The animal statues

Tiger statue

On each side of the photo is a statue of an animal - to the right a tiger and to the left a horse. There is a remarkable history behind each of these.
Just one week before Baba's mahasamadhi, a band of travelling dervishes brought a tiger to him which they were exhibiting and thereby earning money. The animal had fallen sick, and is described as "very ferocious". After trying various remedies in vain, the dervishes brought it to see the renowned saint of Shirdi hoping it would be cured by darshan of a mahatma.
The group paid obeisance to Baba and told him about the tiger's condition. "I shall relieve him of his suffering," said Baba. "Bring him here!" The dervishes wheeled the cage into the courtyard of the mosque. The tiger, which was tied up tightly with chains, was taken out for Baba to see.
People watched the unfolding drama first in great apprehension and then in utter astonishment. The tiger approached the steps and stared at Baba, who returned its gaze. It then thrashed its tail on the ground three times, gave out a terrific roar and fell down dead!
The dervishes were dismayed at losing their means of livelihood, but later they were reconciled to it and recognized the tiger's exceptionally good fortune in dying in the presence of a saint. (In India, this is commonly thought to confer moksha, i.e. liberation.) Baba consoled them saying that the tiger was "meritorious" and that it had been destined to die there on that day and had achieved permanent bliss by doing so. "The tiger's debt incurred to you in a former birth is now cleared," said Baba. He also helped the dervishes financially by giving them 150 rupees.
Baba told the dervishes to bury the tiger in front of the nearby Mahadev Temple (one of the three small temples that now lies between the Samadhi Mandir and the Queue Complex) and you can see its samadhi by the Nandi. The statue of the tiger was erected much later (on 12 November 1969), by Sri Tryambaka Rao of Ojar village, in commemoration of this blessed incident.
The story of the horse is equally remarkable, though somewhat milder! The horse was given to Baba in fulfilment of a vow by a horse dealer named Kasam, in about 1909. Kasam's mare had not produced a foal for a long time and so he resolved to give the first-born to Baba if she foaled. This came to pass and Shyam Karni (meaning "black ears", Baba's name for him) became a great favourite with Baba who lavished much love on him. Shyam Karni (also known as Shyam Sunder, "Black Beauty") was an integral part of the Chavadi procession. Extravagantly decorated, he would lead the procession each time. He was present at puja and is also said to have been trained to do namaskar to Baba. Nana Chandorkar hired a man to look after him. One day, when Baba was in the mosque, he suddenly exclaimed in pain, "Oh they're killing that horse! Go quickly and fetch him!" It turned out that the trainer had been beating him severely, but perhaps what is more extraordinary is that when Baba revealed his back, the livid marks of a whipping could be seen on his own skin.
Shyam Sundar outlived Baba; his samadhi is in Lendi Gardens.

The tortoise tile

Tortoise tile

On the floor of the mosque, about two-thirds back from the steps, you will notice a white marble tile with a tortoise carved in relief. The tile is said to mark two things: the place where Shyam Sunder used to bow down to Baba, and the original location of the stone on which Baba sat, which was moved when the mosque was extended after Baba's mahasamadhi. According to Hindu mythology, it is a tortoise which bears the weight of the world on its back. As it is already underfoot, it cannot be defiled by being trodden on, so is an appropriate symbol to use here.