Shirdi is one of the prominent and popular pilgrimage centres in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. Shirdi is believed to be the home of revered spiritual leader Sai Baba. Every year this temple receives numbers of devotees not only from the country but some foreign travellers do visit this religious legacy as well. There are several attractive places to visit in Shirdi.
Shani Shingnapur
Shani Shingnapur is a beautiful temple in the Ahmednagar District and is well-known for the magical and powerful Lord Shani, who is believed to reside in black stone to date. This Hindu God symbolising the planet Saturn is referred to as Swayambhu. The faith of the people in the lord is so strong that none of the houses in the wondrous village has doors and locks as people believe that Lord Shani is protecting their valuables from thieves.
On some of the holiest days like Saturdays, Amavasya and Shri Shaneshchar Jayanti, the enthusiasm and vehemence rise to the next level. With no long queues and waiting periods, you can easily get the darshan of this divine God. It is one of the highlight places to visit in Shirdi.
Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Temple
Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Temple is a famous shrine dedicated to Shri Sai Baba who is considered to be one of the greatest saints to have been born in the Shirdi, Maharashtra in India. It is believed that he was believed to have unprecedented powers. It is one of the must-visit places to visit in Shirdi. This temple gives you a vibe of tranquillity and positivity and you feel near to God.
The temple complex covered an area of around 200 square metres and it is a significant centre for devotees and is visited by around 25,000 devotees on an average each day. On festivals and certain special occasions, the number rises to 1,00,000 devotees per day. Accommodation facilities are also available for devotees who visit the temple from far off places.
What makes this temple special is the fact that it was here that Sai Baba made his appearance as a young boy and he remained here all through his life and helped people.
Gurusthan is located in Kopargaon which is approximately 14 kilometres from the main town of Shirdi and it is the place where Sai Baba first appeared to the world as a 16-year-old boy. This place is situated under a Neem Tree. It also has a shrine on which Sai Baba’s portrait is placed with a Shivalingam and Nandi bull right in front of it.
Gurusthan means the seat of the teacher. Devotees truly believe that lighting incense sticks in this place will cure them of all ailments. It is one of the popular places to visit in Shirdi
Samadhi Mandir is owned and constructed by a millionaire from Nagpur, who was an ardent devotee of Sai Baba. The devotee wanted to install an idol of Lord Muralidhar and therefore Sai Baba declared himself as one. This temple is beautifully made up of white marble, railed by eye-catching ornaments amidst two huge pillars.
The Winter Season in Shirdi stays from November to February and Shirdi's temperature fluctuates between 12 degrees Celsius to 27 degrees Celsius. The Winter Season in Shirdi is blessed with a pleasant and cool atmosphere which makes it a lovely balance of serenity and spirituality.
These crisp and cool weather conditions allow you to engage in some sightseeing, hiking and exploring the town. Places like Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Temple, Shani Shingnapur, Sai Heritage Village and Samadhi Mandir are some highlight places to visit in Shirdi this season.
All these religious sites will be giving you a positive atmosphere and a meditative atmosphere is best cultivated when there is a nip in the air. It is a peak season in Shirdi hence; you may find this place crowdy this season. It is suggested to make your bookings on accommodation and travel in advance.
The Monsoon Season in Shirdi is marked from June to September and Shirdi’s temperature stays between 23 degrees Celsius to 33 degrees Celsius. The Monsoon is the season when you will find this place at the beauty of its zenith not only weatherwise but in terms of scenic landscapes as well.
It seems the perfect season to enjoy the best exploring experience and sightseeing. Places like Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Temple, Gurusthan, Dwarkamai, Lendi Baug, Wet n Joy Waterpark and Shani Shingnapur are some preferred places to visit in Shirdi this season.
July is also a season of Guru Purnima Festival which just filled the entire city with joy and togetherness and even sometimes many foreign travellers also become part of this. The season of monsoon is a popular time for pilgrims to visit the town. As such the crowds will be quite large and queues will be significantly longer too. It is suggested to sort out your accommodation well in advance.
The Summer Season in Shirdi stays from March to May and Shirdi's temperature ranges between 20 degrees Celsius to 42 degrees Celsius. Shirdi's weather in the summer season is quite unpleasant and uncomfortable due to the scorching hot, dry and humid weather conditions. This season is not an ideal season to visit due to the warm days but evening time can be utilised to explore the city if you are in the city.
Places like Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Temple, Wet n Joy Waterpark, Shani Shingnapur, Samadhi Mandir and Gurusthan are some decent places to visit in Shirdi this season. The festival of Ramanavami is celebrated with great glee during the months of March and April. If you are a budget traveller and planning a trip to Shirdi then it is the season for you to visit and you will get some great deals on accommodations.
How to Reach Shirdi by Air- India's second busiest airport, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai at a distance of nearly 245 kilometres in one of the nearest airbases for Shirdi along with the Lohegaon Airport in Pune which is 195 kilometres far and takes approximately 4-5 hours driving.
Both airports are well connected to other prime cities of the country along with several international cities such as New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Goa, Indore, Allahabad, Bhopal, New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Dubai, Singapore and Sri Lanka.
Plenty of airline carriers such as Air India, Spice Jet, Go Air, Jet Airways, IndiGo, Air Asia, the Fly Emirates and Qatar Airways do operate regular flights for both airports. Once you reach the airport you can easily take state buses or hire a taxi for the further journey to Shirdi.
How to Reach Shirdi by Train- Shirdi has its railway station named Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station at a distance of 8 kilometres from the main city centre and is widely connected to other neighbouring cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Nagpur, Thane, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Visakhapatnam and Lucknow.
Train options such as Dadar Sainagar Express, Mysuru Jn Sainagar Shirdi Express, Secunderabad Jn Sainagar Shirdi Express, Kakinada Port Sainagar Shirdi Express, Vijayawada Jn Sainagar Shirdi Express, Tirupati Sainagar Shirdi Express, Puri Sainagar Shirdi Express and Visakhapatnam Sainagar Shirdi Express are some train options which run trains to Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station on regular basis. From outside the station, you can easily take a state bus or hire a taxi to reach your destination.
How to Reach Shirdi by Road- Shirdi is nicely connected to other major cities such as Mumbai at a distance of 242 kilometres, Pune which is 187 kilometres far, Nashik at a distance of 90 kilometres, Aurangabad which is nearly 109 kilometres far and New Delhi at a distance of 1,250 kilometres via well-maintained and smooth road connectivity.
Maharashtra State Transport Buses do provide bus services to Shirdi from any of the nearby cities and travellers can reach Shirdi via deluxe and non-deluxe buses as per their convenience and preference. Travellers do travel to Shirdi by their vehicles as well and if you are heading from Pune then you can follow Nashik-Pune Road and from Mumbai Padgha– Shirdi Road is good to go. There are many spiritual places to visit in Shirdi to make your trip peaceful.
Hotel Temple Tree is situated at Sita Nagar at a distance of 800 metres from Sai Baba Temple and it provides you with the services of a Café, Restaurant, Dining Area, Coffee Shop, Kids' Meals, Kids' Play Area, Free Shuttle Service, Rental Vehicles, Fire Alarm, Lawn, Temple/Chapel, Seating Area, Business Centre, Wake-up Call, Doctor on Call, Concierge Service, Bellboy Service and Multilingual Staff along with other services.
St. Laurn- The Spiritual Resort is located at a distance of 600 metres from Sai Baba Temple and it offers you the facilities such as Restaurant, Dining Area, 24-Hours Coffee Shop, Kids’ Play Area, Free Shuttle Service, Free Parking, Activity Centre, Outdoor Sports, Lawn, Lounge, Sun Deck, Smoke Alarms, Concierge Service, Bellboy Service, Wake-up Call, Doctor on Call and Multilingual Staff with some other basic services.
Sun-N-Sand is located at Rui Shiv Road which is nearly 700 metres from Sai Baba Temple and it gives you the amenities like Restaurant, Dining Area, Kids’ Play Area, Gym, Spa, Salon, Steam and Sauna, Rental Vehicles, Picnic Area, Indoor Games, Outdoor Sports, Lawn, Sun Deck, Seating Area, Concierge and Bellboy Service.
Hotel Dwarka Park is a 4-star Hotel at Sai Nagar at a distance of 800 metres from Sai Baba Temple and it offers you the facilities such as Restaurant, Dining Area, Kids’ Meals, Paid Shuttle Service, Free Parking, ATM, Salon, Sitting Area, Fireplace, Fire Alarms, Bellboy Service, Medical Centre and 24-Hours Helpdesk. All of these mentioned accommodation options are providing installed sanitisers, masks and gloves due to safety reasons.
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