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KANIF
NATH TEMPLE
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This
temple is in front of the post office.
Kanif Nath is one of the Navnaths.
Baba is
said
to have visited this temple on various
occasions.
Festivals are conducted in this temple
in the
month of
Shravan, Gokulashtami and other holy
days. Daily
pujas are
conducted by the village Pujari. |
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MAHALAKSHMI
MANDIR |
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On
Pimpalwadi
Road adjacent to Pilgrims Inn is this
Mahalakshmi Mandir. Bala Shimpe once
suffered from malignant malaria. He
tried all sorts of medicines but it
did not abate. He ran to Shirdi and
fell at Baba's feet. Baba said, "Give
a black dog some morsels of rice mixed
with curds in front of the Lakshmi
Temple". So Bala Shimpe took
the rice and curds to the temple,
there he found a black dog wagging its
tail. He placed the rice before the
dog who at once ate it, thus ridding
him of malaria (Ref. ESS, XIII). |
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KHANDOBA
MANDIR
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Khandoba,
an Avatar of Shiva, is the Kul Devata
of Maharashtra. This small temple is
situated opposite the bus stand and
adjacent to 'Sai Nath' Hospital.
Mahalsapathi was the priest of this
temple. When Baba came with Chand
Patil's Carriage party, Mahalsapathi
came out of the temple and greeted Baba
saying 'Ya Sai'- since then the
villagers called Him SAI
BABA.
But later when Baba went
into the temple and said it
was a fit place for a Fakir's
residence because of the
solitude. Mahalsapathi objected saying
that 'no Muslim should
get into
his Hindu temple'. Then Mahalsapathi
and Kashiram requested Baba to stay in
the Masjid and looked after
His needs.
Mahalsapathi was attracted
to Baba's divinity that
he hardly
left His side.
Baba
asked Upasani to sit quietly (ughe
mughe) in this temple
for three
and half years for his spiritual
advancement and
Baba would
do the rest. In 1929 Upasani
reconstructed this temple with
bricks and mortar and installed a 'Gopurarrf
in gratitude to Baba for showering His
grace.
On
Champa
Shrusti, a grand festival is held here
annually. Many
devotees after fervent prayer, walk on
the live coal
that is
kept in the long pit. The Pujari
completes the ceremony by
walking on the live coal.
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BANYAN
TREE |
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This
is the blessed Banyan tree that gave
shade to the marriage party
of Chand Patil and family. The party
alighted at the
foot of
this Banyan tree in Bhagat
Mahalsapathi's field near Khandoba
Mandir. Members of the party descended
one by
one and
the Fakir also got down. Bhagat
Mahalsapathy saw
the young
Fakir and said "Ya Sai"
others also addressed Him
as Sai
and henceforth He became known as Sai
Baba (Ref. ESS. Ch.
V). This tree is on your right side
after entering the compound. A small
parapet is made around it and a small
Baba's shrine with Padukas are placed
there to commemorate the wonderful
return of Sai Baba to Shirdi.
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VITTAL
MANDIR |
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This
Mandir is situated on the left side of
the street leading to post office. The
Pujari Laxman Rao was very orthodox in
his views. At first he was against
Baba, as His routines were not
acceptable to him. Once he fell sick
losing all hope of life and Baba saved
him from that illness. From that time
he became a staunch devotee of Baba.
His son Bapaji Laxman Ratna Parkhi
also fell ill and his father
approached Baba and entreated Him to
cure his son. Baba scolded him and
drove him away. Later Baba went to his
house and put His hand over Bapaji's
head and he recovered. Laxman Rao was
so overwhelmed with this and thought
that Baba was none other than God
Himself. Bapaji also became an ardent
devotee of Baba and he was one of the
few devotees who were present when
Baba took Mahasamadhi.
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MARUTHI
MANDIR (DAKSHINA MUKHI)
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This
village Mandir has two Maruthi
Vigrahas (idols) denoting one for
Shirdi, and the other for Biragaon
village. One saint, named Devi Das
lived at Shirdi many years before Baba
came here. Baba stayed with him in
this Maruti Mandir (Ref. ESS, Ch.V).
Baba also visited Gangaghir of
Punatambe, when He visited Shirdi, and
stayed at this temple. Out of the
Dakshina that Baba received He got
this temple repaired.
Baba
on His way to the Chavadi stood in
front of this Mandir, and waved His
hands facing the temple. The Palki
also stops at this spot, and the
Chopdars do Lalkari. This holy temple
is used by ardent devotees who do Naam
Jap. Hanuman Jayanthi is celebrated on
a grand scale.
The
Nag Pratistha under the Peepul and
Neem tree in front of this temple was
made by B.V. Narasimha Swamy.
Pratistha
of Shiv Ling with Nandi was done by
Murthikar Bajre Rao Dalve of Bombay on
11.2.1983. The villagers celebrate
Sivaratri
on a grand scale.
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IDOL
AT MARUTHI MANDIR
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GANAPATHI,
SHANI AND MAHADEV
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These
small Mandirs in one line are in front
of Old Bhakta Niwas (queue complex).
Out of the Dakshina money that
Baba received
He got
Tatya
to repair these temples. On December
26,1998,
after due ritual and ceremony, the
deities of
these temples
were moved to the Kalash Mandir under
the temple
expansion
plan. New temples were built. On 3rd
July,
1999
the deities
were housed back in these temples with
elaborate
ritual
and ceremony.
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NARASIMHA
TEMPLE
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Built
in 1964 by the descendants of Sakharam
Shelke. It is
adjacent to
Sakharam's house (near Baba's Chavadi).
The compound houses the samadhis of
Ramgiri Bua (Jamner miracle), Triambak
Shelke (son of Sakharam) his wife
Arsha Bai.
The temple
is looked after and maintained by the
Shelke family. |