The first
ever Shirdi sai temple - THE TEMPLE AT BHIVPURI
Sri Shirdi Sai Baba has become a part of the mainstream of Indian
spiritual and temporal life within a short period of attaining mahasamadhi.
We can now see Sai temples not only in the big cities but also in
small towns and villages of India, and more and more temples are
being built.In this page we will learn about the Sai temple built
at Bhivpuri 1916, when Sri Shirdi Sai Baba was still in his physical
body.
Bhivpuri Road is a small railway station which comes before Karjat
on the train route from Mumbai to Pune. If one gets out at this
station and looks right towards the fields, a temple spire is clearly
visible. This is the Sai temple at Bhivpuri. It is a short walk
across the fields to the temple.
This temple has a very interesting history. The story behind its
construction reveals the astonishing manner in which Baba pulls
his devotees to him. It is unbelievable but nevertheless true that
the founder of the temple, the late Sri Keshav Ramachandra Pradhan,
was initially an atheist. Sri Pradhan was working for a Parsee gentleman
of Mumbai as a pedhi (a collector of debts owed to his employer).
He lived in Bhivpuri and would commute to Mumbai to work. In the
course of his job he would frequently go to Manmad, Nasik and Kopergaon.
Pradhan had a close friend who was a devotee of Sai Baba. He would
often go to Shirdi and return after having darshan of (seeing) Sri
Sai Baba. Once, Pradhan visited his friend when he was about to
leave for Shirdi. He asked Pradhan to accompany him and to have
Baba’s darshan. Pradhan, who had no belief in God or Godmen,
initially refused to go with him. Finally, however, he gave in to
his friend’s persuasion and agreed to go, but not to set foot
inside the mosque where Baba lived. His friend accepted the compromise
and they set out for Shirdi together.
The friends reached Shirdi and stayed in the wada. As it was time
for the noon arati, Pradhan’s friend went to the mosque but
Pradhan stayed in the wada. The bell rang from the mosque for the
arati and Pradhan could hear it from his room. The deep gongs of
the bell stirred him as never before. He was enchanted by the sound
and unknowingly started walking to the mosque from where this heavenly
sound was issuing forth.
He reached the mosque and sat in a corner. Looking at Baba, he
was immersed in a state of bliss. After the arati was over the other
devotees took udhi from Baba and left the mosque. Pradhan was still
in a state of bliss and was unaware of everything but Baba. Sri
Shirdi Sai then called Pradhan to draw near and asked him for dakshina.
Pradhan had Rs 2500 in his pocket. This was the amount he had collected
for his employer from the various debtors. He took out the entire
cash from his pocket and, placing it all in Baba’s hands,
returned to his room still in the same state of bliss. A little
later, Pradhan came to realise that he had given the entire amount
to Baba and was surprised that he could do such a thing with his
employer’s money. His friend told him not to worry as Baba
would take care to see that Pradhan would not get into any trouble
because of this.
Pradhan started back via Kopergaon from Shirdi in a horse-cart.
It was only after he reached Kopergaon that he realised that he
had no money, even for the hire of the cart. He requested the cart
man to take his ring, sell it and return the remaining cash after
taking his fare. While this was going on a well-dressed gentleman,
unknown to Pradhan, arrived. After inquiring about the matter he
not only paid the cart man but also bought a ticket to Mumbai for
Pradhan and left as mysteriously as he came.
Pradhan reached Bhivpuri. He did not know how he could face his
employer and tell him that he had used all the money which he had
collected. To gain time, he sent word to his employer that he was
sick and would come to work once he had recovered. The employer
sent word back granting leave till Pradhan was well enough to return
to work. He also wanted to know why Pradhan had sent double the
money he had collected and what he was to do with the excess? Pradhan
saw Baba’s hand in this and was thrilled to the core of his
being by the kindness shown to him by Baba. He was electrified that
Baba had showered his grace on him to such an extent in the very
first darshan. He became a staunch devotee of Baba and would often
go to Shirdi to visit Baba and take his blessings. Pradhan would
plead with Baba to come to Bhivpuri whenever he went to Shirdi.
Once, in 1916, Baba gave his statue to Pradhan and said, “Go
to Bhivpuri. Build a temple for me there. Keep this statue in the
temple and worship it. You need not come to Shirdi any more.”
Pradhan returned to Bhivpuri but did not follow Baba’s instructions.
When he next came to Shirdi Baba said, “When I have come to
your house, why have you come here? Bhivpuri is your Shirdi. Go
there and do as I told you.”
In a few days Pradhan built a small temple near his house at Bhivpuri
and ceremoniously installed the statue of Baba; regular worship
was started. This temple is located in a place which is green with
trees and beautiful to the eye. In the silence of the night the
sound of the temple doors opening would sometimes be heard. Baba’s
form would be seen coming out of the temple and resting under a
tree in the front yard. The sound of the temple doors closing would
be heard again at three in the morning. All these leelas were experienced
not only by Pradhan and his family but also by their guests who
stayed overnight. Pradhan had no doubt that Bhivpuri was indeed
his Shirdi and he became an even more ardent devotee of Baba. The
temple was developed to include an inner chamber, a big hall in
the forecourt, a verandah and guestrooms for the use of visiting
devotees.
Sri V V Gupte, Pradhan’s son-in-law, took an active part
in conducting the various affairs of the temple and helped further
develop it. Sri Gupte had first visited Shirdi in 1936 and experienced
bliss at the sight of Baba’s samadhi. He prayed fervently
to Baba to make the temple at Bhivpuri as glorious and awesome as
the Samadhi Mandir at Shirdi. Baba answered his prayers and the
Bhivpuri temple became famous with more and more devotees visiting
it.
Pradhan passed away in 1939 and responsibility for the temple fell
on Gupte’s shoulders. He started an organization for running
the temple called the “Sri Sadguru Sainathuni Seva Sanstha”.
The rush of visitors increased and the existing facilities became
insufficient. Funds were inadequate to do all that was necessary
to meet the huge influx of devotees. Finally, Baba’s help
was sought. A devotee called Narayan Purohit started the formal
reading of Sai Baba’s life. On the fourth day Baba came to
him in a dream and said, “Where is my dhuni? How can this
be Shirdi without a dhuni? How can my temple be complete without
a dhuni?”
As he had the dream twice, Purohit informed Gupte and it was decided
forthwith to build a dhuni as instructed by Baba. Sri Valvalkar,
the grandson of Sri Hemadpant (author of Sri Sai Satcharitra –
Baba's life story and leelas), first lit the dhuni on the Ramanavami
day of 1949. Ramanavami and Baba’s samadhi festivals are celebrated
here with great fervour and glory.
(Source: Sai Leela magazine, September 1976) -
article contributed by Jagadeesh...thanks sairam
One of my sai friend Yogita has visited this temple few times and
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