Shirdi is a town in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, India. It’s known as the home of revered 19th-century saint SaiBaba and is considered a major pilgrimage site. Devotees from across the world gather daily for Darshan at the Sai Baba Temple complex to honor his legacy. Shirdi has acquired a lot of fame & followers for Sant Shree Sai Baba who attained samadhi on Dassera day in 1918 both amon hindu and Muslim communities. Sai Baba preached at Shirdi all his life & help renewed people’s faith in God.
Shirdi is synonymous with Sai baa and there are numerous places associated with him in Shirdi where devotees throng in large numbers. The entire town seems to revolve around this shrine. The ornate marble statue of Sai Baba, alongside his tomb Samadhi Mandir shrine is worth visiting. All the locations associated with Sai Baba are today managed Shridi Sai Baba Sansthan. There are numerous places associated with Sai Baba in Shirdi, these include Sai Baba Samadhi Mandir, Dwarkamai Masjid, Gurusthan, Lendi Baug/Garden.
Other places associated with Sai Baba in Shirdi are Sai Teerth Theme Park, Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Temple, Cottage of Abdul Baba, House of Laxmibai Shinde, Baba’s Chavadi, and Sai Heritage Village. there are other places also worth visiting in Shirdi, these include Dixit Wada Museum, Khandoba Mandir, and many more. Well connected by rail, road, and air with all major cities of India, the pilgrimage town is open to tourists all throughout the year. Some of the most important festivals in Shirdi are 3Dussera, Guru Poornima and Sai Baba’s death anniversary.
There are a large number of shops that sell trinkets and souvenirs – statues, magnets, stickers, books about Sai Baba. At reasonable prices. Those who are fed up with the heat can enjoy the Shirdi water park. Alcohol is banned in the town. Restaurants in Shirdi serve a variety of cuisines including Gujarati, Maharashtrian, South Indian, Continental at reasonable prices. Most restaurants serve only vegetarian food. There are several hotels, lodges, guesthouses that offer luxurious, mid-range and budget accommodation.
The shrine board also provides food in the langar system to devotees and runs several Dharamshala. Shirdi can be used as a stopover for visiting Triyambakeshwar and Shani Shingnapur. Although the main temple is open to visitors throughout the year, the most important time is in the morning and evening is aarti and the Palki yatra every Thursday evening. Shirdi is worth a weekend visit, though tourist and pilgrims are advised to plan their visit to avoid a mad rush.
