WHO IS SHRI SAI BABA?

Life of Sai Baba A day Baba

'Dwarkam His 'Dhu
Shri Sai describing withSai begging for
ai' Antecedents ni'
Baba Himself Baba alms

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When and for how long He used to sleep no
one knew. But He would get up in the early
hours at about 4.00 to 4.30 a.m. He would
About Sai sit near Dhuni – the sacred fire and talk to
Who is Sai Baba? devotees about distant places he visited
Baba's Mission overnight and His activities there. He
Supreme Physician frequently referred to His ‘travels’ over
& Healer great stretches of space and time though He
Limitless Powers was physically present in Shirdi whole
Baba's Teachings night. Sitting near dhuni Baba would move His arms and
Baba attaining fingers, as if making gestures to some invisible spirits.
Samadhi
Baba generally washed himself once in three days. And when
Shirdi - Pilgrimage He did people noticed the extraordinary control He had over
Album his physical frame. But on other occasions Baba bathed twice
Towards Light - or more times in a day.
Guruji Shri C.B.
Satpathy After first round of begging He would offer a morsel to the
dhuni and take some Himself. After morning breakfast, at
Shirdi Sai Temples
about 9 a.m. He would leave for Lendi-garden accompanied
Baba's Aartis by his devotees in a procession bare footed. It was in the later
Perfect Masters years that Baba wore his chappals (leather footwear) on
Guru Tradition vehement request from devotees. Sai Sansthan now preserves
these as sacred relics. It was during one of these processions
Experiences of the that Baba was photographed along with his devotees. There
devotees who... was a pit dug in the garden and a lamp was kept burning in it.
Childrens Sai Baba would sit behind it and ask Abdul, His personal
Sai Literature attendant and the only one to be allowed with Him in the
garden, to keep two pots of water near Him. He would
E-Greetings sprinkle the water in various directions and meditate
Shri Sai Satcharitra thereafter. These actions had some mystique significance:
Online Prayers
After returning to the mosque by about 10 a.m. Baba would
Link for official web spent an hour and half with His devotees and visitors who
site of SHRI SAI used to come from all parts of India. Sometimes during this
SANSTAN period He would go out to five houses for begging alms. He
remained a mendicant all His life.
 At noon , around 12 p.m., after devotees performed aarati in
the mosque, Baba would distribute udi (sacred ash) to
devotees and send them back home. After aarati Baba would
sit down for lunch along with close devotees behind a
curtain. Devotees said that the lunch session was very often
HOME the occasion for Baba to manifest some of His divine powers.
Baba used to be offered betel and nut after the meal. After
lunch Baba would spend some time alone. Devotees did not
disturb Him during this period, as He was believed to be in a
SUBSCRIBE / state of mystique meditation.
UNSUBSCRIBE FOR
WEEKLY E-MAIL Inside the mosque during the recess between 1 and 2 p.m.
NEWS-LETTER Baba usually engaged Himself in what would normally
appear to be inexplicable rites which He never explained. His
devotees were not allowed to be present and He would
conceal himself from view with a cloth screen. One devotee
Dasganu recorded in 1910 that Baba was standing near dhuni
and doing pradakshina (circumbulation). Chandorkar noted
that all mantras that Baba muttered was either in Arabic or
Persian but not in Sanskrit. Baba sometimes blew the conch,
which the devotees felt produced the cosmic sound ‘Aum’
(Om).

At about 3.00 p.m. devotees and visitors used to assemble at

the mosque, present their problems and offered prayers to
Him. Towards the evening Baba would walk to the front yard
of the mosque and stand there for some time leaning against
the outer wall and talking to the passers by in the lane. At
about 4 p.m. He would again go for a stroll to the Lendi
garden. Baba used to return in time from Lendi garden for the
evening aarti. Devotees used to wave lamps and burnt
camphor before Him.

As a rule there were three common sittings or 'durbars'

during the day. First one in the morning after breakfast,
second after Baba's return from Lendi garden and the third
about 5 p.m. During all these sittings Baba gave general
advice which was universal in character. The sum and
substance of His advice was to have strong faith in God and
patience for His realization, to love all creatures alike, not
to wound the feelings of others, to be honest and sincere in
all the actions, not to take the services of others without due
payments, etc. Usually He gave advice through stories and
parables which used to solve the different questions and
 anxieties of the different devotees at the same time.

In the evening before the sunset He would distribute the

daily gifts of money to beggars, needy and also some
devotees, emptying the day’s collections from his pockets.
This daily distribution continued till his last breath. Then he
would send the devotees and visitors’ home for the evening
meal after giving udi (sacred ash). Some however would stay
on with Him a little longer. Baba never allowed anyone to
stay with Him at night in the mosque in the later years.

Baba was sleeping in Dwarkamai and Chawri on alternate

nights. Baba was taken in a colourful ‘Palki Procession’ from
Dwarkamai mosque to Chawri. A regal palanquin, state
umbrella, and a horse preceded by bearers of silver mace,
whisks and other regal paraphernalia were part of the
procession. Although the devotees offered these materials,
Baba never used them. He used to walk behind the horse and
the palanquin. These days, on every Thursday and important
occasions this procession is being taken out with Baba’s
photo in the palanquin. This procession is one of the most
attractive and popular activities at Shirdi. Visitors to Shirdi
must see it.

Life of Sai Baba A day Baba

'Dwarkam His 'Dhu
Shri Sai describing withSai begging for
ai' Antecedents ni'
Baba Himself Baba alms

WHO IS SHRI SAI BABA?

What is your name?

Baba : They call me Sai Baba. (Sai was not a
personal name but an epithet)
Commission Your father’s name?
Baba : Also Sai Baba. (It implied that His
descent or divine advent is not
conditioned by human parentage)
Commission Your Guru’s (Master’s) name?
Baba : Venkusa.
Commission Your creed or religion?
Baba : Kabir. ('Kabiri’ means the perfect
mastery. There was a Perfect Master
 called Kabir whose followers are known
as Kabir Panthi.)
Commission Caste or Community?
Baba : Parvardigar. (The Almighty)
Commission Age?
Baba : Millions of years. (It implied that He
existed always).

Baba further mentioned

"I know everyone
I live with everyone
All are mine and
Everything is mine"
(Which implied the gnosis of ‘I am God’)

It was interesting to note that Sai Baba was not asked to sign his statement. He had no
name to sign. Baba never disclosed His antecedents. Whenever asked about it, He gave
mystifying answers and evaded any query. There are a few scattered clues, which conjure
up to a less than satisfactory account. On one occasion Baba Pathri in the Nizam's state.
At another time He said that his Mama (Uncle) had brought Him to Shirdi from
Aurangabad. On one momentous occasion he said that while still a child of tender age his
parents handed him over to the care of a fakir who brought him up.

Dasganu, a close devotee researched on this matter. He concluded on the basis of legends
at Selu that the wife of a fakir, who had taken the custody of young child at Pathri,
brought him to Gopal Rao Deshmukh of Selu. Gopal Rao was the Provincial Governor of
Jintur with the military capacity of his own. Young Baba, left under the care of this Gopal
Rao, spent the most impressionable part of his life at Selu with His master.

Gopal Rao was a saintly figure deeply devoted to Lord Venkateshwara of Tirupati
temple. He was highly evolved soul with a direct communion with his Ishta Devta
(desired deity) Lord Venkateshwara (therefore he was called Venkusa). Gopal Rao used
to go round visiting Holy places when once he was at the tomb of Suwag Shah at
Ahmedabad, a remarkable incident occurred. The tomb actually perspired with joy and
communicated that the Gopal Rao was formerly Ramanand of Kashi and his former
disciple Kabir would be coming to him soon. It was after this, that the fakir’s widow
brought young Baba to him and Gopal Rao recognized him as Kabir.

The young boy was completely devoted to His master and the master in turn gave Him all
his grace and spiritual knowledge. Young Baba being favoured by the master evoked
considerable jealousy among the master's relatives and some of them resolved to kill
young boy by hurling brickbats at Him. The master saved his dear disciple by taking it on
himself and declared his departure from the body, transferring all his spiritual and yogic
powers to this young heir. Before leaving the body, the masters waved his hand westward
to the young boy, and bade Him leave Selu and proceed along Godavari River. Shirdi lies
close to the banks of the Godavari due west of Selu, and Baba by slow degrees moved on
from place to place and finally arrived at Shirdi.

Mumbai : The Central Railway (CR) will run 1528 Summer Special Trains in all directions,
which is the highest ever run by the Railways.

Addressing mediapersons here today,

Chief Public Relation Officer (CPRO), Central Railway, Shrinivas Mundgekar said the CR has
decided to run 1528 trains,
in all directionsAlthough SaiBaba's origins are unknown, some indications exist that
suggest that he was born not far from Shirdi.
Historical researches into genealogies in Shirdi
give support to the theory that Baba could have been
born with the name Haribhau Bhusari. SaiBaba was notorious for giving vague,
misleading and contradictory replies to questions concerning his parentage and origins,
brusquely stating the information was unimportant.
He had reportedly stated to a close follower, Mhalsapati, that he has been born of
Brahmin parents in the village of Pathri and had been entrusted into the care of a fakir in
his infancy. On another occasion, Baba reportedly said that the fakir's wife had left him in
the care of a Hindu guru, Venkusa of Selu, and that he had stayed with Venkusa for
twelve years as his disciple. This dichotomy has given rise to two major theories
regarding SaiBaba's background, with the majority of writers supporting the Hindu
background over the Islamic, while others combine both the theories (that Sai Baba was
first brought up by a fakir and then by a guru).

SaiBaba reportedly arrived at the village of Shirdi in the Ahmednagar district of

Maharashtra, India, when he was about sixteen years old.
Although there is no agreement among biographers about the date of this event, it is
generally accepted that SaiBaba stayed in Shirdi for three years, disappeared for a year
and returned permanently around 1858, which posits a possible birthyear of 1838.] 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."
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. 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.

which also includes Shirdi.