Shirdi News

Mohan Yadav

Public Relation Dept.,

Shree Sai Baba Sansthan Trust (Shirdi)

– Penned by

Vishwarath Nayar

e-mail : vishwarath_2006@rediffmail.com

Shirdi Mahotsav – 2006

The ‘Shirdi Mahotsav – 2006’, organized by the Sansthan from Friday, December 29 to Sunday, December 31, to enable Sai devotees to welcome the New Year in the divine premises of Shri Sai Baba, was celebrated with great enthusiasm. This year the Sai Samadhi Mandir was kept open throughout the night on December 31, for Sai devotees to have the Darshan of Shri Sai Baba at the divine moment of the exit of the setting year and the dawn of the New Year. Sai devotees greeted this decision of the Sansthan.

Renowned artists were invited and variety of programmes were organized on the occasion. Prabhanjan Marathe’s ‘Bhaktigeet Gunjan’ programme was held on the first day of the festival at 7.30 p.m. on December 29. The participating artists were felicitated on behalf of the Sansthan by the Trustees of the Sansthan Shri Suresh Wabale, Shri Pandurang Abhang and Executive Officer Shri Bhausaheb Wakchaure. Nitin Mukesh’s ‘Bhaktigeet’, a devotional music programme, was held on December 30 at 7.30 p.m. Nitin Mukesh and his co-artists were felicitated by the Sansthan Chairman and legislator Shri Jayant Sasane, Trustees Shri Suresh Wabale and Executive Officer Shri Bhausaheb Wakchaure.

On the concluding day of the festival, Sachchidanand Appa’s ‘Ek Sham Sai ke Naam’, a programme of devotional songs, was held on December 31 from 6.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Chairman of the Sansthan Shri Jayant Sasane, Mrs. Rajashri Sasane and Trustee Shri Ashok Khambekar felicitated the artists, on behalf of the Sansthan. Vaishali Samant’s ‘Sai Bhajan Sandhya’ was held from 9 p.m. to 12 p.m. The participating artists were felicitated by the Chairman of the Sansthan, Shri Jayant Sasane, Mrs. Rajashri Sasane, Trustees Shri Eknath Gondkar and Shri Ashok Khambekar. A programme of devotional songs by Parvati Khan was held from 1.30 a.m. to 3 a.m. and Mrs. Sandhya Deshmukh’s ‘Bhajan Sandhya’, a programme of devotional songs, was held from 3 a.m. to 4.30 a.m. The participating artists in the programmes were felicitated by Executive Officer Shri Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Shri N. K. Kulkarni and Shri Chandrakant Mule, respectively.

Anticipating the huge gathering of devotees in Shirdi on December 31 and January 1, different arrangements were made by the Chairman of the Sansthan and legislator Shri Jayant Sasane, Vice Chairman Shri Shankararao Kolhe and all the Trustees. Temporary lodging arrangements for the occasion were made in the six schools in Shirdi. In all 52 cloth-covered Mandaps covering four and half lakh sq. ft. area in the Prasadalaya was erected.

Sai Baba Dharamshala, Sainath Secondary School ground, Sainagar ground, Sai Baba Bhakta Nivas Sthan surrounding and other places, were provided. Lodging facility for nearly 10,000 devotees was made. In the said schools and Mandaps mattresses, blankets, bed sheets, pillows, light, water, cleaning, bathing, mobile toilets and other amenities were provided for the devotees. Close circuit television sets were put up at several places to enable direct viewing of the temple telecast. Similarly, security guards and other staff were appointed to work in three shifts.

To savour the blessings of Prasad meals, arrangements for buffet lunch, tea, coffee, milk, snacks and Prasad meal was made at the Prasadalaya vehicle yard, Sai garden, Sai Baba Bhakta Nivas Sthan and Sainagar region and other places, besides the Prasadalaya hall. The canteen besides the Prasadalaya hall was kept open 24 hours, where tea, biscuits, coffee, milk and mineral water was provided. Breakfast packets were provided from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. to devotees. To ensure convenience to buy Ladoo packets, nine additional counters at the Prasadalaya, temple region, reception, Dharmashala, Bhakta Nivas Sthan, old Marathi School and other places, besides the regular Ladoo counters, were provided. To avoid any shortage of Ladoo Prasads, additional cooks, staff and gas burners were arranged.

Temporary information and guidance cells were erected at Prasadalaya, Bhakta Nivas Sthan, Dharmashala in front of bus depot, public relation office and other places, to provide right guidance to devotees during rush hours. Information boards for the guidance of devotees were put up at the additional lodging facility areas in the temple premises. So also primary medical care centres were started in the temple premises, additional bus facility was arranged.

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