Who was Bayajabai Kote?
Bayajabai Kote was a resident of Shirdi and one of the earliest devotees of Sai Baba. She was the mother of Tatya Kote Patil, who became one of Baba’s closest companions. Her devotion is recorded in Shri Sai Satcharitra, the best-known account of Sai Baba’s life, written in Marathi by Govind Raghunath Dabholkar (Hemadpant).
How did Bayajabai Kote serve Sai Baba?
In the years when Sai Baba was a young fakir who wandered in the fields and woods around Shirdi, Bayajabai would set out every day with a basket on her head, carrying bread and vegetables. She searched the jungle for him, mile after mile, and when she found him she would offer the food and lovingly have him eat.
Sai Baba never forgot this service. He remembered it until his Mahasamadhi, and cared for her son Tatya in return.
This account appears in Chapter 8 of Shri Sai Satcharitra. It is a story of hospitality in its purest form: care offered daily, without expectation, to someone the world had not yet recognised.
Tatya Kote Patil
Bayajabai’s son, Tatya Kote Patil, grew up close to Sai Baba and remained devoted to him throughout his life. The Satcharitra describes how, for many years, Baba, Tatya and the devotee Mhalsapati slept in the Dwarkamai mosque together — a sign of the closeness Baba shared with the Kote family.
The heritage today
Sai Shree Hotel stands on Bayaja Bai Kote Road in Shirdi — the road that bears her name. The hotel draws its identity from her family’s story: that welcoming a guest, feeding them and caring for their comfort is an act of devotion, not merely a service.
Today Sai Shree Hotel is operated by Alaukik Hotels LLP. Whether you come to Shirdi for darshan, for a festival, or with family, we hope you feel something of that original welcome during your stay. Explore our rooms or send us an enquiry.
Sources
- Shri Sai Satcharitra by Govind R. Dabholkar (Hemadpant), English translation by N. V. Gunaji — Chapter 8.
- Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi — sai.org.in