Shirdi, Hindu Pilgrimage in India

Shirdi, Hindu Pilgrimage in India

SHIRDI FACTS & FIGURES

Location: Ahmednagar district, Maharashatra , India
Best time to Visit: June to August (Monsoons)
Significance: Samadhi Mandir, Guru Sthan, Khandoba Temple, Dwarkamai.

Shirdi is the mystical town fragrant with the devotional intensity that sees devotees from across the world thronging to this small hamlet. Highly placed on the world map of spirituality, Shirdi is located in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra and close to the holy city of Nasik.

The Past

Saibaba is believed to have arrived at the village of Shirdi when he was about sixteen years old. He took up residence in a Khandoba temple, where a villager (Mahalsapathi) at worship first called him Sai ("saint"). Bearing an extremely simple and ascetic life, Sai Baba lived in the village as a mendicant monk. His inherent charisma soon began attracting followers. He has been attributed numerous miracles which still live expanding the list of his devotees. Today Saibaba temples are all across India and even beyond. Devotees have established Sai temples in countries like Canada and Cuba.

Temples in Shirdi

Samadhi Mandir

Samadhi Mandir of Shri Sai Baba was actually owned by a millionaire from Nagpur, a famous Sai devotee Shreemant Gopalrao. Gopalrao wanted to keep an idol of Murlidhar here. However, Baba himself became Murlidhar and the Mandir became the Samadhi Mandir of Baba. The Mandir is built with stones and Baba's Samadhi is built with white marble stones.

Dwarkamai

Shri Sai Baba came to Shridhi with a marriage procession. He stayed at Dwarkamai till the very end of his life. Dwarkamai is situated on the right of the entrance of Samadhi Mandir. Here he solved problems of the people, cured their sickness and worries. Before Baba's arrival in Shridhi, Dwarkamai was an old mosque in a dilapidated condition. Baba turned it into Dwarkamai and proved that God is one. The main attraction of this place is the oil painting of Shri Sai Baba sitting in a carved wooden shrine. This level also has the grinding stone and the wooden vessel called Kolamba in which Baba used to keep the Bhiksha brought from the village.

Gurusthan

Sai Baba first came to Shirdi in the form of Bal Yogi - a child ascetic He was first spotted seated under a Neem tree. This place came to be known as Gurusthan. The Gurusthan was renovated on 30th September, 1941. After this the present temple was built. There is a small shrine in Gurusthan.

Lendi Baug

At some distance from Gurusthan there is the Lendi Baug. This Baug was made and watered daily by Baba himself. It got its name from a Nalla (a drain) which used to previously flow there. Baba used to come here every morning and afternoon and rest under a Neem tree. Baba dug a pit, 2 feet deep, under the Neem tree and kept a Deep(earthen lamp) lit in that pit. One octangular Deepgriha called Nanda Deep has been built in marble stone in memory of this place.
At the entrance of the Baug are the Samadhi's of ardent Sai devotees Tatya Kote Patil, Bhau Maharaj Kumbhar, Nanavalli and Abdul Baba.

Khandoba Mandir

This temple is situated on the main road. In front of this temple

Festivals in Shirdi

Festivals are great time to visit Shirdi of Saibaba. There are three major festivals that are held in Shirdi attracting thousands of devotees from across the world.
Ramnavami : March/April
Guru Purnima : July
Shirdi Vijayadashmi (Sri Sai Punyatithi): October
All these festivals have their special distinction to them in the way they are celebrated in the other parts of India. The distinction is the association of Saibaba himself which add to these festivals all new and exciting verve to them.

How to Reach Shirdi

By Air : Nearest airport is Aurangabad.

By Rail : Nearest railhead is Kopargaon, 15 kms. on the Manmad-Daund section of Central Railway.

By Road : Mumbai-Shirdi, 296 kms. (Mumbai-Nashik-Niphad-Yeola-Shirdi) Nashik-Shirdi 112 kms. Aurangabad-shirdi 126 kms. (Aurangabad-Vaijapur Yeola-Kopargaon-shirdi) Pune-Shirdi, 183 kms. (Pune-Kalamba-Sangmner-Talegaon-Shirdi)