Shirdi Pilgrimage Guideशिरडी तीर्थ यात्रा

Shirdi is a small town in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra (now officially Ahilyanagar district), in the Rahata taluka, and it is one of the most visited places of pilgrimage in India. Sai Baba lived here for most of his life, and the places linked with him are all close together in the centre of the town, so most of them can be visited on foot in a day. The temple complex is managed by the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi, whose official website sai.org.in gives current darshan and aarti timings, bookings and accommodation. This site is informational and is not connected with the Trust.

Places linked with Sai Baba

Samadhi Mandir

The Samadhi Mandir is the heart of Shirdi. It was built as a stone wada by the devotee Gopalrao (Bapusaheb) Buti, who had planned to place an image of Lord Krishna in its central shrine. After Baba's Mahasamadhi in 1918 his body was laid to rest there, and the building became his shrine. Today devotees have darshan of the samadhi and of the well-known marble murti of Baba seated behind it. The four daily aartis are performed here.

Dwarkamai

Dwarkamai is the old mosque where Baba lived. The dhuni he kept burning still burns here, and its ash is given to devotees as udi. Devotees also see the stone on which Baba used to sit, and other objects connected with his daily life.

Chavadi

The Chavadi, close to Dwarkamai, is where Baba slept on alternate nights in his later years. Devotees escorted him there in a procession with music and lamps. The custom continues: on Thursdays a palkhi procession carries Baba's padukas and photo from the Samadhi Mandir to the Chavadi.

Gurusthan

Gurusthan is the place under the neem tree where Baba is said to have first been seen in Shirdi as a young man. It has a small shrine, and devotees regard the place and the tree as sacred.

Lendi Baug

Lendi Baug is the garden Baba tended and watered himself, and where he used to walk each day. It is a quiet place within the temple area, with trees, a lamp associated with Baba and small shrines.

Khandoba temple

The Khandoba temple stands on the edge of the old village. Its priest Mhalsapati is remembered as the one who greeted the young fakir with "Ya Sai" when he returned to Shirdi with a wedding party, giving him the name by which the world knows him.

Hanuman temple

A small Hanuman temple near Dwarkamai is another place Baba is associated with, and many devotees stop here for darshan as they go round the old village.

Nearby places

Many pilgrims combine a visit to Shirdi with other temples in the region. The best known is Shani Shingnapur, the village of Shani Dev in the same district, famous for its open-air image of Shani and for houses traditionally said to have no doors or locks. It is usually visited by road as a day trip from Shirdi. Others travel on to Nashik and Trimbakeshwar. Check road conditions and travel times locally before planning.

How to reach Shirdi

• By air: Shirdi has its own airport, a short drive from the town, with flights from some major Indian cities. Larger airports in the wider region, such as Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Pune and Mumbai, are also used by pilgrims who then travel on by road.
• By rail: Sainagar Shirdi railway station serves the town, with trains from several cities. Kopargaon station, not far away, is another option.
• By road: Shirdi is well connected by state and private buses and taxis from Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Ahmednagar and other towns in Maharashtra.

Schedules and routes change, so check with the airline, Indian Railways or the bus operator before travelling.

Darshan and aarti

Four aartis are sung every day at the Samadhi Mandir, as in Baba's time: the Kakad Aarti in the early morning, the Madhyan Aarti around noon, the Dhoop Aarti around sunset and the Shej Aarti at night. The texts of these hymns are on the daily aartis page. Thursday is the busiest day of the week, and the town is especially crowded during the big festivals of Ram Navami, Guru Purnima and Vijayadashami (Baba's Punyatithi); see Sai festivals.

Timings, darshan passes, aarti passes and accommodation are managed by the Trust and can change. Please check the official site sai.org.in for current details before you go, and book only through official channels.

Tips for pilgrims

• Dress modestly and follow the temple rules on mobile phones and bags.
• Expect long queues on Thursdays, weekends, holidays and festival days.
• Elderly visitors and families with small children may prefer quieter weekdays.
• Buy flowers and offerings only from shops you trust, and keep valuables safe in crowds.