Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan Won't Auction Victoria Empress Gold Watch Found In Dwarkamai

Shirdi: A gold watch with Queen Victoria's image found by the security personnel of Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi, has become a topic of discussion.

While the trust has appealed whoever has misplaced this unique timepiece to collect it, some villagers are demanding that the valuable watch be put up on auction. However, Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust CEO Goraksh Gadilkar has clarified to ETV Bharat that the watch will not be auctioned.

Thousands of devotees from across the country and abroad come to Shirdi every day to for darshan. After visiting Saibaba's samadhi, devotees also go to Dwarkamai, where Baba spent his entire life as a fakir. On 21 May, two women security guards of the trust, Ranjana Kumbhar and Rashid Sheikh, found a gold watch worth Rs two lakh near the sacred stone in Dwarkamai, where Saibaba used to sit during his lifetime.

The watch has an image of Queen Victoria with 'Victoria Empress' engraved on it. The security personnel handed it over to their security officer, who in turn submitted it to the trust. After this, the trust asked devotees to collect the timepiece after proving their identity. However, since nobody had approached to collect the watch even after 10 days, a demand was raised on social media for putting up the watch on auction.

"This watch found in Saibaba's Dwarkamai will not be auctioned. We will wait for another 8 to 10 days for its owner. If he/she does not come to collect the watch, it will be kept safe in the Sansthan's locker. In case the owner comes in the future, the watch will be returned after he submits proof. If valuable items of devotees are found at the temple premises, these are deposited with the Sansthan. If nobody comes forward, then those are kept in the Sansthan's locker. The Sansthan does not auction the items found in the temple area. It is only the items placed in the donation office and hundi that are auctioned because devotees had offered those to Saibaba," Gadilkar tod ETV Bharat.

Regarding the ongoing discussion on social media about the gold watch, ETV Bharat contacted Pramod Gondkar, a villager from Shirdi. "The Saibaba Sansthan tried to reach out to the devotee who lost the watch. However, if he/she does not come to collect the watch, then the trust should auction it along with other unclaimed items. Also, they should issue a press note describing all the valuables that are to be auctioned," Gondkar said adding, the unique timepiece can fetch around Rs 3 to 4 lakhs if auctioned.

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