Shirdi Sai Baba Idol Story.

Aum Sai Ram.

Shirdi Sai Baba Idol Story.

After Mahasamadhi, Sai Baba was worshiped by a Sai Baba Large Portrait and it was placed near the Samadhi / Tomb of Sai Baba .

Arrivals of White Marble.
 
The Sai Baba statue was not installed until 1954, after 36 years his Mahasamadhi.

Some white marble arrived from Italy at the Bombay docks, but no one knew anything about it who send and why ?. In the absence of a claimant, the dockyard auctioned it and the purchaser offered it to the Shirdi Sansthan (temple authorities). 

Shirdi Sansthan was impressed by the quality of the marble, they wanted to use it for an idol of Baba Sai Nath and gave the commission to a sculpture from Bombay, Balaji Vasant Talim. The Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan gave him the gigantic task of sculpting Idol of Sai baba.

He prayed to sai baba to help him for this devotional work by presenting sight of sai baba. He knew if he would make same idol as Sai baba then the idol will be more worthy and devotees felt real sai baba on it. 

We all know sai baba helps each one so sai baba helped him to present himself sight in the studio while sculpting. He thanked to Sai baba and tried to make same idol . After blessings of Sai baba The beautiful Murthy is world famous. It is worshipped by devotees who flock to the Samadhi Mandir from all over the world. Caste, creed and a social status is no bar. The height of the idol is 5 foot 5 inch .

The statue was installed on 7 October 1954, on Vijayadasami day. As the main object of adoration in Shirdi, the idol is accorded all due honours. Out of their love for Baba Devotees wish to provide every comfort and respect they can.

Sai baba was served as Living person.
 
Accordingly, Baba is given a hot water bath in early morning, then offered breakfast, lunch and dinner, has his clothes changed four times in a day. he is adorned with a silver or gold crown for the Aarti. 

At night a mosquito net is hung and the tomb is spread with a special white cloth of plain cotton, of the kind that Baba kafni was made. Each morning at 4oclock, Baba is woken up, the mosquito net is removed, and incense is offered ( this ritual in known as bhupali ). A glass of water is kept by his side. Sai baba is served as he is living among them.

Baba Sitting on Stone.

Aum Sai Ram.

The Stone on which Baba sat.

 This stone is placed in the center of the eastern wall of the Sabhamandap. Baba used to sit on this stone facing west. Small marble padukas were installed on this stone. Now the marble padukas are replaced with silver padukas.

 Baba often sat in the Sabhamandap. It was the portico in front of the Sanctum Sanctorum, (Dwraka Mai). There Baba sat on this stone. First this stone was adjacent to the Dwarka Mai. Later it was moved to the eastern wall.

 Once a phelvan (body builder), who was extremely proud of his strength came to Shirdi.  Baba casually asked him to move the stone, from its original place to where it now.  But try as he may it did not budge an inch. The phelvan stood silently, looking at the stone and then at Baba.  Then Baba laughed and with his satka played with it as if it was a small ball. Then with 3 steps small he moved it to the eastern wall. Needless to say the phelvan was humbled, and he returned home.

Ref Sai Baba Hach Chamatkar by Dr. Keshav B. GavankarGavankar.

Source: Baba’s Gurukul compiled by Vinny Chitluri.

Original Snap Sai Baba in the Chavadi - Raj Upchar Photo.

Aum Sai Ram.

This is an Original Photograph of Sai Baba in the Chavadi.

It’s known as the ‘Raj Upchar’ photograph. Raj upchar consists of an elaborate ritual that consists of about 30 smaller rituals including a Snan of various ingredients. They are ‘Panchamrut snan’, ‘Sudh Dravya snan’, Chandan snan and Abhishek. Since all these rituals cannot be performed to a photograph only ‘Panch Ppchar’ is performed.

This Photograph is taken to the Samadhi Mandir, every Thursday in the afternoon. There it is placed on the Samadhi, after Dhoop Arati at 8.45 p.m. It is then taken in the Palki Procession.

It is the only photograph that has been clad with a silken ‘Sovala’. Here an explanation is necessary. Some Brahmins who are considered pure, and holy (sovale) have by ablution or other purification rituals attained the state of the highest and most sacred. 

If they come into contact with persons or articles that are ‘ovale’ (impure) their state of sovale is tarnished. 

This word is used for clothes, utensils, food and things in general. These are made fit for use after washing and other purification rituals. But silk and woolen clothes are used by the sovale person without any restriction.

Baba’s photograph is taken to the Samadhi Mandir where the Pujari does ‘Panch Upchar’. That is Applies Gandh or Sandal wood paste. Offers Pushpa (Flowers), Dhup (Incense), Deepa (lighted lamp) and Naivedya (Food Offering).

Then the photograph is clad with the silk sovale. This is the dress code or way of tying the dhoti with pleats covering the genital organs tightly for males. And for females the pleats of the sari do the same..

Now the photo in the 'Ladies side' of the Chavadi also has a 'sola' and the timings for the Arathi's have changed.

Sri Sai Baba Feeding a Black Dog in this Rare Classic Collection Photograph.

Aum Sai Ram.

Sri Shirdi Sai Baba had the Habit of collectins Alms in his begging bowl. Mix up all dishes together & instead of eating & filling is stomach, fed it to Dogs, Birds & other animals around him & eat up the remaining portion of the food left.

He had once requested Baija Bai to feed him as he was hungry. When she brought Roti, he instead of eating it fed it to the Dog sitting in front of him.

This is a Very Rare Classic Photo of Sri Sai Baba Feeding a Black Dog.
  

Rare Photograph of Sri Shirdi Saibaba on the way to Lendi Bagh.

Aum Sai Ram.

Original & Rare Photograph of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba on his way to Lendi Bagh, expected to be taken during the year 1911 - 1912.

People in this Snap along with Sri Shirdi Sai Baba from Left to Right are Nana Nimonkar with his grandson, Sri Sai Baba, Bhagoji Shinde(Holding Umbrella), Gopalrao Booty & Nana Chopdar.

Sai Baba's Coconut Miracle at Sai Devotee Sai Raghav's Home on Sai Punyathithi 2012.

Aum Sai Ram.

Well & Wish to hear the same from you.

During Sai Punyathithi/ Vijayadasami on Wednesday, 24th October 2012, at Around 2:45pm the Coconut placed on the Kalas from the 1st Day of Navratri opened Vertically by itself in front of Sai Baba's Sanctum at my Home in Tumkur, Karnataka. It was a Miracle by itself to see the Coconut open Vertically. All the Water Flowed down to touch Baba's Feet.

All the Very Best to Sai Devotees.

With Sai's Luv & Best Wishes.
Om Sai Ram.

Photo Courtesy of this Snap: Raghav N. Sai Inc.

This Photo is Copy Righted & the Original Photo belongs to Raghav N, Sai Inc. Email: saiinc@ymail.com. Water Marking & other Scripts are not to be removed while passing this Set of Miracle Snaps to Other Sai Devotees.

Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Rare Classic Collection - Photo Book for Sale.

Aum Sai Ram

We are happy to announce the launch of our first of the Kind Photo Book - "Shirdi Sai Baba Rare Classic Collection" .

It will Truly be a Very Valuable Treasure to all those Sai Devotees who have been interested in Collecting the Rare Classic Photographs of Sri Sai Baba.

For the First Time, we have Designed this Photo Book with a Collection of Very Old & Classic Photographs of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba which were taken during his Presence at Shirdi in the Begining of 1900's till his Maha Samadhi in 1918.

The Size of the Book Measure 6" * 9". This Book Consists of 14 Original Snaps of Sai Baba along with the Snaps of the Original Italian Marble Statue that was Installed at the Samadhi Mandir during the late 1950's. There is also a Miracle Snap of Sai Baba Visible in Sacred Fire which was shot during the Sai Japa Homam at a Sai Devotees Home in the Year 2000.

I Wish Sai Devotees utilise this Opportunity to Collect this Wonderful Photo Book & keep it along with the Sai Satcharita Book & See to the Snaps of Sri Sai Baba especially during the Parayan.

Sai Devotees can also Gift the Same to their Family & Friends as a Present for the Punyathithi/ Vijaya Dasami & Diwali Ceremony.

All the Sample Snaps shown below are Water Marked with the Site Logo to avoid Misuse of the Contents. The Original Photo Book is free of all the Logo's & it would definitely be a Collectors Choice to go for such a Wonderful Photo Album of Sai Baba.

Front Cover

Page 01

Page 02 - 03

Page 04 - 05

Page 06 - 07

Page 08 - 09

Page 10 - 11

Page 12 - 13

Page 14 - 15

Page 16 - 17

Page 18 - 19

Page 20

Back Cover

Photo Book Size: 6" * 9"
Total No of Snaps: 20 + 2 Covers

Price:
Rupees 500/- [ Including Courier Charges in India]
Rupees 750/- [ Including Courier Charges out of India]

Delivery Time:
Varies from 7 - 21 Days depending on Country/City.

Courier Channel:
Fedex / Bluedart/ DHL.

Sai Devotees interested in buying this Photo Book make write to us at saiinc@ymail.com along with Complete Name, Address & Contact Phone. Payment details will be provided by email.

So Please Hurry up to Place the Order to Receive this Wonderful Photo Book before the Maha Samadhi/ Punya Thithi day to be Held on Vijayadasami day. (06th Oct 2011).

With Sai's Luv & Best Wishes.
Raghav N

Sri Sai Baba's Pencil Sketch drawn by Mrs. Revathi Manohar, Mumbai.

Aum Sai Ram

Today i'm posting a Specially Drawn Pencil Sketch of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba on the Occasion of Guru Pournima. Mrs. Revathi Manohar from Mumbai has drawn this simple yet elegant Master Piece of Shirdi Sai Baba & sent it to me on this Occasion. I Thank her for this wonderful work & Pray to Sri Sai Baba to fulfill all her wishes.

"I Wish all Sai Devotees a Very Happy Guru Pournima."

To Download Sai Baba Sketch Wallpaper for Cellphones
with different Screen Resolution.

[240 * 320]
[240 * 400]
[360 * 640]
[480 * 800]
[Apple I phone 1 - 3]

Pencil Sketch Courtesy:
Mrs. Revathi Manohar, Mumbai

Smt. Lakshmi Bai Shinde with 9 Coins given by Sri Sai Baba.

Aum Sai Ram

Today i'm posting a very rare & unique oil painting of Smt. Lakshmi Bai Shinde with 9 Coins given by Sri Sai Baba before his demise during 1918.

To View an other Snaps of Smt. Lakshmi Bai Shinde & 9 Coins Visit:
Sai Devotee Laxmi Bai & family with 9 Coins.
Sai Devotee laxmi Shinde Trust.

Sri Naga Sai - The Only Idol of Shirdi Sai Baba Installed by Sathya Sai Baba.

Aum Sai Ram.

Today we are posting a very rare & first of its kind snap of the Only Idol of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Installed by Sri Sathya Sai Baba (1926 - 2011) in his life time.

In the year 1961 during his visit to coimbatore, Sathya Sai Baba was requested to participate in the Vigraha Prathistha Mahotsav of the temple & Shirdi Sai Baba Statue was installed by him during this event. This is one & only Shirdi Sai Baba Statue installed by Sri Sathya Sai Baba during his life time.

The Marble statue of Sri Sai Baba was installed by Sri Sathya Sai Baba on 26th February 1961. This was the first occasion on which Sathya Sai Baba was installing an idol of Shirdi Sai Baba for daily worship. The popularity of Sri Naga Sai began to spread far and wide and thousands began to visit the holy shrine.

To read complete article of Naga Sai Temple in Coimbatore visit:
Sri Naga Sai Temple, Coimbatore.

The Blessed Gramophone of Sai Baba at Shirdi Museum.

Aum Sai Ram

All Sai Baba devotees hear and love the devotional music of Baba.
But do you know that Baba too had a great love of music and dance ?

In his early days, Baba would often go to the "Takia" (resting place for visiting fakirs) and sing devotional songs in a very sweet & melodious voice. Apart from singing the divine songs of Kabir, Baba would also sing devotional songs in Persian or Arabic, which the local people did not understand. Baba used to tie bells and anklets and dance around in ecstasy while singing.
"Takia" is the place just across from the Gurusthan, to the east of Dixit Wada and opposite the Neem tree, near to the present day open air theatre.

Sometimes Baba used to explain the ragas or musical notes in detail to devotees already having the knowledge of singing and music. Sai Baba also encouraged and loved the singing of Bhajans (Devotional) songs in Dwarkamai. He also had his own Gramophone which he used to play himself with his own hands !!!

This Gramophone is no ordinary Gramophone as it is "The Gramophone" which has played Music for Sai Baba, which has been touched by a Saint like Baba and also has been a witness to Baba's love for Music. Today, this blessed Gramophone (Broken) & 50 Old Records are kept at the "Sai Baba Museum" in Dixit Wada @ Shirdi.












Video

Courtesy: Article: Rohit Behal, Mumbai Source: Star News Channel

Shirdi Sai Baba High Clarity Photograph.

Aum Sai Ram

Today we are happy to share with you the very high clarity Classic Photograph of Shirdi Sai Baba. This photo of Sai Baba Sitting on the Stone/ Dwarakamai Snap was sent by one of the readers of our photo blog with an intention to spread it among all sai devotees around the world. This photograph has been digitally enhanced & thus it is suitable to use this photo for very large scale reproduction of Sai Baba's Wallpapers.

To Download this Image Click on the Photo.

Regarding the Specifications of the Image.

Image Name: Shri Sai Pic - B-W
Image Format: TIFF
Image Resolution: 4134 * 6232
Image Size: 24.5mb

This photograph of Shirdi Sai Baba can be used for making prints of Life Size 4ft * 6ft. The maximum possible size that can be printed is 10ft * 15ft.

It is ideal for making normal size prints of 8Inch * 12Inch & 12Inch * 18Inch. The end result for such a normal size prints is really amazing.

I hope this would benefit some or the other Sai Devotee interested in Getting them self a very big Life Size image of Shirdi Sai Baba.

Photo Courtesy:
Raghav N.

Rare Classic Snaps of Shirdi Sai Baba

Gold Crown Offered To Baba At Shirdi

Aum Sai Ram

On 04th Sept 2010,a Devotee from Bangalore Donated a Gold Crown to Baba at Shirdi.

This Gold Crown is made of 640gram Gold with real Diamonds / Rubies Studded at the center in the form of the symbol OM, all at a cost of around Rs.12/- lakhs.

Together with this Gold Crown, Baba now has 10 such Gold crowns, all together worth approx Rs 1.25 crore and the total Gold collected with the Sansthan is worth Rs.45/- crore !!

Video

Courtesy:
Youtube - Gujarat Tv9's Channel

Making Of Sai Baba's Original Idol At Shirdi

Sai Baba's Statue in Shirdi, which has become the most mesmerizing divine image of Baba, was installed on 7th October 1954, Vijayadashami Day - 36 years after Baba's Mahasamadhi.

In 1952, a piece of a White Italian Marble had arrived from Italy at the Bombay Docks but for whom or why, nobody seemed to know anything about it. Thus, in the absence of a claimant, the dockyard authorities auctioned it off and the purchaser later offered it to the Shirdi Sai Sansthan.

Impressed by the quality of the Italian Marble, the Shirdi Sansthan planned to use it for an Idol of Sai Baba. So they gave Shri.Balaji Vasantrao Talim - a sculptor from Bombay, the humungous task of sculpting Baba's Idol. Meticulously, Shri.Balaji Talim got his tools 'made to order' from iron-smiths and carpenters and started off by first making a Model of Baba using Mud Clay.

But it was difficult for Shri.Balaji Talim to make the statue in its exact likeness
without the intricate details of the physical characteristic's of Baba's face,
to profile which he only had Baba's one black & white photograph.
Therefore, he prayed saying "If Sri Sai Baba gives me darshan while making His Statue, the Statue will be worthy & the devotees also will have feelings of devotion".

And sure enough one early morning, around 07:00 am when Shri.Balaji entered his Studio, he saw a bright light even before he could switch on the Lights. Baba had appeared in the Light and given Darshan to him in the studio itself.

Baba remarked on Talim's difficulties and showed him his Face from various angles, encouraging Talim to study it thoroughly and remember it well.

This gave Talim the fillip he needed and after that the work just flowed easily and the result exceeded all expectations. Shri.Balaji Talim testified about this to Sri Sai Narayan Baba, as to how Baba himself had directed the Sculpting of the Statue and how at every stage, he could very clearly hear the divine voice of Baba guiding him.

The Shirdi Sai Sansthan immediately approved this Mud Statue of Baba, on the basis of which the present Italian Marble Statue of Sai Baba was carved and installed in the Samadhi Shrine.

SHRI B.V.TALIM SCULPTING BABA'S IDOL

A MIRACLE
In 1954, while working with his workers at the finishing stages of Sculpting the almost ready Marble Statue of Sai Baba, Shri.Balaji Talim found an Air Pocket in a small additional portion below the Left Knee of Baba's Statue, which had to be removed.

It seemed dangerous, as in removing an Air Pocket from a Finished Statue, there was every risk of the entire portion coming down, thus leaving the Statue Khandit (Broken), which therefore could not be worshiped at all.

So the work stopped and Shri.Balaji Talim hesitated to strike and chisel out the additional portion. He feared that the entire Statue might get destroyed and all his labour & time would go waste. He became nervous and prayed to Baba, "Baba have mercy on me. Your Murti is ready. Please Baba have mercy on me." Just then he then heard a voice within saying "Balaji, Carry on".

So Balaji instructed his workers to carry on and chisel out the additional portion, but the workers refused to do so fearing that the entire knee portion would just drop out.

Eventually & quite nervously, Shri.Balaji Talim took the chisel & hammer himself and while praying "Baba, help me" gave a small stroke, touching the additional portion of the marble below the Left Knee. And to his great surprise, only the additional portion of the marble came down leaving the rest of Baba's Statue intact.

Seeing this, tears rolled down his eyes and he prostrated before Baba, started dancing and distributing sweets to all. As, he experienced such a wonderful miracle of Sai Baba.

The 5' 5" finished Idol of Sai Baba was taken throughout the village with pomp & ceremony. Baba's Idol was so Life like that devotees like Swami Sri Sai Saranananda & Laxmibai, who had personally been with Baba, felt as if Baba had come back alive in the form of his Idol.

Laxmibai Shinde

Swami Sri Sai Saranananda

On 7th October 1954, Vijayadasami Day, this life like Marble Statue of Sai Baba was installed on the platform of the Samadhi Shrine's western side behind Baba's Samadhi and the due formalities of Prana Pratistha were done by Swami Sri Sai Saranananda who had met Baba before His Mahasamadhi.

At the time of preparation of Baba's Statue, one day Baba gave Darshan to Shri.Balaji Talim and said, "Finish the work and you will not do any other Idol in future."So Talim did not prepare any other Idol since then and finally at the age of 82 on 25th December 1970 he breathed his last.

THE FIRST ORIGINAL IDOL OF SAI BABA

Courtesy:
Rohit Behal, Mumbai