About Shirdi
75
km from Nashik, Shirdi was the abode of saint Sai Baba who lived here for
eighty long years. It is believed that Sai Baba himself calls his devotees
to the place and that his blessings can free oneself of one's ills. The zeal
and fervour of the devotees at the Samadhi Mandir bedazzle the eyes of the
onlookers. The town stands on the Ahmadnagar-Manmad Highway and is 250 km
from Mumbai.
Climate
The town of Shirdi experiences extremes of temperature. Summers are hot and
the temperature jumps up to a maximum of 40 degrees centigrade in May.
Januray is the coldest month of the year and the temperature drops down to a
minimum of 7 degrees centigrade. June to August is the period of monsoons.
There are scanty rains and the weather remains pleasant during these months.
Shirdi can be visited any time of the year, though the best time is from
November to February. Thursday is Sai Baba's special day.
Major Attraction
» Samadhi Mandir - The Samadhi Mandir is the
shrine of Sai Baba. Baba's mortal remains lie here buried. The endless
queues and the bewildering crowds are testimony to the devotees' firm faith
in the saint.
» The Masjid - The mosque stands next to the
temple. It is the very site where Sai Baba spent most of his life. The
sacred fire called "Dhuni" still burns here and the ash is daubed
over the worshippers.
» Guru Asthan - The Guru Asthan is the place where
Baba's spiritual leader took Samadhi ( gave up his body). Here stands a Neem
tree under which Baba sat when he first came to the town of Shirdi. The tree
is said to possess magical powers.
» Lendi Gardens - The Lendi Gardens is a prayer-haunt of the
devotees and worshippers who come here to pray. It is the place where Sai
Baba always went for a walk and meditated.
Shopping
Shirdi is a tiny holy town in the state of Maharshtra and has a good number
of shops selling Sai Baba memorabilia. The pictures and the books on the
Baba can be one's best picks. Pictures of Sai Baba with his affecting eyes,
snow-white beard and benign smile are popular all around.
Accommodation
Sun N Sand Hotel at Shirdi provides fantastic accommodation. Centrally
air-conditioned, the hotel has facilities ranging from banquet and
conference halls, room service and shopping arcade to doctor on call,
laundry, banking and safe deposit. Telephone, TV, channel music, health
club, pool table, beauty parlour and H/C running water are the other
facilities. Hotel Shraddha Park Inn on Pimpalwadi road has 5-star facilities
and services to cater to the needs of the tourists.
How To Reach
» Air - Aurangabad ( 144 km) is the nearest airport
from where Indian Airlines and private airlines fly planes to the major
cities and towns of the country.
» Railway - Manmad(60 km) and Nashik(123 km) are
the convenient railheads.
» Road - Shirdi is well connected by road to Mumbai
via Nashik-Sinnar and Manmad.
