Shirdi, hometown and resting place of Shri Sai Baba, who many believe is an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Shirdi is visited by millions of devotees every year. As his teaching cuts across all religions and beliefs, pilgrims from all faiths throng to get a sight of the Samadhi Idol.
History:
Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi was established in 1922 to carry out the noble service of Sai Baba. At the age of 16, Sai Baba first appeared here under a tree. For the next 60 years, he devoted his life towards helping the poor and alleviate their suffering. The villagers of Shirdi each claimed him as a member of their own religion, but he always encouraged each to stick to his |
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own religious path. Some even believed he was an incarnation of
Lord Shiva. He effected cures, conferred health, happiness and prosperity and made childless couples conceive but Sai Baba's real purpose was to awaken in them a longing for the spiritual life.
Places To See:
The Samadhi Mandir (temple) of Sai Baba was owned by a millionaire and a famous Sai devotee from Nagpur,
Shreemant Gopalrao. He wanted to keep an idol of Murlidhar here. According to legend, Sai Baba himself became Murlidhar and the temple became the Samadhi Mandir of Baba. The Mandir houses a statue of Sai Baba made of Italian marble and surrounded by ornamental decorations. There is also an assembly hall for devotees with a showcase of objects used by Sai Baba.
Dwarkamai is a mosque where Sai Baba inhabited till his death. The main attraction here are the paintings of him. A shrine has been constructed at the place where Sai Baba cam to as a child and is called
Gurusthan. The dhuni (sacred fire) still burns here and its ash is smeared on devotees
Travel Information:
Air : The nearest airports are Mumbai (260 kms), Pune (185 kms) and Aurangabad (125 kms).
Train: The nearest railway station is Manmad (60 kms) on the Central Railway, which is connected to many parts of the country with Express trains.
Road: Shirdi is very well connected by a network of roads and road transport to all major towns of Maharashtra and surrounding areas.
