Devotee Stories
The sacred windows brought from Shirdi
A divine connection to the original Dwarakamayi
After 2000, the Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan and the surrounding area developed in remarkable ways. As the crowd of devotees grew rapidly, the Sansthan trust and the government together undertook many improvements to the infrastructure.
During a temple renovation, some windows at Dwarakamayi that Baba himself had touched were slightly damaged and were removed and stored in a warehouse for safekeeping. Around the very same time, the construction of the "Mukhti Dhamam" Sai Baba temple began in Film Nagar, Hyderabad. The Mukhti Dhamam organisers, feeling that it would be deeply meaningful if something Baba had touched could become part of their new temple, travelled to Shirdi.
Finding the windows
While touring and speaking with the officials, they spotted those old windows in the warehouse. One of the organisers, Sri Gautam, explained to the officials that they would like to restore the slightly broken windows and use them in their temple. As the officials requested, they paid ₹11,000 and asked that the windows be sent by vehicle to Hyderabad within two days, and returned home.
An obstacle
When the windows did not arrive on the appointed day, the organisers contacted the EO of the Shirdi temple. He replied: "The day after you left, a major businessman from Mumbai came here. He too is a great devotee of Baba. He wanted something associated with Baba for the business warehouse he was building, and paid ₹10 lakh for these windows. We felt that such a large amount would be useful for the temple's development, so we decided to give the windows to him. If you like, you may take some other item connected with Baba." The Mukhti Dhamam representatives replied, "We will give even more, but we only want those windows." The officials said they would discuss it with the trust members.
Baba's leela
One Thursday night, Baba appeared in the Mumbai businessman's dream and sternly said, "Are you going to take the windows meant for my temple and lock them away in your business warehouse? Is that right?" Shaken, the businessman woke up and immediately called Shirdi: "Did anyone come for these windows before me?" When the officials told him about the Hyderabad temple, he said at once, "Credit the ₹10 lakh I paid as a donation, but send those windows to Hyderabad immediately. Baba himself came in my dream and told me they must reach the temple being built there." The officials were astonished by this wonder.
The conclusion
And so, by Baba's own will, the windows arrived in Hyderabad. Skilled carpenters from Polanki restored them, and they were installed as part of the main sanctum we see today. This gave the devotees here a living spiritual connection to the original Dwarakamayi. With those windows — touched by Baba himself — as witness, this temple shines today as a home for the faith of thousands of devotees.
The foundation stone
Divine signs during the temple's foundation ceremony
A collection of astonishing moments and divine signs that took place during the foundation-laying of this sacred temple.
It was the day of bhumi puja, when the temple's construction was being inaugurated. Right at the moment of the foundation-laying, a man suddenly came running, fell at the feet of the organisers, and with tears begged for forgiveness, placing a bundle of money beside him.
Everyone present was astonished and asked, "What is the matter? Why are you doing this? Why are you giving this money?" —
In a trembling voice he said: "Sir, a few days ago you ordered bricks and sand for the temple's foundation. I was the one who supplied them. I sent 9000 bricks, but saying it wasn't possible to count each brick one by one, I claimed we had laid so many rows horizontally and vertically and left a hollow in the middle, and I charged you for 14,000 bricks instead.
He paused, wiped his eyes, and continued: "Last night Baba came in my dream and scolded me — 'Are you cheating me on the bricks for my own temple? Is this right?' Those words opened my eyes. Knowing that the foundation-laying was this morning, I came to return the extra money as a penance for what I had done."
Asking for forgiveness, he left.
Hearing his words, every devotee present was moved, reflecting on Baba's glory.