Pilgrimages of India
Coonoor & Ooty-1963 Shirdi - 1965 Delhi - Kashmir - 1970
   
 
 
I was born in the house with the help of Tara Pherwani my father's cousin. I frequented Shirdi as I used to go often to Devlali to her ancestral house during the weekends. Tara is my God Mother and she brought me up as her own daughter being a spinster. She nicknamed me "Buddhi" [old woman] from child being fond of Shirdi Baba and due to polio I had a limp in the walk.
- RANI JAVA  

 
   
Shirdi In & Around

 
Samadhi Mandir
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. Late Balaji Vasant made this idol. 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. I.e. On Gurupoornima, Dassera, and Ramnavami. Every Thursday and on each festival, a palkhi with Baba's photo is taken out from the temple.

Dwarkamai
Shri Sai Baba came to Shirdi with a marriage procession. He stayed at Dwarkamai till 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 Shirdi, Dwarkamai was an old mosque in a dilapidated condition. Baba turned it into Dwarkamai and proved that God is one.

Gurusthan
Sai Baba first came to Shirdi 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 an 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 are 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 [plank] and a wheel chair belonging to him but never used by him.

Lendi Baug and Nandadeep
At some distance from Gurustahan there is Lendi Baug. This Baug was made and watered daily by Baba himself. It got its name 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.Nandadeep - a lamp is kept burning there since the day of Sai Baba, who used to sit here on a stone near the Nandadeep, below the neem tree. This park is renovated and maintained. A new Dattatreya Temple has been built in the garden in front of the Ashwattha tree. There is the samadhi of the horse Shamsunder, who used to bow down to Sai Baba and thereafter to the Samadhi daily, till its death. There are the samadhis of Baba's devotees Abdul Baba, Nanavalli, Bhau Maharaj and Tatya at the entrance of the Lendibaug.

Khandoba Mandir
This temple is situated on the main road. In front of this temple Baba was welcomed by Poojar Mhalsapti, of this temple, Saying "Aao Sai", when Baba stepped in Shirdi. In this temple there are icons of Khandoba, Banai and Mhalsai.

Mahadev, Shani and Ganesh Temples

These three temples are built in line. The Mahadev Temple is very old and a statue of a tiger has been installed behind the Nandi.There is a dhuni in the Shani Temple also. The Ganesh Temple is also very old. There are the Keshav Temple and Mangal Karyalaya, built in recent years beyond the road on the eastern side.

Daily Programs
Kakad Arati - 5.15 a.m.
Holy Bath of Shri Sai Baba - 6.00 a.m.
Darshan Begins - 7.00 a.m.
Satyanarayana Pooja - 9.00 a.m.
Abhishek - 9.00 a.m.
Noon Arati - 12.00 noon
Pravachan or Pujan - 4.00 p.m.
Dhuparati Sunset Bhajan, Keertan - 9.00 p.m.
Shejarati - 10.00 p.m.
 
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