My name is Santosh. I am really thankful to my guru Ravindranath, because he gave me a chance to walk up to Shirdi. In my life I thought that even one time if I go Shirdi by walk and that too barefoot, my life will be meaningful. My life is miserable, I have so many problems. I went to Sai temple and I took oath that baba if you give me a chance to come to Shirdi by walk, I will consider myself to be a luckiest devotee of Shirdi Sai. I love my mother and my sister . They were afraid that I decided to go Shirdi by walk. At that time my guru Ravindranath was going on his 9th padayatra to Shirdi. I had gone to my guru’s place and begged that, guru please give me a chance to come along with you for Shirdi padayatra. Guru said I am not your guru, Shirdi Sai is always Sadguru of all Sai devotees. Any way now you come for padayatra to Shirdi, than Sai will bless you and everything will be fine, Baba will take care of you, then my guru gave me blessings. Then I started padayatra with guru Ravindranath. It was a great experience. Usually I would walk only 100 meters as I have bike. Whatever I needed I used my bike only. But during Shirdi padayatra, I really walked 650 kms with the help of great Sai mantram “Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai.” I can never forget that experience. I was chanting this mantram throughout the padayatra. My first padayatra is memorable moment in my life. I spent all nights in temples only. Totally 3 members were there in my padayatra, one is my guru Ravindranath and another was Balaram Sir. He is good devotee of Shirdi Sai. Balaram sir was always chanting Sai mantram and leaded us. We reached Shirdi in 14 days. Now I am very much happy. When I came back from my Shirdi padayara my relatives, friends, near and dear ones all congratulated me and they were happy. Padayatra is tapassu. In the padayatra so many of Sai miracles I enjoyed. All the Sai devotees were received in a grand way. While going on padayatra my guru Ravindranath would tell Sai jeeveta charitra(Sai Satcharita). In that I come to know so many Sai leelaas. When I reached Shirdi, it was like Baba was looking and telling me like “Santosh..has your ambition to walk to Shirdi fulfilled or not… I really wondered. Shirdi Sai Baba’s smile is very peace. Dwarakamai temple is very very powerful. There I saw dhuni from which we would like to apply ash powder. My first padayara is successful, I shared miracles of Sai with my classmates. Now they are ready to come to Shirdi by walk from Hyderabad. During our Padayatra to Shirdi, one night we encountered full rains. But my guru said that it will go off within seconds. I didnt believe that …then really the rain stopped, and my path was crystal clear. Guru Said to me if we are doing good things, then Sai will take care of us, we don’t have to bother. Dont concentrate on rain just concentrate on Sai only he Said. It was true totally and I was chanting Sai namam only. Our 650kms of Padayatra to Shirdi was a miracle in every step. If Sai will give me chance to go to Shirdi by walk again then I am ready to go to padayatra with my guru Ravindranath. With this I am ending my experience of Hyderabad to Shirdi Padayatra and am very very thankful to you all Sai devotees for spending time to read my story. It was a great event in my life.
Om Sai Ram!