“It is the good fortune of Shirdi that this precious gem has associated itself with Shirdi.”
“Although he is carrying water on his shoulders to-day, he is not an ordinary person. Blessed is the soil of Shirdi on which he has set his foot”.
Shri Sai Satcharitra, Chapter 5, Verses 38 & 39
We talk of Shirdi. To devotees of Sai Baba, it is a place we all inhabit in mind and spirit. For those who hear us bear witness to Sai, we sometimes forget that there are some people, new to this life, who do not know of Shirdi. The place we first know of Sai Baba.
Shirdi is a small, rural town in the Rahata Taluka of Ahmednagar District, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the place that Sai Baba called home for more than 60 years. It is a secular place—all religions are treated as one with an emphasis on belief, faith and the power of patience. No one is questioned when bowing heads in prayer. Instead, there is a permeating presence of contentment and acceptance.
Millions of devotees, following in the footsteps, of SaiBaba, make the journey to Shirdi to pay homage to His earthly life and the spirit endowed within. His teachings and His path have turned this small town into a unique holy place that devotees gather. SaiBaba embraces all people—regardless of race, color, or creed.
Pilgrims to Shirdi have testified achieving complete peace of mind, a strong self-confidence, and a great sense of purpose during their stay in the Holy place.
So also Sai, the great Yogeshwar (ascetic), by the great good fortune of Shirdi, for the sake of the deliverance of the world, appeared on the banks of the Godavari.
Shri Sai Satcharitra, Chapter 4- Verse 38