I am an atheist from my childhood. I never felt the need for worshipping and having faith in God. I thought all my progress and good life was because of my atheism and rational thinking in life.

On 2nd November 1998 an incident gave birth to unshakable belief in Shri Shirdi Sai Baba. I felt His omnipresence.

I provide horse for wedding. On this fateful day I finished my work and was back home by 11.30 p.m. I had my dinner, spoke to my wife and son and went off to sleep. At quarter past midnight my servant informed me that the horse had broken free of its halter and had runaway.

Immediately, I went in his search on my motorcycle. I searched for four hours; but in vain. I asked scores of people about the whereabout of my horse; but drew a blank. I started panicking.

Then, out of sheer desperation, I don’t know how, almost involuntarily, I prayed fervently to Shri Shirdi Sai Baba. I pleaded with Him and said that, “As You got back Chand Patil’s horse, get back mine.”

The moment I finished my impassioned appeal, I saw a man, clad in a simple white dhoti. I asked him about my runaway horse. He directed me to a bylane and said, “The horse is tied to a post in that lane.” To my tense mind he appeared like an angel or messenger of God. At 3.00 a.m., I entered that deserted lane with some trepidation and hope beating in my heart. I reached the post the man had directed me to, and instantly my eyes filled with tears of joy and relief when I saw my horse there. The almighty has compassion for even atheists and non-believers like me. It did not matter to him that the person had been skeptic and had always doubted His powers, His manifestation, and even His very existence.

This incident is a turning point in my life, now I regularly visit Shri Sai Baba temple every Thursday and go to Shirdi every month. Now I fully acknowledge that all the progress and prosperity in my life is due to God – Sai.

Bow to Shirdi Sai Baba -- Peace be to all.