Sai Baba Festivalsसाईं बाबा के उत्सव

Devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba honour him every week on Thursday, and three great festivals mark the year at Shirdi: Ram Navami, Guru Purnima and Vijayadashami, which is also Baba's Punyatithi, the anniversary of his Mahasamadhi. Each falls on a fixed tithi (lunar day) of the Hindu calendar, so its Gregorian date changes from year to year. Check a panchang or the official site of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, sai.org.in, for the exact dates and the festival programme of the current year.

Thursday, the guru's day

Thursday (Guruvar) is the day of the guru, and it is the day most closely linked with Sai worship. Temples see their largest crowds on Thursday, and many devotees keep the nine-Thursday Sai Baba vrat.

At Shirdi

Every Thursday evening a palkhi (palanquin) procession carries Baba's padukas and picture from the temple to the Chavadi, where Baba used to sleep on alternate nights. Devotees walk with it, singing bhajans, and the night (Shej) aarti is sung there. The four daily aartis continue as usual.

At home

• Bathe early, clean the puja place and offer yellow flowers, a lamp and incense before Baba's picture.
• Offer a simple prasad such as khichdi, sweets or fruit.
• Read a chapter of the Sai Satcharitra, chant the 108 names and sing the aarti.
• Feed someone in need or give food to animals and birds, as Baba did.

Ram Navami

Ram Navami, the birth of Lord Rama, falls on the ninth day of the bright half of Chaitra. At Shirdi it is one of the oldest and biggest festivals. According to the Satcharitra (chapter 6), a fair (urus) began at Shirdi with Baba's consent in the late 1890s, and some years later the celebration of Rama's birth was joined to it. So the same day came to hold a Hindu festival and a Muslim urus together, with the sandal (chandan) procession and the carrying of flags to the mosque. Devotees see this as a living picture of Baba's message that all faiths are one before God.

At Shirdi

The festival usually runs over several days. It includes an unbroken reading (akhand parayan) of the Satcharitra, a kirtan of Rama's birth at noon on Navami, processions with the palkhi and chariot, and darshan kept open for very long hours as pilgrims arrive, many on foot from distant towns.

At home

Devotees worship Rama and Sai Baba together, read the story of Rama's birth or a chapter of the Satcharitra at noon, offer panjiri, sweets or fruit, and sing "Om Sai Ram" and Rama bhajans.

Guru Purnima

Guru Purnima, the full moon of Ashadha, is the day on which disciples honour their guru. It is also called Vyasa Purnima, after the sage Vyasa. For Sai devotees, who see Baba above all as the Sadguru, it is one of the most important days of the year.

At Shirdi

Guru Purnima is celebrated over several days with an akhand parayan of the Satcharitra, palkhi and chariot processions and special pujas. Lakhs of devotees come for darshan, and many make vows or begin a new reading of the Satcharitra on this day.

At home

Devotees worship Baba's picture or padukas with flowers, chandan and a lamp, offer guru dakshina by feeding the poor or giving to a good cause, and begin or complete a reading of the Satcharitra. It is also a day to remember and thank one's own teachers and parents.

Vijayadashami and Punyatithi

Vijayadashami (Dussehra), the tenth day of the bright half of Ashvin, celebrates the victory of good over evil. For Sai devotees it has a second meaning: Sai Baba took Mahasamadhi on Vijayadashami, 15 October 1918, at Shirdi. The day is therefore observed as his Punyatithi, the holy anniversary of his passing. His body was laid to rest in the wada built by Gopalrao (Bapusaheb) Buti, which is now the Samadhi Mandir. The Satcharitra describes his last days, and devotees recall that Baba had spoken in advance of Vijayadashami as the day of his crossing over.

At Shirdi

The Punyatithi festival is usually the longest of the year. It includes an akhand parayan of the Satcharitra, processions, bhiksha (Baba's begging round, re-enacted in his memory) and the feeding of large numbers of people. Because the Hindu calendar decides the date, Punyatithi falls on Vijayadashami each year rather than on 15 October.

At home

Devotees light a lamp before Baba's picture, read chapters 42 to 44 of the Satcharitra, which tell of his Mahasamadhi, sing the aarti and share food with others. Many also observe Dussehra in the usual family way on the same day.

Other days kept by Sai devotees

• Datta Jayanti (Margashirsha Purnima): many devotees see Baba as a form of Lord Dattatreya, and the day is kept with special worship.
• Gokulashtami and Diwali are also celebrated at Shirdi. The Satcharitra tells how, when shopkeepers once refused Baba oil, he lit the lamps of the mosque with water, an account recalled at Diwali.
• The first Thursday of a new vrat and the ninth Thursday of the udyapan are personal festivals for many families.

Customs differ from temple to temple and family to family. The heart of every Sai festival, devotees say, is the same: remembering Baba with Shraddha and Saburi, and sharing food and kindness with others.