
5. A locker is available at nominal charge and against a deposit, which may be booked at the enquiry office, and used for keeping luggage or any other valuables.
6. Care should be taken not to leave any belongings behind in the toilets and the bathrooms.
7. As the Samadhi Mandir is over-crowded at the time of Arati, devotees should safeguard their ornaments and purses from pick-pockets and mind their children.
8. Devotees should note that all religious functions and Poojas in the Sansthan premises are to be arranged and performed through the office of the Sansthan. Necessary payments for these are to be made at the office against a receipt. Boxes have been provided by the Sansthan in the Mandir itself to receive the devotees' offerings by way of Dakshina and Hundis.
9. Offering to Shri Sai Baba in cash or kind should always be made at the office against a receipt.
10. Devotees should bear in mind that Baba left no heirs or disciples and should guard themselves against such deception practiced by impostors.
11. As all the necessary assistance and guidance is readily available to the devotees at the Reception center of the Sansthan, assistance from unauthorized guides at the S.T. stand, if taken by the devotees, will be at their own risk.
12. Devotees are warned against practitioners of black magic professing allegiance to Shri Sai Baba, and also against those circulating chain-letters, asking the receiver to send a certain number of copies of the letter to his friends.
13. Literature about Shri Sai Baba containing authentic information has been published by the Sansthan and is readily available at book shops near the Samadhi Mandir.
14. A complaint/suggestion book is always kept in the office for the use by the devotees, in which they are requested to write clearly their complaints/suggestions along with their full name(s) and addresses. The Sansthan authorities take due note of such complaints/suggestions.
15. Donations should always be sent by Money Orders, Postal Orders, Crossed and A/c. Payee Cheques or Drafts to ensure safe delivery of the same. Do not send cash or currency notes in postal envelopes.
16. As the various dealers and vendors of Pooja articles are not connected with the Sansthan, devotees should first fix the price before buying these articles to avoid any trouble thereafter.
17. All donations for oil for the Nanda-deep and for firewood for Dhuni in the Dwarkamai are to be given in the Accounts office only. Further details regarding these can be obtained from the Temple-in-charge.
18. Devotees desirous of feeding the poor can arrange to do so against cash payment to be made to the Prasadalaya itself or the account office. Coupons are not accepted for this purpose.
19. Devotees desirous of distributing alms to beggars can do so only in the beggars' shed, near Prasadalaya with the help of the Security officer.
20. Devotees making correspondence should give their complete and correct addresses.
21. Devotees are requested to avail of the facilities at the Tea canteen and Prasadalaya run by the Sansthan where tea and meals are served at subsidized rates.
22. Medical facilities are available at the well-equipped Sainath Hospital run by the Shirdi Sansthan.
23. The Sansthan has not appointed any representative for the purpose of collecting donations in cash or otherwise. Devotees are informed that no donations either in cash or otherwise should be given to anybody personally. This is to avoid deceit as well as to prevent devotees from being cheated by unscrupulous elements.
Source : Publications of the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi
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