India, Jan. 20 -- Revered by thousands of Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Zoroastrian devotees, Shirdi Sai Baba was known to be an Indian saint, Satguru, fakir (vowed to poverty and devoted to God), and spiritual master. Recently residents of Maharashtra's Shirdi, believed to be the birthplace of Sai Baba and had observed a bandh in response to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's acknowledgement that Pathri in Parbhani was where the 19th century spiritual leader was born. Thackeray had announced a grant of Rs 100 crore for the development of Pathri. Thackeray's move to develop Pathri as a pilgrimage destination has also caused a political row, with theBJPquestioning the timing of the announcement.

Sai Baba is unfathomable and beyond concepti...