SHRADDHA TOH HAI PAR SABURI KAHAN? SHIRDI GOES THE TIRUPATI WAY, MAKING WAYS FOR RICH DEVOTEES (28th Jan 2010, 1415 Hrs)

SHRADDHA TOH HAI PAR SABURI KAHAN? SHIRDI GOES THE TIRUPATI WAY, MAKING WAYS FOR RICH DEVOTEES (28th Jan 2010, 1415 Hrs)

On News Year’s eve, my friend and I headed for Baba’s darshan in the holy land of Shirdi. I was visiting Shirdi after almost two or three years and I found everything changed. The Mandir parishar was enchanting and surely looked very beautiful. I wondered in mere three years’ time, so much has changed, however, what didn’t changed was the litter scattered everywhere on streets of Shirdi. There is one more thing that has never changed in Shirdi and that is devotee’s SABURI (Patience) even though everyone has great shradddha (respect and belief) for Baba.

Lakhs of devotee visit Shirdi to get blessings from Baba on the first of January with undying shraddha in their hearts… but what has always surprised me every time I visit Shirdi is why on earth do we all lose patience (saburi) when we are standing in queue? People push each other as if they want to show that they are far greater devotee of Baba than the other person is… there is chaos even when there is a queue system. Even if you don’t wish to push the person ahead of you, you will be forced to because of the pressure from your back… this phenomenon goes on even when Baba’s Samadhi is in front of you. And to make the matter more worst, the temple guards will force you with vengeance to shoo away from your 2-minute-darshan (after three hours or even more at times standing in queue) as if you are an animal. All these happen right in front of Baba’s marble statue and Samadhi decorated with gold shrine and throne… (In my opinion, the silver throne and shrine had more grace on Baba’s statue than the recent god ones. The gold shrine and throne has taken precedence over Baba’s original grace of being God for the Poor!).

I wonder does Baba really want such a thing to happen! I wonder how we humans have been behaving in the most irrational ways even at the place of worship… it is really sad and a pity that we really don’t even know how to behave in such a holy place… while all devotees of Baba have immense Sharddha (Faith and respect) for the Holy Saint, we lose Saburi (patience) right in front of Him! What bigger disrespect it is to show Baba how we behave in front of Him! I am really speechless and this post I have been thinking to write ever since I visited Shirdi on the first of January but just couldn’t! Today, there is news in Mumbai Mirror - “Shirdi Bans VIP Darshan” – and when I read the article, I was bemused about how things have been changing in Shirdi not for better but for worst to come in near future!

Baba’s billions devotee are poor and they come in great hope to be blessed for a happy content lives. But now the Temple committee has agreed to charge Rs 100 /- for ‘Regular Darshan’ and Rs 500 /- for ‘Aarti’ and it will be introduce very soon… so poor devotees who cannot shell out Rs 100 /-, they will have to stand in queue for another few hours to seek Baba’s blessings… what a way to go? Now that even Prasadam Ladoo is being sold to devotees at a rate… I wonder did Baba ever thought how human greed will take away from the real emotions of all the devotees who come to Shirdi with their sincere devotion???

With more than 450 crores invested in property and government bonds, Shirdi’s annual turnover has exceeded more than 250 crores and still the Temple committee cannot keep the streets clean and garbage free (if Matheran can achieve the clean green environment then why Shirdi cannot?)… And as if 250 crores are not enough for the greedy Temple Committee to introduce sale of Prasadam Ladoos and now even Darshan to Baba will become a “PAID PREVIEW” like cinemas… I am really sad for such a development in Shirdi and wish, Baba through His Miracle should stop such a thing to happen, otherwise after Tirupati, even Shirdi ke Sai Baba will become GOD OF THE RICH!

Baba where will the poor go then???