April 08, 2014: Thousands of people thronged Onehunga, Auckland, over four days last week as the Shirdi Saibaba Mandir opened its doors to the public.
Twelve years, more than $4.5 million, and countless hours of toil by members of the Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan of New Zealand came to fruition at 12-18 Princess St, as the splendor of the mandir was unveiled to all.
Four days of rituals, pooja and discourses culminated with cultural programmes and Shej Aarti on Sunday.
Discourses were delivered by Dr Bhanu Satpathy, prolific writer, philanthropist, and renowned devote of Shirdi Sai Baba.
Sansthan executives told the Indian Weekender they were delighted with the opening of the mandir and the way the community had responded to make the event so successful.
The Shirdi Saibaba Centre is also available for hire to members of the community. Kitted with commercial kitchen and dining facilities, the venue is suitable for weddings and any other major functions.