Shri Gajanan Maharaj, a mystic saint was first seen by people on 23rd February 1878 in Maharashtra who entered ‘Maha-samadhi’ on September 8th 1910. In a short period of 32 years, he enlightened many people by his legendary charisma. He is believed to be reincarnation of Lord Dattatreya and falls under the same lineage as Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi and Shri Swami Samarth of Akkalkot.

Shri Gajanan Maharaj birth details and parents are not known. He appeared as youngster in Shegaon (a small village in Maharashtra) on Magh Vadya saptami day in year 1978. Since then this day is widely celebrated as his Pragat din. As per the story of his first appearance in this world, a money lender named Bankat Lal Agarwal first saw Gajanan Maharaj in a "superconscious state" on a street, eating leftover food which was thrown (and thus spreading the message of food is life and food should not be wasted). Sensing him not an ordinary man who needs food to eat but a yogi, Bankat took him home and asked Maharaj to stay with him. Since then he performed many miracles such as averting death, curing leprosy, lighting the clay-pipe without fire, filling a dry well with water, drawing sugar cane juice by twisting canes with his hands and many more to end the suffering of people guiding them on the path of life towards liberation. In the July of year 1910 he announced his disciples of taking samadhi on bhadrapad shukla panchami, popularly known as rishi panchami, the second day of Ganesh Chaturthi. He left the earthly body on the decided day assuring his devotees he will always be alive and hearing his devotees prayers who call him faithfully. Even many years of Samadhi, people still experience his true bliss and charisma.

His samadhi sthan (Temple) in Shegaon, allegorically described as the Pandharpur of Vidarbha is visited by thousands of devotees every day. ‘Sant Shri Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan’ is the largest temple trust in the Vidarbha region highly renowned for its honest management, extreme simplicity and respect for sevadhari devotees where spiritual, medical and social work is done in rural area or needy people. Many devotees have to wait for few years in waitlist queue to get the opportunity to be able to volunteer and serve in the Shegaon temple. On Saturday February 15th, 2020 Shri Gajanan Maharaj 142st Pragat din will be celebrated in Shri Dwarkamai Sai Baba Temple, Billerica . Event is Free and open to all. Event details are as below:

Date: Saturday February 15th , 4pm onwards

Venue: Shri Dwarkamai Sai Baba Temple, 267 Boston Rd #10, North Billerica, MA

Program details: Shri Gajanan Vijay Granth Samuhik Parayan, Shri Gajanan Maharaj Paduka Puja and Upasana, Aarti followed by Palkhi Procession, Cultural Programs and Mahaprasad

Dwarkamai is an nonprofit organization actively engaged in organizing health, social, spiritual workshops and events benefiting all. For more information about the events in Dwarkamai at four locations in New England area please visit https://www.dwarkamai.com.