Sai Baba was one of the important saints of modern India who lived in the small village of
Shirdi in
Ahmednagar District,
Maharashtra, for sixty years. The small village has now changed itself to a great spiritual center for people from all religions.
Sathya Sai Baba is considered the incarnation of this Muslim saint.
In the beginning of 18th century, a young bearded man took shelter in a mosque, in Shirdi Village. He was a stranger to everyone and did not reveal anything about himself. The villagers started offering food to the man. At times, he shared his food with the animals. Later, he started expressing his viewpoints with a few elderly villagers. Due to his simplicity, clarity of expression and a special power to solve the problems of poor and needy people, he came to be known as Shri Sai Baba. Soon Shirdi Sai Baba's fame spread far and qwide and devotees started flowing to Shirdi.
Sai Baba preached that God is Almighty and that he had given all souls an equal opportunity to reach him, whichever may be the religion they belong to. 'Sai Baba' was the name given to him by his first devotee, Mahalsapathi - 'Sai' means 'Saint' and 'Baba' means 'Father'.
