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Shri Sai Seva Dham
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History of the temple
Goa is situated on the west coast of India and is on the south side of the Ratnagiri District. The Goa State lies between the Sahyadri Mountains on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west. God Parash
Photos
uram donated the whole earth and therefore he felt it quite awkward to stay on the land which he himself had donated. He therefore thought of creating new land for his abode. He thereupon ordered the sea to get back and the land reclaimed in this way came to be known as "Shoorparak". The part of the land situated on the western coast of India and which is known as "Konkan" is the same place which was known as "Shoorparak ' in old days.Goa or Gomantak as it is also known is like the curved, phase of the moon in the first quarter of the month. For administrative purposes, Goa is divided into eleven Taluks, out of which one is known as Dicholi. In this Taluk there is a village known as Pilgaon and Sai devotees will be pleased to know that Sainath Maharaj has reached this remote place. Of course, for a yogi like Sainath Maharaj nothing is remote. However, this is only the viewpoint of us ordinary human beings.Pilgaon is at a distance of about five Km. from Dicholi. Pilgaon is connected to Sawantwadi, Panjim, Walpai, etc. by bus. There is an institution known as Shri Sai Sevadham in Pilgaon. One Sai devotee Shri Pandurang Ganu Shirodkar carved an idol of Shri Sai Baba according to the instructions of Shri Vishnu Govind Sainekar and it was installed in the hall of Shri Sai Sevadham on the fourteenth day of the bright half of the month of Falgun in Shaka 1875 known as 'Vijay' (I8th March 1954). This day was selected for the installation because apart from being auspicious, it was the favorite day of the week of Shri Sai Baba, viz. Thursday.The usual Pooja and Aarti were started in the temple and Bhajan was being performed there on every Thursday. However, on Pournima (full-moon day) in the month of Ashadh in Shaka 1880 (July 1958), the Guru Pournima festival was started in Shri Sai Sevadham. This festival was followed by the 'Punyatithi' festival of Shri Sai Baba on the Vijayadashmi day in the same year (21st Oct. 1958). The attendance at these festivals encouraged the organizers to go ahead and other festivals like Ramnavami were also introduced in due course. In this way the festivals at Pilgaon went on gaining ground and most of the important festivals which are celebrated at Shirdi are now being celebrated at Shri Sai Sevadham. The spread of devotion to Shri Sai Baba is thus being done at Pilgaon through Shri Sai Sevadham. The daily Aarti and the Bhajan on Thursdays is being continued as before.On the Vijayadashmi day in Ashwin of Shaka 1894 (17-l0-72 A. D.) the institution was named as Shri Sai Sevadham by Shri Govind Rameshwar Sainekar and the flag on the temple was hoisted by one Sai devotee Shri Pandurang Ganu Shirodkar. It will therefore be seen that all these eighteen years (1953 to 1972) the institution was run by the original founders without having any constitutional background.Now on establishing a regular institution, all the usual office bearers had to be elected. Hence Shri Yashwant Ramchandra Pilgaonkar was elected as Chairman, Shri Gajanan Rama Gaokar took the Secretaryship and Dadu Bablo Parulkar took charge of the treasury. Ten other members were elected on the Managing Committee and the Committee started working in right earnest. It is the ardent wish of the Managing Committee and all the people of Pilgaon village that the devotion to Shri Sai Baba and His teachings should spread far and wide and hence this first Managing Committee as well as the subsequent Committees have been very busy in managing the affairs of the institution with that end in view The celebration of every Thursday of the week is undertaken by different persons and everyone vies with the other in making his celebration more pompous. Subscriptions are being collected and promptly paid in Goa and outside. It is noteworthy that the Sai devotees in Bombay are paying their subscriptions very liberally. At the time of the Punyatithi festival in 1970, the subscription collected in Bombay was quite conspicuous and it reflects on the charitable disposition of the people staying in Bombay. The amount that is saved after meeting the normal expenses is set aside and deposited in the building fund. The managing committee has assured all donors that every paisa of their donation will be spent properly for furthering devotion to Shri Sai Baba. It is a dream of the managing committee to erect a magnificent temple at Pilgaon on the site of the present temporary one and they have every hope that Shri Sai Baba will fulfill their dream very soon.At the time of the Punyatithi festival every year, prasad is provided by Shri Gopi Rama Usapkar and his brothers. The well known Bhajan Mandals of Goa give their programmes on the day without taking any remuneration.On the Vijayadashmi day in October 1974, a magnificent painting, measuring 6 ft. by 3 ft, was installed at Pilgaon. One famous artist Shri Anant Gavde, painted this beautiful portrait with his magic brush. This portrait resembles very much the one which is seen in the Dwarkamai at Shirdi, which was painted by the famous artist Shri Jayakar. Shri Pandurang Ganu Shirodkar, who resides in Bombay, is a very active worker of the institution and he devotes all his time for the work of the institution.The work of Shri Sai Sevadham is increasing day by day. More and more devotees are coming and joining the fold of Shri Sai Baba. As Lord Shri Krishna told Arjuna in Mahabharat that He (Lord Krishna) is doing all things and Arjuna is a mere visible instrument of the happenings, similarly Shri Sai Baba is goading the managing committee to spread the devotion.Just as there is a Kashi in the North and another in the South, similarly at present Pilgaon is also taking the shape of the Shirdi of South. So long as the managing committee-is doing their work devotedly, Shri Sai Baba is bound to shower His favors on them. By His favor, we may come to know very soon about the erection of a magnificent Sai Temple at Pilgaon in Goa.
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 LOCATION
 ADDRESS
Shri Sai Seva Dham,Pilgaon, Dicholi Taluk,Goa 403403,india.
 TIMING
Opening Time: 6:00AM,Closing Time: 9:30PM.Abhishekam,Bhajan/Kirtan/ Vocal Music etc., Dhuparti (Evening Aarti), Holy Bath of Shri Saibaba, Kakad Arthi (Morning Arthi), Madhyanha Aarti (Noon Aarti), Reading of Shri Sai Satcharitra, Shejarti (Night Aarti).
 CONTACT
not available
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