Sai Baba's temple (which carries the same significance as of Shirdi) at Bhivpuri

SHRI SAI BABA TEMPLE AT BHIVPURI

[A brief history and description of this temple of Shri Sai has already been published in the issue of Shri Sai Leela for the months of May 1973 and September 1976 - Editor]

Perhaps only some devotees know about Sai Baba's temple (which carries the same significance as of Shirdi) at Bhivpuri Rd in between Neral and Karjat Junction.

Though I myself feel that it is not at all necessary for a devotee to go to Shirdi every now and then for Baba's Darshan, as it has also been said by Baba that His presence can be felt anywhere, even then mostly devotees think it better to go to Shirdi as and when they feel so, for Baba's worship.

And if at all one is to visit Baba's Samadhi Mandir at Shirdi, then I am sure it will be the same auspicious trip for such devotees (particulary from Bombay region) to go to Bhivpuri Road temple of Baba, as it also carries the same grace of Baba as it is at Shirdi, which is proved from the following story.

In Sai Leela magazine of May '73, the following story relates the presence of Sai Baba of Shirdi in the temple at Bhivpuri. The story is very interesting and it deserves to be known by all devotees.

“One Keshavrao Pradhan of Bhivpuri, after having Darshan and blessings of Baba at Shirdi in 1916, prayed to Baba as follows :- "Oh, Baba, I live in Bhivpuri, please come to my place of residence". Sai Baba then gave Shri Pradhan His idol and told him "You may return to Bhivpuri now with this idol. You may install this idol in a temple and you need not come to Shirdi to see Me". Shri Pradhan returned to Bhivpuri and kept Sai Baba's idol in a room of his house. After some months he visited Shirdi again and had Baba's Darshan at Masjid. Baba then said to him "Pradhan, I have gone to your place. Why have you come to Shirdi ? Your own place is now Bhivpuri and you should know that I am there". After returning from Shirdi, Shri Pradhan got a temple constructed at Bhivpuri, installed Baba's idol in it and started daily pooja of that idol.

After some days strange things began to happen there. Shri Pradhan himself saw Shri Sai Baba walking around the temple and in the nights though the doors of the temple would be locked, yet, on some days the temple would be opened and shut automatically, which was also witnessed by Shri Pradhan and others. These events increased the mystery and Shri Pradhan and his friends became certain that Shri Sai Baba lived both at Shirdi as well as at Bhivpuri. In this way Shri Baba's worship was started at Bhivpuri and the pukka temple was constructed later on and even after Baba attained Maha Samadhi in 1918, daily worship of Baba's idol continued with unabated zeal, which is still maintained.

And by the Grace of Shri Baba, some Sai Devotees made improvement of the temple to the existing structure, and even "Dhuni" has been kept burning till to-day and the facts prove that the spirit of Shri Sai Baba is actively functioning there also and fulfilling the wishes of those who go and pray there.

When I went for Baba's Darshan at Bhivpuri, I felt there that those who go there from Bombay for praying and coming back by same local train (which gives about 30 minutes), the devotee has to go right from the station to the Mandir directly through a short cut route which goes in between some farms, a sort of pagdandi, but the condition of that pagdandi was not good and in rainy season it must be worse. A desire arose in my mind to get it made pucca and also to get some facilities for getting flowers, agarbatti etc. near that Mandir - and what and what not, but at the first instant I wanted to start with the above pagdandi.

This time again, when I went, I was inspired to write all about this and ask the devotees to come forward individually/ jointly to fulfil the project.

This all arose in my mind with the kind inspiration and the grace of Shri Sai Baba, to whom I bow again and again

coutesy: L. D. Balani

C-l/1-1, Vashi Nagar, New Bombay

Shri Sai Leela Magazine (Official Organ of Shirdi Sansthan)