About Sai-Baba

Shirdi is most popular temple in India Maharashtra as it is situated in kopergao at Ahmednagar Districit. It is 185 km from Pune it take around 4 to 5 hours to reach Shirdi. Sai-Baba was born in the village Pathri and parents where Brahmin. At the age of 16 Sai-Baba came to Shirdi and he lived there for 3 years after that he disappeared and again  returned to Shirdi in 1858 the priest of khandoba temple Mhalspati welcomed him and said come Sai after that he was known as Sai-Baba . The religion of Sai-Baba was Hinduism and their philosophy was Bhakti, Yoga, Karma Yoga he was addicted to perishable things and his teaching were Love, Inner Peace, Forgiveness and help others. He was also known as Fakir the attire of Sai-Baba was a long knee-length white kurta and a cloth cap on head.

Sai-Baba started living in a mosque (masjid) and after that he named that place as Dwarkamayi Sai-Baba referred many Saints as his brother one of them is Swami Samarth Maharaj of Akkalkot. Sai-Baba encouraged people to pray Chant God’s name he told Hindus to read Ramayan, Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Vasistha and for Muslims he said to study Quran.

Neem tree

When Sai-Baba first came to Shirdi he was living under a Neem tree he was a young boy at that time he didn’t communicated with any-one no food no water staying alone at night no fear he don’t mind cold and heat but the villagers were wondered about Sai after the miracle he did. Villagers started believing him and Mhalsapati was his first Devotee after that he started to beg for food and water Mhalsapati and other villagers used to visit baba and named him as vaidya. Once Baba was watching the Neem tree and with a smile he said “For so long you gave me cool shade and help me relieve my exhaustion”. Later the villagers shifted the Baba from the Neem tree to a mosque (masjid) nearby and Sai named it as Dwarkamai.

How to get to Shirdi

Shirdi is 185 km away from Pune which take around 4 hours to reach Shirdi. There are few buses which run between these two cities if you need a private cab then book Pune to Shirdi cab at Pawar Travels or you are going to arrive at Pune Airport and need a cab from there book Pune airport to Shirdi cab.

Where to stay at Shirdi

ASHRAMS IN SHIRDI BY SHRI SAI-BABA SANSTHAN TRUST

If you are planning to stay at Shirdi instead of hotels we suggest you to stay at Ashrams because they are cheap and clean the Shirdi Sai-Baba Sansthan trust offers online booking  and manages three more Ashrams DWARAWATI,  NEW BHAKTA NIWAS and SAI ASHRAM  in combination total there are 2400 rooms including A/C and NON A/C rooms  with power backup water supply and electricity Basic rooms starts from Rs 100/-  and A/C rooms starts from Rs 800/-  accommodation in the any above Ashrams cab be booked online .

 What else you can see at Shirdi

a) The Khandoba temple where baba named Sai by Mhalsapati when he return to Shirdi.

b) Gurusthan, where Sai-Baba first lived when his age was 16 under the Neem tree.

c) Dwarkamai, which is actually a (masjid) mosque and where Sai- Baba starting to live and performed most of the miracles such as turning water into oil, saving child and many more.

d) Chavadi, This place will fill your sole with all positive energy.

e) Lendi Garden was a waste land baba was visiting this place to take a walk in morning and Sai-Baba planted two trees Nanda-Deep tree and Peepul tree.

Best time to visit Shirdi

The best time to visit Shirdi is on the festive days Ramnavami(March to April) Guru purnima which comes in July and Vijaydashmi in (September).lakhs of people visit on this day to take Darshan of Sai-Baba this is celebrate with Reading scriptures late night Bhajan puja devotional music and the Samadhi Mandir remains open all the night . Devotional text reading and a Rath cart is decorated of Sai- Baba.

If it is not possible on the above days then visit Shirdi in winters (October – February) winters are the best season to plan a trip to Shirdi. The temperature in winter season varies from 12 to 25 degrees Celsius. The pleasant atmosphere of the place makes every traveller feel good.

Aarti timings at Shirdi

4:00 AM   Temple open

4.15 AM    Bhupali

4:30 AM     Kakad Aarti (morning)

5:00 AM    Bhajan in Sai-baba Mandir

5.05 AM Holy Bath of Shri Sai-Baba (Mangal Snaan) in Samadhi Mandir

5:35 AM Aarti “Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur”

5:40 AM Darshan begins in Samadhi Mandir

9:00 AM Abhishek Puja

8:00 AM, 10:30 AM Satyanarayana puja

11:30 AM Dhuni Pooja with rice and ghee in Dwarkamai

12:00 PM Mid-day Aarti

4:00 PM Pothi (Devotional reading/Study) in Samadhi Mandir

At Sunset Dhoop Aarti

8:30 PM – 10:00 PM Devotional Songs in Samadhi Mandir and other Cultural Programmes (if any)

9:00   PM Chavadi and Gurusthan closes

9:30   PM In Dwarkamai water is given to Baba, a mosquito net is hung and the hanging lamp is lit

9:45   PM Dwarkamai (the upper part) closes

10:30 PM Shej (night) Aarti, after this , a shawl is wrapped around the statue in the Samadhi Mandir, a Rudraksha mala is put around baba’s neck, Mosquito net is hung, and a glass of water kept there

11:15 PM Samadhi Mandir closes after night Aarti

The Abhishek Puja timing is as below.

1St Batch            7.00 AM to 8.00 AM

2nd Batch           9.00 AM to 10.00 AM

3rd Batch          12.30 PM to 1.30 PM

SHANI SHINGNAPUR

Once you are done with Shirdi Darshan you can also visit Shani Shanginapur temple which is about 70 km away from Shirdi situated at Shingnapur village. The shani shinganapur is a door less city everything is open and not even a single theft incident reported over there . Shani occupies the seventh place among the nine planets which govern the world. This is viewed as unlucky in conventional astrology.

Shingnapur is a famous Shani temple and oil is the most important thing for devotes and you can also bring other puja Samagri from shop there is a big huge black rock which symbolizes Shani and pilgrims pour oil on that. The Darshan is short and simple it takes around 1 and a half hour to reach the temple once you are done with your Darshan you can easily roam here and there and can also click beautiful pictures .

If you want to visit Shani Shinganapur temple also by your own private car from Pune then book pune to shirdi taxi package.

Travel trips for Shirdi

• Mobile phones and cameras are strictly not allowed inside the temple.
• Keep your mobile phones bags in the lock room instead of keeping them on shop from where you will buy puja articles.
• You should carry your Adharcards for proof.
• VIP passes are available online at Rs 100/- person and if you want to perform Aarti the cost is Rs 500/- person official website http://www.shrisaibabasansthan.org.
• Normally it takes 2 to 3 hours for Sai-Baba Darshan.
• You can also visit Shani Shanginapur temple from Shirdi.