1 7 ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁S ai ▁B aba ▁is ▁a ▁well - known ▁figure ▁in ▁many ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁world , ▁especially ▁in ▁India , ▁where ▁he ▁is ▁much ▁rever ed . ▁His ▁parent age , ▁birth ▁details , ▁and ▁life ▁before ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁six teen ▁are ▁obsc ure , ▁which ▁has ▁led ▁to ▁spec ulation ▁about ▁his ▁orig ins , ▁and ▁he ▁showed ▁characteristics ▁of ▁both ▁H indu ism ▁and ▁Islam . ▁S ai ▁B aba ▁is ▁rever ed ▁by ▁several ▁notable ▁H indu ▁and ▁S uf i ▁religious ▁leaders . ▁Some ▁of ▁his ▁dis ci ples ▁became ▁famous ▁as ▁spiritual ▁figures ▁and ▁sain ts . ▁ ▁S ai ▁De ek sha ▁▁ ▁S ai ▁De ek sha ▁or ▁S ai ▁M ala ▁D har ana ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁aus p icious ▁spiritual ▁practices ▁observed ▁in ▁And h ra ▁Pr adesh , ▁Mah ar as ht ra ▁and ▁K arn ata ka ▁during ▁the ▁winter ▁season . ▁It ▁is ▁widely ▁observed ▁from ▁January ▁till ▁March . ▁Gener ally , ▁S ai ▁De ek sha ▁is ▁observed ▁for ▁ 4 1 ▁days . ▁It ▁is ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁Mand ala ▁De ek sha . ▁The ▁De ek sha ▁begins ▁at ▁least ▁ 4 1 ▁days ▁before ▁And h ra ▁Sh ird i ▁Var sh ik ots avam , ▁which ▁happens ▁every ▁year ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 7 . ▁Some ▁dev ote es ▁observe ▁ 2 1 ▁days ▁of ▁De ek sha ▁and ▁cul min ate