Shri Upasani Maharaj
Shri Sadguru Upasani Baba Maharaj was born at Satana, in District Nashik on 15th May, 1870. He constantly felt from his young age that his life is not meant for wordly affairs and always longed to undertake strict penance so as to establish commune with God Almighty by attaining self-realization so as to understand the difference between the mortal body and the Atman which can establish the real contact with God. While visiting various places in search of Guru, Shri Upasani Baba stayed at Shirdi for four years at the instructions of SHRI SAI BABA, his ADHYATMIK GURU.
During these four years 1910 to 1914, he undertook severe penance under the guidance of his famous Guru Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi, who blessed him with all his yogik powers and guided in attaining Self-realization. Thereafter Shri Upasani Baba spent about a year at Nagpur and Kharagpur in West Bengal under a crowded glory. He was finally advised by Shri Sai Baba his Guru, to settle down at Sakuri in the year 1916. His first habitation, relics of which are still to be seen today, was a small hut (Zopadi) built on a cremation ground at the outskirts of the village Sakuri.
Those days, generally in society the girls were not given equal rights/opportunities to learn Sanskrit, Vedik chants. Shri Upasani Baba, a visionary, established an institution for young girls (Kanyas) who were trained in Sanskrit, vaidik scripture, who were then capable of doing Yangyas. This is the unique institution in India giving such type of training to Kanyas.
In a few years Sakuri with pouring in of devotees from far and wide gave rise to a number of small houses, all of which now constitute what is commonly known as "Upasani Ashram" or "Shri Upasani Kanya Kumari Sthan".
Shri Upasani Baba took Samadhi on 24th December 1941 at Sakuri.