Rang7 Guides
Rang7 members have created & contributed 308 Destinations, 77 Festivals, 47 Monuments, 39 National Parks and 58 Other Guides. Go ahead and Explore now!
Shirdi
[ Edit ] Overview
Shirdi is synonymous with Sai Baba, the fakir saint. This tiny sacred town near Nasik was where Sai Baba was first spotted under a neem tree in deep meditation. The town is surrounded by an aura of spirituality and mysticism and attracts many followers.
Sai Baba came to Shirdi when he was 16 years old along with a marriage procession. But he stayed back in this little town and first took up residence in a Kandoba Temple where a villager respectably called him ‘Sai’ meaning Saint. Throughout his life he taught people the values of love, compassion, patience and worked for the upliftment of the poor. Sai Baba is believed to have stayed at Shirdi for 80 years. Today people come here in large numbers each day to pay homage to him at various temples in Shirdi.
[ Edit ] History
Quick Facts
[ Edit ] State
[ Edit ] Location
In Ahmadnagar district.
[ Edit ] Best Time To Visit
September to April
[ Edit ] Tourist Offices
Maharashtra Tourism development Corporation, Paryatan Bhavan, Golf Club, Old Agra Road, Nasik- 422002.
[ Edit ] STD Code
02423
Sightseeing
[ Edit ] Chavadi Mandir
This is the Mandir where Baba slept on alternate nights. It contains a bed and white chair used by him.
[ Edit ] Cottage of Abdul Baba
The house is where Baba‘s friend Abdul Baba used to live. Right opposite the Chavadi mandir, the descendants of Abdul Baba dust the holy Koran and portraits of both friends with peacock feathers and sprinkle holy dust over visitors who come here.
[ Edit ] Dwarkamai
Dwarkamai is located at the right of the entrance of the Samadhi Mandir. Sai Baba stayed at Dwarkamai, a mosque, till the end of his life. The mosque has oil paintings of the sage. There is a sacred fire called ‘dhuni’ lit by the Baba that still burns here and its ash is smeared on the devotees’ forehead. A grinding stone and wooden vessel called ‘kolamba’ which Baba used to carry are also kept here.
[ Edit ] Guru Sthan
Sai Baba was first seen sitting under a Neem tree and the place was called Gurusthan. Later a temple was built at this spot which was renovated in 1941. This neem tree is where many devotees have been cured of their ailments.
[ Edit ] Lendi Baug
The park was made and tended to by Baba. Sai Baba lit an earthen lamp here called Deepgriha which is today enclosed in a glass pit to keep it burning. Lendi Baug also has a Samadhi of Shyamsunder, a horse that would bow whenever he passed Sai Baba.
[ Edit ] Samadhi Mandir
The temple was owned by Shreemant Gopalrao a Sai devotee from Nagpur. The temple itself is built with stones but Sai Baba’s Samadhi is built with white marble and is surrounded by ornamentally decorated railings. In 1954 Balaji Vasant sculpted a marble idol of Sai Baba sitting on a throne. This sculpture is seen inside the temple. Within the temple there is a hall for about 600 people and the first floor has a gallery of pictures depicting the life of the saint.
On Thursdays a special aarti is performed at the temple. Queues to attend this puja are very long and take more than 3 -4 hours.
Planning a Trip
Getting There
[ Edit ] Air
The nearest airports are Mumbai at 296 km, Pune at 185 km or Aurangabad at 125 km.
[ Edit ] Rail
Manmad on the central railways is the nearest railway station. From Manmad station regular bus and taxi services are available to Shirdi
[ Edit ] Road
From Pune, Shirdi can be reached via the Nasik-Pune National Highway 50. From Mumbai take the Nasik-Mumbai National Highway 3 via Igatpuri and Goti and then turn on to Pune-Nasik National Highway 50 to reach Shirdi.
[ Edit ] Getting Around
[ Edit ] Other Information
[ Edit ] Shopping
[ Edit ] Food
Sai Baba Sansthan in Shirdi, close to the temple serves a simple breakfast to all visitors. Shirdi is a vegetarian town. Non vegetarian food is not allowed here. Alcohol is strictly banned in Shirdi.
[ARCHIVES ]
