Shirdi

Shirdi, home of one of the most revered Indian Yogi, Sai Baba, lies on the Ahmednagar Highway, about 307 km from Mumbai. It is a 6 hours drive from Mumbai to Shirdi

The town remains one of the smallest, covering an area of 2 square kilometers, and yet it is visited by thousands of pilgrims from around the globe every year. Beside temples, there are narrow lanes lined with small shops that sell religious books and souvenirs related to Sai Baba.

Like most of the religious and spiritual personalities, not much is known about the early life of Sai Baba. Nothing is known or confirmed about his date of birth or even the town where he was born. All we know about him is that one day Sai Baba appeared under a neem tree and soon became the messiah of the poor. He dedicated his life to their service.

The town relishes many fond memories of the saint, and there are several prominent landmarks where Sai Baba had spent a significant time. Pilgrims who come here first visit the Sai Baba Temple or the Samadhi Temple, where Sai Baba took Samadhi. Inside the temple, there is a beautiful idol of Sai Baba placed on a throne. It is made of the highest quality Italian Marble and is ornately decorated.

The next in line comes the Dwarkamai Mosque, where Sai Baba used to live. This is where he would listen to and solve the problems of the common folk. It is believed that the scared fire or ‘Dhuni’ in the mosque has been burning for hundreds of years, non-stop. Every day, ashes from the fire are collected twice and distributed amongst the devotees of Sai Baba.

Other places worth visiting in the town are the ‘Gurusthan’ or the resting place of the Guru, and the ‘Lendi Baug’ or the flower garden.

Shirdi is easily accessible via road, rail and air. Although the nearest airport is at Aurangabad, 144 km from here, long distance travelers can use it to cut short their journey. The nearest railhead is at Nasik about 100 km from here. Well connected via road as well, Shirdi lies on the main Ahamdnagar and Manmod road.