Video/Photos: The Gold Rush @ Shirdi - Who Dunnit ?

[rOhit beHaL]

Lakhs of devotees from all over come to Shirdi for the Darshan of Shri Sai Baba.
On and Off they keep offering articles made of Gold/Silver or precious Gems.
But do you know when/how was the first Gold offering made to Baba
and how did this set a Gold Rush of Offerings @ Shirdi ?


[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8OBz2bgFV8[/youtube]


It all started in 2006, by a Sai devotee Shri.B.Vijay Kumar from Hyderabad`Andhra Pradesh,
who had offered a 3 kg Golden Paduka's (Footwear) to Baba. It is the one present on Baba's Samadhi.

And soon various other devotees followed this Gold Rush by offering a 94-kg Gold Throne for Baba,
Gold Plating the Walls of the Sanctum Sanctorum and Baba's footprints at Dwarkamai,
while some offered Golden Bells, Golden Lamps, Golden Glasses, Golden Pot,
Golden Chillum, Golden Crowns, Golden Garlands etc.

Later Mr. Vijay Kumar offered a Golden Net at the Samadhi Shrine and got the Shrine's Dome,
the adjoining 4 Gopuram's and Baba's wooden chariot also Gold-plated.

Mr.Vijay Kumar who has done Annadan for 25,000 people in Shirdi
and another 25,000 people at the Sai Baba temple at Vanasthalipuram,
believes that it is all the accrued blessings of his previous births that Baba gave them this opportunity to serve Him.
He gives all this credit to Baba, as he served Baba only with the surplus he had received, which he humbly admits.








Shri.B.Vijay Kumar and his wife, came into the fold of Baba around 1989-1990.
In 2004, they started going to the Shri Sai Baba Temple in Panchkuta`Hyderabad,
where they donated Rs.15 lakhs for getting Italian marble flooring work done
and also donated Rs.10 lakh for the Temple's Meditation hall.

So, with the blessings of Baba this was the first donation made by him in his life,
after which his trade also started to flourish at very rapid pace
& he tried to spend all the wealth acquired with the grace of Baba, for Baba’s work only.

On 8th October, Mr. Vijay Kumar came to Shirdi & then slowly his regular trips to Shirdi began.
From 2006, he began coming to Shirdi every month for Baba's darshan.
Later, his visits increased to twice a month, then thrice and finally four times a month.
Thus, he made many new acquaintances in Shirdi like Shri.Shrinivas,
who looked after the old-age Ashram of Dwarkamai Seva Trust in Shirdi.

Shri.Shrinivas later introduced him to the then Trustee of the Sansthan Dr. Eknath Gondkar, to whom Mr. Kumar
expressed his desire to offer something permanent like a pair of Golden Padukas (footwears) for Sai Baba,
for which he was prepared to spend a maximum Rs. 3.5 lakhs.

Dr.Gondkar took his request and placed it at the meeting of the Board of Trustees,
who after a discussion granted him the permission to do so but stated that about 3.5 kgs of gold
would be required for the purpose whereas Mr. Kumar was prepared with Rs. 3.5 lakhs only.
Mr. Kumar then thought that “Baba had given the permission & and now Baba alone would arrange it,”
and with these sentiments he went back to Hyderabad.

As, Mr.Vijay Kumar was in the business of buying and selling land, he was going to sell 16 acres of land
for which he had mentally decided that whatever money he would get over and above his desired amount;
he would donate it entirely for Baba’s Padukas.
With Baba’s blessings a customer came who paid much more than Mr. Kumar had expected
and got 50% of the amount in cash while for the balance he was given 3 kgs of Gold biscuits.

In his business, Mr. Kumar never accepted gold in lieu of cash but considering this as Baba’s miracle,
he tool the 3 kgs of Gold and came to Shirdi that very night and offered the same to Baba, for whom it was meant for.
He then told those concerned to begin the work on the Paduka's immediately. In a week’s time Mr. Kumar got
further cash equivalent to the cost of the remaining half kg. of Gold, which also he deposited with the Shirdi Sansthan.
Finally, Baba’s Gold Padukas were ready and ritually installed with Pooja-archana in the Samadhi Shrine.






After the dedication of Sai Baba’s Padukas Mr.Vijay Kumar business also increased a great deal
and in one business deal he got more money than he needed from a customer,
so once again he thought to donate something to the Sai Temple @ Shirdi in the name of his father.

So, when he came to Shirdi on Diwali for Laxmi-pooja, the priest of the temple generally told him that
it would be nice if there was a netted cover for the Water placed for Baba
and Mr. Kumar immediately offered a 3.5 kgs Gold netted cover for the same to the Sai Temple.








One day, the caretaker of the old-age Ashram, Shri Shrinivas took Mr. Vijay Kumar and his wife for breakfast
to the Dwarkamai Eating House in front of Dwarkamai itself. Sitting from there Mr. Kumar saw the Sai Temple Dome
and instantly the Golden Dome of Tirupati Temple flashed before his eyes and taking it as a signal from Baba,
he got inspired to cover the Temple's Dome and the adjoining 4 Gopurams with Gold.
He once again expressed this desire to the Temple’s Trustee Dr. Gondkar & presented an application for the same.
He was given an estimated requirement of 3 kgs. of gold for this work, and Mr. Kumar consented.

In the first phase Mr. Kumar deposited a Gold biscuit of 1 kg. with the Sansthan,
which once again he had received in lieu of cash in a deal. He began accepting that Baba was
giving him this Gold for His work only, which he again deposited with the Sansthan. The work on the Dome
and the adjoining Gopurams was completed and ritually consecrated on Gurupurnima itself.








Earlier Sai Baba’s Palki was taken out on the traditional Wooden Chariot (Rath),
 which Mr. Vijay Kumar later got converted into a Golden Chariot in Two Phases –

1) First a Muslim devotee Shri Mohammed Rafique from Bellary District of Karnataka donated
approx 140 kg of Silver, for Silver Plating the entire traditional Wooden Palanquin (Rath) of Sai Baba.
Costing approx Rs.33 lakhs, the Silver Sheets are engraved with glimpses of Sai Baba’s Life History.

2) Then, as this Silver Chariot got ready,
Mr. Vijay Kumar donated 1/2 kg Gold for Gold Plating this Silver Chariot of Sai Baba completely.
Costing approx Rs.45 lakhs, the Gold Sheets too are engraved with glimpses of Sai Baba’s Life History.

And Sai Baba's Palki was taken out in this Golden Chariot for the very first time,
 on 25th July 2010 on the auspicious occasion of Gurupurnima Utsav.



















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