unplanned trip, sudden plan
started but bus ticket cancelled
but started to shirdi. got down at nagarsol at 7
stayed there to get tatkal ticket at the station for return journey on sunday
till that time spent sometime in the morning in the surroundings of nagarsol
had "sabjidan kichidi" and a good tea. both r delicious
waited for an hour in sleeper class waiting room
surprised to see pandu with his wife.
once ticket taken, started to Shirdi with three new friends - bharat, sai, xyz in a cab - they took 80 per head for it. Nano car first time journey in it.
reached shirdi and then with nandini's help got a contact nubmer for accommodation. Mohan Rao garu guided us to a newly opened lodge/satram. it was good and since its when Devi navaratrulu started, near to our stay - there was goddess idol placed and they played dandia too in the night.
We ensured we have visited Sani sanganapur on day 1 - so that we can give our whole day two for shirdi. day 1 - started to shani singanapur by 1.30. it was a five hour journey - to n fro. offered oil and other things at Shani temple and returned. on our way - had Sugarcane juice- made using wodden machinery with a bull rotating the wodden crushers. it was a good place to have a nice break in the two hour long journey.
once we were back, we had our dinner at the free food facility provided by lodge. we went to sleep early at 8 or so since we wanted to attend early morning harati. So, we got up by 1 and started by 2 to temple. bought chaddar and sweet and flowers for baba. but the sweets are not allowed during the harati time. we kept at a shop and went back to queue for harati darhsan. sat for two hours in the Hall nuumber 6 and I had my Sandhyavandanam in my heart while waiting there and also had my gayatri japam done there. at four thirty - we went inside and had harati darshan by sitting exactly straight to baba's idol but at the other end of the hall. it was fantastic to witness it and the hall was full and quiet once the harati started. Felt very happy to be in the middle of number of devotees and infront of baba.
after that - we spent sometime inside the temple and returned to room. we had freshed up ourselves and then Harish went to attend afternoon harati and I couldnt attend that. I went inside temple and bought new edition of baba sacharitra, purchased prasadam, collected oodi prasadam, contacted for blood donation camp near temple. they told to go and give at hospital near khandoba temple. I went to khandoba temple and stayed there for sometime - a place where baba first been called as "Sai Baba". At hospital, the doctor softly rejected my interest to donate blood since they have abundant o+ve sachets with them and I already donated SDP platelets two weeks prior to my shirdi visit.
From there, I returned and went to temple through mukh darshan - this i loved a lot. There, we can sit in the main hall of temple and see baba from distance and sit there.
once harish back from harati darshan (he somehow misssed harati, but took darshan).
we both had our lunch and went to mukhdarshan again and stayed there till it was time for us to leave shirdi to catch train. on a whole, it was a satisfying and devotional journey
bhajan chance
one superb husband
one ideal mom - taking care of challenged daughter
