Sai Baba of Shirdi

How to recognise Sai Baba of Shirdi

1. White kafniA plain, loose, knee-length one-piece robe, white and unadorned, which he wore for most of his life and which shows his simple ascetic life.
2. Head clothA white cloth tied round the head, described in the Satcharita as twisted like matted hair and falling from the left ear down the back; it is a wrap, not a crown or turban.
3. Kindly weathered faceA lean, elderly face with a short, close beard, calm and gently watchful.
4. Stone seatHe sits on a stone inside Dwarkamai, as in the best-known photograph, taken in 1903 by Pupal of Ahmednagar.
5. Crossed leg, bare feetHis right leg is crossed over the left and his feet are bare, so he looks like a man resting rather than posed in formal meditation.
6. Satka and tin potA short plain stick (satka) he always kept with him, and a tin pot (tumrel) and alms bowl (katora) recall his begging rounds.
7. Dhuni and neemThe small sacred fire of Dwarkamai, whose ash (udi) is still given out, and the neem tree of the Gurusthan, which he called his Guru's place, are sometimes shown with him.

Names and titles

• Sabka Malik EkThe phrase most associated with him today: the master of all is one
• Shraddha and SaburiFaith and patience, the two qualities he asked of his devotees
• Dweller of DwarkamaiHe lived for decades in the old mosque he named Dwarkamai
• Keeper of the Sacred FireHe kept a fire (dhuni) burning in Dwarkamai, still lit today
• Under the Neem TreeHe first appeared as a lad of sixteen under a neem tree in Shirdi

Feast days

• Punyatithi / Vijayadashami20 October 2026

  The anniversary of Sai Baba's passing (Mahasamadhi) in 1918, which devotees hold to have fallen on Vijayadashami. It is the same celebration as the other Punyatithi / Vijayadashami entry in this list.

  How it's celebrated. At Shirdi it runs for three days, and the Samadhi Mandir stays open through the night for darshan and aarti. Sources describe Kakad Aarti, processions of Baba's portrait and the Pothi, a continuous reading (Akhand Parayan) of the Sai Satcharitra in Dwarkamai, and a chariot procession. The last day includes a free meal for devotees.

  Sources: Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust: Festivals · Hindu Blog: Shirdi Sai Baba Punyatithi · Saiteerth: Vijayadashami at Shirdi

• Ram Navami15 April 2027

  Ram Navami, Rama's birthday, is Shirdi's principal festival. It grew from an Urus (a fair honouring a saint) first held in 1897, which Baba agreed to place on Ram Navami, bringing Hindu and Muslim devotees together.

  How it's celebrated. Shirdi keeps it for three days. The Sansthan's guide mentions a flag-hoisting at Dwarkamai, a Ram darbar in the Samadhi Mandir and a night palanquin procession. Two long-standing rites are the replacing of the wheat sack and of the Dwarkamai flags. Pilgrim portals describe round-the-clock darshan.

  Sources: Holy Shirdi: Ramnavami · Shirdi Festivals 2026 (independent pilgrim portal) · Sai Satcharitra Chapter 6

• Guru Purnima18 July 2027

  The full moon of Ashadha, when disciples honour their spiritual teachers. At Shirdi devotees honour Sai Baba as their Sadguru. Tradition says the observance began when Tatyasaheb Nulkar worshipped Baba as his guru.

  How it's celebrated. Shirdi holds a three-day festival. The Samadhi Mandir complex is decked with flowers and lights, and a procession carries Baba's image, the Pothi and a Veena. Each day begins with Kakad Aarti and an abhishek of Baba's Padukas (sandals). Devotees also take part in bhajans and prayers.

  Sources: Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust: Guru Purnima 2026 · ETV Bharat: Shirdi Guru Purnima decorations · Saiteerth: Festivals celebrated in Shirdi