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In the fourth canto of Sai Satcharita, we often come across the mention of the holy
place of Pandharpur, Shri Vitthal and Rakhumai. While writing about Pandharpur and Vitthal-
Rakhumai, late Annasaheb Dabholkar alias Hemadpant writes, "In Pandharpur there is special
importance to the darshan of Shri Vitthal Rakhumai and in Shirdi, Shri Sai Baba also gives you
darshan in the form of Shri Vitthal."
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In that same canto, a little later, Shri Sai Baba Himself says to Dasganu Maharaj, "Shri
Jakurnath is at Dankapuri - Similarly Shri Vittal is at Pandharpur; but it is not
necessary for you to go so long in order to see that Dwarkanagari of Kanchod". These words
of Shri Baba show very clearly that He had full belief that Shri Vitthal was also present at
Shirdi.
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The great reverence that Shri Sai Baba had for Shri Vitthal of Pandharpur, can be
seen very clearly from the experience of one Sai devotee Shri Bhagwantrao Kshirsagar. Shri Vitthal was the family God of Shri Bhagwantrao.
His father was a devotee of Shri Vitthal] and in his house the worship of Shri Vitthal was being
carried out regularly with sincere devotion. After the death of his father, this legacy came to
Shri Bhagwantrao, who did not continue it for some reason or the other. Hence when Shri
Bhagwantrao came to Shirdi for the darshan of Shri Sai Baba, He made a specific mention about
this fact to Shri Bhagwantrao and said that all gods were alike. He told Bhagwantrao that he
should not have run to Shirdi, neglecting his own religious duties. In order to convince Shri
Bhagwantrao about the oneness of all Gods, Shri Sai Baba also appeared before Bhagwantrao in
the form of Shri Vitthal of Pandharpur.
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The mention of all the above facts is made here in order to show the affinity of Shri Sai
Baba to Shri Vitthal of Pandharpur. One Sai Mandir at Phanaswadi, in the Girgaum area of the
Bombay city, was formerly a temple of Vitthal and it was known as "Shri Premal Vitthal
Mandir". In this temple the idols of Vitthal and Rakhumai were installed by Shri Gajanan
Vinayak Pradhan, as the temple itself was constructed by him as his own private property.
However, Shri Vasantshastri alias Aba Panshikar completely changed the Mandir and gave it the
present form.
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Shri Prabhakar Panshikar, is a famous actor on the Marathi stage and Shri Aba
Panshikar, his brother, performs Keertans in the Vitthal Mandir regularly. Shri Bhole Guruji,
who is a Sai devotee, used to attend Shri Panshikar's keertaiis as he was staying very near the
above Mandir, in the Mugbhat area of Girgaum. Shri Bhole Guruji requested Shri Panshikar to
start praying to Shri Sai Baba. Shri Panshikar was not aware of the greatness of the saint of
Shirdi upto that time and on being initiated by Shri Bhole Guruji, he gladly became a devotee of
Shri Sai Baba. He very soon became a staunch and sincere devotee of Shri Baba and very soon
thought of changing the Vitthal Mandir into a Sai temple. It is because of the zeal and efforts of
Shri Aba Panshikar that the Premal Vitthal Mandir is now converted into a Sai Mandir and is
now known by that name. |
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In this temple, we see the idol of Shri Sai Baba in plaster, which is about four and a half
feet high. This idol is seated on an altar. It will be seen from the photograph of the temple
published along with this article that the original idols of Shri Vitthal and Rakhumai installed in
the temple have still been retained in the temple as Shri Sai Baba had reverence for that God as
stated at the beginning of this article. The beautiful idol of Shri Sai Baba in plaster was made by
one sculptor Shri G. V. Patkar. Though the temple was originally constructed as a private
temple, still it was later on thrown open to everyone for worship and at present anybody can
go and offer flowers or garlands to Shri Sai Baba or Shri Vitthal - Rakhumai. |
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In the rear side of this temple, there is a banyan tree about hundred years old. Around
this tree we can also find the idols of Shri Datta, Hanuman and Pindi of Shri Shankar. In
addition to that, there are the Padukas of Shri Sai Baba in silver in this area. These Padukas
were installed at the holy hands of Shri Palekarshastri on the 26th of October 1952. |
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The practice of getting prepared the silver Padukas of Shri Sai Baba and to give them to
different people or institutions dedicated to Sai worship was started by this temple. So far, the
Sai Padukas got prepared by this Mandir have been installed at five different places. It may be
noted here that the Padukas installed at the Sai temple of Smt. Ajibai Wanarse at London, were
got prepared by this mandir. |
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"Service to humanity and service to the dumb mutes is the service to God" this was the
motto of Shri Sai Baba and the management of this temple has borne in mind this fact. They
have therefore coupled a social duty with this religious institution. On the first floor of this
temple, arrangements have been made for the free accommodation of poor and deserving
students, who have no arrangements to stay in Bombay. A great number of students have
taken advantage of this facility and because of the religious atmosphere of the temple, these
students are grooved in Sai devotion from the young age of their life. |
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Aarti, worship etc. are carried out at this temple every day as per those performed at
Shirdi. Ramnavami, Gurupournima and Vijayadashmi are the great festivals observed at this
temple on the same lines as is done at Shirdi. This temple has started one more practice. On
every Monday in the month of Shrawan and on the Maha Shivaratri day, the offering of fruits is
made to Shri Sai Baba and they are later on distributed to the devotees by way of prasad. Shri
Pandurang Mahadeo Warang is a staunch Sai devotee, who manages the daily affairs of the
temple with great care. He is only thirty one years of age at present, but for the last twentytwo
years he is staying in the temple premises and is attending to the work of this temple. The
management wants to expand the activities of the temple and arrange some further programs
on a large scale; but due to shortage of space they feel sorry that it is not possible for them.
Shri Warang always says that all his difficulties are readily solved by Shri Sai Baba. This shows
his great faith in Shri Sai Baba and his devotion to Him. |
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Girgaum is a very crowded locality of Bombay city. The area round about Lalbaug and
Parel which is known as the "Mill area" is perhaps another equally crowded area in Bombay.
The people in the "Mill area" are so very busy in their struggle for existence, that they have
hardly any time to think about God or religion. The people in the Girgaum area are mostly
white collared people. They have regular hours of their office work. Similarly religious
practices are imbibed in them from their childhood. Hence they find the need of a place for
worship where they can get mental peace. The people who were formerly the devotees of
Vitthal have started visiting this temple for the worship of that God; but after seeing the idol of
Shri Sai Baha in the temple and having come to know His greatness, they automatically become
His devotees. Thus this temple has a good place of worship for the devotees staying in Girgaum
area of the Bombay city and is therefore frequented by a number of devotees every day. |
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Location and Direction |
Location |
Phanaswadi, Mill Area, Girgaum |
Address |
Shri Sai Baba Mandir
C/o.Shri Premal Vitthal Mandir,
Phanaswadi,
Mill Area, Girgaum,
Mumbai,
Maharashtra,India.
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Contact Person |
Not Available |
Contact Numbers |
Not Available |
Email Address |
Not Available |
Website |
Not Available |
Direction |
Phanaswadi, Mill Area, Girgaum |
(Source:Originally published in Shri Sai Leela Magazine (Marathi),July 1975)
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