Ramnavami

Aum Sairam

In 1987, Gopalrao Gund proposed holding in Urs as in expression of his gratitude to Sri Sai for having been granted the birth of a son after many childless years. Sri Sai gave His permission for the celebration and fixed the day for Ramnavami.

This was an ingenious touch of Sri Sai's. Urs is a Muslim festival honoring a Muslim Saint [usually one who passed away]; by holding the Urs, on the day of a Hindu festival, the two communities were brought closer tighter in a natural yet remarkable way. The festival gradually grew in importance and in 1912 some devotees asked Sri Sai if they could celebrate Ramnavami, since it fell on the same day [Ramnavami is a anniversary of Lord Rama's Birth]. Sri Sai agreed and the festival was held in a grand style. From that day, says Shri Sai Satcharitra, "the Urs was transformed into the Ramnavmi festival".

In Shirdi, two locally historic rituals are carried out during this festival: the sack of wheat that is kept in Dwarkamai is changed and the old one taken to prasadalaya to be used there, and secondly, the Dwarkamai flags are replaced. When Urs was first celebrated, Gopalrao Gund prevailed upon his friend to supply a flag for the procession. This was Damu Anna Rasne of Ahmednagar who had similarly been blessed by Sri Sai with Son's having come to Sri Sai for this Purpose on the recommendation of Shama's Father in law. In addition, Gund asked Nanasaheb Nimonkar to supply a second flag with embroidery. This was also done and both flags [described as "huge" by M.W. Pradhan, who saw them] were taken in procession through the village and fixed the two corners of Dwrkamai. Descendants of these two devotees continue this tradition and flags are brought and offered at Sri Sai's Samadhi before being taken on a grand procession.

The procession begins as it did in Sri Sai's time at the house of the three carpenters who did the bulk of the repair work on the mosque [Tukaram, Gabaji, and Kondaji, the former whom personally served Sri Sai for several years]. In the evening, the descendants of Shri Abdul Baba perform a traditional sandal procession, finishing at Dwarkamai and pasting the sandal on the nimbar there.