Police cover for Sai Baba Paduka Darshan

Over a hundred security guardsand hundreds of policeman provide security to ensure peace and order during the one0and-half-day at shirdi shirdi sai baba darshan at campal Panaji. Chairman of the Goa Pradesh Shree Sai Baba Paduka Darshan Sohala Samiti, Anil Counto, said that they are expecting over a lakh devotees to gather at the Bandodkar ground on Sunday, February 22, from all over Goa to catch a glimpse and pay their respects to the Sai Baba Paduka, which will arrive all the way from Shirdi. Suresh Waable of the Saunsthan informed that the paduka will arrive in Goa on February 21at 4 pm, and will be welcomed by chief minister Digambar Kamat at Patradevi along with other cabinet ministers and MLAs. On Sunday, the Paduka Darshan of Shirdi Sai Baba and Bhakti Sammelan will be organised at the grounds at Campal. Governor of Goa S S Sidhu and chief minister Digambar Kamat will be present for the ceremony. Ashok Khambekar of the Shirdi Sai Saunstha said, "The paduka abhishek will take place on Sunday at 6 am. Thereafter, devotees will be allowed darshan up to 12 noon. At 6 pm Saanj aarti will be performed and Sez aarti at 10.30 pm." Dr Ekanth Gadekar said, "At 4.30 pm on February 22 devotees will be offered Mahaprasad. We have made arrangements for 10,000 to stand in a queue at one time for the paduka darshan and 25,000 will be accommodated in the pandal at a time during the darshan." The event is being organised by the Shirdi Sai Saunstha and Goa Pradesh Shree Sai Baba Paduka Darshan Sohala Samiti to celebrate 100 years of the first Sai Baba palki or palanquin that travelled from Dwarka Mai to Chawdi in Shirdi in 1909.