Shirdi Bans VIP Darshans

Source: www.mumbaimirror.com
MUMBAI, INDIA, January 28, 2010: The Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust, that manages the shrine, has decided to ban VIP darshan during week days. The decision was taken at a meeting of the trust held at Mantralaya.

VIP darshans at the popular shrine has been a contentious issue because devotees regularly faced inconvenience when their queues were stopped to enable politicians and other bigwigs to offer their prayers first. The trust has now decided that paid darshan, in which devotees can pay a fee to jump the regular queue, will be allowed on Saturdays and Sundays between 9 am and 12 noon.

On a regular day, over 100,000 people visit the shrine, which is the second richest in India. On holidays and weekends, the number goes up to 500,000, and during festivals it exceeds 800,000. Though most devotees are from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, a large number come from other parts of the country. The shrine has been attracting devotees from abroad as well.

It has also been decided that the number of devotees who will be able to avail of the paid darshan will be limited to 10 per cent of the total number of people waiting in the queue, said Jayant Sasane of the trust. “Our intention is not to generate revenue but to avoid inconvenience to ordinary devotees,” added Sasane. VIPs holding up queues of the regular devotees has been perennial bone of contention. It is estimated that every VIP visit holds the queue for at least 15-20 minutes - not a pleasant experience for pilgrims, some of whom wait for five to six hours before getting close to the saint’s samadhi. During holidays, the temple town is so packed with pilgrims that no accommodation is available at hotels and charity hostels.