The Gurupurnima festival originated during Lord Buddha's time when the monks used to take Initiation
at the beginning of the rainy season. This practice was then followed by the Jain tradition and later the Hindus.
According to the Hindu Purans, worshiping the 'Guru' on this day started at the time of 'Vyas' writer of the 'Mahabharata'.
Once, in 1908, Tatyasaheb Noolkar came to Shirdi and stayed in Chavadi.
One day Baba told Madhavrao to tell him to worship that post (pillar).
The post Baba showed was near the Dhuni and Baba used to lean on it.
That was the day when he was glad to have chance to worship at least the post in Masjid.
Then Madhavrao Deshpande went into the Masjid.
Baba told him to worship the same post along with Noolkar.
But Madhavrao refused and insead requested to allow him to worship Baba himself.
After a thought, at last Baba gave the permission.
Dadasaheb Kelkar was unaware of this Puja.
Tatya Kote Patil was called from the farm. People gathered the 'Puja' material.
Dhoti was brought and people put the Dhoti on Baba, and worshiped him.
Baba had no use of clothes but he gave permission in order to start the routine of Vyas puja.
Thus this Puja was started at Baba's time and now has taken form of Festival lasting for three days.
Various religious activities are arranged. Great number of people flock to Shirdi during this Festival.
On the occasion of Guru Poornima Utsav from 2nd July`2012 to 4th July`2012 in Shirdi,
more than Rs 4 crore worth gold, silver & cash were donated by devotees to Shirdi Sai Baba.
This included Rs 2.62 crore in cash, 727 grams gold ornaments and 5 kg of silver.
There was a large influx of NRI & foreign national devotees who flocked to Shirdi on this occasion.
About 150 foreigners had visited the shrine while an NRI donated USD 33,000 to the Sansthan.
Note counting machines had to be used to count the huge amount of cash donated by the devotees.
The coins were collected in a large number of pails.
The currency notes included Indian rupees, Euros, US dollars and British pounds.
Currency notes from 31 countries were found in the donation box.
These include 5,493 US Dollars compared to 2,264 US Dollars collected last year.
620 British Pounds were donated compared to 185 British Pounds donated last year.
Around 75,000 Padayatris and Palki groups who had walked down from long distances,
were provided free prasad bhojan on this occasion.
- CELEBRATIONS -
- COLLECTIONS -
From 21st July`2013 to 23rd July`2013, the 3-day long Gurupurnima Utsav
started at Shirdi's Saibaba Temple with a procession of Saibaba's 'pothi'.
An extra 71,000 sq ft Mandap was made to accommodate the huge rush of devotees.
200 quintals of Ladoo prasad was prepared and for all the 3 days there was free Prasad Bhojan
for thousands of Padayatris and Palki groups who had walked down to Shirdi.
They were also provided Free stay at the recently inaugurated 'Sai Ashram' Phase 2.
There was no VIP or Online booking darshan for 3 days while on Gurupurnima itself, the Samadhi Shrine was open whole night.
The Flowers used for decorating the Samadhi Shrine were offered by a devotee from Pune, and which cost him Rs.20 Lakh.
There was a Blood Donation camp also held where many devotees donated Blood for a cause,
and the Shirdi Sansthan acknowledged them with a Certificate and a Coconut.
Collection wise, the Sai Temple received donations of Rs 4.22 crore during the 3-day festival,
and was visited by 4 lakh devotees. The trust also earned Rs.71 lakh from the sale of books, silver-coins, etc.
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