My Trip to Shirdi – Anonymous Sai Devotee

We shall be reading Shirdi trip experience of an anonymous Sai devotee in today’s post.

Anonymous Devotee from India says: Hello Hetal Ji! I belong to Kolkata. I am 37 yr old male. Thanks for making this blog and sharing everybody’s experiences. Please do not publish my name or email ID.

First of all, I bow to our beloved God Shree Shree Sai Baba Ji to have taken me into His fold, saved me and blessed me with His grace. Hetal Ji, I am a regular reader of this blog of ours. It really gives me a lot of peace of mind. I also wanted to write but couldn’t. I guess by Baba’s grace I am able to do it now. I am not a very good writer, so please excuse me for any mistakes. I also beg for forgiveness to Baba for all my mistakes in this and all my previous births.

I am from Kolkata. I was in lot of mental agony due to some problem related to my father. He was facing tough problems at his work area and his health was going from bad to worse. I will narrate about this later as to how our Sai saved us from this situation. When things started to become normal, I wanted to visit Shirdi and have Darshan of Sai Maa. This was in Dec 2011, just before the holiday season, when Shirdi is full of devotees. Initially I was not getting any hotel bookings. I called up lot of hotel from my home town, but everyone said either they are full or they do not give booking to people coming alone. Someone even told me that you will have to register your name at the local police station before getting any bookings. I even called up Shirdi Sai Sansthan, but they were fully booked till around middle of Jan. But when Baba summons you, nothing can come in between. One evening, when I went for Darshan at Sai Temple near my home, I spoke about the same to the Manager of the Temple. He is like my brother. He had just come back after having a Darshan at Shirdi. He told me that he will try to arrange for my booking through his uncle who knows someone in Shirdi. I am sure Baba Himself arranged for everything through His temple. Within a few days, I got a booking. I was really thrilled and booked flight tickets for 27th Dec to Mumbai.

On the day of my journey, everything went smooth. I reached Mumbai at around 3 PM and got a car at 4 pm to Shirdi. The driver told me it will take approximately 6 hours. I was really eager to have Darshan the same day, but I did not know at what time I would reach. By grace of Baba, I reached in 4 hrs without any obstacles or road jam. In fact the journey was very pleasant and the driver was very good. I reached around 8 PM, checked in at the hotel and left for the having Darshan after having bath. I had a wonderful Darshan and could even touch the Samadhi despite heavy rush. I felt very happy and come back. I even came to know that there is a replica of Samadhi Mandir on top floor of the same hotel, which I can visit the next day. Next day I went to Dwarakamai, Gurustan and Lendi Bagh. I was sitting under a tree in Lendi Bagh, when a cute dog came near me and offered to handshake. I was playing with the dog and thinking that I am not carrying anything to offer him to eat, when suddenly one devotee came and offered me some sweet. I felt really happy and offered the same to the Dog. After sitting with me for some time, the Dog went away. I felt Sai’s presence in this entire episode. When I reached the Hotel, the Manager asked me if I could have managed to have Darshan or would like to have VIP Darshan. I was very happy and who on this universe would miss this opportunity. He also sent a person along with me, who helped me through a gate, which had direct access near the Samadhi. So Baba gave me a second opportunity to have His Darshan and touch His Samadhi.

Next day, it was Thursday and I wanted to attend Kakad Aarti in Dwarakamai. I wanted to reach early so that I could get a place inside Dwarakamai. The environment was very peaceful and there was a Kirtan going on nearby. Despite attending the Aarti and having got a seat inside Dwarakamai, my mind was restless because I could not climb the stairs of the Masjid (there was a barricade to control rush), touch the stone (my friend from Sai Temple in Kolkata asked me touch the stone, when it is opened before Kakad Aarti for cleaning), where Baba used to sit or take blessings of Dhuni. Anyway after that, I again visited Lendi Bagh and sat below the same tree and this time I carried a packet of Biscuit, so that I can offer it to the same dog if I happen to find him. But I could not see him anywhere. In the evening after the procession, when I was walking near the temple office, I saw the same dog near meditation room. I went towards him and offered biscuits. To my happiness and joy he gleefully ate each and every biscuit taking it from my hand. In the night, my friend told me to attend Kakad Aarti and try once more.

Next day, when I reached Dwarakamai early morning, I saw a person with his head bowing near the stone and his hands seemed inside the glass box from top. I first thought it was some kind of visual error, but then I realized there was a hole made at the bottom of the box to touch the stone. I was really happy that Baba fulfilled my wish and showed me the way. I could even climb stairs of the Masjid, bow down before Baba and take blessings of Dhuni at the time when the priest was taking it inside Samadhi Mandir for starting Aarti. With Sai Maa’s blessings and after having Darshan at Gurusthan, I reached back Kolkata on the very same day.

Sorry for writing such a long one. Pease do edit if you feel so.

© Devotees Experiences with Shirdi Sai Baba