Location : Maharashtra
Tourist Attractions : Samadhi Mandir, Dwarkamai,
Gurusthan
Local Tongue : Marathi, Hindi
STD Code : 02423
Best time to Visit : Throughout the year
About Shirdi
Shirdi in the west Indian state of Maharashtra is the abode of Sai Baba and
considered to be one of the holiest and most revered places of pilgrimage in
the country. A great spiritual centre for people belonging to different
religions, Shirdi is always thronged by devotees who come here to seek the
blessing of Sai Baba. The festivals of Guru Poornima, Ramnavami and Dussehra
are the most important days at Shirdi when the entire city witnesses endless
festivities and celebration. Besides these, a procession is carried out
every thursday where a decorated chariot with an image of the sage is
carried out from the temple. There are a number of attractions in Shirdi,
however, the holy shrine of Sai Baba is the hub of all activity.
About Sai Baba
The great saint Sai Baba is considered to be God incarnate by millions of
his devotees. Though no written records of his birth and parentage are
present, it is believed that Sai Baba was born in Panthri village of
Maharashtra state in 1838. After spending his childhood days in the company
of saints and learned men he moved on to Shirdi sometime during the year
1858. The last years of his life from 1858 to 1918 were spent in Shirdi
until he attained the mahasamadhi on October 15, 1918. Even years after his
death, the place is visited by millions of his devotees which is a testament
of his ever increasing popularity.
Religious Attractions in Shirdi
Samadhi Mandir
The temple which houses the mausoleum of Sai Baba is located in the heart
of Shirdi village. A major centre of pilgrimage for devotees from around the
world, the
temple was constructed by Sri Gopalrao Butty of Nagpur around the samadhi
of Sai Baba. The main sanctum houses a beautiful idol of the sage while the
first floor is adorned with a collection of pictures and other personal
articles belonging to Sai Baba. An assembly hall used to hold gatherings can
accommodate around 600 people.
Dwarkamai
Situated near the Samadhi temple, this is the place where Baba met and
distributed holy prasadam to the devotees. The stone throne or shila
belonging to Sai Baba is located near by while the holy fire lit up by Sai
Baba himself has been kept alive to this day.
Gurusthan
The neem tree located here is the place where Baba first sat and meditated
after coming to Shirdi as a 16 year old boy. The place is held in high
reverence by devotees and worshipers and offerings are made at the place
every thursday and friday.
Khandoba Mandir
The Khandoba Mandir located near the Sri Sainath hospital is another sacred
shrine dedicated to the Sai Baba. Another nearby attraction is the Lendi
Baug, a garden which is supposed to have been watered and taken care of by
Sai Baba himself.
Tourist Services at Shirdi
A number of free and paid services for tourists and devotees are available
at Shirdi which include the tourist reception centre at S.T bus stand,
medical facilities at Sainath hospital run by the Shirdi Sansthan,
accommodation facilities at the keshav mandir, mangal karyalaya, sai niwas
guest house, sai udyan and shanti niwas.
Stay At
Some of the popular hotels at Shirdi include Hotel Sai Sahavas (3 star
equivalent, situated Opp. Gondkar Complex just 130 km from airport, 19 km
from railway station & 1 km from bus stand), Shraddha Park Inn (3 star,
situated on Pimpalwadi Road just 144 km from airport), Hotel Sai Leela (3
star, situated on Pimpalwadi Road just 16 km from railway station & 0.5
km from bus stand), Sun-N-Sand Hotel (5 star, situated in Kopergaon) and
Hotel Goradia's (4 star, situated in Ahmednagar just 120 km from airport &
60 km from railway station).
Getting There
By Air : Shirdi village is located in Rahata, district
Ahmednagar in the state of Maharashtra. The nearest airport is located at
Aurangabad, which is connected with Shirdi through regularly plying state
transport buses and private taxis. A daily flight between Delhi and
Aurangabad departs Delhi at 13:00 and arrives Aurangabad at 16:40.
By Rail : The nearest railhead is located at Manmad (60
Km), which is well connected with other Indian cities through regular
trains. Daily trains between Delhi-Manmad are the ASR DR Exp, Jhelum Exp,
Punjab Mail, MNGLA LKSDP Exp, Karnataka Exp and Goa Exp. Another convenient
railhead is Nasik.
By Road : Shirdi is just a six hour drive from Mumbai.
There are several ways to reach Shirdi from Mumbai. While taxis can be hired
to reach Shirdi another option is to board a train upto Nasik and hire a
taxi from there to reach Shirdi. Direct buses are also available between
Mumbai and Shirdi.
Distance from Major Cities
Mumbai : 296 Km
Aurangabad : 126 Km
Ahmednagar : 97 Km
Nasik : 112 Km
Pune : 183 Km
