SHIRDI’s Shri Saibaba’s 98th Punyatithi will be celebrated from October 10 to October 13, 2016 by Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi. Sai devotees are announced to participate in this festival, appealed Chairman of Sansthan Suresh Haware.
Haware said that the first day i.e. October 10 of the festival will begin with Kakad Aarti of Shri Saibaba at 4.30 am. There will be procession of Shri Saibaba’s photo and the holy book “Shri Sai Satcharitra” at 5 am and soon after it, the Aakhand Parayan (Continuous reading) of Shri Sai Satcritra will be started at 5. 15 am. The holy bath of Shri Saibaba will be at 5.20 am. Mid day Aarti will be sung at 12.30 pm and Tirth Prasad will be distributed. Kirtan will be narrated from 4 pm to 6 pm on the stage near to Samadhi temple. Dhooparti will be sung at 6. 15pm. The invited artists will present religious programme from 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm on Sainagar ground stage. The routine pooja will be conducted in Chawadi at 9.15 am procession of Saibaba’s palanquin will be taken through the town at the same time. Shejarti will be sung at 10.30 pm. Dwarkamai will remain open throughout the night for Akhand Parayan being first day of the festival.
The October 11 will be the main day of the festival. This will begin with Kakad Aarti at 4.30 am. Akhand Parayan will be concluded at 5.00 am. The procession of Saibaba’s photo and the holy book Shri Sai Satcharitra will be taken. The holy bath of Shri Saibaba will be done at 5. 15 am and soon after it, devotees will be permitted for darshan. The programmes like Bhiksha Zoli (begging) at 9 am, Kirtan at 10 am, Aradhana vidhi at 10.30 am, mid-day Aarti at12.30 pm and Tirth Prasad distribution will be conducted. The Simmolanghan accompanied by procession will be held at Khandoba temple at 5 pm. Dhooparti will be sung at 6. 15 pm. The invited artists will present religious programmes between 7.30 pm and 10.30 pm on the stage of Sainagar ground. The procession of Saibaba’s chariot will be taken through the town at 9.15 pm. Being the main day of the festival, Samadhi temple will remain open throughout the night for darshan. The artists will present religious programmes in front of the stage of Sai Samadhi from 11 pm to next day 5 am.
On October 12, the third day of the festival will begin with holy bath of Shri Saibaba at 5.05 am and soon after it, devotees will be allowed for darshan.Mid day Aarti will be sung at 12.10 pm and tirth Prasad will be distributed. Dhooparti and Shejarti will be sung at 6.15 pm and 10.30 pm respectively. The invited artists will present religious programme between 7.30 pm and 10.30 pm on the stage of Sainagar ground.
On October 13, the concluding day of the festival will begin with Kakad Aarti at 4.30 am. The holy bath of Shri Saibaba will be conducted at 5.05 and soon after it devotees will be allowed for darshan. Rudra coronation will be conducted in Gurusthan temple at 6.45 am. Gopalkala kirtan and breaking of Dahihandi will be at 10 am. Mid day Aarti and distribution of tirth Prasad at 12.10 pm, Dhooparti at 6.15 pm and Shejarti at 10.30 will be conducted. The invited artists will present their art on the stage of Sainagar ground from 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm. The routine palanquin procession of Thursday will be taken through the town at 9.15 pm. Shri Satyavrat pooja and Abhishek pooja will not be conducted during festival period, added Haware.
In view to make the festival to grand success, executive officer Bajirao Shinde, Dy. Executive officer Dr. Sandip Aher, all administrative officers, head of departments and employees are making sincere efforts under the guidance of vice chairman of Sansthan Chandrashekhar Kadam and board of trustees.