Sri Sai used to sit underneath a neem tree since He entered Shirdi. One day, Krishnaji had a desire to see the Padukas, sacred foot-prints of Saint Akkalkot Maharaj. Before he could start to Akkalkot, the Swami of Akkalkot appeared in his dream and said, "You need not come to Me now. My present stay is at Shirdi. So you go there and have the darshan". Krishnaji believed that Swami Samarth of Akkalkot and Sai Baba were one and the same. Krishnaji went to Shirdi, stayed for six months and wanted to install the padukas of Sai Baba underneath the neem tree hallowed by Baba sitting under it. Krishnaji was advised by his friend to ask Dr. Rama Rao Kotare to make the padukas. When the blue-print of the foot-prints were shown to Sri Upasani Maharaj, he added lotus, conch-shell, chakra, the disc on them. They got the padukas made in Bombay. Baba ordered that the padukas be installed on the auspicious Sraavana Pournami day.
Dikshit brought the sacred padukas, keeping them on his head, to Dwarakamayi and placed them before Baba who touched them and declared that the padukas were the Feet of God. He gave twenty-five rupees to meet the expenditure to be incurred for the installation of the padukas. Since then, devotees who visit Shirdi wave the camphor-lit lamp and offer sanctified food to the padukas. It is a sacred service to the Lord of the Universe.