Shirdi is the abode of the renowned sage Shirdi Sai Baba.
Located in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, it is close to the
holy city of Nasik. This small town is mystical and attracts several
visitors throughout the year. It is fine to visit Shridi at
anytime through the year, although monsoon (June to August) is said to
be the best time to visit simply because of the pleasant weather. The
town looks beautiful and fresh during this time. The festive season is
also a good time to plan a visit to Shirdi. Ramnavami (March / April),
Guru Purnima (July) and Vijayadashami (October) are some of the major
festivals that are celebrated with great grandeur and vigor here.
The prime attractions in Sirdi include
Samadhi Mandir: This temple was built in 1918 by Gopalrao, an
ardent devotee of Sai Baba. It is the heart of this quaint town. It is
also known as the Sai Baba temple. The entire temple has been built of
stone and Babas samadhi is built of marble. There is a marvelous life
size statue of Sai Baba seated on his throne, just behind the samadhi.
It is made of Italian marble and looks astounding. Two silver pillars
adorned with ornate designs stand in front of the samadhi. The front
portion of the mandir has an assembly hall that can occupy up to 600
devotees and a museum that displays various things that were used by
Sai Baba during his lifetime. There are 4 main aartis that take place
in the temple every day. Generally it takes up to an hour in a queue
for darshan. Some Thursdays it can take up to 3 to 4 hours as Thursday is
a considered an auspicious day to visit the Sai Baba temple. It is a
major tourist attraction.
Gurusthan: Outside the Samadhi Mandir is the Gurusthan. It is a
small temple under a neem tree, where Sai Baba is said to have
meditated.
Dwarkamai: This is a two storied building which is a mosque.
Sai Baba is said to have stayed here most part of his life. There is a
portrait of baba, some articles that were used by him and a stone that
he sat on, in the temple. The highlight of the mosque is that the
dhuni that was lit by Sai Baba in his times is still burning.
Chawadi: Baba and some of his followers used to spend every
other night in the Chawadi.
The Maruti temple that baba often visited, Samadhi of Abdulbaba (An
ardent devotee who used to read out the Quran to Baba), Dixit Wada
museum and Lendi Baugh are other significant places in Sirdi.
History
Sai Baba's millions of disciples, followers and devotees
believe that he had performed many miracles. Some of them were:
bilocation, exorcisms, curing the incurably sick, helping his devotees
in need in a miraculous way, reading the minds of others. Numerous
inhabitants of Shirdi talked about these miracles. Some of them even
wrote about them in books. They talked and wrote about how they (and
others) were the witnesses of his unusual Yogic powers: levitation,
entering a state of Samadhi at wish, even removing his limbs and
sticking them back to his body (Khanda Yoga) or doing the same with
his intestines. According to his followers he appeared to them after
his death, in dreams, visions and even in bodily form, whence he often
gave them advice. His devotees have many stories and experiences to
tell. Many books have been written on the same.