SHIRDI 1984
There are many devotees who
happen to have visited Shirdi before may years. They form their impression
about Shirdi from what they have seen at the time of their visit; but the face
of Shirdi is changing every day and it is therefore necessary to inform our
readers about the facilities now available at Shirdi to the devotees. In the
following brief article it is proposed to paint a picture of the Shirdi as it
exists in January 1984. This will help out
readers to know what the Shirdi Sansthan is doing from time to time
to provide more and more comforts to the devotees, who visit Shirdi for a
pilgrimage.
In Sai Sachcharit, written by
the veteran Sai devotee Shri Annasaheb Dabholkar the following description
about the way to Shirdi is given in Chapter IV:-
(on the bank of the Godawari, in the Ahmednagar District and in
the Kopargaon Taluka, Shirdi is near Kopargaon. I will now point out the way to
Shirdi. After crossing the Godawari, you have to travel for about 3 Kosa (Six
miles) when you will reach Nimagaon and you will see Shirdi in front of you.)
It appears from the above
description that Godawari river was required to be crossed at that time by a
boat, because there was no bridge over that river at that time. After crossing
the Godawari river you had to travel for about six miles in a tanga (,a vehicle
which was drawn by two horses) and come to Shirdi via Nimgaon.
It apperars that tanga was the
only conveyance to come to Shirdi at that time. A mention about this tanga is
done very often in the Sai Sachcharit while narrating many stories as follows :-
Many more references to tanga like those
quoted above can be shown; but it is not quite necessary. Kopergaon was at that
time the nearest Railway Station to Shirdi (It is still the nearest railway
station). Manmad was the station on the main line and devotees coming from
various places had to change their train at Manmad and come to Kopargaon. From
Kopargaon station they had to travel upto Godawari river either in a
bullock-cart or tanga. After crossing Godawari river in a boat the devotees
used to go to Shirdi by a tanga. In those days the devotees had to go through
these hazards to reach Shirdi.
AND NOW
Today however all the above
hazards are over. There is a good S, T. Stand at Shirdi where S. T. buses are
plying from all over the country. The devotees can therefore get into the buses
in their own city and get down straight at the Shirdi bus stand. Those devotees
who are required to travel by railway have to get down either at Manmad or
Kopargaon station from where they get direct buses to Shirdi.
After getting down at the
Shirdi bus stand, a pilgrim need not look up for a guide. The Shirdi Sansthan
premises are at a distance of less than five minutes walk from the S. T. stand.
On coming to the Office of the Shirdi Sansthan a devotee should first of all
book his accommodation. Though the Sansthan is trying to provide more and more
accommodation to the devotees, still the devotees are outnumbering them and therefore
shortage of accommodation is always felt on days when there is extra rush of
devotees.
PLACES OF RELIGIOUS IMPORTANCE ; After getting the accommodation a
devotee should deposit his luggage in his room. If he intends to have hot water
for his bath, it is available from early in the morning upto about 9-30 a.m.
After his bath a devotee should purchase pooja material from the shops outside
the Samadhi Mandir and go to the Samadhi Mandir for darshan. The Samadhi Mandir
is open to the public for darshan from 5-15 a.m to 10 p.m. in the night.
However the pooja articles are accepted by the pujaries after 7 am. when the
holy bath of Shri Baba gets over. If a devotee has purchased the abhishek
coupon in the morning he may wait in the Samadhi Mandir for abhishek with his
Co-devotees, who would be waiting for their turn which they get strictly
according to the serial number on the coupon. The priest helps the devotee for
the Abhishek and guides him without accepting any dakshina as he is a
regular servant of the Sansthan, who pays him a regular monthly salary. Though
Samadhi Mandir is the main place of religious importance
still the other places,
which have been sanctified by Shri Sai
Baba at Shirdi, are Dwarkamai, Chawdi, Gurusthan, Lendibaug and Khandoba
Mandir.
DAILY PROGRAMMES ;
If a devotee can stay for a day at Shirdi, he would be able to
attend the following daily programmes which take place at the following timings
:
Programme Time
1. Kakad Aarti. 5-15 a.m.
2. Holy bath of Shri Sai Baba 6-00 a.m.
3. Abhishek and worship 7-30 a.m. to 11-00 a.m.
4. Satyanarayan Pooja 9-00 a m.
5. Noon Aarti 12-00 Noon.
6. Pravachan or Puran
(Reading of Sai Sachcharit) 4-00 p.m.
7. Dhuparati Sunset.
8. Bhajan, Keertan, Vocal Music etc.
9-00 p.m. to 10-00 p.m.
9. Shejarati 10-00 p.m.
In addition to these routine
daily programmes there is a Palkhi procession on every Thursday. It starts in a
well-decorated Palkhi, which is accompanied by music, bhajan etc. from the
Samadhi Mandir at 9-15 p.m. and after going to Dwarkamai and Chavdi it returns
to the Samadhi Mandir at 10. p.m. According to the rules in force if any
devotee intends to give any programme of vocal music, instrumental music,
pravachan or Keertan or if he wants to take any photographs, he should contact
the Sansthan Authorities in advance and obtain the necessary permission. No
Programme is allowed to be performed in the Samadhi Mandir after 10-00 p.m. The
Samadhi Mandir is closed everyday from 10. p.m. to 5 a.m. on the next day.
FESTIVALS :
Three main festivals are celebrated at
Shirdi by the Sansthan. They are Ramanavami, Gurupournima and Dasara
(Punyatithi ) The Ramanavami festival was started by Shri Sai Baba himself.
It is held for three days.
Procession of Palkhi. Pothi and rath, bath with water from the sacred waters of
the Godawari river, Parayan of Shri Sat Sachchrita, bhajan, Keertan, dahihandi
are the main items of all the aforesaid festivals. The festival of Ramanavami
and Gurupournima are celebrated for three days, while the punyatithi festival
lasts for four days. Renowned singers and bhajan parties have a customary
"Hajeri" as homage to Lord Sai Baba in these festivals. Pilgrims from
all parts of Bharat and other countries come over to Shirdi for darshan during
the days of the festivals.
In addition to the above main
festivals lasting for longer period, many one day festivals are held on
important religious and national days. They are Gokulashtami, Independence day,
Republic day, Datta Jayanti, Tulsi Vivaha, Kojagiri etc. On every Ekadashi day
Keertan is arranged and on all important days the Palkhi procession,
accompanied by music, bhajan parties etc. is taken through the Shirdi village.
BHOJANGRIHA :
The
Sansthan is running a Bhojangriha and a tea canteen
where tickets are
sold charging Rs.
2.00 per adult and Rs.
1.00 per child for meals. Tea
is charged only Re 0.40 per cup. Milk is also available
for children at a nominal charge per litre. The meals are served at
the Bhojangriha from 10.30 a. m. to 2 p. m. and from
7.30 p. m. to 9 p. m. in the evening. Tea
is available from 4 a. m. to 8. a. m. in the
morning and from
4 p. m. to 6.30 p. m. in the evening.
Vegetarian meals of the Maharashtrian style are served at the
Bhojangriha. The devotees consider the meals to be the prasad of Shri S ai Baba
as the daily Naivedya is mixed with the food which is served to the
devotees. The new bhojangriha located in the Sai Prasad Building is spacious
and is able to accommodate about a thousand people at a time. It is
provided with tables with stainless steel tops, fans, tubelights, taps etc.
There is also a spacious waiting hall for the devotees who are required to wait
for their turn.
There is a big hospital of 100
beds with arrangements for X-Ray, blood test, urine test, eye examination,
dental surgery, ear, nose throat treatment etc, Honorary visiting surgeons
visit the hospital on fixed days in addition to the Resident Medical Officer
and the Medical Officer, who are available every day. The devotees can have all
medical help at any moment in this hospital. Food is supplied free to all
indoor patients.
There is an out-patient
Department in the hospital, which is open to all patients. If after examination
any patient is required to be admitted to the hospital, he is immediately
admitted to the hospital. Other patients, who can take treatment at home, are
given the necessary medicines free and are allowed to go home.
LIBRARY AND READING ROOM :
The Sansthan, Library is accommodated in a big hall on the ground
floor of Shantiniwas building. Books on Shri Sai Baba's life and teachings in
various languages, Aratis, Hymns, and other religious books and books on
fiction also are maintained in the library, both for reading and sale. A free
reading room, with daily newspapers, and monthly magazines, is also maintained.
Photos of Shri Sai Baba in various poses and sizes are also available for sale
here.
The books published by the
Shirdi Sansthan are available here for sale. They can be sent even by
registered post, if their price is remitted to the Shirdi office or the Bombay
Office together with the postage.
POST OFFICE. BANK, POLICE, SECURITY, ETC.
There is a Post Office with telegraph and
telephone arrangements. There are three banks— Ahmednagar District
Co-Operative Bank, Merchants Co-Operative Bank and Central Co-Operative
Bank-where travellers' cheques can be encashed. There is a Police Station, so
that Police help can be availed at any time. There is a separate parking place,
near Shanti Niwas building, for use of the persons coming in their cars.
There is a security office
with a squad of watchmen for safety of the property of the devotees. They also
try to minimise the trouble from the beggers.
There are gardens where
benches are provided for rest. Clean and treated drinking water is made
available at all places by installing pumps on wells. Trees are planted on all
roadsides for shade. There is a fish-pond in Saramjame Bag. Arrangements are
being made to keep deer and peacocks in the garden for entertainment of the
devotees. There is a fountain in the chowk near Lendibag. There is a cloakroom
in the Mandir premises where the devotees can keep their bag and baggage at
nominal charges.
SAI LEELA MAGAZINE :
With a view to acquaint the devotees of the activites of the
Sansthan, the stories of recent wonder experienced by the devotees, the poems
composed by the devotees, and other religious matter, a monthly magazine named
"Sai Leela" is published by the Sansthan. The annual subscription for
the magazine is only
Rs. 10/- and it is issued both in English and Hindi, Marathi The devotees can
send their articles for publication in the magazine by writing them on one side
of the paper in clear handwriting. Special editors are appointed for the
purpose.
As regards the accommodation
for pilgrims staying at Shirdi, the schedule of rates etc. is given on the 3rd
cover page of this issue.
From the picture of Shirdi
1984, painted above, the devotees will come to know that all the money, offered
by them to Shri Sai Baba, is being utilized by the authorities of the Shirdi
Sansthan for providing more and more facilities to the devotees, who come to Shirdi
from far off places for the darshan and worship of Shri Sai Baba. Further
development programmes are in the minds of the authorities and the ever
changing face of Shirdi will brighten further with the lapse of time and Shirdi
will continue to be known as an ideal place of pilgrimage.