DEVOTEE ALLOWED TO CLIMB AND SIT ON

SAI BABA'S SAMADHI AT SHIRDI !!!

23rd October`2010

According to the rules of Shirdi Sai Trust made in 1979, except for the
Temple's Pujari's, NOBODY IS ALLOWED TO CLIMB AND SIT ON
SAI BABA'S SAMADHI, be it any VIP, the Sansthan Trustees or even
the President of the country.

But Recently,
THE SHIRDI SAI TRUST BROKE ITS AGE OLD RULE, BY
ALLOWING A SAI DEVOTEE TO ACTUALLY CLIMB UP SAI BABA'S
SAMADHI AND SIT RIGHT NEXT TO BABA'S IDOL !!!
 A Sai Devotee from Andhra Pradesh, Shri.Adi Narayana Reddy, was
actually allowed to climb up Baba's Samadhi and sit next to Baba's
Idol. Shri.Adi Narayana Reddy is the same devotee who in the past
had donated 150 kgs of Gold to the Sai Temple for Sai Baba's Throne /
Walls & Pillars.

- CONTEMPORARY DEVOTEES VERSUS SHIRDI SAI TRUST

-
This has raised strong objections from the family of Shri.Gopalrao
Mukund Butty (who had got the Butty Wada made)
and other contemporary devotees like Shri.Mukund Rao Kote and
Shivaji Gondkar,
who have all got together and set up their own Committee (Samiti),
to object certain ways of the Shirdi Sai Trust like:

1) The way the Shirdi Sai Trust has changed the face of Baba's
Samadhi Temple, by covering it in Gold.
They want the Butty Wada's simplicity & authenticity to be retained for
which they have asked the Shirdi Trust to resist such changes.
2) How can any devotee be allowed to climb up and sit on Baba's
Samadhi, when its against the rules of the Sai Trust.
3) Why some devotees have an quick and easy VIP Darshan while
others have to wait in long queues.
4) Why were the local devotees not given permission to sing Bhajans
inside the Shrine, while the Rich are allowed to sit on Baba's Samadhi.

According to Shri.Subhash Rao Butty (Grandson of

Shri.Gopalrao Butty), if Sai Baba wanted the Butty Wada to be
covered in Gold, his grand father (Shri.Gopalrao Butty) could
have done so in 1918 itself, when he had got the Butty Wada
made, as even then he had the all the means/ sources to do so.
But, Baba always preferred Simplicity and was very much against the
display of one's Wealth or power. He never gathered any sort of wealth
except for the Love of his devotees.

And today, devotees in love and gratitude for Baba, offer Gold / Silver
and other Precious items to Baba.
So much so that, everything has now been covered in Gold, be it
Baba's Throne, his Chariot or the Walls & Pillars of his Samadhi's
sanctum sanctorum.
In a way, Baba has now been immersed in all the things for which he
stood against.

Shri.Ashok Khambekar, Managing Trustee, Shri Sai Baba Sansthan has

said that they would consider their demands and call them for talks
also.

To be noted:
In Shri Sai Satcharitra, Chapter XIV it is said that Baba always used to
get wild and scolded those who brought costly & rich articles.
He had told Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar that His property consisted of
1 Koupin (codpiece), 1 stray piece of cloth, 1 Kafni & a Tumbler, and
that all the people troubled Him by bringing all these unnecessary,
useless and costly articles."

Baba also never allowed Mahalsapati to accept any money or gifts that
devotees who came to see Baba showered on him.
Baba kept him poor in Kind, but rich in his Spiritual Heart.
Baba gifted him the supreme Bliss, much more valuable than any
physical and transitory richness.

- DEVOTEE SITTING ON SAI BABA'S SAMADHI

NEXT TO THE IDOL –
 "Water can Burn,
Fire Can Freeze,
Earth can stOp to Turn,
Ether can Seize,
Air can Tear Apart,
But NOBODY can remove Baba from Our Heart !!!"

- rOhit beHaL