Brief Introduction about the Holy Place

This Mandir of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba popular amongst local Sai Devotees as "MANDYA SHRI SHIRADI SAI BABA MANDIRA" is situated at B.Gowdagere, Gejjalagere village amidsts picturesque natural surrounding. The Mandir has been built with the inspiration and blessing of Shri Sai Baba and believed to become the second holiest place in future in India after Shirdi.

The Mandir is lovingly addressed by everyone as "Namma Tatathana Mane" (Our Grand Father's Home). Shri.M.Bhaskar Rao who is the Dharmadhikari of this mandir narrates in his own words two incidents that took place in his life which lead to the construction of this Sai Mandir at B.Gowdagere village.

"I introduce myself as Shri.M.Bhaskar Rao S/o.Muniswamy Rao and Smt.Venkubai was born on 10th April 1968 at a remote village called Kattar Palya near Kolar. I was born as fifth son after four elder sisters. The most unfortunate thing was that I was born as a posthumous child and could not see my father.

I was born in a poor family, my mother was working as a maid and even as a constructioin labourer earning meagre income with which she managed to bring us up. We were residing in a small hut that she had put up near the burial ground in Kolar. Later she migrated to Bangalore with an intension of earning more income to take care of the family. My mother managed to perform the marriage of all her five children and she passed away peacefully on 5th February 1996 when none of her children was present by her side.

Thereafter, I learnt welding job and was leading a life of povery by doing small jobs. That was when I got in touch with Shri.Veeresh Sahani, Director of Engineering from Punjab State during my tenture with Oberoi Hotel, Bangalore. I was in a very bad shape in the year 1999 when I visited Shirdi along with my family members, prostrated at the lotus feet of Baba and asked HIM to protect me from the calamity. Baba showed mercy on me and I opened a small office in Thippasandra, Bangalore with His Grace and started to lead a nominal but comfortable life.

Fortunate Darshan of Lord Shri Shirdi Sai Baba:

One day I had been to an Engagement of my Uncle's Son at Bangarpet town in Kolar District of Karnatataka. I was returning at 6:30 PM towards Bangalore on my two wheeler. Somehow my state of mind was not allright. But I could remember God's name and hence started chanting Baba's name and was proceeding towards Bangalore. Suddenly, I remembered the words of Shri.Veerish Sahani who told me that If I call Baba's name with Love and Devotion He would certainly come to me. Thus, chanting Baba's name I was driving my vehicle at a speed of 100 KMPH. I also took an oath that I would chant His name 10 times, crash my vehicle against any vehicle coming from the opposite direction or a tree and die. Accordingly, I had completed chanting Baba's name 8 times. All of a sudden, I found Lord Sai Baba standing on the right side of NH4 at a place called Nidhaghatta on Bangalore-Kolar Road. In my excitement, I completely forgot what I was doing.

I parked the vehicle on the left side of the highway, crossed over and went to the opposite side of the road, touched the lotus feet of Baba thrice and stood motionless. While Baba asked me what I wanted, but I did not know what to ask from Baba. Hence, I asked Baba from which place He was coming and He replied that He was coming from Garudachar and and heading towards Tirupati. I gave Rs.50 to Baba and while giving the money I noticed a scratch wound on the forehead of Baba with blood clot. I bid farewell to Baba, crossed over to the other side of the road and stood looking at Baba for quite sometime. After I returned to Bangalore, I narrated this wonderful incident to my relatives, friends over phone.

My friend who was listening to my narration asked me to Visit Sai Baba Temple at Cambridge Layout in Bangalore. Accordingly, when I went there to have darshan of Baba, I found the same scratch of wound on the right hand side of Baba's Idol. Immediately I could recognize that it was the same Sai Baba that I had darshan at Nidhaghatta. Immediately my heart filled with emtion and tears of joy rolled over my cheeks.

Lord Sai Baba gives darshan in Dream:

The same night I visited Cambridge Layout Sai Baba Temple, I went to bed remembering Lord Sai Baba. I could hear Sai Baba assuring me that my difficulties would be solved at the earliest and I would lead a happy life. He also asked me to construct a Mandir for Him and Home for the Aged People near Mandya after I attain the age of 40 years. He assured me that it would be called as "SHIRDI SAI BABA TEMPLE OF KARNATAKA" and that He would come and settle in that temple and solve the problems of those devotees who come tohave darshan. He ordered me to serve the people and society by being in constant touch with Him and disappeared. Immediately I got from the bed and looked at my watch. It was 2:45 early morning. I went back to bed remembering HIS name. I kept quiet for many months without acting on Sai Baba's instructions due to negligence and ignorance.

After sometime, my business started improving and all my problems were solved by Baba. Hence, I purchased land, built my own house and started leading a happy and contented life. I started regularly visiting Shirdi Sai Baba temple along with my family members. When I attained the age of 40 years, I experienced heart attack (4 times) just because I had completely forgotton the advice of Lord Sai Baba. With the grace of Lord Sai Baba, I completely recovered after undergoing a surgery. Then I realized my fault and got enlightened. From that day onwards, remembering the advice of Lord Sai Baba, I engaged myself in the Service of Society. I started a project of Rehabilitation of poverty stricken widows, Women in Distress, Physically Handicapped, Educated and Uneducated Boys and Girls of Karnataka at Bangalore. I helped them in finding suitable jobs without taking any remuneration from them in return. I started performing selfless service.

With the earnings that I got from my own company Rao and Rao Undertaking/Institution, I managed to lead my family and purchased 59 Guntas of Land in a place called B.Gowdagere near Gejjalagere in Mandya District of Karnataka and constructed a Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple.