One Adam Jan Pathan who lived in Korhale had a burning desire to build a Sai Baba Mandir. His grandfather Abdul Jan Pathan was closely associated with Baba and it was Baba who told him to reside in Korhale. His Descendants still live in Korhale. Korhale village is about 12 Km west of Shirdi. Around July of early 19th century he decided to go ahead and build a small temple in memory of his grandfather. He approached the Gram Panchyat and they gave him a small piece of land close to the main road entering the village. Now he needed money to purchase the building materials.

Adam worked in Sun and Sand Hotel and took up a donation drive. But all he could collect was a very small sum. At that time he was very close to an ‘old Baba' devotee named Smt.Varija Prabhu. He told her about his plan and about the lack of funds. Smt.Varija Prabhu was very impressed that a Muslim devotee wanted to build Baba's temple. Hence she gave him 3 months of her pension money which was around Rs.10,000. Her daughters Sai Bhakta Smt. Vinny Chitluri and Smt. Ashalatha also contributed the money and work was started. There was no water in the village and the lake had dried up. The task of leveling the land and building a structure on it was quite a formidable task indeed. Gurupurnima was about a week away and Adam was determined to celebrate Gurupurnima in the temple. So all the young lads of Korhale village got together and started building a Clay hut. They had enough money to plaster the interior with cement and they worked day and night and the temple was standing. Gurupurnima was a three day celebration and on the first day ‘Akhand Sai Satcharitra Parayan' was held. The festival was a grand success with Annadaan and ‘Palkhi procession'.

In 1998 when Sai Bhakta Smt.Vinny Chitluri was collecting material for “Ambrosia in Shirdi” she read in an old Sai Leela Magazine that there were padukas of Baba, somewhere near Narasimha Lodge. This fact was confirmed by Amrut Rao Gondkar. [Grandson of Vaman Rao Gondkar]. Baba used to take ‘Bhiksha' from this house.

In days gone by Shirdi was not a flat terrain but had numerous small hillocks. It was on one of these hillocks that Baba stood and from his Jholi he took the food collected and fed the cats, dogs and birds. In fact the dogs and cats survived on Baba's bhiksha. Blessed were these animals who the Parabrahma fed on a daily basis.

Sri.Sada (Sadanand S Ghode) and Sai Bhakta Smt.Vinny Chitluri searched for the Padukas but the area was full of rubble. One day as they were returning from the Dwarkamai, Sada pointed to the wall of the Lodge and said, “This must be the temple housing the Padukas, as the structure above looks like a temple”. Smt.Vinny was aghast to hear this, as it was at ground level, and embedded in the wall of the Lodge. Nonetheless he removed the rubble and there were the Padukas. So they started doing some puja with incense sticks and abhishek. The owners of the Lodge provided some lighting and the nearby shop keepers lit incense sticks daily.

On the 6th of May 2004, the Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan, set about widening the “ Palkhi Road ”. The front portion of Narasimha Lodge was slated to be broken. In that portion the Padukas were partly embedded in the wall. They were very concerned lest they be damaged or broken. They had asked the Purohit what had to be done if such a thing happened.

For three days they stood nearby waiting and watching. Finally the bulldozers came and tore down the wall. What seemed like a ton of bricks fell on the Padukas. That evening Adam and Vinny were standing close by. What followed left everyone speechless. Three young men who were the descendents of Shakaram Shelke came over to them and handed over the Padukas.

They got a van and took them to Korhale. There abhishek and daily puja was done. Now they had to build a temple as they couldn't keep the Padukas lying there. They had to do Pran prathista. So they had to build a proper temple, got a “Muhurat” for Gurupurnima. Gurupurnima was three months away. Day and night the work was being done. Finally on Gurupurnima Day in the year 2004, Baba came to the temple in the form of his Padukas.

The Padukas are over a hundred years old. Unlike most Padukas they are not raised, but etched in the stone. It looks as though when Baba stood on the stone, the sculptor etched the contour of his feet on the stone. They are the original Padukas of Baba. In front of the Padukas, there is a small hollow cup like structure. It is said that Baba during his Bhiksha rounds stood there and fed the birds, crows and dogs, from the food collected. He then poured the liquid collected in that hollow cup. Sometimes he poured water in it so that the birds could drink it.

Unfortunately, soon after the inauguration Adam died. Because of his untimely death Sada who was a silent worker was asked to look after the temple.

The temple is about 12 kilometers from Shirdi. Transportation is not readily available to this place. Hence, one has to on his own vehicle or hire a vehicle or an auto on a “to and fro” basis.

Every year at Ram Navami there is a steady stream of Paad Yatris from Mumbai and Pune. The youngsters used to make tea throughout the night. Finally there was no milk left, and the shops were closed. So these enterprising young lads went to various homes and milked the cows and got the milk. Because the Trust believes that the Tea should to be made of milk with lots of sugar, so the Paad Yatris, can happily walk the last 12 Km to Shirdi. They also give them snacks for the way.

The temple welcomes everyone, and many ascetics stay on the premises for 7 – 15 days. This is to do Parayan of the Shri Sai Satcharitra and other religious texts. They are given tea and simple meals are served to them. Many stay, and wounded dogs and cats have found refuge in the premises. Many villagers leave them there. Daily crows, birds and a cow are fed.

The Trust Members go personally to Mumbai during Ram Navami every year with First Aid, medicines, and an Ambulance and render service to those pilgrims walking from Mumbai to Shirdi.

The village has a lot of snakes and scorpions Those patients bitten by the reptiles are brought by the temple volunteers to be admitted at Shirdi. They also help in getting the anti venom vaccines for these patients.

The Trust works closely with The Primary Health Center. Many villagers suffer from Tuberculosis. The volunteers take them to the D O T S. Center collect the medicines, and see that it is taken on time, they also bring the patients for their check-ups if they are unable to do so.

There are many children of migrant workers and labourers. Often the parents work as labourers. Hence many children are undernourished and not looked after properly by their parents. The young lads are encouraged by the Trust Members to take courses at the Shirdi ITI so that they can graduate as Electricians, Welders & Plumbers.

In keeping with Baba's Teachings, there is emphasis on Annadaan. School children are often given milk and snacks on many occasions.

A few years ago the village well which is the primary source of drinking water was contaminated with Cholera bacteria. The villagers started getting dehydrated the Primary Health Center started treatment but many of them needed intravenous fluids. The villagers were not ready to be admitted at Shirdi. So the center started administrating intravenous fluids to them. At that time they used the temple as an infirmary. The room next to the temple was used to check patients by the visiting doctors of the Shirdi Sansthan. So the youngsters had fixed rods on the ceiling to have different examination rooms for the males and females, and as the Sansthan had stopped coming to the village, these rods were used as I.V. stands. Two patients were laid in one direction and two were laid in the opposite direction the Saline bottles were hung on these bars thus 4 patients were given fluid therapy at the same time.

The doctors were very pleased with the arrangement. At night the doctors that came from Ahmednagar were so pleased with the arrangement that they did not go home for the night. The youngsters gave them a meal at night and innumerable cups of tea. In fact both patients and doctors were well looked after.

Then the disease spread to the neighboring village of Doarhale , and as far as Rahata. But the doctors continued using the temple premises. In fact the villagers asked for their patients to be taken to the temple and the doctors agreed. The doctors told the local news paper about the incident and the Shirdi Local Newspapers like Lokmath and Saromath wrote a beautiful article about the temple and the yeomen service of young volunteers.

Out of the donations received the temple buys school books, schoolbags, pencils and uniforms for many poor children. The Trust encourages the female students to study as much as they can and helps the poor student with the school fees. The female students are encouraged to learn tailoring, and take courses as Beauticians so they can be self sufficient.

The temple had acquired some land in front of the temple. On that land they have built two large halls (separate halls for males and females) and some rooms with all basic facilities. Separate toilets and bathrooms have also been provided. This need arose from the fact that during Ram Navami the temple has about 15,000 Pad Yatris. These Yatris come from as far away as Pune district, Sangamner District and Panvel District and often stay overnight. Hence they have to sleep outside often in inclement weather. This hall named after Sai Mahabhakte Radhakrishna Mayee namely “Radhakrishna Mayee Hall” was built and got inaugurated recently.

Shri Sai Mandir Korhale has taken up the ambitious project of re-construction of the Temple to accommodate more Padayatris who come regularly with their Palanquins from Mumbai to Shirdi.

The River in Korhale Village has totally dried up. Hence, the entire village is facing acute scarcity of drinking water. Hence, Shri Sai Mandir Korhale has started construction of a Well and Underground Water Tank which will help not only people of the village but also animals and birds.

The Temple is registered in Ahmednagar as Shri Sai Baba Mandir Trust, Kohrale, as a Charitable Trust vide Registration No.A1197.

Donations are accepted in cash and kind. Receipts are given and the trust sends every donor a 'Thank You' letter. But no one in the trust is allowed to ask, seek or beg for donations from anybody. If donations are given, the name of the donor would not be written on a plaque, or on the object donated. This rule has been made because the trust members feel that Baba was the donor and receiver and no one can donate anything without Baba’s consent.

Philanthropic Sai Devotees who would like to be part of the noble Social, Cultural, Spiritual activities of the Temple Trust can donate by way of Cash/Cheque/DD/Bank Transfer to the account details mentioned below:

(Source: Sai Bhakta Smt. Vinny Chitluri, Sri.Sada S Ghode and Baba’s Vani by Sai Bhakta Vinny Chitluri)