Lendi Gardens -Sai Mandir Shirdi Part 2

 Part 2 Continue.........                            

 The kanifnath Temple

              

 The kanifnath Temple

Gurusthan. Halfway along this path, the route kinks right and then immediately left. Baba would often pause at this corner, which was where his devotee Balaji Pilaji Gurav lived. A small shrine enclosing a pair of padukas now marks the spot where he would stand. Baba would sometimes also stop further down the lane and stand in a similar posture to the god, Vittal. There is now a Vittal Temple in that same place.

At the bottom of the lane we turn right, and within a few metres, come to a small temple on the left opposite the post office. This is one of the oldest temples in Shirdi. It is dedicated to Sri Kanifnath, one of the nine leaders of the Nath cult. A distinguishing feature of the Naths is the maintenance of a dhuni. Baba used to pass the temple every day, giving rise to conjecture that he had some connection with the place and therefore incorporated it into his routine. From the Kanifnath Temple we turn right along the main road and make our way to Lendi, again on the right. Now the area is peppered with small stalls selling trinkets and snacks, but in Baba's time it would have been virtually empty. Arriving at Lendi we 

                                                       

Sri Saibaba on the way to Lendi, c.1911-12
(left to right: Nana Nimonkar, Sai Baba, Bhagoji Shinde, Gopalrao Booty, Nana Chopdar)