Sai Baba of Shirdi History
The name 'Sai Baba' is believed to be a combination of Persian and Indian origin. Sāī is from Indian origin, meaning "Sakshat Ishwar" given by the priest Mahalsapati (a close devotee of Sai Baba) during the evening when baba returned to shirdi after leaving shirdi earlier in his teen days (reference to it could be found in Sai Charitra). Although the priest Mahalsapti confesses the fact that he also does not realise him giving the name of "Sai" to Baba. Baba (honorific) is a word meaning "father; grandfather; old man; sir" used in Indo-Aryan languages. The appellative thus refers to Sai Baba as being a "holy father" or "saintly father".[1] His parentage, birth details, and life before the age of sixteen are obscure, which has led to a variety of speculations and theories attempting to explain Sai Baba's origins. In his life and teachings he tried to reconcile Hinduism and Islam: Sai Baba lived in a mosque which he called Dwarakamayi, practiced Hindu and Muslim rituals, taught using words and figures that drew from both traditions and was buried in a Hindu temple in Shirdi. One of his well known epigrams says of God: "Sabka Malik Ek " ("One God governs all") which traces its root to the Bhagavad-Gita and Islam in general, and Sufism, in particular. He always uttered "Allah Malik" ("God is Master"). He had no love for perishable things, and was always engrossed in self-realization, which was his sole concern.
Sai Baba taught a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others, charity, contentment, inner peace,and devotion to God and guru. His teachings combined elements of Hinduism and Islam and tried to achieve communal harmony between these religions.
Sai Baba remains a very popular saint[2] and is worshipped by people around the world. Though the debate over his Hindu or Muslim origins continues to take place, his personal religious practices such as belief in the unity of God, reciting Al-Fatiha among other Quranic verses, liking Namaz as a way of prayer, and other individual preferences such as the attire of a Muslim saint with head covered, consumption of meat and abstinence from alcohol point more to him being a Muslim. There is still mosque in Shirdi where he regularly used to visit and live. According to Purdom, when Kulkarni Maharaj strongly requested Upasni Maharaj to pay a visit to Sai Baba, Upasni replied 'Why should I go to a Muslim?'[3] He is also revered by several notable Hindu and Sufi religious leaders. Some of his disciples received fame as spiritual figures and saints such as Upasni Maharaj, Meher Baba, Saint Bidkar Maharaj, Saint Gangagir, Saint Jankidas Maharaj and Sati Godavari Mataji.[4][5]
Early years
Details of the time and place of Sai Baba's birth are unknown. Various communities have claimed that he belongs to them, but nothing has been substantiated. It is known that he spent considerable periods with fakirs, and his attire resembled that of a Muslim fakir. Baba reportedly arrived at the village of Shirdi in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, India, when he was about 16 years old. Although there is no agreement among biographers on the date of this event, it is generally accepted that Baba stayed in Shirdi for three years, disappeared for a year and returned permanently around 1858, which posits a possible birth year of 1838.[6]
Some claim Baba was born on 29 September 1835, but there is no apparent reason on how the date was arrived at. In any case, the only agreement amongst historians and his devotees is that there is no conclusive evidence of his birthday and place. He led an ascetic life, sitting motionless under a neem tree and meditating while sitting in an asana. The Sai Satcharita recounts the reaction of the villagers:
The people of the village were wonder-struck to see such a young lad practicing hard penance, not minding heat or cold. By day he associated with no one, by night he was afraid of nobody.[7]
His presence attracted the curiosity of the villagers, and the religiously inclined such as Mhalsapati, Appa Jogle and Kashinatha regularly visited him, while others such as the village children considered him mad and threw stones at him.[8] After some time he left the village, and it is unknown where he stayed at that time or what happened to him. However, there are some indications that he met with many saints and fakirs, and worked as a weaver; he claimed to have fought with the army of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.[9]
Shirdi and teaching
In 1858 Sai Baba returned to Shirdi with Chand Patil's wedding procession. After alighting near the Khandoba temple he was greeted with the words "Ya Sai" (Marathi:welcome saint) by the temple priest Mhalsapati. The name Sai stuck to him and some time later he started being known as Sai Baba.[10] It's also widely believed that he was either already known as Sai, or looked like one to the priest as it's improbable for a hindu priest to address a saint perceived by him to be a hindu by a muslim title of Sai. It was around this time that Baba adopted his famous style of dress, consisting of a knee-length one-piece robe (kafni) and a cloth cap. Ramgir Bua, a devotee, testified that Baba was dressed like an athlete and sported 'long hair flowing down to his buttocks' when he arrived in Shirdi, and that he never had his head shaved. It was only after Baba forfeited a wrestling match with one Mohdin Tamboli that he took up the kafni and cloth cap, articles of typical Sufi clothing.[11] This attire contributed to Baba's identification as a Muslim fakir, and was a reason for initial indifference and hostility against him in a predominantly Hindu village.[12] According to B.V. Narasimhaswami, a posthumous follower who was widely praised as Sai Baba's "apostle", this attitude was prevalent even among some of his devotees in Shirdi, even up to 1954.[13]
For four to five years Baba lived under a neem tree, and often wandered for long periods in the jungle in and around Shirdi. His manner was said to be withdrawn and uncommunicative as he undertook long periods of meditation.[14] He was eventually persuaded to take up residence in an old and dilapidated mosque and lived a solitary life there, surviving by begging for alms and receiving itinerant Hindu or Muslim visitors. In the mosque he maintained a sacred fire which is referred to as a dhuni, from which he had the custom of giving sacred ash ('Udhi') to his guests before they left and which was believed to have healing powers and protection from dangerous situations. At first he performed the function of a local hakim and treated the sick by application of Udhi. Baba also delivered spiritual teachings to his visitors, recommending the reading of sacred Hindu texts along with the Qur'an, especially insisting on the indispensability of the unbroken remembrance of God's name (dhikr, japa). He often expressed himself in a cryptic manner with the use of parables, symbols and allegories.[15] He participated in religious festivals and was also in the habit of preparing food for his visitors, which he distributed to them as prasad. Sai Baba's entertainment was dancing and singing religious songs (he enjoyed the songs of Kabir most). His behavior was sometimes uncouth and violent.[16][17]
After 1910 Sai Baba's fame began to spread in Mumbai. Numerous people started visiting him, because they regarded him as a saint (or even an avatar) with the power of performing miracles,[18] they built his first ever temple at Bhivpuri, Karjat as desired by Sai Baba.[19]
Notable disciples
Sai Baba left behind no spiritual heirs and appointed no disciples. In fact, he did not even provide formal initiation (diksha), despite requests from some of his devotees. Some disciples of Sai Baba achieved fame as spiritual figures like Upasni Maharaj of Sakori and Meher Baba of Ahmednagar. After Sai Baba died, his devotees offered the daily Aarti to Upasani Maharaj when he paid a visit to Shirdi, two times with an interval of 10 years.[citation needed]
Teachings and practices
In his personal practice, Sai Baba observed worship procedures belonging to Hinduism and Islam; he shunned any kind of regular rituals but allowed the practice of namaz, chanting of Al-Fatiha, and Qur'an readings at Muslim festival times.[20] Occasionally reciting the Al-Fatiha himself, Baba also enjoyed listening to moulu and qawwali accompanied with the tabla and sarangi twice daily.[21] He also wore clothing reminiscent of a Sufi fakir. Sai Baba also opposed all sorts of persecutions on religious or caste background.
Sai Baba was also an opponent of religious orthodoxy - both Hindu and Muslim.[22] Although Sai Baba himself led the life of an ascetic, he advised his followers to lead an ordinary family life.
Sai Baba encouraged his devotees to pray, chant God's name and read holy scriptures - he told Muslims to study the Qur'an, and Hindus, texts like the Ramayana, Vishnu Sahasranam, Bhagavad Gita (and commentaries to it)and , Yoga Vasistha.[23] He advised his devotees and followers to lead a moral life, help others, love every living being without any discrimination, treat them with love and develop two important features of character: faith (Shraddha) and patience (Saburi). He also criticized atheism.[24] In his teachings Sai Baba emphasized the importance of performing one's duties without attachment to earthly matters and being ever content regardless of the situation.
Sai Baba also interpreted the religious texts of both faiths. According to what the people who stayed with him said and wrote he had a profound knowledge of them. He explained the meaning of the Hindu scriptures in the spirit of Advaita Vedanta. This was the character of his philosophy. It also had numerous elements of bhakti. The three main Hindu spiritual paths - Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Karma Yoga - were visible in the teachings of Sai Baba.[25] Another example of the way he combined both faiths is the Hindu name he gave to his mosque, Dwarakamai.[26]
Sai Baba said that God penetrates everything and lives in every being, and as well that God is the essence of each of them. He emphasized the complete oneness of God which was very close to the Islamic tawhid and the Hindu doctrine, e.g. of the Upanishads. Sai Baba said that the world and all that the human may give is transient and only God and his gifts are eternal. Sai Baba also emphasized the importance of devotion to God - bhakti - and surrender to his will. He also talked about the need of faith and devotion to one's spiritual preceptor (guru). He said that everyone was the soul and not the body. He advised his disciples and followers to overcome the negative features of character and develop the good ones. He taught them that all fate was determined by karma.
Sai Baba left no written works. His teachings were oral, typically short, pithy sayings rather than elaborate discourses. Sai would ask his followers for money (dakshina), which he would give away to the poor and other devotees the same day and spend the rest on buying wood to maintain Dhuni. According to his followers he did it in order to rid them of greed and material attachment.
Sai encouraged charity and the importance of sharing with others. He said: "Unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes anywhere. If any men or creatures come to you, do not discourteously drive them away, but receive them well and treat them with due respect. Shri Hari (God) will be certainly pleased if you give water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, clothes to the naked and your verandah to strangers for sitting and resting. If anybody wants any money from you and you are not inclined to give, do not give, but do not bark at him like a dog."[27] Other favorite sayings of his were: "Why do you fear when I am here",[28] "He has no beginning... He has no end."[28] Sai Baba made eleven assurances to his devotees:
Whosoever puts their feet on Shirdi soil, their sufferings will come to an end.
The wretched and miserable will rise to joy and happiness as soon as they climb the steps of Dwarakamai (Mosque).
I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body.
My tomb shall bless and speak to the needs of my devotees.
I shall be active and vigorous even from my tomb.
My mortal remains will speak from My tomb.
I am ever living to help and guide all who come to Me, who surrender to Me and who seek refuge in Me.
If you look at Me, I look at you.
If you cast your burden on Me, I shall surely bear it.
If you seek My advice and help, it shall be given to you at once.
There shall be no want in the house of My devotee.
Worship and devotees
The Shirdi Sai Baba movement began in the 19th century, during his life, while he was staying in Shirdi. A local Khandoba priest - Mhalsapati Nagre - is believed to have been his first devotee. However, in the 19th century Sai Baba's followers were only a small group of Shirdi inhabitants and a few people from other parts of India. It started developing in the 20th century and even faster in 1910 with the Sankirtans of Dasganu (one of Sai's devotees) who spread Sai Baba's fame to the whole of India. Since 1910 numerous Hindus and Muslims from all parts of India started coming to Shirdi. During his life Hindus worshiped him with Hindu rituals and Muslims revered him greatly, considering him to be a saint. Later (in the last years of Sai Baba's life) Christians and Zoroastrians started joining the Shirdi Sai movement.[2]
The Sai Baba Mandir in Shirdi is active and every day worship of Sai is conducted in it. Pilgrims visit Shirdi every day. Shirdi Baba is especially revered and worshiped in the state of Maharashtra and in Gujarat. A religious organization of Sai Baba's devotees called the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust is based there. The first ever Sai Baba temple is situated at Bhivpuri, Karjat.
The devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba have spread all over India.[2] According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Religion there is at least one Sai Baba mandir in nearly every Indian city.[2] His image is quite popular in India.[2] Some ordinary non-religious publishing houses (such as Sterling Publishers) publish books about Shirdi Sai written by his devotees.[29] Shirdi is among the major Hindu places of pilgrimage.[30] The Shirdi Sai Baba movement is partially organized. Only a part of his followers and devotees belong to the Shri Saibaba Sansthan or to other religious organizations that worship him.
Beyond India the Shirdi Sai movement has spread to other countries such as the U.S. or the Caribbean. Sai Baba mandirs and organizations of his devotees have been built in countries including Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and the USA. The Shirdi Sai Baba movement is one of the main Hindu religious movements in English-speaking countries.[31]
According to estimates the Sai mandir in Shirdi is visited by around twenty thousand pilgrims a day and during religious festivals this number amounts to a hundred thousand.[32]
Sai Baba had many notable disciples and devotees:
Nana Saheb Chandorkar: Deputy Collector – legend has it that Baba saved his daughter Mayna from labor complications.
Ganapath Rao: Popularly known as Das Ganu, police Constable, later resigned to become an ascetic.
Tatya Patil: Kote Patil and Bhaija bai's son had immense faith in Sai Baba and served him until Sai Baba took samadhi. He's also known to be Sai Baba's younger brother.
Bhaija Bhai kote patil: Sai Baba treated her as his mother.
Madhav Rao Deshpande: Later known as Shama, one of the staunch devotees of Sai Baba who had relations of 72 births with Sai Baba.
Hemadpant: Baba allowed him to keep memos and write Sai Sat Charitra.
Mahalsapati Chimanji Nagare : A priest of Khandoba Temple,Vanjari by Cast, who had relations of 72 births with Sai Baba.
Dasganu: Dasganu was like a messenger of Sai, he moved from place to place spreading Sai Baba's fame.
Shravani and her family: Great devotees of Sai Baba. They have immense faith in him.
Reported Miracles
Sai Baba's millions of disciples, followers and devotees believe that he had performed many miracles. Some of them were: bilocation, exorcisms, curing the incurably sick, helping his devotees in need in a miraculous way, reading the minds of others. Numerous inhabitants of Shirdi talked about these miracles. Some of them even wrote about them in books. They talked and wrote about how they (and others) were the witnesses of his unusual Yogic powers: levitation, entering a state of Samādhi at wish, even removing his limbs and sticking them back to his body (Khanda Yoga) or doing the same with his intestines.
Some additional famous examples of such miracles include making the river Jumna (Yamuna), taking a disease of another, appearing in flesh and blood after death, appearing beaten when another was beaten, preventing a mosque from falling down on people, and more.[33]
According to his followers he appeared to them after his death, in dreams, visions and even in bodily form, when he often gave them advice. His devotees have many stories and experiences to tell.[34] Many books have been written on these events.
Historical sources
Biographers of Sai Baba (e.g. Govindrao Raghunath Dabholkar, Acharya Ekkirala Bharadwaja, Smriti Srinivas, Antonio Rigopolous) have based their writing on primary sources. One such source is the Shirdi Diary by Ganesh Shrikrishna Khaparde, which describes every day of the author's stay at Shirdi.
Speculation about the unknown episodes of Sai Baba's life are primarily based on his own words.
The most important source about Sai's life is the Shri Sai Satcharita, written in Marathi in 1916 by Govindrao Raghunath Dabholkar, whom Sai Baba nicknamed Hemadpant.[35]
Consisting of 53 chapters, it describes Baba's life, teachings and the various miracles he performed for his devotees. It describes how one should surrender one's egoism at God's feet and trust one's guru to carry one across the ocean of worldly existence. It explains how God is supreme and His devotees should trust Him and love Him with all their heart. It teaches that God is present in all forms - human, animal, insect and plant. Everything on this earth is a form of God and must be treated with love and respect.
The book talks about Baba's lifestyle, and his selfless attitude and love towards his devotees. His love is compared to a mother's love: caring and loving when needed and reprimanding when a mistake is made.
Other important sources about Sai Baba are books by B. V. Narasimhaswamiji such as Sri Sai Baba's Charters and Sayings or Devotee's Experiences of Sai Baba. Sri Sai Baba and His Teachings by Acharya Ekkirala Bharadwaja is an in-depth study of Sai's life routine and activities.
In various religions
Hinduism
During Sai Baba's life, the Hindu saint Anandanath of Yewala declared Sai Baba a spiritual "diamond".[36] Another saint, Gangagir, called him a "jewel".[36] Sri Beedkar Maharaj greatly revered Sai Baba, and in 1873, when he met him he bestowed the title Jagadguru upon him.[37][38] Sai Baba was also greatly respected by Vasudevananda Saraswati (known as Tembye Swami).[39] Sai of Shirdi was also revered by a group of Shaivic yogis, to which he belonged, known as the Nath-Panchayat.[40]
Other religions
Sai Baba is considered a Pir by some Sufi groups. Meher Baba declared Baba to be a Qutub-e-Irshad - the highest of the five Qutubs, "Master of the Universe".[41] Baba is also worshipped by prominent Zoroastrians such as Nanabhoy Palkhivala and Homi Bhabha, and has been cited as the most popular non-Zoroastrian religious figure attracting the attention of Zoroastrians.[42]
In culture
Sacral art and architecture
In India, in nearly every larger city there is at least one temple dedicated to Sai Baba.[2] There are even some in towns and cities outside India. In the mosque in Shirdi in which Sai Baba lived there is a life-size portrait of him by Shama Rao Jaykar, an artist from Mumbai. Numerous monuments and statues depicting Sai Baba, which serve a religious function, have also been made. One of them, made of marble by a sculptor named Balaji Vasant Talim, is in the Samadhi Mandir in Shirdi where Sai Baba was buried.[43] In Sai Baba temples, his devotees play various kinds of devotional religious music, such as aartI.
Travel Guide :-
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.
Shirdi
town is situated in Rahata Tahasil in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra State
(India). It is located at 19o45' North Latitude and 74o25' East Longitude.
It
falls on Ahmednagar-Manmad State Highway No.10 at 83 Km. from Ahmednagar, and
15 Km. from Kopargaon.
It (the Ahmednagar
-Manmad road) was a very busy route in the old times. It is located at 185 Km.
to the East from Western Seashore line.
| City Name | District | State | Distance in Km. |
| Ahmedabad | - | - | 788 |
| Ajanta caves | Jalgaon | Maharashtra | 243 |
| Akkalkot | Solapur | Maharashtra | 345 |
| Akola | - | Maharashtra | 547 |
| Alandi | Pune | Maharashtra | 231 |
| Amaravati | - | Maharashtra | 637 |
| Aurangabad | - | Maharashtra | 136 |
| Battis Shirale | Sangali | Maharashtra | 503 |
| Chikhaldhara | Amravati | Maharashtra | 615 |
| Dehu | Pune | Maharashtra | 234 |
| Goundwale | Satara | Maharashtra | 265 |
| Jejuri | Pune | Maharashtra | 238 |
| Mahabaleshwar | - | Maharashtra | 314 |
| Malshej Ghat | Thane | Maharashtra | 145 |
| Mumbai | - | Maharashtra | 304 |
| Nagpur | - | Maharashtra | 660 |
| Nanded | - | Maharashtra | 400 |
| Narshinhwadi | Kolhapur | Maharashtra | 469 |
| Nasik | - | Maharashtra | 119 |
| Paithan | Aurangabad | Maharashtra | 186 |
| Pandharpur | Solapur | Maharashtra | 282 |
| Pune | - | Maharashtra | 195 |
| Rakshasbhuvan | Beed | Maharashtra | 175 |
| Ramtek | Nagpur | Maharashtra | 730 |
| Sajjangadh | Satara | Maharashtra | 315 |
| Shegaon | Akola | Maharashtra | 356 |
| Shikhar Shinganapur | Satara | Maharashtra | 252 |
| Wardha (Sevagram) | - | Maharashtra | 647 |
Shirdi
is not on railway map. To reach 'Shirdi' via railway one has to reach 'Manmad'
station which is 83 Km. from 'Shirdi Village' or 'Nashik' city which is 119 Km.
from 'Shirdi'. From there one may reach 'Shirdi Village' by taking bus or taxi.
Roadways Services
Shirdi Can be reached by taking a Bus from any of the following cities in Maharashtra State (India). Also buses to the same cities, depart from the Shirdi Bus Station.
Shirdi Can be reached by taking a Bus from any of the following cities in Maharashtra State (India). Also buses to the same cities, depart from the Shirdi Bus Station.
| Akaluj | Dhule | Nagpur | Shegaon |
| Akkalkot | Jalgaon | Nandgaon | Shindkheda |
| Akkalkuva | Jamner | Nandurbar | Shirpur |
| Amalner | Jawahar Peth | Nasik | Solapur |
| Arnaka | Kalvan | Navapur | Taloda |
| Aurangabad | Kalyan | Pachora | Thane |
| Borivali | Kasara | Paithan | Tuljapur |
| Chalisgaon | Kolhapur | Palghar | Uran |
| Chandrapur | Malegaon | Pandharpur | Vaijapur |
| Chikhli | Manmad | Pune | Vitthalwadi |
| Chopda | Miraj | Satana | Yewala |
| Dahanu | Mumbai | Satara |
Railways
Servives
Shirdi is having the Railway ticket booking facility as the Administration has opened "Computerised Railway Counter" at Shirdi, within Temple Premises. The devotees are getting To and Fro tickets as well as reservations of all the stations within India. They get the same facilities as they would have from any of the metropolitan city's railyway station.
Shirdi is having the Railway ticket booking facility as the Administration has opened "Computerised Railway Counter" at Shirdi, within Temple Premises. The devotees are getting To and Fro tickets as well as reservations of all the stations within India. They get the same facilities as they would have from any of the metropolitan city's railyway station.
Station
|
Distance from Shirdi
|
| 1. Manmad (Junction) | 58 Km |
| 2. Kopargaon (Daund-Manmad Line) | 16 Km |
| For detailed information and Railway Time Table click here | |
Airlines (Domestic And International)The following Airports fall near Shirdi.
Airports
|
Distance from Shirdi
|
| Aurangabad, Maharashtra State (Domestic) |
150 Km.
|
| Pune, Maharashtra State (Domestic) |
215 Km.
|
| Mumbai, Maharashtra State (Domestic & International) |
282 Km.
|
| Nasik, Maharashtra State, India (Domestic) |
90 Km.
|
From these places trains, buses and taxis are available.
For details, contact concerning Authorities or Authorised Tourism Centers.
These centers are located at Airport and Railway stations.
ACCOMODATION :
   |
The Dwarawati Bhaktiniwas is next to the Dharmashala &
two minutes walking distance from the Bus stand. It is
built recently in the year 2008. It has 334 rooms &
dormitories & large rooms to accommodate small groups or
families of six to ten people. It also have
80 AC Rooms .This complex is also well
equipped with the facilities like the parking space, 24
hr. water supply, electricity supply (with full capacity
generator back-up) & the security
Sansthan is taking care of the common Devotees by
providing the accommodations at fairly affordable
prices. A simple room (non-attached with latrine &
bathroom) with common facilities, is available merely at
the charge of Rs. 50/-, which can accommodate four
person. And the A.C. suits are also available
at the charge of Rs.700/- per day.
The New Bhakta Niwas is the biggest accommodation
complex consisting 542 rooms of various categories.
It is about 01 Kilometer away, on south of the Mandir
Complex, on the Highway itself. Free bus service,
shuttling between the New Bhakta Niwas & the Mandir
Complex is provided round the clock. This complex is
well equipped with the parking space, canteen facility,
24 Hr. water, electricity supply (with full capacity
generator back-up) and the security. It is equipped
with the solar hot water system.
The Dharmashala Complex is on
south-west of the Mandir Complex & on west of the
Bus-stand, hardly at
the distance of 0.5 Kilometer from S.T. stand. This
complex is established in year 2000, mainly to
facilitate the devotees coming in major groups. It has
big dormitories & large halls to accommodate 15 to 80
people. The average charge, including the common
services of latrine & Bath-rooms, is merely Rs.13/- per
person. This complex is also well equipped with the
facilities like the parking space, canteen facility, 24
Hr. water, electricity supply (with full capacity
generator back-up) and the security.
|
