SHIRDI 1

SHIRDI 1
Sheltered by a saint
By Rahul Chandawarkar

Shirdi is Sai Baba and Sai Baba is Shirdi, synonymous visibly as well as spiritually. Almost every enterprise, whether shop, restaurant, showroom, school, college or hotel within a 10-km radius of this bustling town, prefixes `Sai' to its name, for in the utterance of the revered syllables is a prayer of hope and harmony. Sai Baba needs no introduction and yet, so little is known about him. He is said to have arrived in Shirdi as a young man in 1858, with a marriage party from Aurangabad. He first camped at the Khandoba Temple, which is situated diagonally opposite the revered present-day Shri Sai Baba Sansthan. Bhagat Mhalsapati, the then priest at the Khandoba Temple, is reported to have greeted the youngster with the words, ,Ya, Sai' (Welcome, Sai). Sai refers to a saint, a great soul, a realised person. Today, Shirdi welcomes the Sai Baba's legions of devotees with similar warmth. This small town of 15,000 people, tucked away in Western Maharashtra, is one of India's most popular destinations entirely due to this saint.

Legends and mythology
Nobody knows much about Shri Sai Baba's (1838-1918) background. He is said to have told Mhalsapati that he was born a Hindu but brought up by a Muslim fakir. A champion of communal harmony, he would famously say ,Allah Malik' (God is the Lord). Many miracles are associated with the Baba. He would ask everyone to chant god's name, day and night, for all seven days of the week. This is called `Naamsaptah'. One disciple agreed to the Baba's instruction on the condition that Lord Vitthal would appear on the seventh day. The Baba assured him the lord would indeed give darshan to the devout devotee. Dakurnath, Vitthal and Ranchhod (all names of Krishna) are all here in Shirdi, said the Baba. After the Naamsaptah ended, and the disciple sat down for meditation after his bath, Lord Vitthal appeared before him in a vision. When he went for the Baba's darshan in the afternoon, the Baba asked him immediately, ,Did Vitthal Patil come? Did you see Him? He is a very truant fellow, catch Him firmly, otherwise, He will escape even if you are a little inattentive!'

Architecture and antiquity
The main temple, the Samadhi Mandir, was originally known as Buttiwada. Gopal Butti, a Baba devotee, constructed it as a shrine to Lord Vitthal. However, the Baba is said to have told Butti, ,I will come to reside here one day.' When the Baba passed away on October 15, 1918, his disciples decided to bury his mortal remains inside the wada (abode). A white marble tomb and a life-size statue of the Baba stand here today. Mumbai sculptor Bhausaheb Talim created this masterpiece, installed in 1954. The statue of Lord Vitthal has since been moved to the Dixit Wada Museum.

Orientation
Present-day Shirdi has grown around the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, located on the busy Ahmednagar-Manmad State Highway, making the temple the centre of the town. Most hotels have come up around the temple premises. The Sansthan is about 2 km north-east of the State Transport Bus Stand. Autorickshaws, which have no meters but remain the best mode of transport in town, charge Rs 20 to get you there.