Annadanam Photos
TAX ID #
25-1584149
Shirdi Sai Saba Temple
Pittsburgh, PA
Annadanam
Stories of Baba Baba’s Food:
Sri Sai Baba used to have very little food, which he got from the two or three regular houses he used to visit for Bhiksha. The whole food was collected and kept in a Kundi (a vessel of clay) from where anybody including the dogs, cats, crows, etc. could take the food. After some years, Baba started cooking the food in the Masjid. He used to go to the market in Shirdi with Madhav Fasle and buy grains, flour, salt, chilies, cumin seed and coconut. He used to grind the spices Himself. In the courtyard of the Masjid He made a Bliatti (a fireplace made of clay on which the food is cooked). Baba had two Handees, one a big one and the other a smaller one. In one Handee food was prepared for about 100 people and in the other for about 500 people. This Handee is still kept in the Samadhi temple. Baba sometimes prepared sweet rice, pulao and Chhachh (a cooling drink made from milk) and distributed it among the devotees. He always mixed Gur and sugar in food and sometimes put his hand in the boiling food in the Handee and stirred it. When food was ready, He first offered it to Allah, and then distributed it to the devotees who were present there. Those people were very lucky who got to have the food served by Baba Himself. It is believed that this food gave spiritual bliss to the devotees. Sri Sai Baba always said that donation of food is the best form of donation. Whenever someone comes to you asking for food, give him your food also. By this Sri Hari will be very happy with you. Before you start eating, you should first serve the food to the poor, helpless and disabled people followed by the others around you and finally to your relatives.
If you give anything to someone, God will repay you.