Shirdi Sai Baba

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After Tirumala-Tirupati, Shirdi is the most visited pilgrim place in India today. From a small hamlet, just a little over a hundred years ago, it has grown to a huge center of pilgrimage. The saint who put Shirdi on the world map is Sai Baba.

Sai Baba had no formal name, no family to which his origins could be traced and no lineage to which he can be ascribed. He left no Order, no direct disciples or dogma and has no incarnation. Most importantly, he also did not limit himself to either of the two predominant religions of the times, Hinduism and Islam.

Baba never made any claims to teaching or preaching anything in particular. This is why there is no structured siddhant, or course, on Baba's teachings and faith. More and more people are attracted to him because of the very simplicity of his faith. His philosophy is above mantras, vratas, poojas and rituals. All he desires is that we offer our hearts, mind and ego to him. Then the five senses will lose their power over us and we will be able to progress spiritually and away from the world's miseries. Shirdi is a pure bhoomi where God, in the form of Sai Baba, manifested himself, stayed and showed his leelas. Sai Baba is thus, unique.

About the Author:

Ashish Mohan Khokar, author of over thirty books on Indian arts and spirituality, feels blessed that Sai Baba gave him this opportunity to capture some of his life and times. As a long-serving critic and columnist of India's largest circulated English daily - The Times of India - and as writer of over 3,000 articles in last 20 years, Khokar feels that Goddess Saraswati has been very kind to him. His name finds over 500 entries under a Google search.

As an arts administrator, he served the Delhi State Academy; Festivals of India in France, Sweden, Germany and China; INTACH (under late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's chairmanship) and Martand Singh Consultants. Awarded grants and projects by the Swedish Institute and the Ford Foundation, he has also interned at the Lincoln Center, New York and The Dance Museum, Stockholm. He was awarded many scholarships, including Government of India, Department of Culture's fellowships. A columnist for magazines like First City, Life Positive, The India Magazine and Drishti, he has also made popular educational programmes for the television. He is married to Elisabeth and together they publish dance books and biographies, including India's only year-book on dance, attendance.