History, Importance, Timings, Architecture, Interesting Facts and Travel Guide of Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, Shirdi, Maharashtra, India
Shri Sai Baba temple located in small village Shirdi of Rahata Taluka of Ahmednagar district in the Maharashtra state of India is one of the most famed temple of Maharashtra and India across the world. Every day more than 30000 devotee and tourist visit here around the year with great devotion towards the saint -Shri Satchidanand Sadguru Sainath Maharaj now well known as Saibaba. Shirdi – Shani Shingnapur – Nasik becomes the popular pilgrimage circuit of Maharashtra with millions of tourist across the world. Shirdi is abode of Shree Saibaba where all the person bow down towards the footprints of Sai Baba. As per the local folklore, Saibaba the mysterious fakir came to Shirdi in his teen age and lived for more than 60 years here which have made Shirdi as holy place and made this town blest, divine power of the place is belongs to the sacred saint who gratified everyone without any discrimination.
The Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Temple premises are spread over an area of 200 square metres where Samadhi Mandir, final resting place of Saibaba is located. The place of his 'Samadhi' has become a center-point for innumerable devotees every day.
Saibaba was lived under Neem tree in the outskirts of Shirdi now known as Gurusthan. Then, Saibaba lived in mosque in Dwarkamai, and then to Lendi Baug. Now all these place are must visit place in Shirdi.
Sai Baba wanted to pass the message that ‘sabka malik ek’, afterwards it becomes a slogan and when people visit that temple they read and speak that slogan repeatedly which gives seclusion of all the fret. Many zealot frequently congregation here from all over the India and abroad as well. Saibaba delivered the universal slogan of Shraddha and Saburi which means Faith and Patience for everyone,
It is a one of the few temple of India where all the people from all the religion are deemed well as one, there is no casteism and a love of self-possession and optimism is prime.
The Abhishek Pooja and Satyanarayana Katha are the key rituals performed in the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Temple. Apart from this, several Aarti, chanting of bhajans etc. performed throughout the day.
Ramnavami, Guru Purnima and Vijayadashami are the main festival in Shirdi Saibaba temple which arec elebrated with great zeal and devotion. Various programmes, bhajans, chanting of devotional texts, processions with the palanquin and Rath arranged in temple campus.
Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust manages various spiritual, social and cultural activities in Shirdi along with managing other sacred place of Shirdi. Trust also manages the accommodation and food facilities for pilgrims. Devotee can have the Shirdi Sai Live Darshan on official website of temple trust - https://www.sai.org.in/en.
Also there are lots of hotels, guest house and restaurants are built to facilitate the tourist.
In August,1918, Sai Baba notified few of his zealot that he would dying soon at the end of September and he got febricity and stopped taking any kind of food and gradually he got degenerated therefor he asked his devotees to do recapitulation of sacred words to him and he carried on to linked up with visitors. On 15 October, 1918, Sai Baba attained samadhi - salvation, but in Shirdi his presence is very real even after 100 years. The correspondence day on that year as Hindu calendar was ‘Vijayadashmi’. That place is known as Shirdi sai Baba temple and Samadhi mandir as well.
Sai Heritage Village, Shri Khandoba Mandir, Shree Sai Baba Chavadi, Dwarkamai, Shirdi Water Park, Baug/Lendi, Garden, Theme Park/Sai Teerth Devotional Dixit Wada Museum etc. are other sacred place of Shirdi. Apart from this Shani Shignapur is just 70 km from Shirdi so devotee plan to cover Shani Dev temple as well during their Shirdi tour.
How to Reach Sai Baba Temple, Shirdi, Maharashtra, India
As Shirdi is very popular pilgrimage destination of Maharashtra with lots of visitors around the year it is very well connected with all major cities of Maharashtra via road, rail and air network. Maharashtra State Transport buses are available from all the major cities like Nashik, Mumbai, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar, Pune etc. to reach Shirdi. Shirdi has major railway junction and airport from you can get train and flight. Shirdi is located at just distance of 85 km from Ahmednagar, 72 km from Shani Shingnapur, 177 km from Bhimashankar, 200 km from Lonavala, 120 km from Manchar, 180 km from Pune, 80 Km from Nasik, 95 km from Malegaon and 240 km from Mumbai.