Devavtari Sadguru Sant Shri Balumama ( देवावतारी सद्गुरू संत श्री बाळूमामा ) was a shepherd belonging the Kuruba Gowda / Dhangar community. He is considered a saint and has many millions of followers in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. A shepherd, by the very nature of his job has to come in contact usually with people who are at the very low strata of society, whose life is sunk in vices and bad habits. A shepherd cannot remain unaffected by them. Not so Balu-mama, who was not an ordinary shepherd. It was these men of vices and bad habits, who could not remain unaffected by him, their life was completely changed almost beyond recognition by him. He was a practical guide and guide and counsel to them. Their wretched and immoral life was transformed into a civilized and spiritual