It was a spine-tingling and hair-rising moment when somebody murmured that Shirdi Sai Baba had given his tooth to somebody and it was kept later in one of the Sai temples in Pune. I saw goosebumps all over my body on hearing this, as I never read about this incident in any of the Shirdi Sai Satcharita books. I am sure none of our friends have had any freak idea about it. My voice reverberates with energy and enthusiasm as to find out what it is all about. Well, I could able to locate that temple in Pune in one of my visits to that city. It is located exactly in the back lane of the Mangalam theatre in Shivaji Nagar. Without difficulty, anyone may reach this place by auto, taxi or own transport. On entering the temple, one can see on one of its walls, a display board which clearly mentions the above incident. All devotees bow their heads in great reverence at the place where the Baba’s tooth was kept in the temple. During that period I could also able to come across an article published on the web in this regard as well as gather valuable information about it. A brief narration is given here from the information mentioned by the author Saisakthi (reference is given at the end of this article).
One lady by name Kashibai (originally from Niphad) used to live in Shirdi along with her one year old son Madhav. For her livelihood she used to work as a labourer in some agricultural field and get daily wages. As nobody was there in the house to look after the little child Madhav, she used to leave her child in the masjid and go for work in the field. On her way back to home in the evening she used to collect the baby boy from the masjid. She used to bow down to Baba every morning and evening. She has no worry at all about the well being of the baby boy in the masjid while she was busy with the field work. This was continued for about 4 years.
After Madhav attained the age of five, Baba used to give him a rupee every day. And this little boy Madhav used to attend some petty jobs in the masjid. The young lady Kashibai knew that Baba was giving amounts varying from Rs.15/- to Rs.50/- to some people on most of the days. One day she politely put a question to Baba “Why are you giving more money to others while my son is getting only one rupee from you when the boy is performing more petty jobs in the masjid”. Baba initially reacted to her words seriously and told her a few points harshly and she left the masjid hurriedly with fear in her face. After two days she was called upon by Baba to the masjid. She was quite nervous and Baba was very kind-hearted. Baba spoke to her lovingly.
After Madhav attained the age of five, Baba used to give him a rupee every day. And this little boy Madhav used to attend some petty jobs in the masjid. The young lady Kashibai knew that Baba was giving amounts varying from Rs.15/- to Rs.50/- to some people on most of the days. One day she politely put a question to Baba “Why are you giving more money to others while my son is getting only one rupee from you when the boy is performing more petty jobs in the masjid”. Baba initially reacted to her words seriously and told her a few points harshly and she left the masjid hurriedly with fear in her face. After two days she was called upon by Baba to the masjid. She was quite nervous and Baba was very kind-hearted. Baba spoke to her lovingly.
At that moment, one tooth of Baba had become loose, hence he pulled it out. After tying the tooth in a small piece of cloth along with Vibhuti, he put it in the hands of Kashibai telling her to keep that talisman with her and that it would do quite good for her.
Later, Madhav grew up and was known as Madhavrao. After the death of his mother he settled at Niphad. Baba once ordered Madhavrao in a dream that “a person will come to you and you should give him the talisman tied around your arm to him”. Shri Nikam came to Madhavrao’s house at Niphad on the next morning. Madhavrao had earlier met Nikam a few times while in Shirdi.
The way Madhavrao dreamt, Nikam also got a dream and consequently both met each other at Niphad. Both the devotees of Baba confirmed their dreams with each other, and the talisman was handed over by Shri Madhavrao to Shri Nikam.
Later, Madhav grew up and was known as Madhavrao. After the death of his mother he settled at Niphad. Baba once ordered Madhavrao in a dream that “a person will come to you and you should give him the talisman tied around your arm to him”. Shri Nikam came to Madhavrao’s house at Niphad on the next morning. Madhavrao had earlier met Nikam a few times while in Shirdi.
The way Madhavrao dreamt, Nikam also got a dream and consequently both met each other at Niphad. Both the devotees of Baba confirmed their dreams with each other, and the talisman was handed over by Shri Madhavrao to Shri Nikam.
The talisman containing the tooth of Baba was with Shri Nikam for many years. Later he has handed it over to the temple at Shivaji Nagar in Pune. In 1950, Saidas Mandal was established to take care of the temple. Baba’s tooth was kept in talisman and placed below the Padukas of Shri Shridi Sai Baba in this temple.
During July 1961, the Panshet dam broke because of heavy rains and most parts of the Pune city were under flood water. The Sai temple at Shivaji Nagar in Pune was on the banks of the river Mula-Mutha and the flood water rose to a level of about twenty feet above the temple. By the grace of Baba the temple withstood from the flurry of flood water. After the clearance of the mud and water in the temple area a small tin shed was erected for the daily worship of Baba. While digging the earthen material full care was taken to recover the silver casket that contained the sacred tooth of Baba. Reconstruction work of the temple was started in 1973 and completed within a year. An idol of Sri Sai Baba that adorns the temple to this day was donated by the Rasane family. The Kalash Sthapana and Paduka Sthapana ceremonies were conducted by H.H. Radha Krishna Swamiji. The silver casket was opened and the sacred tooth of Shri Sai Baba was magnanimously kept open for a blissful public darshan for 15 days. It was later packed into silver casket and then encased in a copper capsule and placed under the padukas by H.H. Radha Krishna Swamiji in the presence of a large gathering.
A photo of the temple as seen from the road beside is appended within this post.
In this context it is put forwarded a well known fact that teeth play an important role in speech production. Speech may be defined as a complex psycho-physiological process for putting thoughts into words and organizing these words into an orderly sequence. The teeth, in conjunction with lips and tongue, play a part in the articulation of consonants by air-flow obstruction and modification (Johnson and Sandy, The Angle Orthodontist, Vol.69, 1999).
Baba once gave assurance to some of his devotees saying that “Though I be no more in flesh and blood (physical body), I shall ever protect my devotees”. And lo! The noble and princely sacred tooth of the Most Benevolent Shri Shirdi Sai Baba that played a role in giving innumerable number of verbal assurances to the devotees is here in the temple in Pune for all of us to pay our most Grateful and Reverential Salutations to it.
Baba may bless all his children to make them visit this temple in Pune during their life-time.
The source for the above story is an article originally written by Shri S.M. Garje in Saileela magazine, January 1976 and rewritten by Saiskthi.
With best compliments to Saisakthi, for writing and sharing the articles at
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