Gurusthan
In human life, the Guru's place is prominent.
By keeping utmost faith in the Guru alone everything is obtained.
A devotee's entire strength is due to his Guru.
Devotion to the Guru is superior to devotion to gods and goddesses.
The Guru is the Supreme Being.
Shri Sai Baba
Gurusthan means the place of the Guru. It is both where Baba spent most of his time when he first came to Shirdi, and also where, according to Baba, the tomb of his own Guru is located by the neem tree. Gurusthan is therefore one of the most important places in Shirdi.
From underneath the neem tree there is an underground tunnel or passage leading to Dwarkamai as told by an old lady.
Once, when some villagers were digging foundations for Sathe Wada just behind the neem tree, they found bricks in the soil and what looked like a tunnel opening. Unsure whether to proceed, they asked Baba. Baba told them this was the site of his ancestors' tombs and should not be disturbed.
There are several references to Baba's Guru in the literature. These references are somewhat enigmatic, and it is not always clear whether Baba referred to a Guru in his present life or a previous one.
The first thing that catches a devotee's eye at Gurusthan is the huge neem tree. This tree sheltered Baba for years when he stayed beneath it. Neem has many medicinal properties, though its leaves are known to be bitter. Some people once reported that leaves from one branch tasted sweet, which they took as a sign of Baba's grace.
An incident concerning the neem tree also shows how practical Baba could be. In the early 1900s, construction on Sathe Wada was obstructed by one long branch. People hesitated to cut it because the tree was sanctified by Baba's stay under it. Baba advised, 'Cut off however much is interfering with the construction.' Despite this instruction, no one dared. Finally, Baba himself climbed and cut the branch.
There was also fear because earlier, a boy who climbed the tree to trim it had fallen and died. At that moment, Baba in the mosque gave a distress call, blowing conch-like sounds with cupped hands. Villagers linked the boy's death with cutting the tree and became fearful.
Today at Gurusthan there is the neem tree, marble padukas on a pedestal, a shivalinga, and a statue of Baba. The statue was donated by Y. D. Dave and installed in 1974. The unveiling was done by Saint Shri Parnerkar Maharaj.
The padukas were initiated by devotees from Mumbai with the help of local devotees G. K. Dixit and Sagun Meru Naik. Dr. Ramrao Kothare supported the plan. Sri Upasani Baba suggested improvements and Sanskrit verses praising the tree and Sai's grace were inscribed.
The padukas were installed in a solemn ceremony on 15 August 1912, carried in procession from Khandoba Temple.
A few months later the padukas were damaged by a lunatic. Baba told devotees to repair them calmly and do poor-feeding. The broken originals are believed to be preserved under the pedestal.
The shivalinga at Gurusthan came through Megha Sham, a devoted worshipper of Shiva and Sai Baba. Baba gave him a sacred vision and later handed him a shivalinga saying, 'Look, Shiva has come for you.' After Megha's passing, the same shivalinga was installed at Gurusthan with Baba's permission.
During Baba's lifetime, Gurusthan was open and very different from the fully paved and enclosed area today. Baba said those who burn incense and clean here on Thursdays and Fridays would be blessed by Allah.
A small dhuni is kept in front of the shrine. Earlier it was lit daily with embers from the mosque dhuni; now this is done on Thursdays and Fridays.
Since the 1980s, many devotees perform pradakshina around the neem tree and tomb. Others sit quietly in meditation. Many see the tree as a symbol of the Guru's grace under whose shelter humanity finds protection.