How to Reach Shirdi?
The sacred abode of Shri Sai Baba at Shirdi is easily accessible from all the corners of India and even from all the major cities of the world. You can reach this pilgrim center by air, train and road, which ever medium that suits you.
By Air: The nearest airport to Shirdi is at Nashik, 75kms away, Aurangabad is at a distance of 150kms, which is connected by all the major towns of India. You can also come till Mumbai by air and travel down to 296kms to reach Shirdi. Mumbai has both international and domestic airports that grant connectivity to the world. Domestic airport in Pune is about 231kms from Shirdi. Mumbai Chatrapati Shivaji International airport is 305 km away from Shirdi. All the major airlines have service from Mumbai to all major cities in India and many cities abroad including Singapore, Hong Kong, Colombo and gulf countries. Taxis are available from Mumbai to Shirdi and costs about Rs 6000. There are regular public and private transport operators that ensure your easy access to the sanctum of Saibaba.
By Rail/Train: Kopergaon on Daund-Manmad Line is an important railway station about 16kms from Shirdi. This station is on the route of the Karnataka Express from New Delhi to Bangalore. Taxi charge from Kopergaon to Shirdi is about Rs 300. Manmad is another important station about 58kms from Shirdi which carries a number trains from Mumbai and Delhi. Shirdi has a computerized Railway Ticket Booking Center within the temple premises. From here you can have railway tickets of whichever destination all through India.
By Road: Shirdi can be reached by taking a Bus from almost all major cities of Maharashtra. Shirdi is well connected to all neighboring cities by Government owned buses. Private A/C and non A/C deluxe buses are also available from Nasik, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune to Shirdi. Bus fare is about Rs 3 to Rs 4 per head. Shirdi is on the Ahmednagar-Manmad Highway, 250 km from Mumbai and 75 km from Nashik. MTDC runs buses from all major destinations.
Hotels in Shirdi / Where to stay in Shirdi?
Devotees of all the status of the society, from every corner of the Nation, use to come to Shirdi for Baba's Darshan. The number of Devotees coming to Shirdi is increasing day by day. The daily average of floating population is almost 25,000. So the demand for accommodation is one of the greatest requirement of these Devotees. Out of the visiting Devotees, the rich can afford to stay in luxurious & costly private star hotels, but common Devotees can't.
Sansthan is taking care of these common Devotees by providing the accommodations at fairly affordable prices. Our accommodations are far better than the private accommodations, if considered on equal parameters. A simple room (non-attached with latrine & bathroom) with common facilities, is available merely at the charge of Rs. 50/-, which can accommodate four person. And the luxurious A.C. suits are also available at the charge of Rs.700/- per day.
The New Bhakta Niwas is the biggest accommodation complex consisting 542 rooms of various categories. It is about 01 Kilometer away, on south of the Mandir Complex, on the Highway itself. Free bus service, shuttling between the New Bhakta Niwas & the Mandir Complex is provided round the clock. This complex is well equipped with the parking space, canteen facility, 24 Hr. water, electricity supply (with full capacity generator back-up) and the security. It is equipped with the solar hot water system.
The Dharmashala Complex is on south-west of the Mandir Complex & on west of the Bus-stand, hardly at the distance of 0.5 Kilometer from S.T. stand. This complex is established in year 2000, mainly to facilitate the devotees coming in major groups. It has big dormitories & large halls to accommodate 15 to 80 people. The average charge, including the common services of latrine & Bath-rooms, is merely Rs.13/- per person. This complex is also well equipped with the facilities like the parking space, canteen facility, 24 Hr. water, electricity supply (with full capacity generator back-up) and the security.
Some Budget Hotels are Shri Keshav Hotel, Laxmi Palace Hotel, Lodhas Hotel, Sai Ashish Hotel, Kuber Inn Hotel, Kalpataru Hotel.
Some Star Hotels are Shraddha Park Inn- Shirdi
Some Luxury Hotels are Sun-n-Sand Shirdi and Goradias Hotel
Resorts are Sanskruti Resort and Jaykadee Resort.
Best Time to Visit Shirdi
Best Time to Visit Shirdi
Monsoons : June to August
Ramnavami : March/April
Guru Purnima : July
Vijayadashmi (Sri Sai Punyatithi) : October
Shirdi is the holy abode of Shri Sai Baba and thousands of pilgrims throng the town each day from across India and beyond. You can visit the Shri Saibaba temple at anytime you wish, however Monsoons i.e., between June and August are the period considered to be the best time to be here. Reason being the weather, which is simply so pleasant and inviting. You don't need to bother about sweat and heat; with drizzling and cool breeze all around your mystical journey to Shirdi becomes heavenly. Winters are also quite a good time to visit Shirdi. Winters are not harsh in here and temperature can dip to 7 degree Celsius.
However, you can plan your trip or pilgrimage to Shirdi during one of the three major festivals that are celebrated here with great fervor and excitement. These three festivals are Ram Navami, Guru Purnima and Vijayadashamai. During these festivals thousands of devotees flock in here and the whole atmosphere of the Shirdi becomes vibrant with puja, bhajan (music), rath yatra (processions with palanquin) and many more events.
You can come to participate in Ramanavami at Shirdi, celebrated every year in March or April. It is also the time when Saibaba's urus is held. Urus is a muslim festival that is celebrated to honor a saint. This shows the kind of communal harmony that weaves people of different faiths at Shirdi. This year that is in 2007, Shirdi is celebrating the Ramnavami from 26th to 28th of March.
Gurupurnima or Full Moon is also a wonderful time to visit Shirdi. In 2007, Shirdi is celebrating Guru Purnima from 28th to 30th July. This is the time devotees all across the world converge in Shirdi to seek Saibaba's blessings. There is also Vyasa Puja that is held during Guru Purnima, in honor of Ved Vyasa who wrote the epic Mahabharata.
Vijayadashmi is a big festival in Shirdi, venerated as a holy day when Shri Saibaba left his mortal body for heavenly abode. The festival is celebrated as Shri Sai Punyathithi in Shirdi attracting great number of devotees from all over the world. This year the festival is celebrated from 20th to 23rd October.
You can choose any of the festive seasons to make a spiritual journey to Shirdi and of course any other time is equally fulfilling.
Shirdi Weather
Climate: Dry Climate
Temperature: Max - 40º C, Min - 7º C
Monsoon: Scanty rains (June - August)
Shirdi is located in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra on latitude 19°45' N and longitude 74°25' E. This pilgrim spot has mostly dry climate and during summers the temperature can be quite volatile. During summers you can expect the temperature shooting as high as 40º C in the month of May. Winters can be cold in Shirdi, with January often showing temperature dipping to as low as 7º C.
Shirdi has the most pleasant weather during Monsoons, between June and August. It is the time when the surroundings of Shirdi turn fecund and greenery is all round. However, Monsoons in Shirdi are mild with scanty rains and hence they come as a pleasant respite that never gets ruined with excess of rains. In fact Monsoons are the best time when you can plan your visit to Shirdi. Amidst the drizzling you can pay homage to Saibaba and participate in all the activities without bothering about sweat.
Weather and overall climate of Shirdi is quite tolerable; however, those hailing from cold countries may find it slightly upsetting if they happen to tread in here in the summer. Wear comfy clothes with cotton fabric. Loose garments are preferable; one must respect India's dressing sense and they should not be offensive to anyone's sensibilities.
Shirdi Excursions:
Pilgrims visit Shirdi to make a mark in their spiritual journey. This holy land becomes a turning point in the lives of many devotees. Coming to this holy land is also an invitation to visit many religious sites that will interest you. About 75kms from Shirdi lies Nashik, another of major holy cities of India. You could also venture out to Ajanta and Ellora caves in Aurangabad about 144kms from Shirdi. There are many more significant religious and tourist destinations that will make your pilgrimage to Shirdi even more worth cherishing.
Sakori : Close to Shirdi is Sakori at a distance of about 5kms. Sakori is a very special place and popular among pilgrims for its Shri Upasani Kanyakumari Sthan. You can come here for peace and tranquility. Founded by Upasani Baba in 1917, Shri Upasani Kanyakumari Sthan reverberates with positive energy that can be felt by anyone. Shri Sai Baba took him as his Param Shishya, meaning Astute Devotee.
Shanisinghnapur : Shanisinghnapur is a village that is the holy seat Lord Shani. Another important pilgrim spot near to Shirdi, Shanisinghnapur is about 70 km from here Shirdi. Here the devotees themselves can perform pooja and abhishek on any day at Shari Shaneshvar tirtha. Amavasya or the no moon day, which falls on a Saturday, is considered to be most auspicious. On such a day lakhs of devotees from all corners of the country come to receive blessings of Shri Shanidev. On every Shani Amavasya a yatra is held with great fanfare. One unique quality about this village is that there are no doorframes or locks in any of the houses. It is said that it's because of Lord Shani's blessings that there is no fear of crime in the village.
Nashik; Nashik is among the most holy places that evokes a personality of its own. Rich in mythological connotations with great historical and cultural significance, Nashik is about 75 km from Shirdi. Here you can visit several of temples and religious spots making your spiritual journey lively and fulfilling. Among the temples you could visit Panchavati with five sacred banyan trees and Sita Gumpha. You can also visit Naroshankar Temple built in an architectural style of Maya. Kalaram Temple is dedicated to Kala Ram built with black stones. Sundarnarayan Temple is situated at the corner of Ahillyabai Holkar Bridge. In addition to many temples and religious places, Nashik also has Shri Kailas Math, one of the Vedas Schools in Nashik.
Ajanta and Ellora Caves: About 144kms from Shirdi are the world famous Ajanta and Ellora Caves. As the ancient repository of Indian architectural heritage, these caves are located near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Ajanta and Ellora caves are the world heritage sites famous for the cave shrines that are cut out of rock, all by hand. There are 34 caves at Ellora and 29 caves at Ajanta. And all are sheer outstanding specimens of Indian architectural excellence.
Tips for Sai Devotees
Shirdi attracts thousands of pilgrims every day. Devotees as well as simple tourists looking for spiritual gateway throng this holy land of Shri Saibaba. With such a large number of people at this small place, mostly ignorant of the place and culture of the region, the devotees must know some of the tips when they are in Shirdi.
Shirdi attracts thousands of pilgrims every day. Devotees as well as simple tourists looking for spiritual gateway throng this holy land of Shri Saibaba.
The first 'darshan' of the day, resumes after the morning program of worship (Morning aarti, Mangal Snan, Shodashopachar ) at around 7am. During this Darshan you can make offerings.
Prior registration is mandatory before you make any offering at the temple. Each gift item must be registered in the Donation Office of the temple.
Devotees can donate cash either in the Donation Office (with due receipt) or put it directly into one of the donation boxes, placed at all important places of temple complex.
Photography of any kind still or moving is strictly prohibited during Mangal Snan (Holy bath) of Baba and Aartis (all four aartis). Devotees may take photographs during the hours of darshan only, for video recording a prior permission of the Temple-in-charge is a must.
There is by and large no restriction on darshan during the day in Dwarkamai masjid, Chawri, Gurusthan and Nanda deep except a few minutes while attending to the dhuni or offering food to Shri Sai.
In Chawri ladies are not allowed to enter the section where Baba used to retire to sleep in old times.
The main temple (Samadhi Mandir) is open from 5am to 10.30pm, where as Dwarkamai masjid, Chawri, Gurusthan are closed around 8.30pm.
On the main day of celebrations on important occasions like Ram Navami, Dussehra, Guru purnima the temple is open throughout the night for darshan.
On every Thursday 'Palki' procession takes place at around 9.15 p.m. from Samadhi Mandir to Dwarkamai and then to Chawri.
All the priests and workers in the temples are employees of the Shirdi Sai Sansthan. Therefore, no gifts or donations should be offered to them.
Be cautious about the prices while taking the garland, coconut etc (as a package) from the nearby shops. You may avoid being overcharged by them.
Avoid the touts for getting an accommodation. It is advisable to approach any hotel/lodge directly. There is a wide choice of hotels/lodges in Shirdi, suiting the budget of all.
The sacred abode of Shri Sai Baba at Shirdi is easily accessible from all the corners of India and even from all the major cities of the world. You can reach this pilgrim center by air, train and road, which ever medium that suits you.
By Air: The nearest airport to Shirdi is at Nashik, 75kms away, Aurangabad is at a distance of 150kms, which is connected by all the major towns of India. You can also come till Mumbai by air and travel down to 296kms to reach Shirdi. Mumbai has both international and domestic airports that grant connectivity to the world. Domestic airport in Pune is about 231kms from Shirdi. Mumbai Chatrapati Shivaji International airport is 305 km away from Shirdi. All the major airlines have service from Mumbai to all major cities in India and many cities abroad including Singapore, Hong Kong, Colombo and gulf countries. Taxis are available from Mumbai to Shirdi and costs about Rs 6000. There are regular public and private transport operators that ensure your easy access to the sanctum of Saibaba.
By Rail/Train: Kopergaon on Daund-Manmad Line is an important railway station about 16kms from Shirdi. This station is on the route of the Karnataka Express from New Delhi to Bangalore. Taxi charge from Kopergaon to Shirdi is about Rs 300. Manmad is another important station about 58kms from Shirdi which carries a number trains from Mumbai and Delhi. Shirdi has a computerized Railway Ticket Booking Center within the temple premises. From here you can have railway tickets of whichever destination all through India.
By Road: Shirdi can be reached by taking a Bus from almost all major cities of Maharashtra. Shirdi is well connected to all neighboring cities by Government owned buses. Private A/C and non A/C deluxe buses are also available from Nasik, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune to Shirdi. Bus fare is about Rs 3 to Rs 4 per head. Shirdi is on the Ahmednagar-Manmad Highway, 250 km from Mumbai and 75 km from Nashik. MTDC runs buses from all major destinations.
Hotels in Shirdi / Where to stay in Shirdi?
Devotees of all the status of the society, from every corner of the Nation, use to come to Shirdi for Baba's Darshan. The number of Devotees coming to Shirdi is increasing day by day. The daily average of floating population is almost 25,000. So the demand for accommodation is one of the greatest requirement of these Devotees. Out of the visiting Devotees, the rich can afford to stay in luxurious & costly private star hotels, but common Devotees can't.
Sansthan is taking care of these common Devotees by providing the accommodations at fairly affordable prices. Our accommodations are far better than the private accommodations, if considered on equal parameters. A simple room (non-attached with latrine & bathroom) with common facilities, is available merely at the charge of Rs. 50/-, which can accommodate four person. And the luxurious A.C. suits are also available at the charge of Rs.700/- per day.
The New Bhakta Niwas is the biggest accommodation complex consisting 542 rooms of various categories. It is about 01 Kilometer away, on south of the Mandir Complex, on the Highway itself. Free bus service, shuttling between the New Bhakta Niwas & the Mandir Complex is provided round the clock. This complex is well equipped with the parking space, canteen facility, 24 Hr. water, electricity supply (with full capacity generator back-up) and the security. It is equipped with the solar hot water system.
The Dharmashala Complex is on south-west of the Mandir Complex & on west of the Bus-stand, hardly at the distance of 0.5 Kilometer from S.T. stand. This complex is established in year 2000, mainly to facilitate the devotees coming in major groups. It has big dormitories & large halls to accommodate 15 to 80 people. The average charge, including the common services of latrine & Bath-rooms, is merely Rs.13/- per person. This complex is also well equipped with the facilities like the parking space, canteen facility, 24 Hr. water, electricity supply (with full capacity generator back-up) and the security.
Some Budget Hotels are Shri Keshav Hotel, Laxmi Palace Hotel, Lodhas Hotel, Sai Ashish Hotel, Kuber Inn Hotel, Kalpataru Hotel.
Some Star Hotels are Shraddha Park Inn- Shirdi
Some Luxury Hotels are Sun-n-Sand Shirdi and Goradias Hotel
Resorts are Sanskruti Resort and Jaykadee Resort.
Best Time to Visit Shirdi
Best Time to Visit Shirdi
Monsoons : June to August
Ramnavami : March/April
Guru Purnima : July
Vijayadashmi (Sri Sai Punyatithi) : October
Shirdi is the holy abode of Shri Sai Baba and thousands of pilgrims throng the town each day from across India and beyond. You can visit the Shri Saibaba temple at anytime you wish, however Monsoons i.e., between June and August are the period considered to be the best time to be here. Reason being the weather, which is simply so pleasant and inviting. You don't need to bother about sweat and heat; with drizzling and cool breeze all around your mystical journey to Shirdi becomes heavenly. Winters are also quite a good time to visit Shirdi. Winters are not harsh in here and temperature can dip to 7 degree Celsius.
However, you can plan your trip or pilgrimage to Shirdi during one of the three major festivals that are celebrated here with great fervor and excitement. These three festivals are Ram Navami, Guru Purnima and Vijayadashamai. During these festivals thousands of devotees flock in here and the whole atmosphere of the Shirdi becomes vibrant with puja, bhajan (music), rath yatra (processions with palanquin) and many more events.
You can come to participate in Ramanavami at Shirdi, celebrated every year in March or April. It is also the time when Saibaba's urus is held. Urus is a muslim festival that is celebrated to honor a saint. This shows the kind of communal harmony that weaves people of different faiths at Shirdi. This year that is in 2007, Shirdi is celebrating the Ramnavami from 26th to 28th of March.
Gurupurnima or Full Moon is also a wonderful time to visit Shirdi. In 2007, Shirdi is celebrating Guru Purnima from 28th to 30th July. This is the time devotees all across the world converge in Shirdi to seek Saibaba's blessings. There is also Vyasa Puja that is held during Guru Purnima, in honor of Ved Vyasa who wrote the epic Mahabharata.
Vijayadashmi is a big festival in Shirdi, venerated as a holy day when Shri Saibaba left his mortal body for heavenly abode. The festival is celebrated as Shri Sai Punyathithi in Shirdi attracting great number of devotees from all over the world. This year the festival is celebrated from 20th to 23rd October.
You can choose any of the festive seasons to make a spiritual journey to Shirdi and of course any other time is equally fulfilling.
Shirdi Weather
Climate: Dry Climate
Temperature: Max - 40º C, Min - 7º C
Monsoon: Scanty rains (June - August)
Shirdi is located in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra on latitude 19°45' N and longitude 74°25' E. This pilgrim spot has mostly dry climate and during summers the temperature can be quite volatile. During summers you can expect the temperature shooting as high as 40º C in the month of May. Winters can be cold in Shirdi, with January often showing temperature dipping to as low as 7º C.
Shirdi has the most pleasant weather during Monsoons, between June and August. It is the time when the surroundings of Shirdi turn fecund and greenery is all round. However, Monsoons in Shirdi are mild with scanty rains and hence they come as a pleasant respite that never gets ruined with excess of rains. In fact Monsoons are the best time when you can plan your visit to Shirdi. Amidst the drizzling you can pay homage to Saibaba and participate in all the activities without bothering about sweat.
Weather and overall climate of Shirdi is quite tolerable; however, those hailing from cold countries may find it slightly upsetting if they happen to tread in here in the summer. Wear comfy clothes with cotton fabric. Loose garments are preferable; one must respect India's dressing sense and they should not be offensive to anyone's sensibilities.
Shirdi Excursions:
Pilgrims visit Shirdi to make a mark in their spiritual journey. This holy land becomes a turning point in the lives of many devotees. Coming to this holy land is also an invitation to visit many religious sites that will interest you. About 75kms from Shirdi lies Nashik, another of major holy cities of India. You could also venture out to Ajanta and Ellora caves in Aurangabad about 144kms from Shirdi. There are many more significant religious and tourist destinations that will make your pilgrimage to Shirdi even more worth cherishing.
Sakori : Close to Shirdi is Sakori at a distance of about 5kms. Sakori is a very special place and popular among pilgrims for its Shri Upasani Kanyakumari Sthan. You can come here for peace and tranquility. Founded by Upasani Baba in 1917, Shri Upasani Kanyakumari Sthan reverberates with positive energy that can be felt by anyone. Shri Sai Baba took him as his Param Shishya, meaning Astute Devotee.
Shanisinghnapur : Shanisinghnapur is a village that is the holy seat Lord Shani. Another important pilgrim spot near to Shirdi, Shanisinghnapur is about 70 km from here Shirdi. Here the devotees themselves can perform pooja and abhishek on any day at Shari Shaneshvar tirtha. Amavasya or the no moon day, which falls on a Saturday, is considered to be most auspicious. On such a day lakhs of devotees from all corners of the country come to receive blessings of Shri Shanidev. On every Shani Amavasya a yatra is held with great fanfare. One unique quality about this village is that there are no doorframes or locks in any of the houses. It is said that it's because of Lord Shani's blessings that there is no fear of crime in the village.
Nashik; Nashik is among the most holy places that evokes a personality of its own. Rich in mythological connotations with great historical and cultural significance, Nashik is about 75 km from Shirdi. Here you can visit several of temples and religious spots making your spiritual journey lively and fulfilling. Among the temples you could visit Panchavati with five sacred banyan trees and Sita Gumpha. You can also visit Naroshankar Temple built in an architectural style of Maya. Kalaram Temple is dedicated to Kala Ram built with black stones. Sundarnarayan Temple is situated at the corner of Ahillyabai Holkar Bridge. In addition to many temples and religious places, Nashik also has Shri Kailas Math, one of the Vedas Schools in Nashik.
Ajanta and Ellora Caves: About 144kms from Shirdi are the world famous Ajanta and Ellora Caves. As the ancient repository of Indian architectural heritage, these caves are located near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Ajanta and Ellora caves are the world heritage sites famous for the cave shrines that are cut out of rock, all by hand. There are 34 caves at Ellora and 29 caves at Ajanta. And all are sheer outstanding specimens of Indian architectural excellence.
Tips for Sai Devotees
Shirdi attracts thousands of pilgrims every day. Devotees as well as simple tourists looking for spiritual gateway throng this holy land of Shri Saibaba. With such a large number of people at this small place, mostly ignorant of the place and culture of the region, the devotees must know some of the tips when they are in Shirdi.
Shirdi attracts thousands of pilgrims every day. Devotees as well as simple tourists looking for spiritual gateway throng this holy land of Shri Saibaba.
The first 'darshan' of the day, resumes after the morning program of worship (Morning aarti, Mangal Snan, Shodashopachar ) at around 7am. During this Darshan you can make offerings.
Prior registration is mandatory before you make any offering at the temple. Each gift item must be registered in the Donation Office of the temple.
Devotees can donate cash either in the Donation Office (with due receipt) or put it directly into one of the donation boxes, placed at all important places of temple complex.
Photography of any kind still or moving is strictly prohibited during Mangal Snan (Holy bath) of Baba and Aartis (all four aartis). Devotees may take photographs during the hours of darshan only, for video recording a prior permission of the Temple-in-charge is a must.
There is by and large no restriction on darshan during the day in Dwarkamai masjid, Chawri, Gurusthan and Nanda deep except a few minutes while attending to the dhuni or offering food to Shri Sai.
In Chawri ladies are not allowed to enter the section where Baba used to retire to sleep in old times.
The main temple (Samadhi Mandir) is open from 5am to 10.30pm, where as Dwarkamai masjid, Chawri, Gurusthan are closed around 8.30pm.
On the main day of celebrations on important occasions like Ram Navami, Dussehra, Guru purnima the temple is open throughout the night for darshan.
On every Thursday 'Palki' procession takes place at around 9.15 p.m. from Samadhi Mandir to Dwarkamai and then to Chawri.
All the priests and workers in the temples are employees of the Shirdi Sai Sansthan. Therefore, no gifts or donations should be offered to them.
Be cautious about the prices while taking the garland, coconut etc (as a package) from the nearby shops. You may avoid being overcharged by them.
Avoid the touts for getting an accommodation. It is advisable to approach any hotel/lodge directly. There is a wide choice of hotels/lodges in Shirdi, suiting the budget of all.
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