Laxmibai hailed from a village near Yeola. At the tender age of thirteen, she married Tukaram Patil Shinde, and came to Shirdi. She had two sons named Tatya and Nana. Laxmibai Shinde's husband was a Revenue Officer, and the British had conferred the title of "Mulki Patil" (village officer) on him.

She was widowed at a very young age, so all the responsibility fell on her young shoulders. Laxmibai looked after her children, her farmland, and undertook the job of Mulki Patil. Meticulously she collected taxes and deposited it at the office at Ragoba Dada Wada (building's name). The British were very pleased with her dedication and gave her a stipend. Laxmibai was a well-to-do woman. She owned her own home (Ref: Shri.Arun Gaikwad, "Sai Baba Vishesh Ank)

Once Baba, Laxmibai and Janabai were grinding wheat  with the hand mill when a lady from Bombay entered the Dwarkamai. She sat beside them and asked Baba if she too could grind the wheat. Baba told her that she would get tired. Nonetheless, she was eager to grind as much as was possible.

Baba asked Laxmibai to let her grind the grain. The lady was full of questions and was eager to get answers from Baba. She started asking Baba why the wheat was ground and why He threw it at the village boundary.

Baba said, "Akkabai, Maribai, Mariamma (i.e. the deities of cholera and smallpox) want to enter the village, so I feed them on the other side of this village and prevent them from entering Shirdi. As they are propitiated, they do not enter Shirdi. Thus, I save My devotees."

Then she asked whether there was Jari-Mari durdevatha. Baba said, "Yes, there exist durdevatha, but they will not do anything to us."

She said that some people are dying because of durdevatha. To this, Baba said, "Durdevatha was scolding Me and insisting that she be allowed to enter this village so I requested the Almighty to give her the allotted person."

"Are there evil spirits, Baba? When I was in Naigaon, in Bombay, an evil spirit would come from the side of the well and go to the room upstairs and disappear." The omnipresent, omniscient Baba replied, "Yes, but they will not do anything to harm us." Then Baba told her that the spirit she saw was that of the owner of the house. "He comes and goes upstairs and disappears where you delivered."

The lady was astonished to hear all these facts and asked Baba how He knew them. "I know you from childhood; you have forgotten Me, but I do not forget. I call all My children to Me even if they are thousands of miles away. I look after all equally, be they good or bad." After a while she felt tired and asked Lakshmibai to resume the grinding. The lady returned to Bombay unafraid. She was assured of Baba's love and protection for her and her family.

"Go at once to the village boundary and throw all the flour at the side of the brook there!" said Baba to the four women. Thus Baba prevented cholera from invading Shirdi (ref :Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 1 and Ambrosia in Shirdi by Dr. Vinny Chitluri) 

Laxmibai was working in the Masjid day and night. Except Bhagat Mhalasapati, Tatya and Laxmibai, none was allowed to step in the Masjid at night. Once while Baba was sitting in the Masjid with Tatya in the evening, Laxmibai came and saluted Baba. The latter said to her - "Oh Laxmi, Iam very hungry." Off she went saying- "Baba, wait a bit, I return immediately with bread." She did return with bread and vegetables and placed the same before Baba. He took it up and gave it to a dog. Laxmibai then asked - "What is this, Baba, I ran in haste, prepared bread with my own hands for You and You threw it to a dog without eating a morsel of it; You gave me trouble unnecessarily." Baba replied - "Why do you grieve for nothing? The appeasement of the dog's hunger is the same as Mine. The dog has got a soul; the creatures may be different, but the hunger of all is the same, though some speak and others are dumb. Know for certain, that he who feeds the hungry, really serves Me with food. Regard this as an exiomatic Truth." This is a ordinary incident but Baba thereby propounded a great spiritual truth and showed its practical application in daily life without hurting anybody's feelings. From this time onward Laxmibai began to offer Him daily bread and milk with love and devotion. Baba accepted and ate it appreciatingly. He took a part of this and sent the remainder with Laxmibai to Radha- Krishna-Mai who always relished and ate Baba's remnant prasad. This bread-story should not be considered as a digression; it shows, how Sai Baba pervaded all the creatures and and transcended them. He is omnipresent, birthless, deathless and immortal.(Ref: Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 42). After this incident Laxmibai often brought Bhakar and milk with which she lovingly fed Baba.

Laxmibai's house is on the left side of the lane that goes from the Dwarakamai to Tajin Khan's Darga.

Baba's Photograph in Laxmibai's House

Laxmibai’s Statue

Inside the house is a small shrine with Laxmibai’s statue, in front of which are the nine coins enclosed in a glass top box. On Vijayadashmi day in the year 1918 before Baba took Mahasamadhi, he put His hand in His pocket and gave her Rs.5/- then Rs.4/- totaling Rs.9/- indicative of nine types of devotion namely Shravana, Kirtana, Smarana, Charana Sevana, Archana, Vandana, Dasya, Sakhya and Atma Nivedana. (Ref: Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 21 and Chapter 42).

Another Interpretation of 9 Coins could be as follows: The number 5 could be the "Panch Indiriyas". They are the "Karmendriyas" and there are 5 "Jnanendriyas". These Indriyas are the casue of Joy and Sorrow. The 4 rupees could also mean the "Ego Complex" that is Manas, Buddhi, Aham and Chitta.

If the above mentioned are placed in Baba's hands or lay at His feet, It is "Total Sharanagati" or "Total Surrender". Baba through Laxmibai is teaching us to totally surrender ourselves to Him.

Old Photo of Laxmibai with Divine Nine Coins

Laxmibai’s Samadhi

Laxmibai Shinde took Samadhi on 2nd June 1963. She died peacefully after Shej Aarti. Prior to her demise, she asked her relatives to read aloud Chapter 42 of the holy Shri Sai Satcharitra (Ref: Shri.Arun Gaikwad, Sai Baba Vishesh Ank). The Samadhi of Laxmibai is in front of her home. It is enclosed in a small shrine.

Laxmibai Samadhi Outerview

Laxmibai's Samadhi

In 2009, her descendants, had removed the old shrine and Samadhi as they propsed to build a grand shrine and Samadhi.

Laxmibai Shinde's descendants are still living in that house.

(Source: Holy Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 1, 21, Chapter 42, Ambrosia in Shirdi and Baba's Anurag by Vinny Chitluri, Photo Courtesy: Shri.Sairaj Gaikwad Patil, Shirdi & Shri.Pranav, Nirmal District, Telangana)