Our Family Experience With Shibpur Sai Baba – Sai Devotee Sirisha

In today’s post, a devotee describes her experience of Shibpur Sai Baba Mandir.

Sai Sister Sirisha Ji from USA says: With lots of debates arguments, we finally made it to Shibpur on 28th and 29th of July 2012. Amitji arranged us a taxi to and from Calcutta airport. Also he arranged us a room to stay in for 28th and 29th. After we landed in Calcutta, we went to room and took some rest and went to Shibpur temple for the evening Aarti around 5 pm.

First of all I would like to say what I thought before I landed in temple.

  • I thought as my husband and my dad came to Shibpur because of me asking them. So I thought they should be more satisfied than I am.
  • Secondly I thought, it would be nice if I offer something to eat (prasadam) for Baba. As we are new to that place and do not know the language and I can’t make anything in that place.
  • Thirdly, I thought when I was in temple that if I get something from this temple to pray at my home like small Baba statue or something, that will be nice to do pooja at home.
  • Fourth one, I wanted to light diya (oil light/lamp) in temple for Baba.

So on July 28th for evening Aarti, we went to temple. We washed our legs prayed to Ganesh statue and asked temple authorities for oil and lighted Diya in Gurushthan and prayed Baba. This was my fourth wish as mentioned above. Then we went to Neem tree and prayed Baba, and then went into main temple towards Bade Baba. Then we moved to Shibpur Sai statue. We sat there for few minutes and then they arranged for Baba’s Aarti. In few minutes, Aarti started. Aarti, they did in Shibpur temple, was totally different from what usually happens at Shirdi. Even though, we do not know the language, we really enjoyed the Aarti.

This is how they did the Aarti. They used musical instruments like tabla etc. With few men and women and sang the Aarti like Kalli’s pooja. This made me feel like, if Baba is alive in human form and if this was Shirdi. I could imagine and see how each every devotee that come there will do their pooja with true love towards Baba it is just like that. What a wonderful experience. I could feel the true feeling and devotion that devotees were showing while doing Aarti. While this was happening, they moved from Shibpur Baba to Bade Baba. We followed them and there also the same thing. Such a true love towards Baba and they offered prasadam to Baba. After the Aarti is over, I gave the money that I collected on Thursdays while doing pooja to Amitji and my sister’s money that she wanted to donate. Then Amitji took that money, smiled and said it would be nice if it is a check as it is a village and most of them were coins. It will be easy for them to exchange that money. We said ok and we gave a check to him and in the meantime he picked some of those coins (US dollars, nickel’s, penny’s etc.) and showed those to all the villagers, who came there for Aarti. They were all very happy to see them and they mentioned that they never saw those things. I was very happy for that. In the meantime, Amitji took those few coins and dollar bills and mentioned that he will use them in the temple for display and he returned me the remaining ones. What a surprise, There are so many devotees from US. But Baba selected me and the money that I collected for display in the temple for devotees. If you look back in Shirdi, Baba gave Nava Vidabhakthi (coins) and those were the coins that you will see in Lakshmi Bhaye’s house display. What a privilege Baba gave me. I am very thankful to Baba.

Then we moved on to rest place, where all of us were sitting there and they brought us dinner to eat (poori and some curry’s and sweets). We all started to eat. In the meantime, a dog came in front of this room and shaking its tail and looking at my husband. My husband took half poori from his plate and was about to feed that to dog. Immediately I stood up and took 1 poori from my plate and gave it to dog. It ate that food happily and left. What a privilege Baba gave me. Baba came there in the form of dog and ate that prasadam with my hand. I was able to give him prasadam with my hand. This was my second wish as mentioned above. Then they told us about temple details. We were introduced to temple committee .We spent time and attended night Aarti also and then we went back to room that night.

To my surprise, first time in these 9 years of my marriage life. My husband asked me for my experience with Shibpur Sai temple and Saibaba. I was with no words and my heart melted with tears. He asked me many times that night and I just smiled as I could not speak. Then I asked him tell me about his experience. He mentioned that he was very happy to visit Shibpur temple from heart and he also mentioned that he liked it very much. He also mentioned that he liked the true love that devotees showed on us in the temple. The way they fed us the dinner, prasadam and the way they did Aarti. Also he was able to spend time peacefully. He mentioned this many times. So my husband is satisfied more than me with his visit to Shibpur Saibaba. This was my first wish as mentioned above.

Next day morning, we went there around 10 am to temple and prayed to Baba and they were offering lunch to Baba and we sat there for few minutes and prayed to Baba. Then they offered us Lunch and we ate that lunch and was about to leave Shibpur to airport. Then Amitji asked one boy to get something from inside. He brought 2 Photo frames of Shibpur Saibaba and Amitji gave us prasadam and UDI and mentioned my dad and myself to each one of us and gave those 2 photo frames to me and my dad. I was really happy as this was my third wish as mentioned above. In my mind, I was thinking it will be nice if they give us one more for my sister. As I knew that she will ask me. Without me saying anything, Amitji mentioned that you can give these to any of your friends etc. And he gave me 2 Shibpur Sai regular photos. How can I explain what I experienced and how I felt? There are no words to say that experience. All the things and wishes that I thought before going to temple were all fulfilled. I never mentioned even one for them to anyone. They were just in me, not even in front of Baba. Baba is everywhere. He made me experience Him through these sevas. Also each one of these Baba statues in Shibpur, I had a unique experience with tears in my eyes and my heart melted. What a beautiful experience. I and my husband thought that we will write our experience about Shibpur Baba experience and we are posting it now. This is such a unique place, where you will see true love in people. These days it is tough to find true love. If a change has to start anywhere it should start with us and the true love towards everyone is what will make us human and make us happy.

Baba is everything. Believe in Baba. See Baba in all of us. He is everywhere. He will take care of us. If there are any mistakes, please forgive me Baba. Thank You Baba for everything.

Sai Devotee


© Devotees Experiences with Shirdi Sai Baba

Hetal Patil
Hetal Patil
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31 Comments

  6. "If a change has to start anywhere it should start with us and the true love towards everyone is what will make us human and make us happy." – Well said.

    Oh Deva, help me control my emotions. Help me to achieve peace of mind.

    Jai Sairam

  7. Om Sai Ram.

    Very nice experience ! Baba is so so loving, he fulfilled all your wishes! May he keep blessing you and your family always!

    Baba, someday by your grace do bless us to visit you in Shibpur also. For that my husband ha to be your devotee, and i feel like you have started the process of making him your Devotee 🙂 Am sure this wish of mine will be fulfilled soon 🙂 Baba, please be with us always and make us do good deeds to deserve your blessings and grace. Sorry for all our mistakes, please forgive us and help me to have more patience. Bless us to have strong FAITH and PATIENCE. We love you. Please solve everyone's problems and let all the people in this world be happy. Thank you for everything Gurudev Dattatreya.
    Please do help, bless, guide and advice us in all matters of o ur lives. We owe you all our happiness.

    May we all get your blessings always.

    Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai.

  12. Very beautiful experience & well drafted. Sirisha Ji, You are a blessed soul that Baba fulfilled all your wishes. Om Sai Ram.

  15. Wow,today I was just thinking if the world is going to be a better place as morality is going down everyday even though avatars like baba came down to earth. your answer that change should start with us was just like an answer from Him. Baba really is everywhere.

  17. Even i have a desire or wish to visit Shibpur Sai Mandir.I have sent my prayer to the temple by email for which Amitji responded that my prayer will be placed @ SAI's feet.
    Has anybody has any idea as to how we can donate dakshina to Shibpur Sai Mandit.Please if anybody has done it do let me know the procedure.
    May baba bless us all.

  18. you can donate it through state bank of india or through indian overseas bank whether you have account in that bank or not it does not matter. if you dont have account then fill a voucher in the bank and you handover the money to bank authorities then they will transfer and if you have bank account then its more simple you need not handover the money it will be transferred from your account.hope i cleared the point. om sai

  23. Beautiful experience! Your trip to Shibpur Sai Baba was very nice and Baba fulfilled all your wishes. Baba is there with us everywhere and can read all our thoughts and wonderful that He fulfilled all the wishes you had on going there. Om Sai Ram!

  24. after read your experience really i do not know what to say…. our sai matha is everywhere….. baba now iam here to forgive me for all my mistakes…. which has been done by me in this life….baba hereafter i will not do any mistakes like before…. for that i have suffered a lot… you will have to bless me with a good life….. i want you to be with me forever ….. my deep prayer is i want to get a job to reduce the burden of my parents… you will have to wash away my bad karmas by your blessings…. iam really very sorre for all mistakes saima… sorry for this long text…. jai sairam

  26. Someone from Chennai wanted to visit Shirdi. I am describing here how I went o Shirdi from Mumbai. Hope this info helps him in planning his trip:
    We were also in the US, but are now based in Mumbai. we recently visited Shirdi in Jan 2014 (My 2nd trip after 2003). Hence, I can help you plan your Shirdi the following way. Please feel free to enquire from anyone whom you are comfortable with:
    1. I feel money should not be an issue with you. Hence, Take a flight to Mumbai. Arrange your trip in such a way that you reach Mumbai in the evening and head towards Shirdi that very night. It is an overnight journey from Mumbai by bus and I prefer to travel O/N.

    2. From Mumbai airport, take a prepaid taxi (To Dadar TT, near Asid Bus Stand). Taxi fare may come around Rs. 300- Rs 350/-.. Ask the driver to drop you near Neeta Travels. There are several agencies which operate buses under Neeta Travels. This travel agency operates buses to shirdi very frequently. The AC Bus fares are approx Rs.500/- per person. I prefer to take the 11p.m bus which reaches shirdi at 5a.m in the morning.

    3. On reaching shirdi, We immediately checked in a hotel named "Shanti Kamal'. You can google it. It is away from the temple and is located on the Highway close to Bharat Gas Station and newly constructed "Sai Prasadalaya". Somehow I preferred staying in a hotel rather than the Guesthouses/inn near the temple complex. Tha rate was Rs. 1000/- per day because we checked in at 5.30 a.m and checked out at 9.30 p.m.

    4. After freshning up, we went to Sai Prasadalaya for the breakfast. We paid only Rs. 4/- for one packet (2 Puris+ sabzi+ 1 mithai) and got the packet to the hotel itself, where we could relish it.

    5. After finishing our breakfast, we headed towards the temple where the Old Sai Prasadalya was. Here we got VIP tkts (don't remember the price) to watch the "Madhyana Aarti" by showing our US driver's license. Next we deposited our shoes in the counter in the same place and walked to the temple via Gate No. 5.

    6. After the Darshan, we took parikrama of the temple, collected Udi and then headed towards the hotel for Lunch. This time we decided to have food from the adjacent restaurant near the Hotel.

    Everything went off smoothly and we reached Mumbai the following morning. If you are planning to follow this, please make sure when you are returning, you have to inform the driver to drop you at an appropriate place. If the last stop is Bandra than it is good for you because the airport is close to Bandra and you can catch your flight back to Chennai if you are planning to return back to Chennai that very day

    Hope this helps!! Have a safe trip to Shirdi. Jay Sri Sai

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