Shirdi is one of the most known pilgrim centres in India and is visited by millions of tourists every year. The place is known for its association with the great saint Sai Baba, who was considered the messenger of God and one of the greatest spiritual leaders in history. Sai Baba is distinctively known for being equally valued by people of all faiths. It is believed that visiting the Sai Baba's shrine in Shirdi brings several great benefits to the lives of devotees. Sai Baba's blessings have been proven to drive away all bad luck, cure ailments and enlighten the lives of devotees.
Shirdi is located 186 km away from Pune. You can hire a car rental service from Pune to Shirdi which will help you reach in no time. Car rental services offer comfortable car services taking into consideration all the requirements of the customer. Luxury car hire and budget car hire are available from Pune to Shirdi daily at an affordable price. So, transportation is merely an issue when you are planning to visit Shirdi from Pune. But there are certainly other facts & suggestions you should keep in mind while planning to go to Shirdi.
Best time to visit:
Thursday is a special day of worship and the temple expects extra crowds on this day. The temple also tends to get crowded on the weekends when several families make the trip to the pilgrimage town from nearby cities.
December to February – Winter proves to be an amazing time to visit Shirdi. The weather at this time of the year is quite pleasant, which makes it easy for you to enjoy your pilgrimage and sightseeing.
March to May – If you are looking forward to visiting Shirdi when the crowd is lesser than usual, then this might be the perfect months to plan a trip. The temperature goes up, so make sure to carry a sunscreen with you.
June to August – June marks the beginning of the monsoon in Shirdi and temperatures begin to drop. This is a great time to visit the Sai Ashram and Sai Temple. Do make sure you carry an umbrella or raincoat along as rain showers are frequent.
Main festivals in Shirdi:
There are three main festivals in Shirdi, which brings the place to life. You should totally consider visiting Shirdi during these festivals to enjoy the true devotion and the spirit of the place.
Rama Navami – March/April
Rama Navami is celebrated on Lord Rama's birthday. Sri Rama Navami at Shirdi is collectively celebrated by Muslims and Hindus with great passion and faith towards Baba. A procession with Sai Baba's picture is carried out around the village and the wheat sack kept at prasadalya is replaced. Also, flags at Dwarkamai masjid are changed.
Gurupurnima – July
Poornima means a “full moon” and Guru means “The master”. It is the only festival Baba asked his devotees to celebrate. On this day, you can see several devotees visiting Shirdi to pay their respects to Sai Baba and offers prayers at the temple. A Vyasa Puja is also held on this day in honour of Ved Vyasa, author of the epic Mahabharata.
Shirdi Vijaydashmi – October
Vijaya Dashami is the major Hindu festival in India. It is called by different names as Dasara, Dussera from region to region. Vijaydashmi is considered as an extremely auspicious day with great religious significance for Sai Baba devotees. It is the day when he left his mortal body and took off on a journey to heaven. On this day, a ritual named “brahman bhojan” is performed in which several sadhus are fed and a donation is made to the gurus.
Places you can visit near Shirdi:
- Gurusthan (1km)
- Dwarkamai (1km)
- Samadhi Mandir (1km)
- Shani Shingnapur (67 km)
- Nashik (87 km)
- Wet N Joy water park (1 km)
- Pandavleni caves (94 km)
- Jangali Maharaj Ashram (7 km)
- Khandoba Mandir (2 kms)
Where to stay in Shirdi?
In Shirdi, there are several places to stay near and around the temple that offer very reasonable prices. Both AC and Non AC room, starting at Rs. 300 are available. There are several places to stay around the temple that offer very reasonable prices. There are several Dharamshalas in the area as well that offer accommodation for very little rates. The Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Trust itself has accommodation facilities for tourists, the Dwarawati Bhaktiniwas that has several rooms and the New Bhakta Niwas, for which no advance booking is required.
Things to remember:
- The place has lately become home to several pickpockets, it is very important that you take care of your belongings while walking towards the shrine or while you're in the shrine.
- Take care of your children and always keep them close, because the crowd is very heavy.
- Mobile phones and cameras are strictly not permitted within the temple premises.
- If you're staying in the town, make sure you lock your doors when you leave your room.
With all these tips, we hope your trip to Shirdi is a safe and successful one.
There are several pilgrimages within India, which are quite distinguished for the legends attached to them. Shirdi is one such town which is considered to be an ideal pilgrimage, not just for Hindus but for people of all religions. You should surely visit it when you want peace and need to be close to Sai Baba.
Martin Wynn
