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SakoriAshram

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AboutSakoriAshram

UpasniMaharajbeganresidinginSakori,aplacenearlyfivekilometersfromShirdi,duringJuly1917.WhenSaiBaba
droppedHisphysicalformin1918Sakori,asmallpoorvillage,hadalreadybecomespirituallyrich,withthepresenceof
Upasni Maharaj and a growing fleet of disciples. Maharaj looked after the last rites of Sai Baba as His chief disciple.
Maharaj always welcomed hardships. Once in 1921 He locked Himself inside a small bamboo cage. The cage was too
smallforsuchastoutpersonlikeMaharajandHewasmostcrampedinside.HesaidHesufferedforthereleaseofHis
disciples,andwasstandingasasuretyinthedivinecourtfortheirrelease.OverthirteenmonthsHeconfinedHimselfin
thatsmallcage,practicallyfulfillingallHisdailyneedsfromthere.ThedisciplesperformedHis"Arti"andlistenedtoHis
discoursesfromwithinthecage.Atlaston31stJanuary1924,MaharajreleasedHimselffromthecage,andstepped
outofittogreetasmallchildnamedGodavari.

SaiBabawouldsendhisdevoteestoShriSadguruUpasniMaharajfordarshan.In1914ShriUpasiMaharajleftShirdi
forthefirsttimeafterseveralyearsandtraveledtoSindiandNagpur.HerealsoHewouldbegforfoodandliveaway
fromcleanlinessandcomforts.Butthesmelloftheroseattracts,andthuspeoplestartedvisitingHimtopayhomage
and would worship Him. The Hindu social life of 1915 was full of the feelings of cast and creed barriers. To end this
barrierofcastism,inFebruary1915,ShriUpasniMaharajmovedtoapoormanNamdeoMahar'shouseinKharagpur.
Maharajbelongingtoahighbrahmincastevoluntarilystayedinacowstable,andatefoodinthehouseofNamdeowho
belongedtoaloweranduntouchableclass.ThehighcastedisciplesofMaharajwereforcedtocometoNamdeoMahar's
housetoseekMaharaj'sblessing,andbepreparedtoreceiveawarmwelcomebyNamdeo.AftersometimeMaharaj
went to Nagpur and then returned to Shirdi to inhabit once again Khandoba's temple. But the atmosphere at the
templewasdifferentthistime,asdevoteesbegantogatherinlargernumbers,andhappytimesbegan.

GraduallyitbecamecustomaryforthosewhocameforSaiBaba'sdarshan,toalsovisittheKhandobatempleandmeet
UpasniMaharaj.EvenSaiBabawouldasksomeofthedisciplestogotoSakori,andMaharajwasnowbeingknownas
Hisspiritualheir.ItsohappenedonedaythataSwamicametomeetSaiBaba.ThisarrogantSwamiconsideredhimself
nexttononeinspiritualknowledge.SaiBabasoonaskedthisSwamiforafavor"WillyoupleasegotoSakoriandbring
me four hundred rupees from Upasni, as I am in urgent need of money" said Sai. "It is very important", He further
added.TheSwamiproudlywalkeduptoSakori,expectingawarmwelcome,beinganAmbassadorofSaiBaba.Upasni
Maharaj was as usual sitting naked under a tree when this arrogant Swami arrived, and started demanding for four
hundred rupees. Upasni Maharaj got up immediately as if the matter was really urgent, and before the Swami could

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understandwhathewasgoingtoreceivesourgently,MaharajgrabbedtheSwamiandbeathimup.TheshakenSwami
returnedtoShirditofindSaiBaba,smilingoverthewarmwelcomeatSakori.IndeedtheSwamihadreceivedthereal
blessings.

In1941SatiGodavariMatajiassumedthemantleofherGuruShriUpasaniBabaMaharajwiththestrength,simplicity
anddignityofarealizedbeing.WhensheascendedtheGadiofspiritualeminence,Matajiwasonly26yearsold.Inthe
freshnessofyouth,Matajihadarareandetherealbeautyoffaceandform.Today,thoughshelooksdeceptivelyfrailand
simple,thereisaquietradianceandstrength,thestrengthandradianceofimmaculatepuritystoredupinher.Thelife
eternal flows through her spirit, mind and body, cleansing healing and restoring all those look up to her as the
manifestationofShakti.Softspokenandgentle,withnothingspectacularaboutherpersonalityandpreaching,Mataji
neverthelessenclosesinherfrailformadynamicfulfillmentofGodasMother.

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ChintamaniVinayak

"ThereisapepultreeinsidetheSakuriAshram.Animageoflordganeshaisnaturallyformedonthetree.Itisknown
as Chintamani Vinayak, because of the magical powers of this tree. It is believed that if you pray this ganesha with
"Durva and Flowers and put 9 rounds, whatever may be your wishes, it will be fulfilled. There is a practice by the
devoteestooffercoconuttothelordintheformofagarlandwhentheyvisittheashramnexttimeaftertheirworkis
done."

ShriEkMukhiDattatreya

Once the queen of the princely state of Gwalior during Shinde dynasty, came for Shri Upasani Babas Darshan. She
sharedwithShriBabawhateverherwishwas.ShestayedatSakuriforaboutamonthinthecompanyofShriBaba.
ShereturnedafterherwishescametruebytheblessingsofShriBaba.ShriBabainitiatedhertobuildatempleof"Shri
Ek Mukhi Dattatreya" around year 1925. Mr. Valimbe was the chief architect and civil engineer working on the
constructionofthetemple.HeworkedundertheguidanceofShriBabaandcompletedtheconstructionofthistemple
in 1928. The temple initially only had the photo frames of Shri Sai Baba and Shri Upasani Baba and the "Padukas"

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(footprints) of Shri Saibaba. Shri Upasani Baba stood on the same "Padukas" himself and then also he made Shri
GodavariMatajistandonthesame"Padukas"whenshestillwasasmallgirl.Sothese"Padukas"haveaveryspecial
significance.

Asyouenterthetemple,firstidolthatyouseeisofShriHanuman.ThiswasthesameidolclosetowhichShriBaba
stayed in a hut for few days when he first came to Sakuri. Idol of Shri Ek Mukhi Datta which visitors now see was
speciallysculptedbyafamoussculptorfromJaipurinSakuriitselfunderthesupervisionofShriUpasanibabahimself.
WhenShriGodavariMatajiwaswateringplants,ShriUpasaniBabacalledherandorderedhertoposeforaphotograph.
ShriBabadirectedthesculptortotakethephotographanddirectedtocarvetheidolexactlyasperthephotograph.This
idolof"EkMukhiDatta"hasthefaceofShriGodavariMataji,dressisofthatofthejuteclothasShriUpasaniBabause
towearit.SinceShriSaibabaisconsideredthereincarnationofLordVishu,tosymbolizeShriSaibaba,theidolhasthe
fourhandsequippedwiththesymbolslike"Shankha"(seashell),"Chakra"(roundblade),"Gada"(specialtraditional
weapon ) and "Padma" (lotus). So this idol of Shri Datta has a very special significance and unique importance as it
symbolizes the unity of Shri Saibaba, Shri Upasani Baba and Shri Godavari Mataji, all the three great icons in this
spirituallineage.

Thisidolwasestablishedon"PaushShuddhaAshtami"(8thdayinthefirsthalfofthemonthof"Paush"asperHindu
calendar)inyear1943.Sincethatday,thebirthanniversaryofShriGodavariMatajiandShriDattaiscelebratedonthe
sameday.BothShriUpasaniBabaandShriGodavariMatajihasaspecialaffectionforthistemple.Theyalwaysusedto
suggest to do any "Satkarma" ( pious activities) in that temple. There used to be a nonstop ritual of the
"namasmaran"(chantingtheholynameoflord)24hours.Sothetempleusedtobealwaysopen.However,nowtemple
closesatnight.

All the rituals in the Sthan take place first in the Datta Mandir. "Kakad Arti" (first "Arti" of the day very early in the
morning),"MadhyannaArti"("Arti"atnoon),"Shejarti"(last"Arti"ofthedaylateatnight),takesfirstinDattaMandir
andthenin"Zopdi".

Construction of the temple is done very beautifully with the historical architecture. When Lord Sun is transitioning
duringinthemonthofMarchAprilthroughtheZodiacsof"Kumbha"(Sagittarius)and"Meen"(Pisces)aswellasduring
themonthofSeptemberOctoberwhentransitioningthroughtheZodiacsof"Simha"(Leo)and"Kanya"(Virgo),thatis
theonlytimewhentheraysofSundirectlyfallonthefaceofShriEkMukhiDattasidol.Atthattime,itsabeautiful
experience to see Shri Dattas idol beaming with the bright shine on the face. Truly, this idol is very beautiful and
spirituallyenchanting.

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ThepeopleinSakuriperform,withutmostzeal,theactivitieslike"SaiCharitraParayan"(recitationofthebiographyof
Shri Saibaba), "Shri Dyaneshwari Parayan" (recitation of the holy book of "Shri Dyaneshwari"), "Shri Gurucharitra
Parayan" (recitation of the biography of "Shri Dattatreya") around "Datta Jayanti" and " Shri Hari Naam Saptaha"
(literallymeaningchantingthenameoftheLordnonstopforaweek)inthetemple.

On the day of "Datta Jayanti" ( celebration of the birth anniversary of Shri Datta) celebrations include "Maha Puja"
(literally meaning extended prayers), "Shri Guru Geeta Pathan" (literally meaning the recitation of the holy book of
"Shri Guru Geeta"),"Shri Audumbar Pujan" ( literally meaning the prayers towards the "Audumber" tree), "Shri Go
Pujan"(literallymeaningofferingprayerstoCow)and"ShriShwanPujan"(literallymeaningofferingprayerstoDog)
andconcludedbythe"Kirtan"and"ShriDattaJanma"(literallysymbolizingthebirthofLordShriDatta).(Note:All
thisprayerstothetree,dog,cowareofferedasthesethingsareconsideredclosesttoLordShriDattaandsoconsidered
very pious). Next day on the occasion of "Shri Datta Jayanti" big program of "Shri Datta Prasad" takes place during
whichthefoodisdonatedinhugequantities.WhendevoteeslookatthephotoframesofShriUpasaniBabaandShri
GodavariMatajihungonthewallofthetemple,devoteesgobackintimeofShriUpasaniBabaandShriGodavariMataji
andexperiencetheirgrace.

In the vicinity of Shri Datta temple, there are other temples of "Shri Ganapati", " Shri Shanidev(Lord Saturn), "Shri
Khandoba" temple. In the temple of Lord "Shri Shankar" , the temples of "Vetal" (considered as controller of evil),
"Mahamari" (considered as controller of diseases), and "Lord of Plague" (the disease was considered the evil force in
oldendays)arealsoestablished.OncewhenSakuriwasaffectedbythePlagueepidemic,ShriUpasaniBabapersonified
theevilforceofthediseaseandgavethemtherespectfultreatmentbygivingthemthestatusofthelordssothatthe
epidemic does not cause the huge loss and established their temples in Sakuri. Similary, during the epidemic, Shri
Upasani Baba offered prayer to a big brass bell and asked the people to ring the bell. He also gave a blessings and
assuredthevillagersofSakurithattherewouldnotbePlagueoranysuchepidemicintheareawherethebellwouldbe
heard.AndinreallytherewasnoepidemicinSakuriafterthanincidence.

There is a procession takes place every Thursday from Shri Datta temple to "Zopdi", on some special occasions also
includethedecoratedchariots.

ShriDattaMandirisauniqueplacecomparedtotheotherplacesinthestateofMaharashtraandbelievedthatLordShri
Dattafulfillsallthewishesofthedevotees.ThistemplehasveryspecialplaceintheheartsofdevoteesofShriUpasani
KanyakumariSthan.

"SakuriAshramistheonlyplaceintheworldwhereyoucanfindaDattatreyaIdolwithsinglefaceunlikeotherplaces
where you will find Dattatreya idol with 3 faces". Sakuri ashram is also the only place where poojas, Homas are
performedbyLadieswhichisnotthepracticeinotherpartsoftheworld.

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