Sai baba, Shirdi

We went to Shirdi to spend time at the Sai baba temple this weekend. Prinx, Gulki and myself booked our tickets late friday evening for a bus that would start at 8am sharp from opposite to Shopper's stop at Andheri (W).

Gulu was in two mind to decide if he really wanted to go but we didnt give him much choice as we cannt go somewhere without him.

Had to get up early on saturday morning and operation Potty took around 1 hour for Gulki, the journey was to be long and we could risk him not to had relieved himself before the start of the journey.

He was excited to go for the volvo bus ride. The road was through a mountain range and it was beautiful. Its monnsoon now and the mountain peaks were playing hide and seek with the clouds.

It took us close to 8 hours to reach Shirdi through Nasik.

We were cheated into checking into a Hotel called Neeta (the bus was from Neeta travels) at a much higher price. We have gone there for the first time and it was raining, so we could check around to understand the price-quality equation there. Hotel Neeta Internation turned out to a thrid grade hotel with decaying infrastructure and bad service, we never again stay there. Wrose, they charge different room rates from different people, based on their experience and negotiation power. This was the only negetive experience in our visit. Its amaging that such a their grade hotel is surviving in such a holy place. Its a pity that at such a holy place, visitors got to be on their watch and be careful not to get cheated. being cheated is such a losy feeling.

We freshenup and went to the temple around 5pm. The security was very tight and it was raining.

There was a long cue leading to the main seat of Sai baba. It was nice that chanting was all around and we had a darsan. It was peaceful and mind became tranquil. The Sandha Arati started around 6 and it was a very quitening and peace giving experience.

We had just about key dinner at Bridavan at Hotel Kalpataru.

We wanted to go for the early morning arati but we were so tired that we couldnt go even after getting up. Instead, we went and offered our player and puja in the morning around 8am.

I realised all the guys selling things needed for puja are into cheating business. everything needed for offering Puja are available inside the temple complex and were being sold at very nominal pricees. Nothing should be bought from outside.

It was an exhilerating experience looking at Baba and praying. This is probably first time in my life that I prayed for something to be taken away from me, I prayed to rid myself of my anger and insecurity. It was very crowed and we were not allowed to stay and pray there by security men. It was such a pity that we had to leave and we didnt want to move away from there.

A visit to the musium where Baba's untensils and cloths were kept took us to the time when Baba lived there.

A nice breakfast at Woodlands followed and it was quite satifying. We realised it was a very nice hotel at close to the price Neeta Hotel cheated us into paying and we plan to stay there next time we go to Shirdi.

My mind is disturbed and I know Im not in a frame of mind which will bring me close to Godhead. I require lot of purification and narrowness of my mind must go.

While coming back, Gulkai made friends with the kids siting behind him and had a fun time playing games and singing rhymes around, much to the amusment of the passengers in the bus.

We pray that we go to Shirdi again sometimes in near future. Its said that unless baba wishes one to go to Shirdi, he cannt visit the temple.