Sai Babas Shirdi

Due to the growing popularity of Sai Baba, the crowds at the Samadhi Mandir are an exercise in management. This, however, is no excuse for over-zealous security guards to treat the pilgrims roughly. What would Shirdi be without pilgrims? wonder many who suffer the security staff. On the whole, the entire staff is rather authoritarian. They must realise that without pilgrims there would be nothing to manage and thus they may have no jobs! Sai Baba provides them with their livelihood. Since September 1, 2004, the Maharashtra government has taken over the management and running of the Shirdi temple complex.

The adjacent Dwarkamai is a house of peace and love, which is where Baba lived and stayed. The humble hall, with its ever-glowing sacred fire from which the holy udi is derived, remains the fulcrum of pilgrims' focus. Here the weary, the bleary, the tired and the tried devotee can "talk" to Baba, touch the objects he touched, and generally feel Baba's presence. Dwarkamai is a restful place; although sometimes too many devotees crowd in, Sai Baba makes room for all. Here one can see the window which Baba looked out of, or the grinding stone Sai Baba used, or theshila (stone) he manifested to sit upon. The story about the stone is interesting because although his associates desired to fetch it from nearby hills, Sai Baba said there was no need to go so far and he just manifested a stone right there, saving them the effort of carting it from some distance. This stone rests near the exit. Sai Baba is strongly present here and the entire atmosphere is soothing, including the attendants and security. A tulsi-plant and a painted-clay tiger decorate the space and Baba's benign presence and blessings are for all to savour.

Coming out of Dwarkamai, as one proceeds ahead towards left, is the Chavadi, where Baba went on alternate days and where he conversed with his "guru" Venkusa. The section where Baba conversed with Venkusa, on the right side, is closed to ladies. As the guru was of paramount importance to Sai, his followers made Thursday Cguruvaar) his day, and on this day devotees assemble and sing songs and perform bhajans. A ceremonial procession is also taken out from Dwarkamai to the Chavadi, every thursday evening. Behind the Chavadi is the ancient Hanuman temple.

Opposite the Chavadi is a green-coloured house that belonged to Abdul Baba. The main room exhibits photos of Baba with Abdul, Swami Chinmayanand with Baba, and many more rare articles. His great grandson, A. Ganibhai Ajij Pathan, sits and serves the memory of his great ancestors, whose mere seva (service) to Sai Baba has assured them a permanent place in Shirdi Sai's lore.

Behind Abdul Baba's house, the alley leads one to important homes like Laxmibai Shinde's, whom Baba gifted nine coins, denoting the nine types of bhakti (see chapter 6). The coins are framed and can be seen even today. The alley also leads to the house of Marthand (Shama's grandson), where Baba installed a Ganesha statue. On the way to these houses one can see the ruins in which the house of the village vaid, Kulkarni, lies. He had conspired against Baba when Baba first settled in Shirdi and he had told the oil-merchants not to give him alms of oil to burn his lamps in the Dwarkamai.

The Shani temple (dedicated to Saturn) at Singnapur, some sixty-five km and one hour away, is an often visited site. If one cannot go that far for the blessings of Shani, three smaller temples within the Samadhi complex, one each for Ganesha, Shiva and Shani, ensure devotees a quick and easy darshan. The Nandadeep and Gurusthan form the opening or closing part of the entire pilgrimage, which can also include a visit to Lendi Bagh. The samadhis of Baba's main attendants and servitors like Abdul Baba, Nanavali, Tatya and Bhau Maharaj are in this complex.

Flower-sellers, rose-water sellers, beads and pictures of Baba abound with small children playing the part of smiling salesmen, when not in school. Remember to ask the children selling pictures and small statues if they go to school or not, for inadvertently you may be contributing to their greed of making a few rupees at the cost of a brighter future through an education. Their parents may be innocent villagers happy at their child earning some extra money, but an educated visitor should not encourage this. Over-zealous women accost pilgrims outside Hanuman temple and the Chavadi, selling milk for dogs or pav (bread) to feed the poor. If one insists on personally feeding, often the dogs are not to be found and the poor have already collected enough pav in their sacks for the day. While alms should be given to deserving poor, many beggars dress up as Baba look-alikes to arouse affection and generous donations. It is up to an individual what path to follow.
Eateries abound in the bylanes of Shirdi and one may wonder which state of India one is in, since cuisine from as far afield as Punjab is available. Gujarati, Tamil and Telugu food dominates with easy snacks and soft drinks.

Buses to and from Shirdi are rarely punctual and most agents and touts act and shout as though it will be the last bus you will get on planet earth! There are plenty of choices, so don't worry, just be sure the company is trustworthy. Even Volvo-type buses start an hour or two later than promised. Rail-links are more dependable and soon a station will come up at Shirdi-Puntamba. Presently, Kopergaon, the nearest railhead, just nineteen kilometers away, provides easy train connections to most directions. At Kopergaon, autos await eagerly to ferry pilgrims to Shirdi.

The Sansthan complex runs a computerized rail reservation office, adjacent to the canteen. Books on Baba and prasad in the form of ladoos are available in this complex. Donations for the various charitable activities of the Sansthan can be made in designated rooms, although one is also free to donate in the huge hundis (collection boxes) provided for the pilgrims.

After Tirumala-Tirupati, Shirdi is the most visited pilgrim place in India today. From a small hamlet, just a little over a hundred years ago, it has grown to a huge centre of pilgrimage. Baba attracted a variety of followers and devotees, but he had no disciples. It is important to understand that Baba has no incarnation, no dogma, no disciples, no ashram, no sect, no order. He did not wish for any of this and did not encourage it. True, several served him and many more desired to be with him and came from far for his darshan, grace or blessing, but on his own Baba never made any claims to teaching or preaching anything in particular.

This is why there is no structured siddhant, or course, on Baba's teachings and faith. More and more people are attracted to him because of the very simplicity of his faith. He desires nothing and demands nothing; he tells no one to offer any particular form of worship; and has left his followers without any head or order. His philosophy is above mantras, vratas, poojas and rituals. All he desires is that we offer our hearts, mind and ego to him. Then the five senses will lose their power over us and we will be able to progress spiritually and away from world's miseries. Shirdi is a pure bhoomi where God, in the form of Sai Baba, manifested himself, stayed and showed his leelas. Sai Baba has no incarnation and never designated a chosen successor. Sai Baba is thus unique.