About Shirdi

About Shirdi Sai Baba Temple

Shirdi is a town panchayat coming under the jurisdiction of municipal council popularly known as Shirdi Nagar Panchayat, It is a part of Rahata Tahasil in Ahmednagar District Maharashtra(India). Shirdi is the home of later 19th century popular guru Shirdi Sai Baba. It is one of the much visited pilgrimage centres in india.

Location

Shirdi is located approximately 300 km from Mumbai, the commercial capital of india. It is locally called saidesh(The Land of Sai) The closest and better connected city from Shirdi is Ahmednagar, Shirdi has a new railway terminal from March 2009,called "Sainagar Shirdi".

It is located at 19o45' North Latitude and 74o25' East Longitude.

About Temple

The temple of Shirdi Sai Baba beautiful shrine that was built upon the Samadhi(tomb) of Shri Sai Baba. It was constructed and consecrated in the year 1922 to spread and carry forward the Services of Shri Sai Baba.

Shri Saibaba arrived at the village of Shirdi at age of 16 yrs and remained in shirdi till attained samadhi, Baba found shelter in Khandoba temple, where a villager Mahalsapathi in the temple addressed him as Sai or Saint Sai baba.

Shri Saibaba of Shirdi visited this world from 1838 to 1918, whose (born-with) name, birthplace and date of birth are unknown till date. An Indian spiritual guru and a fakir ,Shri Shirdi Saibaba in Shirdi was regarded with great reverence by both Hindu and Muslim followers, and set an example for religious harmony, Shri Sai lived in a mosque and after death his body was deitified in the temple.

Sri Shirdi Sai philosophy ingrained 'Shraddha' (Faith) and 'Saburiā€(Tolerance). According to God Sai Shraddha and Saburi were the supreme attributes to reach the state of godliness.

Pooja timings

4:00 am Temple open
4.15 am Bhupali
4:30 am Kakad Aarti (morning)
5:00 am Bhajan in Saibaba Mandir
5.05 am Holy Bath of Shri Sai Baba (Mangal Snaan) in Samadhi Mandir
5:35 am Aarti "Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur"
5:40 am Darshan begins in Samadhi Mandir
9:00 am Abhishek Pooja
7:00, to 11:00 am Satyanarayana Pooja
11:30 am Dhuni Pooja with rice and ghee in Dwarkamai
12:00 Mid day Aarti
4:00 PM Pothi (Devotional reading/Study) in Samadhi Mandir
At Sunset Dhoop Aarti
8:30 - 10:00 PM Devotional Songs in Samadhi Mandir and other Cultural Programmes (if any)
9:00 PM Chavadi and Gurusthan closes
9:30 PM In Dwarkamai water is given to Baba, a mosquito net is hung and the hanging lamp is lit
9:45 PM Dwarkamai (the upper part) closes
10:30 PM Shej (night) Aarti, after this , a shawl is wrapped around the statue in the Samadhi Mandir, a Rudraksha mala is put around baba's neck, Mosquito net is hung, and a glass of water kept there
11:15 PM Samadhi Mandir closes after night Arati