A Complete Shirdi Tourism Guide for First-time Visitors
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As we all are aware, Shirdi is ranked as one of the popular pilgrim centres in India. This small town is situated near Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra at a distance of 250 km from Mumbai and is famous as the abode of Sri Sai Baba. Thousands of devotees from all over the country visit the place every year.
If you are planning to visit Shirdi for the first time, then you may have several questions in your mind like how to reach there, where to stay, how to do the worship, which are the places to visit other than the temple and many more. So, here is the Shirdi Tourism Guide that will help you get answers to your questions and make your trip a memorable experience. There are many other famous temples in Shirdi.
Some of the Popular Attractions in Shirdi
Here are some of the popular spots which you should visit in Shirdi:
- Shani Shingnapur Temple
This temple is situated at a distance of about 65 km from Shirdi, and as the name implies, Lord Shanidev is the presiding deity here. The temple has a huge idol of Lord Shani carved in black stone. Interestingly, there are no doors for any houses built in the village. This is according to the common belief that Lord Shanidev would protect the villagers from any kind of danger. - Khandoba Temple
Lord Shiva is worshipped here as Khandoba. As per historical records, priest Mhalsapati saw Sai Baba nearby the temple and welcomed him by uttering the words ‘Ya Sai’. He is thereafter known by the name Sai Baba. - Gurusthan Sri Sai Baba
Sai Baba was initially spotted as resting under a neem tree in Shirdi. This place came to be known as Gurusthan Sri Sai Baba, and a shrine has been built on this place, which contains portraits of Sai Baba, a Shivling, and Nandi.
There are also other interesting places to visit in Shirdi like the Abdul Baba Cottage, Dwarkamai Masjid, Chavadi Mandir, Lendi Baug, and many more. Now, let us go through the Shirdi Tourism Guide in detail.
How to Reach Shirdi
Shirdi is the place which is easily accessible by road, railroad, or by air. The major airport near Shirdi is Mumbai which is 250 km away. Then, there are Pune and Aurangabad airports which are at a distance of 200 km and 140 km away from this town respectively.
Shirdi has been connected to other parts of the country by train recently. The nearest railway stations are Sainagar and Kopargaon, which are at a distance of 10 km and 14 km respectively from Shirdi. Other nearby stations include Manmad and Nashik Road. You can reach the place by road by boarding state transport buses, private buses, or hiring taxis. Further, Shirdi is well-connected to other cities of the state by road. You can get direct buses or taxis from Mumbai, Manmad, Kopargaon, and Nashik to reach Shirdi.
Hotels in Shirdi
There is no shortage of Hotels in Shirdi. The hotels are clean and tidy with the necessary facilities and suit your budget very well. Most of the hotels are situated at the heart of the town. There are many high-class hotels as well including Sun N Sand Hotel Shirdi, Hotel Jivanta Shirdi, Goradia Lords Inn Shirdi, Pushpak Resort Shirdi and Hotel City Heart Shirdi If you want to have a luxurious stay. The Sri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust also offers accommodation for the visitors, and the rooms can be booked online like other hotel rooms.
Best Time to Visit Shirdi
Before planning a trip to any place, it is essential to consider the weather of the same. So, as per the weather conditions of Shirdi, October to March is the best time to pay a visit to this place. The temple is crowded during the summer vacation and also on festivals like Ramnavmi, Gurupurnima and Vijayadashmi.
Darshan & Aarti at the Sai Baba Temple
Thursday is considered as the auspicious day for Sai Baba, and so a large number of devotees visit the temple on that day. If you want to visit the place when it is not much crowded, then August and September are the best months to consider. As the temple is less-crowded on Mondays and Fridays, you can visit on these days as well.
Generally, the time taken for Darshan depends on the time of the day as well as the rush. Usually, it takes around two to three hours of waiting in the queue. If you would like to do a quick Darshan, you can book Darshan online by paying Rs.100 and similarly, you can book Aarti for Rs.500. Visiting the temple and attending the three Aartis performed there namely the Kakad Aarti, Madhyan Arti, and Sheja Arti are some of the best things to do in Shirdi.
This Shirdi Tourism Guide would be surely helpful for first-time visitors to plan their trip to Shirdi. So, pack your bags to Shirdi and experience bliss.
