My Shirdi trip and experiences (Along with most attractive images)

For the first time i went to the "Karma bhoomi" (Work place) of Shri Sai baba, i.e. Shirdi in the Ahmednagar district, in the state of Maharashtra, when i was just thirteen. I didn't have much memories of the former visit. Ever since i was constantly engaged in praying my Babaji to grant me a trip bound to Shirdi. But i no chance availed until the year 2013, when a chain of miracles occurred in my life. I had been experiencing a lot of miracles ever since i have connected with my lord; but this year bought a lot more. It began in the month of June. I had been keeping regular fasts on Thursdays. After completing the rituals and worship of lord Sai baba, I thought to start with the the reading of holy Bhagavada Gita. Unfortunately I had no copy at my home. I closed my eyes and bowed in front of my Sai appa, and asked him to arrange for the Bhagavada Gita. Next day i ordered a copy online. I received it within four days, but to my surprise the language in which the Bhagavada Gita was printed was beyond the scope of reading for an Indian reader. It was a translated version. I was a little disappointed. As per the wish i made to baba, i asked for the Bhagavada Gita before the coming Thursday (Next day being Thursday). I went to my Grandma's house for some chit-chat. Amid all the talks, she raised the topic that she wants me to read the Bhagavada Gita and is willing to give me a copy of the same. I was greatly surprised. She added that the book is covered in a hand made Sai baba's covering. That portrait of baba was the one i made while in my grade fourth and gifted to Grandma. The same picture covered that holy book. And there the big miracle proceeded. I received the Bhagavada Gita before Thursday (as i had asked for), and along with it, Sai baba himself came back to me, to show his kindness (And to assure me that he himself has gotten the Bhagavada Gita to me).  I was overjoyed. So overwhelmed that my throat was choked and i couldn't have spoken a word. I bought the book with me. Ever since i began asking my baba to call me at his home, the divine abode of Vishnu; Shirdi. In a short while, on the day of my birthday, i.e. thirtieth of August, we got a railway reservation bound until Shirdi. An acquaintance was to bring the reservation for our return journey. I was to be accompanied by my family members. They weren't getting leave from their work, hence they decided to return in a day or two. On the contrary i wanted to attend the divine paradise for more than two days. I requested and prayed Babaji to grant my wish again. To my utmost surprise, the return journey was reserved for second of September (exactly three days). I couldn't have waited for this big event of my life. Celebrating birthday at the lotus feet of baba, nothing could have ever been better. It's to be the most memorable moment of my life. Day and night i started speculating about the "would-be's" at Shirdi. Finally the day reached. On twenty ninth we boarded our train bound for the Kopargaon village. Kopargaon is a small village which is known as "Tapas bhoomi" (Place of Penance) of Saibaba. Sai baba visited Kopargaon during many occasions. It is 15.1 km from Shirdi, and takes hardly 25 minutes to reach there via local taxi/auto. It took us a little long time to search an auto/cab that'd have dropped us in right budget. Being tired, we finally opted a public vehicle for 200 Rs. I plugged in my earphones, switching on the Mantra "Om Sai ram". I wanted every single thing to remind me about Lord Sai ram. My only reason of living! I was lost in the scenic beauty of Kopargaon, when i saw the "Kopargaon Sai Tapo bhumi Mandir". It is the temple where baba might have practiced hard rumination.

I was excited as i watched that temple. I had goosebumps as my vision escaped into the nocturnal beauty and greenery of Kopergaon, imagining that Baba Sai walked there decades before. I could have imagined Lord Sai Ram moving across the bushes of Kopergaon. In no time we entered the kingdom of heaven, the golden throne of the king of this world, master of this universe, the lovable place to Shri Sai. A chain of Hotels started. A lot of apparels, Sai baba idols could have been spotted around the corners, on footpaths, roads and on crossings. So much of paraphernalia that was seen around and everything that reminded me of Sai baba. Every stuff on sale said the name of my Lord. Nearly every hotel had a prefix or suffix as "Sai". The fellow passengers dropped down from the cab at Sai Bhakta niwas- 1, that consisted 500 rooms and is an old dwelling by Sri Saibaba Sansthan trust (The main managing unit in Shirdi). We had done the booking online via the website of Saibaba Sansthan for new Bhakta Niwas that comprises nearly 1300 rooms. Following is the website if any devotee wishes to make their journey :- https://online.sai.org.in/landingPage.do ). Both the dwellings are close to each other, just separated by one more building (Which serves as a School presently). As we entered in the booking hall, i saw a portrait of Saibaba (Known as Dwarkamai pose), one that's kept at the Dwarkamai (Dwelling mosque of baba while he lived in Shirdi). Moving on a little more towards the counter, i saw a huge photo frame of Lord Sai in black and white color. A small Shirdi temple model is also kept there. The LED played the Live Darsana of baba. Staff had gone on lunch and we waited for some 15-20 minutes, after which we got the keys to our room. I stood at first place in the queue and hence did not have to face any lag. They verified the Online printout with my UID card (Any document can be carried, but a UID card is preferable). With all my luggage i went to the room with my family members. There were three beds, and a hygienic peaceful environment. I did not want to waste a minute and preferred going straight away for the Darsana. Sai Sansthan maintains everything in such a convenient manner, that devotees face no problem. No charges are implored for bus services, running between the SaiSansthan Bhakta Niwas and Saibaba Temple. Bus arrives at the Bhakta niwas, once every 20-25 minutes and drops directly in front of Saibaba Samadhi Mandir complex. While waiting for the bus, we felt hungry and went to the Sai Prasadalay which serves the food for free or at a meagre amount of Rupees five to ten (Per person). Having had eaten we took the bus for the temple complex and alighted at the temple. It was three - four in the afternoon. We left our cellphones and all the electronics back at the room as these aren't allowed at the temple complex. Though there are various lockers near gate number two and four. There are four gates in the Shirdi Temple complex. Gate number one is on the west side and can be used only for Mukh darshan (Face observation) of baba, as this doesn't lead to the main hall. This gate wasn't used for an exit. But now, one can make entry as well as exit from this gate. It is beside Nanda deep (Found in Lendi Baug). A railing adjoining this gate leads to Lendi baug. It is on the main Manamad road (Known as Pimpalwadi Road).Gate number two is few miles inside pimpalwadi road. This Gate is no more in use. But Main entry for all the people is made from the gate adjacent to this gate number two. On east side is Gate number three, which may be used for exit. If you are entering from this door, on the left side from the window, idol of baba can be seen (in front of open theater) while the way towards right leads to Shani, Lakshmi and Mahadev temple. Gate number four in South can be used as an exit, and it leads to Dwarkamai, baba's chavadi and Haji abduls cottage. We entered from Entry adjacent to gate number two (Gate number 2 is no more in use), that's basically seen from the main Pimpalwadi road, near the way named as "Manoj Kumar Marg". This is a common entry for all the people, surrounded by large boundary walls and steel railings. It's our first day, and we stood in the queue by three in the afternoon. (There is one more entrance from the back side, in front of big Sai Complex mall, just in front of cloak/shoe room,  i have discussed later in this page.)
(Here are images of all the four gates in Shirdi with details.)

In the first image, we can see door number one, that is near lendi baug. As one enters from here, one can easily have Mukha Darshana of Lord Sai ram, walk around the temple premises. In the second image is door number second that is no more in usage. A new railing has been built in it's place as we can see in image number three.

  


In this image we see basically gate number three, that is for the exit, and where there was rear entry earlier for senior citizens. Just from the window one can see the face of our holy Lord Sai baba, and sit in the open theater in front of it. In the second image we see the board, as one moves from Gate number one to Manoj kumar marg on main pimpalwadi road. In the image three and first image below is same gate number three. In the first image below is gate number three and four in image number two.



 

Baba's palki kept in the main hall.

The line started moving. To our luck, it was Friday and there wasn't much crowd in the temple premises. The railing area adjacent to gate number two was all empty. We rushed through it, and reached inside the first hall, which was again empty enough. We got ourselves checked for any electronics. Then we reached another hall. That hall too wasn't filled a lot, but unto a certain extent. The line was moving across the steel railings, with people hooting, and raising their voice, "Sai nath maharaja ki Jay". I had goosebumps all the while, as i was nearing the Darbar of Baba. We reached the center area, took the Laddoo prasad (which is freely distributed by the Sansthan), moving down the stairs, climbing and reaching the third hall. As we moved ahead, we reached the stairways, that first went down until a gallery, and then again a staircase that was upstairs, leading to the main hall of Lord Sai Ram. And there climbing up the stairs, we reached the main hall, where in the middle were kept all the Palki's (Since the time of Lord baba), and on the top was written, "Anantkoti Bramhand nayak rajadhiraj yogiraj parambramha Satchitanand shri sai nath maharaj ki jay". I had goosebumps reading that. I was trying to collect all the dust from the windows of that Booty wada, the palace where baba now sleeps peacefully (Or probably not, as he is always engrossed in the welfare of his devotees)..

The line was divided into two parts then. And as we went in, from the point where baba's statue became visible, the line was divided into four parts. I advice people to choose extreme corner lines if they wish to touch the Samadhi of baba. By luck, and unknowingly, we got towards the extreme right line. And there it was. The life size statue of Lord Sai Ram. He's beautifully dressed in pinkish dress, with a matching turban on his head, and on his Samadhi. I can't frame in words, the feeling i felt then. Not for a second, my eyes could have resisted the glow on the living idol of baba. It was no statue but baba himself, who left me with goosebumps. In all that tonnes of gold, the magnificent statue of baba (made by BV talim) outshines. As i reached the pillar, i rose at the top of my feet, not to miss a single look of my baba. I was so close to him. So close that words are just not enough to speak of my bliss. I had the best moment of my life, which no money could have bought. I reached closer, and in the Dakshina box, dropped some money. As i reached even closer, i could have felt the extra ordinary aura in the air. I could have felt the best of what i could. And it's the moment. I stood the closest to my Lord Sai Ram. I lied down with half of my body on Samadhi of Lord Sai ram, where his mortal coil rests. I kissed the Samadhi over and over, a couple of times. To my surprise, there was no rush, the atmosphere was peaceful and no security man thrust me out. I had my time, and the gift of my birthday. I asked the panditji for some garlands from the Samadhi, which he gave right from the center of Samadhi. I was the first one he gave all the flowers to. My happiness knew no bounds. It felt as if my Saibaba waited long for my arrival there, and as expected, is giving me the best. I went out, and as my mother bowed at Samadhi, i again went in near the Samadhi. I looked closely at the eternal luminous face of baba from the door. I stood there for some couple of minutes. I felt numb. I was not in conscious state of happenings around, for just my baba was in my vision. Then we came out. Outside, it was the Neem tree (Margosa tree), the Gurusthan of baba Sai (Place of his Guru). Coming outwards, we went inside the railings, and i closely looked at the tree, and Baba's Padukas there. I didn't get a leaf unfortunately. I was surprised as how no leaf was seen falling from the tree. I thought, how blessed are the people who would have gotten a leaf of this godly tree. I told my family mates, that how Four ever burning lamps are burning deep inside a tunnel here, and how this's called "Gurusthan" for being the penance place of guru of our Sai baba.

Making a hurry, we went towards the back side of the temple. Everyone with me was tired due to the long queues, but i had this extra ordinary ecstasy in me that i can't put forth in words. I wanted to live all my life in those few days that'd arrived with the grace of baba. We went ahead towards the back, near gate number four. I bowed at Dakshin mukhi Hanuman mandir (that has a new idol of lord Hanuman in black color containing eternal glow, which's replaced by a red color idol which happens to be there during the time of baba). Exiting from the gate, we came outside on the road, that lead to Chavadi, towards left side. In front of Chavadi is Haji abdul's baba cottage, and towards right of it (on other side of the road), is chosen home of baba, "Dwarkamayi". The Chavadi consisted of two portions of entrance, one for ladies, the other being for gents. By mistake i was entering the first, when lady informed me to get in from second one. I took the Udi and entered from the other side. A photo frame of baba is kept there, decorated in a lot of flowers. Sai baba used to sleep here on alternative days, and that's why women're devoid of other section. Though both the sides are visible, as they are just separated by some poles. I bowed in front of the frame of baba and came out. I entered the cottage of Haji abdul baba, where is kept the Chimta and Paduka's of baba, gifted to haji by baba. I bowed on that chimta, licked and kissed it. I could have felt baba holding it.! I saw the images around in the room, that consisted images of Abdul baba with some of his acquaintances, image of Lord Sai ram. The room had a shelf in which was kept old newspapers and stack of papers. The walls were painted in traditional green Islamic color. As i came out in the vacant cubical, i went towards the other gate, which was the back side of abdul baba's cottage. There were many outgrown plants, and some utensils and bricks. I came out, towards the Dwarkamai and stood in the line that was bound for inside. I kissed the wall on outside of Dwarkamai, and then reached the window. As i saw inside, i could have seen the central area, where the tortoise's planted. As we moved inside, i saw (into the barriers) a red pole, place where baba used to cook, bell that's suspended by baba, hooks on ceiling. Continuing further, and moving in a circle, i entered the mosque. Inside a steel container, i saw the ever burning sacred Dhuni. On touching the container, it's warm. And on putting my head on it, i got the view of dhuni. I saw inside the masjidamayi, the sack of wheat that's kept, the padukas near dhuni, the Nimbar (Where baba appeared some years back), and on moving further, we finally reached the railing where baba used to sit resting his hand on. I bowed in front of the big portrait of baba, and touched the padukas installed there. I felt as if baba was seeing me from there too. Coming out, on the platform i saw that red incense stick holder, and continuing further, came across that small tulsi plant, statue of Shyam rao (Horse) and tiger, amidst which lied the stone on which baba used to sit. It's encased in a glass case, just the Padukas are above it for devotees to touch. There's a real big portrait of baba sitting on that stone. I bowed there, and kissed the holy stone over and over again. The height of baba in his mortal coil was four cubits (near about six feet) and some inches, thy i could have imagined how baba sat on that stone. Going inside, i kissed the tortoise too. Coming outside, we went towards the shop. Saw a number of lanes, and Sai complex mall. Then continuing inside went towards Lendi baug and saw lotuses there, Nanda deep in between two trees (where it's believe that nava graha exists). We sat near the Dutta temple for some time. I kissed the baba's padukas installed there, and sat for some time at that place. Then i went to the parayan hall and bowed in front of a huge frame of baba Sai. Then i went to the lendi baug, saw the well from which baba used to get water, and water the plants. Having had Darshana of these places and being tired, we came back to our room. Before coming back, i went to the shop near Dwarkamai to get a Satcharitra for myself (in English). And to my luck i found a good copy at low price. I came back to my room.

Shree baba's Chavadi, where baba used to sleep on alternate days.

Inside view of Chavadi, male section. (Adjoining, female section)

Pooja ceremony on Thursdays at Chavadi.

Haji Abdul's baba cottage, in front of chavadi.

Haji's baba cottage from inside. Chimta of baba Sai and his Padukas.

Saibaba's Chimta and Paduka's

Dwarkamai from Outside.

Queue in Dwarkamai

Big portrait in Dwarkamai, Original of which is kept at Dixit wada (Present Museum).

Stone on which baba used to sit, (In dwarkamai), tortoise at center, open area

(The bell suspended at Dwaramai, and stone on which baba used to sit.)


Coming back to room, my mind again diverted me back to my baba, and i willed to go back to the campus premises. It was already late at night, near around eight. But not minding the time, i again went to the temple complex routing via auto (as the bus service stops by night). Reaching the railings, we hurriedly reached the third hall. That's what i like about the night Darshana. One doesn't have to stand in long queue, and can get a darshana easily, before the Aarti. Simultaneously i love standing in the long line to wait for my turn to come. After all, Shraddha and Saburi are the two coins of baba. If one doesn't have patience, one should simply not intend to have darshana of baba. VIP entries are also a way to burn up your good Karma. Why come for baba's darshana if you can't wait in a queue to see our beloved baba.?
     So, during the night, we were made to enter from the VIP staircase, which directly lead to third hall, from where we passed through the gallery, then the staircase that lead down then up, and finally into the hall. Again my all pervasive baba sat in front of me, in all his glory. He's always bounded me in his godly aura. Something that a true devotee can only feel at Shirdi. My baba was beautifully dressed in red color, and outshone all the gold as always. This time we were in the middle line. I saw my baba from center, standing right in front of him. We turned back and came out of the exit. By nine something, we were outside the hall. I went near the UDI stand to see if the holy ashes were still distributed. On learning the note suspended, i came to know that the distribution of UDI closes at night, after evening aarti. Just in front of it is another Margosa tree, in front of which's Baba's current museum (Dixit wada), which's also closed by night. Near the tree's, Samadhi of Haji Abdul baba in a separate shed, and in a single shed lied another Samadhi's, one in which belonged to Tayta Kote patil, the other to Nanavali (A staunch devotee of baba who died just a day after baba's Maha Samadhi), and bhau Maharaja. I went in, kissed all the Samadhi's, and stood for quite some time near Tatya kote patil's Samadhi (Nephew of Shri Sai baba).

     

Samadhi of Shri Tatya Kote Patil, (In the image above, first one is Shri Tatya Kote Patil, and second one is the Samadhi of same). In the images below, the first image shows Samadhi of Haji Abdul baba, Second one shows the Samadhi of Bhau Maharaj kumbhar, and the final one shows Samadhi of Nanavali.

After having darshana of baba and contented mind, i had my dinner and finally went back to the room for other day to pass by, so that i could have seen my baba again. I destined to wake up at four in the morning for the Kakad aarti of Sai baba and to witness holy bathe of baba. But unfortunately the bus services didn't run during the early morning hours, and i couldn't go. Never minding, and accepting everything as the grace of baba, i waited for the afternoon Darshana. Reaching the temple complex, late in the afternoon, i saw that the crowd increased at a big rate, as it's Saturday. This time, we went from the back lane that goes straight inside Manoj Kumar Marg, for there is another entrance from just in front of shoe/cloak room. It's just in front of the big Sai Complex mall. I had my Satcharitra with me, (as i wanted to get it touched on holy Samadhi of baba), which i bought the previous day.
Here's the image of that entrance,

Another entrance, just in front of Sai Complex mall.

Sai Complex mall

We finally entered the first hall from outside. By that time, due to misunderstandings, two of my family members (Father and brother) went differently, while me and my mother went on the other side. As the crowd was more, it's already more than an hour, that we had been standing in the queue. We're still not able to find the other two mates. I was a bit perturbed at it, but as soon as i gained the darshana of Lord Sai ram, all the disturbance in my mind cooled down. We took the Darshana of eternally glowing baba in all his beauty. I got my Satcharitra touched at the Samadhi for quite a little time. I was contented at it. Pandit ji saw the book and gave it back to me. I took it, and we came out. To our surprise, as we reached the Gurusthan, i got a leaf of that sacred neem tree. My happiness again knew no bounds. And there we saw that the other two members, coming from the exit, seeing us. They told us, that as the brother panicked, my father said, "Let's have darshana of baba, and with his grace, as we'll come out of the exit, we'll see them". And so did the miracle happen. We went towards Dwarkamai, took the darshana, and i bought one more Satcharitra from a store that i'd to gift my relative. We got the UDI centre, took packets of UDI, and sat near the Lendi baug. There i saw a store which contained Satcharitra. I realized that the book i got the previous day was one published by Sansthan, and was available from here at a discount of twenty five percent. I got furious. I searched in the English version, and to my surprise the English version was over there, containing just versions in other language. Sai baba, the omniscient and all pervasive, knew it and that's why showed his miracle to arrange a book for me the past day. I bought some posters of baba, published by Sansthan. They went back to the room, while my mother joined me in my endeavor to buy a big idol of Lord Sai ram. We searched an idol of choice for much time. We went from the back entrance itself, near the Sai complex, entered various lanes there. A LED is also installed there where devotees can have live darshana of baba, and near is to that is the entrance for Mukh Darshana. Finally searching a lot, at a store outside, we found the desired idol. Finally we got our idol, and by evening we routed back to our room, calm and composed. The idol's really heavy, weighing much, but i managed to bring it safely somehow. I slept peacefully with all my paraphernalia.

Lanes (Shops) as one enters from entrance near Sai complex more. In front of these lanes is Entrance to temple complex.

Sai Complex mall at night

Outside shops in Shirdi

Saibaba stuffs inside a shop in Shirdi

Finally the day reached, when we had departure from Shirdi. I wanted to have darshana of baba before leaving and to take his permission before leaving. As we reached near the Sai complex mall, i saw how exceedingly the crowd took over the place. Guard told us that it'd have taken  around three to four hours for the darshana. It's already morning, and we'd logged out of our room. But we went to the shop to take the prasada, and stand in the queue. As we reached the prasad shop, and being alien to the price, he gave us a prasad containing some packets of sweets, and a sack of cloth (For Samadhi) in eight hundred rupees. We got it and stood in the queue. The queue didn't move for a long time. Maybe, inside they're preparing for baba's noon aarti. There we suspected that eight hundred was too much for the prasad, and how the shopkeeper made a haste in packing everything. On enquiring the people, we learned that all that prasad didn't cost more than two to three hundred rupees, and that man theft us for five hundred rupees. We made our mind to come out of the line. But there was no way, as we're totally blocked from the two sides. And as i said the name of baba in my mind, the line started moving, and we came out of the line. We went straight away to that shopkeeper. By that time, Noon aarti of baba had started. After a little fight, and telling him that we'd our train, that man returned all our money, not even keeping a hundred rupee note. Thus Sai baba again showed a miracle and his greatness, that how, no one can theft sitting at his kingdom. We went to a restaurant to eat, as the aarti played in the back, expressing our surprise as to how that dominating man returned each penny. Then we went towards Mahalsapati's Kutiya, had darshana of that place, saw the nine coins given to Laxmibai shinde by baba. We asked the security man there, as what we'd have done for the Darshana. He advised us to visit Dwarkamai and take darshana of place where baba stood the most, for the queue was long and it would have taken a long time for it to clear. We went in the dwarakamai. As we came out it was already three to four in the afternoon. We went towards the Khandoba Mandir, and took darshan there. Khandoba temple is the temple where baba was first addressed by the name, "Sai", as "Aao Sai" or "Welcome Sai". The temple still consisted that old statue of Khandoba (An avatar of Lord Shiva), and then we went to the Kanifnath Mandir on the post office lane. (Kanifnath is basically one nath from the nine Nathas.) As we entered in the complex, we saw that the path for Mukh Darshana was open. We went in and took the Mukh Darshana, (fourth time darshana) of baba, from a distance. I thought in my mind, how lucky are the people who're near baba. And then all of a sudden, i made my mind to stand in the queue. Initially we even tried getting VIP passes. But we couldn't have arranged it, as it required VIP people, or a recommendation from Maharashtra government. I thought in my mind that may be baba does not want to accept Prasad and Chaddar from us. As it'd been three days and we didn't offer it until then. Finally we went to the store, took the chaddar and prasad, and as we went towards the entrance, to my surprise, all the crowd disappeared, and in an hour we were standing in front of idol of Lord Sai Ram. I offered my Chaddar to priest there, who took it, opened it completely and kept it on the Samadhi. They usually take the Chddar and rotating it in the air give it back. But the way he did with mine, i was left in tears, and happiness that cannot be framed in words.

(Under construction : Shraddha and Saburi.. Do come back)