Sai Baba of Shirdi (d. October 15, 1918), also known as Shirdi Sai Baba, was an Indian guru, yogi and fakir who is regarded by his Hindu and Muslim followers as a saint. Some of his Hindu devotees believe that he was an incarnation of Shiva or Dattatreya, and he was regarded as a satguru and an incarnation of Kabir. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Shirdi is a town in the Ahmednagar district of the state Maharashtra in India. ... Advaita Vedanta (IAST ; Sanskrit ; IPA ) is a sub-school of the Vedānta (literally, end or the goal of the Vedas, Sanskrit) school of Hindu philosophy. ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... For other uses, see Guru (disambiguation). ... A sculpture of a Hindu yogi in the Birla Mandir, Delhi A yogi (Sanskrit feminine: yogini) is a term for a male who practices various forms of the path of Yoga, maintaining a steadfast mind, the process of transcending the lower self. ... A fakir or faqir (Arabic: فقیر poor) is a Sufi, especially one who performs feats of endurance or apparent magic. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... Saints redirects here. ... This article is about the concept in Hindu philosophy. ... For other uses, see Shiva (disambiguation). ... In the Natha tradition, Dattatreya is recognized as an Avatar or incarnation of the Lord Shiva and as the Adi-Guru (First Teacher) of the Adi-Nath sampradaya of the Nathas. ... Satguru or Sadguru means true guru (Sanskrit सदगुरू sat=true), literally: true teacher. ... A painting of Kabir KabÄ«r (also KabÄ«ra) (Hindi: कबीर, GurmukhÄ«: ਕਬੀਰ, Urdu: ) (1440—1518[1]) (born in 1398 according to some accounts[1][2]) was a mystic poet or poet sants of India, whose literature has greatly influenced the Bhakti as well as Sufi movements of India. ...

The name 'Sai Baba' is a combination of Persian and Indian origin; Sāī (Sa'ih) is the Persian term for "holy one" or "saint", usually attributed to Islamic ascetics, whereas Bābā is a word meaning "father" used in Indian languages. The appellative thus refers to Sai Baba as being a "holy father" or "saintly father".^[1] His parentage, birth details, and life before the age of sixteen are obscure, which has led to a variety of speculations and theories attempting to explain Sai Baba's origins. In his life and teachings he tried to reconcile Hinduism and Islam: Sai Baba lived in a mosque, was buried in a Hindu temple, practised Hindu and Muslim rituals, and taught using words and figures that drew from both traditions. One of his well known epigrams says of God: "Allah Malik" ("God is Master"). Farsi redirects here. ... The article describes the languages spoken in the Republic of India. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Masjid al-Haram in Mecca as it exists today A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... The Gopuram of temples, in south India, are adorned with colourful icons depicting a particular story surrounding the temples deity. ... This article is about the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

Sai Baba taught a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others, charity, contentment, inner peace, devotion to God and guru. His philosophy was Advaita Vedanta and his teachings consisted of elements both of this school as well as of bhakti and Islam. Advaita Vedanta (IAST ; Sanskrit ; IPA ) is a sub-school of the Vedānta (literally, end or the goal of the Vedas, Sanskrit) school of Hindu philosophy. ... Bhakti (Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion and also the path of devotion itself, as in Bhakti-Yoga. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ...

Sai Baba remains a popular saint^[2] and is worshipped mainly in Maharashtra, southern Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Debate on his Hindu or Muslim origins continues to take place.^[3] He is also revered by several notable Hindu and Sufi religious leaders. Some of his disciples received fame as spiritual figures and saints. , Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , IPA  , translation: Great Nation) is Indias third largest state in area and second largest in population after Uttar Pradesh. ... This article is for the Indian state. ... Andhra redirects here. ... This article is about the Indian region. ...

Biography

Background

Although Sai Baba's origins are unknown, some indications exist that suggest that he was born not far from Shirdi. Historical researches into genealogies in Shirdi give support to the theory that Baba could have been born with the name Haribhau Bhusari.^[4] Baba was notorious for giving vague, misleading and contradictory replies to questions concerning his parentage and origins, brusquely stating the information was unimportant. He had reportedly stated to a close follower, Mhalsapati, that he has been born of Brahmin parents in the village of Pathri and had been entrusted into the care of a fakir in his infancy.^[5] On another occasion, Baba reportedly said that the fakir's wife had left him in the care of a Hindu guru, Venkusa of Selu, and that he had stayed with Venkusa for twelve years as his disciple.^[6] This dichotomy has given rise to two major theories regarding Baba's background, with the majority of writers supporting the Hindu background over the Islamic, while others combine both the theories (that Sai Baba was first brought up by a fakir and then by a guru).^[7] Shirdi is a town in the Ahmednagar district of the state Maharashtra in India. ... Genealogy (from Greek: γενεα, genea, family; and λόγος, logos, knowledge) is the study and tracing of family pedigrees. ... The Sanskrit word denotes the scholar/teacher, priest, caste, class (), or tribe, that has been traditionally enjoined to live a life of learning, teaching and non-possessivenes . ... Pathri is a city and a municipal council in Parbhani district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. ... A fakir or faqir (Arabic: فقیر poor) is a Sufi, especially one who performs feats of endurance or apparent magic. ...

Baba reportedly arrived at the village of Shirdi in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, India, when he was about sixteen years old. Although there is no agreement among biographers about the date of this event, it is generally accepted that Baba stayed in Shirdi for three years, disappeared for a year and returned permanently around 1858, which posits a possible birthyear of 1838.^[8] He led an ascetic life, sitting motionless under a neem tree and meditating while sitting in an asana. The Sai Satcharita recounts the reaction of the villagers: "The people of the village were wonder-struck to see such a young lad practicing hard penance, not minding heat or cold. By day he associated with no one, by night he was afraid of nobody."^[9] His presence attracted the curiosity of the villagers and the religiously-inclined such as Mhalsapati, Appa Jogle and Kashinatha regularly visited him, while others such as the village children considered him mad and threw stones at him.^[10] After some time he left the village, and it is unknown where he stayed at that time or what happened to him. However, there are some indications that he met with many saints and fakirs, and worked as a weaver; he claimed to have fought with the army of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.^[11] Shirdi is a town in the Ahmednagar district of the state Maharashtra in India. ... Location of Ahmednagar district Ahmednagar District (अहमदनगर )is a district of Maharashtra state in central India. ... , Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , IPA  , translation: Great Nation) is Indias third largest state in area and second largest in population after Uttar Pradesh. ... Year 1858 (MDCCCLVIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... | Jöns Jakob Berzelius, discoverer of protein 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Neem (Azadirachta indica, syn. ... For other senses of this word, see Meditation (disambiguation). ... Ardha Padmasana, or Half Lotus is an intermediate seated posture Padmasana or Lotus pose is a more advanced seated posture Asana, Sanskrit for sitting posture (asanam is sitting or ass / aste is he sits), is a body position, typically associated with the practice of Yoga, intended primarily to restore and... Lakshmibai, The Rani of Jhansi (c. ... , Jhansi   झांसी is a city of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. ... Belligerents Rebellious East India Company Sepoys, 7 Indian princely states, deposed rulers of the independent states of Oudh, Jhansi Some Indian civilians. ...

Residence in Shirdi

Shirdi Sai Baba sitting in front of his mosque

In 1858 Sai Baba returned to Shirdi with Chand Patil's wedding procession. After alighting near the Khandoba temple he was greeted with the words "Ya Sai" (welcome saint) by the temple priest Mhalsapati. The name Sai stuck to him and some time later he started being known as Sai Baba.^[12] It was around this time that Baba adopted his famous style of dress, consisting of a knee-length one-piece robe (kafni) and a cloth cap. Ramgir Bua, a devotee, testified that Baba was dressed like an athlete and sported 'long hair flowing down to his buttocks' when he arrived in Shirdi, and that he never had his head shaved. It was only after Baba forfeited a wrestling match with one Mohdin Tamboli that he took up the kafni and cloth cap, articles of typically Sufi clothing.^[13] This attire contributed to Baba's identification as a Muslim fakir, and was a reason for initial indifference and hostility against him in a predominantly Hindu village.^[14] According to B V Narasimhaswami, a posthumous follower who was widely praised as Sai Baba's "apostle", this attitude was prevalent even among some of his devotees in Shirdi, even up to 1954.^[15] Image File history File links Shirdi_sai2. ... Image File history File links Shirdi_sai2. ... Year 1858 (MDCCCLVIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Khandoba and Mhalsa killing demons Mani-Malla - Lithograph c. ... Sufism (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) is a system of esoteric philosophy commonly associated with Islam. ... A fakir or faqir (Arabic: فقیر poor) is a Sufi, especially one who performs feats of endurance or apparent magic. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar). ...

For four to five years Baba lived under a neem tree, and often wandered for long periods in the jungle in and around Shirdi. His manner was said to be withdrawn and uncommunicative as he undertook long periods of meditation.^[16] He was eventually persuaded to take up residence in an old and dilapidated masjid and lived a solitary life there, surviving by begging for alms and receiving itinerant Hindu or Muslim visitors. In the mosque he maintained a sacred fire which is referred to as a dhuni, from which he had the custom of giving sacred ash ('Udhi') to his guests before they left and which was believed to have healing powers and protection from dangerous situations. At first he performed the function of a local hakim and treated the sick by application of Udhi. Baba also delivered spiritual teachings to his visitors, recommending the reading of sacred Hindu texts along with the Qur'an, especially insisting on the indispensability of the unbroken remembrance of God's name (dhikr, japa). He often expressed himself in a cryptic manner with the use of parables, symbols and allegories.^[17] He participated in religious festivals and was also in the habit of preparing food for his visitors, which he distributed to them as prasad. Sai Baba's entertainment was dancing and singing religious songs (he enjoyed the songs of Kabir most). His behaviour was sometimes uncouth and violent.^[18][19] The Masjid al-Haram in Mecca as it exists today A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... Alms Bag taken from some Tapestry in Orleans, Fifteenth Century. ... Dhuni ritual, Photo by Win Coates Dhuni is originally a Zoroastrian fire ritual that is widely practiced in India. ... Hakim, or Al-hakim with the article, may refer to: Hakim (title), a title in Arabic al-Hakim, one of the 99 names of Allah Hakim is the name of the following individuals: George Habash, founder of the PFLP Maximos V Hakim, former patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church... The Qur’ān [1] (Arabic: , literally the recitation; also sometimes transliterated as Quran, Koran, or Al-Quran) is the central religious text of Islam. ... Dhikr , ذکر (Zikr in Urdu and Zekr in Persian) (Arabic pronouncement, invocation or remembrance) is an Islamic practice that focuses on the remembrance of God. ... Japa, or Japam, is a spiritual discipline in which a devotee repeats a mantra or the name of the God. ... Look up cryptic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A parable is a story that is told to illustrate a religious, moral or philosophical idea. ... An allegory (from Greek αλλος, allos, other, and αγορευειν, agoreuein, to speak in public) is a figurative representation conveying a meaning other than and in addition to the literal. ... Prasāda (Sanskrit: प्रसाद), prasād/prashad (Hindi), Prasāda in (Kannada) or prasādam (Tamil) Prasadam (Telugu) is both a mental condition of generosity, as well as a material substance that is first offered to a deity (in Hinduism) and then consumed (Hinduism and Sikhism). ...

After 1910 Sai Baba's fame began to spread in Mumbai. Numerous people started visiting him, because they regarded him as a saint (or even an avatar) with the power of performing miracles.^[20] Sai Baba took Mahasamadhi on October 15, 1918 at 2.30pm. He died on the lap of one of his devotees with hardly any belongings, and was buried in the "Buty Wada" according to his wish. Later a mandir was built there known as the "Samadhi Mandir".^[21] Year 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... , Bombay redirects here. ... Mahasamādhi (not to be mistaken with samadhi) in Dharmic Traditions is the state of consciously leaving ones body. ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The Gopuram of temples, in south India, are adorned with colourful icons depicting a particular story surrounding the temples deity. ...

Notable disciples

Sai Baba left behind no spiritual heirs and anointed no disciples. In fact, he did not even provide formal initiation. He belonged equally to all, and all belonged equally to him. Some disciples of Sai Baba achieved fame as spiritual figures like Upasni Maharaj of Sakori and Meher Baba of Ahmednagar. After Sai Baba passed away, his devotees offered the daily Aarti to Upasani Maharaj when he paid a visit to Shirdi, two times with an interval of 10 years. Upasni Maharaj (May 15, 1870 – December 24, 1941) was considered to be a perfect master or sadguru. ... Meher Baba (Persian: مهر بابا Devanāgarī: महर बाबा ), (February 25, 1894, Merwan Sheriar Irani – January 31, 1969), was an Indian spiritual teacher who said he was the Avatar. ... For other uses, see Ahmednagar (disambiguation). ... Priest performing navami arati in front of a golden statue of Durga slaying Mahisasur. ...

Teachings and practices

Shirdi Sai Baba, leaning against the wall of his masjid, with devotees

In his personal practice, Sai Baba observed worship procedures belonging to Hinduism and Islam; he shunned any kind of regular rituals but allowed the practice of namaz, chanting of Al-Fatiha, and Qur'an readings at Muslim festival times.^[22] Occasionally reciting the Al-Fatiha himself, Baba also enjoyed listening to moulu and qawwali accompanied with the tabla and sarangi twice daily.^[23] He also wore clothing reminiscent of a Sufi fakir. Sai Baba also opposed all sorts of persecutions on religious or caste background. (In India at the times when he lived religious intolerance and conflicts were common). Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Salah (other terms and spellings exist) (Arabic: صلاه , Old (Quran) Arabic: صلوة ) is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. ... Surat Al-Fatiha (The Opening or The Exordium) is the opening chapter of the Quran; it consists of a short 7-verse prayer which Muslims repeat at the beginning of every rakah of salat. ... The Qur’ān [1] (Arabic: , literally the recitation; also sometimes transliterated as Quran, Koran, or Al-Quran) is the central religious text of Islam. ... A hamd (حمد) is a poem or song in praise of God. ... Qawwali (Urdu: قوٌالی, Hindi: क़वाली) is the devotional music of the Chishti Sufis of the Indian Subcontinent. ... The tabla (Hindi: तब्ला, tablā, Urdu: تبلہ) is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in the classical, popular and religious music of the Indian subcontinent and in Hindustani classical music. ... Anant Kunte playing the sarangi (2007) The Sarangi (Sarangi [सारंगी] is a bowed string instrument of , Nepal. ... Various Religious symbols, including (first row) Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Bahai, (second row) Islamic, tribal, Taoist, Shinto (third row) Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, Jain, (fourth row) Ayyavazhi, Triple Goddess, Maltese cross, pre-Christian Slavonic Religion is the adherence to codified beliefs and rituals that generally involve a faith in a spiritual... Caste systems are traditional, hereditary systems of social classification, that evolved due to the enormous diversity in India (where all three primary races met, not by forced slavery but by immigration). ...

Sai Baba of Shirdi was also an opponent of religious orthodoxy - both Hindu and Muslim.^[24] Although Sai Baba himself led the life of an ascetic, he advised his followers to lead an ordinary family life.

Sai Baba encouraged his devotees to pray, chant God's name and read holy scriptures - he told Muslims to study the Qur'an and Hindus texts like the Ramayana, Vishnu Sahasranam, Bhagavad Gita (and commentaries to it), Yoga Vasistha.^[25] He advised his devotees and followers to lead a moral life, help others, treat them with love and develop two important features of character: faith (Shraddha) and patience (Saburi). He also criticized atheism.^[26] In his teachings Sai Baba emphasised the importance of performing one's duties without attachment to earthly matters and being ever content regardless of the situation. For the television series by Ramanand Sagar, see Ramayan (TV series). ... ... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ... Yoga Vasistha or also known as Vasisthas Yoga, is the discourse of the great Sage Vasistha to Prince Rama when he is in a state of dispassion at a young age. ... Atheist redirects here. ...

Sai Baba also interpreted the religious texts of both faiths. According to what the people who stayed with him said and wrote he had a profound knowledge of them. He explained the meaning of the Hindu scriptures in the spirit of Advaita Vedanta. This was the character of his philosophy. It also had numerous elements of bhakti. The three main Hindu spiritual paths - Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Karma Yoga - were visible in the teachings of Sai Baba.^[27] Another example of the way he combined both faiths is the Hindu name he gave to his mosque, Dwarakamai.^[7] Advaita Vedanta (IAST ; Sanskrit ; IPA ) is a sub-school of the Vedānta (literally, end or the goal of the Vedas, Sanskrit) school of Hindu philosophy. ... Bhakti (Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion and also the path of devotion itself, as in Bhakti-Yoga. ... Bhakti yoga is the Hindu term for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti. ... Jnana yoga is one of the four basic paths in yoga (jnana, [[Bhakti yoga|bhakti, raja and karma. ... Karma yoga (Sanskrit: कर्म योग), (also known as Buddhi Yoga) or the discipline of action is based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Sanskrit scripture of Hinduism. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ...

Sai Baba said that God penetrates everything and lives in every being, and as well that God is the essence of each of them. He emphasised the complete oneness of God which was very close to the Islamic tawhid and the Hindu doctrine, e.g. of the Upanishads. Sai Baba said that the world and all that the human may give is transient and only God and his gifts are eternal.^{[citation needed]} Sai Baba also emphasised the importance of devotion to God - bhakti - and surrender to his will. He also talked about the need of faith and devotion to one's spiritual preceptor (guru). He said that everyone was the soul and not the body. He advised his disciples and followers to overcome the negative features of character and develop the good ones. He taught them that all fate was determined by karma.^{[citation needed]} This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Upanishads (उपनिषद्, Upanişad) are part of the Hindu Shruti scriptures which primarily discuss meditation and philosophy and are seen as religious instructions by most schools of Hinduism. ... For other uses, see Karma (disambiguation). ...

Sai Baba left no written works. His teachings were oral, typically short, pithy sayings rather than elaborate discourses. Sai would ask his followers for money (dakshina), which he would give away to the poor and other devotees the same day and spend the rest on matches. According to his followers he did it in order to rid them of greed and material attachment. A Dakshina, also known as Gurudakshina is a Sanskrit word describing the Indian tradition of a student repaying his teacher, his guru after the completion of his education. ...

Sai encouraged charity and the importance of sharing with others. He said: "Unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes anywhere. If any men or creatures come to you, do not discourteously drive them away, but receive them well and treat them with due respect. Shri Hari (God) will be certainly pleased if you give water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, clothes to the naked and your verandah to strangers for sitting and resting. If anybody wants any money from you and you are not inclined to give, do not give, but do not bark at him like a dog."^[28] Other favourite sayings of his were: "Why do you fear when I am here",^[29] "He has no beginning... He has no end."^[29] Sai Baba made eleven assurances to his devotees: Hari (Sanskrit: हरि) is another name of Vishnu or God in Vaishnavism, Smarta or Advaitan Hinduism, and appears as the 650th name in the Vishnu sahasranama. ...

1. Whosoever puts their feet on Shirdi soil, their sufferings will come to an end.
2. The wretched and miserable will rise to joy and happiness as soon as they climb the steps of my Samadhi.
3. I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body.
4. My tomb shall bless and speak to the needs of my devotees.
5. I shall be active and vigorous even from my tomb.
6. My mortal remains will speak from my tomb.
7. I am ever living to help and guide all who come to me, who surrender to me and who seek refuge in me.
8. If you look to me, I look to you.
9. If you cast your burden on me, I shall surely bear it.
10. If you seek my advice and help, it shall be given to you at once.
11. There shall be no want in the house of my devotee.

Photo of Shirdi Sai Baba from www. ... St. ...

Worship and devotees

Main article: Shirdi Sai Baba movement

The Shirdi Sai Baba movement began in the nineteenth century, during his life, while he was staying in Shirdi. A local Khandoba priest - Mhalsapathy - is believed to have been his first devotee. However, in the nineteenth century Sai Baba's followers were only a small group of Shirdi inhabitants and a few people from other parts of India. It started developing in the twentieth century and even faster in 1910 with the Sankirtans of Das Ganu (one of Sai's devotees) who spread Sai Baba's fame to the whole of India. Since 1910 numerous Hindus and Muslims from all parts of India started coming to Shirdi. During his life Hindus worshipped him with Hindu rituals and Muslims revered him greatly, considering him to be a saint. Later (in the last years of Sai Baba's life) Christians and Zoroastrians started joining the Shirdi Sai movement.^[2] Shirdi Sai Baba The Shirdi Sai Baba movement is the religious movement of the followers and devotees of the 19th and early 20th century saint Sai Baba of Shirdi (or Shirdi Sai Baba). ... Khandoba and Mhalsa killing demons Mani-Malla - Lithograph c. ... Year 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... Zoroastrianism was adapted from an earlier, polytheistic faith by Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) in Persia very roughly around 1000 BC (although, in the absence of written records, some scholars estimates are as late as 600 BC). ...

The Sai Baba mandir in Shirdi is active and every day worship of Sai is conducted in it. Pilgrims visit Shirdi every day. Shirdi Baba is especially revered and worshipped in the state of Maharashtra. A religious organisation of Sai Baba's devotees called the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust is based there.

The devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba have spread all over India.^[2] According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Religion there is at least one Sai Baba mandir in nearly every Indian city.^[2] His image is quite popular in India.^[2] Some ordinary non-religious publishing houses (such as Sterling Publishers) publish books about Shirdi Sai written by his devotees.^[30] Shirdi is among the major Hindu places of pilgrimage.^[31] The Shirdi Sai Baba movement is partially organised. Only a part of his followers and devotees belong to the Shri Saibaba Sansthan or to other religious organisations that worship him.

Beyond India the Shirdi Sai movement has spread to other countries such as the U.S. or the Caribbean. Sai Baba mandirs and organisations of his devotees have been built in countries including Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and the USA. The Shirdi Sai Baba movement is one of the main Hindu religious movements in English speaking countries.^[32] According to estimates the Sai mandir in Shirdi is visited by around twenty thousand pilgrims a day and during religious festivals this number amounts to a hundred thousand.^[33] For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... West Indies redirects here. ...

Miracles

Sai Baba's millions of disciples, followers and devotees believe that he had performed many miracles. Some of them were: bilocation, exorcisms, curing the incurably sick, helping his devotees in need in a miraculous way, reading the minds of others. Numerous inhabitants of Shirdi talked about these miracles. Some of them even wrote about them in books. They talked and wrote about how they (and others) were the witnesses of his unusual Yogic powers: levitation, entering a state of clinical death at wish, even removing his limbs and sticking them back to his body (Khanda Yoga) or doing the same with his intestines. Bilocation, sometimes multilocation, or astral projection is a term used to describe the ability/instances in which an individual or object is said to be, or appear to be, located in two distinct places at the same instant in time. ... Saint Francis exorcised demons in Arezzo, fresco of Giotto Exorcism (from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkizein - to adjure) is the practice of evicting demons or other evil spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed (taken control of). ... For other uses such as Yoga postures, see Yoga (disambiguation) Statue of Shiva performing Yogic meditation Yoga (Sanskrit: योग Yoga, IPA: ) is a group of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. ... For other uses, see Levitation (disambiguation). ... Clinical death occurs when a patients heartbeat and breathing have stopped. ...

According to his followers he appeared to them after his death, in dreams, visions and even in bodily form, whence he often gave them advice. With firm faith one can evoke miracles from Sai Baba. Each of his devotees has many stories and experiences to tell.^[34]

Historical sources

Biographers of Sai Baba of Shirdi (e.g. Govindrao Ragulnath Dabholkar, Acharya Ekkirala Bharadwaja, Smriti Srinivas, Antonio Rigopolous) when writing about him base it on what people who knew Sai Baba said and wrote. Another source they use is the Shirdi Diary written by Ganesha Shrikrishna Khaparde, which describes every day of the author's stay at Shirdi. When speculating about the unknown episode's of Sai Baba's life, they mainly base their conclusions on his own words.

The most important source about Sai's life is the Shri Sai Satcharita written in Marathi, in 1916 by Govindrao Ragulnath Dabholkar (translated into English by Nagesh Vasudevanand Gunaji with English title: Shri Sai Satcharitra) whom Sai Baba nicknamed Hemadpant, which is an account of his life, teachings and miracles. Other important sources about Sai Baba are books by B. V. Narasimhaswamiji such as Sri Sai Baba's Charters and Sayings or Devotee's Experiences of Sai Baba. Sri Sai Baba and His Teachings by Acharya Ekkirala Bharadwaja is an indepth study of Sai's life routine and activities. Marathi is one of the widely spoken languages of India, and has a long literary history. ... Year 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

In various religions

Sai Baba depicted on a tapestry

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 420 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (921 × 1314 pixel, file size: 289 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) en: Embroidery of Sai Baba . ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 420 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (921 × 1314 pixel, file size: 289 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) en: Embroidery of Sai Baba . ...

Hinduism

During Sai Baba's life the Hindu saint Anandanath of Yewala declared Sai Baba a "[spiritual] diamond".^[35] Another saint, Gangagir, called him a "[spiritual] jewel".^[35] Sri Beedkar Maharaj greatly revered Sai Baba, and in 1873, when he met him he bestowed the title Jagatguru upon him.^[36][37] Sai Baba was also greatly respected by Vasudevananda Saraswati (known as Tembye Swami).^[38] Sai of Shirdi was also revered by a group of Shaivic yogis, to which he belonged, known as the Nath-Panchayat.^[39] Swami Kaleshwar publicly worships Sai Baba, and treats him as a great saint and his own guru.^[40] Sathya Sai Baba considers him to be an Avatar and his previous reincarnation.^[41] 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati (1854AD-1914AD) is also known as Shri Tembe Swami. ... This article is about the religion Shaivism. ... This article is about Sathya Sai Baba. ... This article is about the concept in Hindu philosophy. ...

Other religions

In Islamic culture the person of Sai Baba appears mainly in Sufism. Meher Baba declared Baba to be a Qutub-e-Irshad - the highest of the five Qutubs.^[42] Baba is also worshipped by prominent Zoroastrians such as Nanabhoy Palkhivala and Homi Bhabha, and has been cited as the most popular non-Zoroastrian religious figure attracting the attention of Zoroastrians.^[43] Meher Baba (Persian: مهر بابا Devanāgarī: महर बाबा ), (February 25, 1894, Merwan Sheriar Irani – January 31, 1969), was an Indian spiritual teacher who said he was the Avatar. ... Qutub is a Muslim Sufi word for a Perfect Master or true teacher. ... Zoroastrianism is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings ascribed to the prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra, Zartosht). ... Nanabhoy (Nani) Palkhivala (January 16, 1920-December 11, 2002), jurist and economist. ... This page is about the physicist, Homi J. Bhabha. ...

In culture

Sacral art and architecture

In India in nearly every larger city there is at least one temple dedicated to Sai Baba.^[2] There are even some in towns and cities outside India. In the mosque in Shirdi in which Sai Baba lived there is a life-size portrait of him by Shama Rao Jaykar, an artist from Mumbai. Numerous monuments and statues depicting Sai Baba, which serve a religious function, have also been made. One of them, made of marble by a sculptor named Talim, is in the Samadhi Mandir in Shirdi where Sai Baba was buried.^[44] In Sai Baba mandirs, his devotees play various kinds of devotional religious music, such as arati.^[45] , Bombay redirects here. ... This article is about the video game character. ... The Gopuram of temples, in south India, are adorned with colourful icons depicting a particular story surrounding the temples deity. ... Aarti, ãrti, arathi, or ãrati is a Hindu ritual in which light from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities. ...

Film and television

Sai Baba has been the subject of several feature films produced by India's film industry.

In the popular Hindi film Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Rishi Kapoor playing the Muslim character Akbar sings "Shirdi Wale Sai Baba" in a temple. Laxmikant Pyarelal composed the music, Anand Bakshi wrote the lyrics, and Mohd. Rafi was the playback singer. The song became a hit and is still played today. Sudhir Dalvi is an Indian actor. ... This article is about the film actor-BJP politician Manoj Kumar; for the RJD politician from Palamau, see Manoj Kumar (politician) Manoj Kumar (born July 24, 1937, at Abbottabad) is an Indian actor and director in the Bollywood film industry. ... Rajendra kumar was the bollywod icon of the 60s and 70s. ... Hema Malini,(Tamil:ஹேமமாலினி), born October 16, 1948 in Ammankudi, Tamil Nadu, India is an Indian actress and Bharatanatyam dancer, who starred in several successful Bollywood films in the 1970s, most notably the extremely successful Sholay. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Sachin Pilgaonkar is a Hindi movie and TV actor as well as producer. ... Lalita Pawar (April 16, 1916—February 24, 1998) was a prolific Indian character actress, appearing in over 600 Hindi and Marathi films. ... Sudhir Dalvi is an Indian actor. ... Dharmendra Singh Deol (Hindi:धर्मेन्द्र सिंह देओल), born 8 December 1935 in Phagwara, Punjab), better known as Dharmendra, is a legendary Indian Bollywood film star. ... Rohini Hattangadiborn in Maharashtrian Saraswat Brahmin[] family is an Indian film, television and theatre actress. ... Ramanand Sagar (29 December 1917—12 December 2005) (born Chandramauli Chopra) was an Indian film director. ... Jackie Shroff (Real name Jaikishn Shroff, born 1 February 1958) is an Indian actor. ... This article is about the film actor-BJP politician Manoj Kumar; for the RJD politician from Palamau, see Manoj Kumar (politician) Manoj Kumar (born July 24, 1937, at Abbottabad) is an Indian actor and director in the Bollywood film industry. ... Divya Dutta is an Indian actress. ... Rohini Hattangadiborn in Maharashtrian Saraswat Brahmin[] family is an Indian film, television and theatre actress. ... Anup Jalota is a famous Indian singer/musician, best known for his performances in the Indian musical form the bhajan and the ghazal. ... Hindi (DevanāgarÄ«: or , IAST: , IPA:  ), an Indo-European language spoken all over India in varying degrees and extensively in northern and central India, is one of the 22 official languages of India and is used, along with English, for central government administrative purposes. ... Amar Akbar Anthony is an Indian movie about three brothers separated in childhood who grow up under three different religions. ... Rishi Kapoor in Bobby (1973) Rishi Kapoor (born September 4, 1952 in Mumbai) is an Indian Bollywood actor. ... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... Laxmikant and Pyarelal Laxmikant-Pyarelal (also known as LP or Laxmi-Pyare) were a popular Bollywood composer duo, consisting of Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar (1937-1998) and Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma (born 1940). ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Mohammed Rafi (December 24, 1924 - July 31, 1980) is perhaps the most famous Hindi playback singer of yesteryears. ...

A more recent Hindi TV series, "Sai Baba" was made by Ramanand Sagar and broadcast by Star Plus in 2006, with 31-year old Mukul Nag in the title role.^[46] A TV serial on Sai Baba is telecasted on Star TV network on every Sunday at 8:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. by Prof. C. V. Vijendra in Hyderabad. Ramanand Sagar (29 December 1917—12 December 2005) (born Chandramauli Chopra) was an Indian film director. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... , For other uses, see Hyderabad. ...

References and footnotes

The State University of New York Press (or SUNY Press), founded in 1966, is a university press that is part of State University of New York system. ... The State University of New York Press (or SUNY Press), founded in 1966, is a university press that is part of State University of New York system. ... The State University of New York Press (or SUNY Press), founded in 1966, is a university press that is part of State University of New York system. ... Dale Hoiberg is a sinologist and, as of 2004, the editor-in-chief of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The State University of New York Press (or SUNY Press), founded in 1966, is a university press that is part of State University of New York system. ... The State University of New York Press (or SUNY Press), founded in 1966, is a university press that is part of State University of New York system. ... Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. ... Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. ... The State University of New York Press (or SUNY Press), founded in 1966, is a university press that is part of State University of New York system. ... Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. ... The State University of New York Press (or SUNY Press), founded in 1966, is a university press that is part of State University of New York system. ... The State University of New York Press (or SUNY Press), founded in 1966, is a university press that is part of State University of New York system. ... Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. ... Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. ... The State University of New York Press (or SUNY Press), founded in 1966, is a university press that is part of State University of New York system. ... The State University of New York Press (or SUNY Press), founded in 1966, is a university press that is part of State University of New York system. ... Marathi is one of the widely spoken languages of India, and has a long literary history. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• Hoiberg, D. & Ramchandani, I.; Sai Baba of Shirdi, in: Students' Britannica India. Page available online
• Dabholkar, Govindrao Raghunath (alias Hemadpant) Shri Sai Satcharita Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Shirdi, (translated from Marathi into English by Nagesh V. Gunaji in 1944) available online or downloadable
• Kamath, M.V. & Kher, V.B., Sai Baba of Shirdi: A Unique Saint, India: Jaico Publishing House (1997). ISBN 81-7224-030-9
• Rigopoulos, Antonio The Life and Teachings of Sai Baba of Shirdi State University of New York press, Albany, (1993) ISBN 0-7914-1268-7
• Warren, Marianne, Unravelling the Enigma. Shirdi Sai Baba in the Light of Sufism, Revised edition, New Delhi, Sterling Publishing, 2004. ISBN 81-207-2147-0
• White, Charles S. J. The Sai Baba Movement: Approaches to the Study of India Saints in Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 31, No. 4 (Aug., 1972), pp. 863-878

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Sai Baba of Shirdi

Marathi is one of the widely spoken languages of India, and has a long literary history. ... Not to be confused with University of the State of New York. ... Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. ... The Journal of Asian Studies (JAS) is a quarterly journal published by the Association for Asian Studies (AAS), a scholarly, non-profit organization which brings together the shared interest of scholars in Asian studies. ...

See also

• Shirdi Sai Baba movement

Shirdi Sai Baba The Shirdi Sai Baba movement is the religious movement of the followers and devotees of the 19th and early 20th century saint Sai Baba of Shirdi (or Shirdi Sai Baba). ...

External links

• Homepage of the Sai Baba Sansthan
• Sai Baba of Shirdi at the Open Directory Project