Shirdi is yet another famous town in the State of Maharashtra; many people believe that this city is the next place of pilgrimage in India. Shirdi is a religious town well noted to be the dwelling place of Sai Baba; which attracts millions of visitors and tourists every year. Regardless of the reason for people visiting the place – whether it is spiritual, or any other – there will never be a shortage of activities one can engage in and around Shirdi. Here is a quick guide to planning your trip.
Things to Do in Shirdi
Visit Sai Baba Samadhi Mandir:
This temple is the main deity of worship in Shirdi and has the tomb of Samadhi Sai Baba. People come here for prarthana and to attend the aartis conducted at the temple, every day.
Dwarkamai:
Another holy site in Shirdi is the mosque where Sai Baba was seen to have dwelled a better part of his life. Another interesting and quite noticeable feature of the Sai Baba Ashram, which goes by the name ‘Dhuni’ is said to have been burning at the time of Sai Baba of Shirdi as well.
Chavadi:
Just beside Dwarkamai, there used to be this building which is a house where Sai Baba used to take his rest. This is where people go to be spiritually closer to the saint.
Gurusthan:
There is a legend surrounding the fact that the first Sai Baba was seen on the hamlet of Shirdi, meditating under a neem tree at Gurusthan. This is a quiet place to pray and get some quiet time to reflect.
Places to Visit in Shirdi
Lendi Baug:
A lovely garden, in which Sai Baba himself used to walk daily. It has a small lamp that he lit himself and its light still glows as up to date.
Sai Heritage Village:
For those who are interested in the biographical details about Sai Baba and the historical period this village recreates the period in Shirdi when Baba was alive.
Wet n Joy Water Park:
For those who do not wish to visit temples and desire or just for families with children, there is always Wet n Joy Water Park.
Other Attractions Near Shirdi
Shani Shingnapur: The place is a religious center and there is a temple for the worship of Lord Shani and the distances are almost 65 kilometers in Shirdi. It also has an unusual culture of homes without doors.
Ellora Caves: Aurangabad is located at a distance of approximately 120 km away from Shirdi and it is famous as a world heritage site having rock-cut monuments and temples.
Ajanta Caves: If one wishes to go for a long drive then the attraction nearby which is 200 km from the site is Ajanta Caves which is of great tourist interest as it holds ancient Buddhist rock-cut caves and artistic sculptures and paintings.
Places to Visit Near Shirdi
Nashik: Nashik is situated 90 km from Shirdi and it is famous for its winery, pilgrimage, and Kumbh Mela. Trimbakeshwar temple is a must-visit place.
Bhandardara: This is a scenic hill station located at a distance of approximately 100 kilometers from Shirdi and is blessed with beautiful lakes, waterfalls, and trekking. Bhandardara is a beautiful hill station that is approximately 100 km from Shirdi, and the place is surrounded by lovely water bodies and waterfalls including a beautiful summit for trekking.
Places to Eat in Shirdi
- Sai Sagar Food Court: A popular place offering a variety of vegetarian dishes.
- Rajdhani Restaurant: Known for its delicious thalis.
- Ahimsa – The Vegan Café: For those people who want to take vegan food this café also offers different types of vegan meals.
- Shirdi Bhojanalay: A basic restaurant for a meal and especially for those who seek true Maharashtrian food at an affordable price.
How to Plan a Trip to Shirdi
Decide on Your Travel Dates:
Arguably, Shirdi experiences high human traffic during festivals and the weekends. It is advisable to arrange to visit during weekdays because there will always be a long queue most of the time particularly in the temple.
Book Your Accommodation:
Hotels are quickly occupied, especially during the high demand times. Advance booking is recommended especially for travelers who are planning to tour the most popular destinations of the country.
Book a Cab for Comfortable Travel:
If you have arrived from the nearby cities, then the most suitable means of transport is a taxi. Besides this, our services include the Pune to Shirdi Cab Rentals and Mumbai Airport to Shirdi Cab Rentals so that you do not have to face any uncomfortableness.
How to Reach Shirdi
- By Air: Currently, Shirdi has the nearest airport namely Sairdhi Airport located at a distance of almost about 14 km from the main city. Two other airports that are fairly accessible are the ones in Mumbai and Pune.
- By Train: Shirdi has its railway station called Sai Nagar Shirdi Railway Station. You can also get there through other nearby large railway stations such as KPG or Kopargaon and MM or Manmad.
- By Road: Shirdi is easily accessible by road, one can even hire cabs from Pune to Shirdi or cars from Mumbai to Shirdi quite easily. We give our customers an opportunity to stay in comfortable and inexpensive accommodations.
Best Time to Visit
Shirdi can be visited throughout the year but visiting should be done between the months of October to March. It does rain here and we do get monsoons; however, summers can become quite hot most of the time.
About Shirdi
Shirdi is situated in the Ahmednagar district of the Maharashtra state. It indeed has tremendous importance because Sai Baba, one of the holiest people of India and a mouthpiece of love, forgiveness, and equality was born in this small town.
History
This is perhaps attributed to the fact that after Sai Baba settled in the present Shirdi around the late 19th century the town transformed into a well-developed one. His teachings miracles and frugal lifestyle embraced all classes of people. The growth and development of the town has seen it become one of the biggest pilgrimage destinations.
Interesting Facts About Shirdi
- Sai Baba’s Samadhi Mandir is a very famous temple today and millions of visitors visit the shrine every year.
- The Palkhi procession is taken out every Thursday to represent the route that Sai Baba used to travel around in Shirdi.
- Sai Baba was a complete mystic saint and there is no record of any prejudice that he had against anybody, people from all kinds of faiths come to Shirdi to pay homage to Sai Baba.
Hotels in Shirdi
- St Laurn – The Spiritual Resort: This subsector provides luxury/comfort accommodation with the latest amenities and religious facilities.
- Sun-n-Sand Shirdi: The super-sensitive service of the hotel with easy access to the temple and one of the most preferred hotels in Shirdi.
- Hotel Sai Jashan: Economy hotel for accommodation with special thanks for being clean and near Sai Baba temple.
Nearby Road Trips to Take from Shirdi
Pune to Shirdi: The distance between Pune and Shirdi is around 200 km and to make your journey comfortable, we provide the most appropriate cab services.
Mumbai Airport to Shirdi: The distance from Mumbai Airport to Shirdi is around 240 Kms, which takes roughly five hours when traveling by taxi/cab.
Shirdi to Nashik: This is a convenient 90-kilometer road trip for pilgrims who wish to attend Trimbakeshwar temple and the wine-grown vineyards in Nashik.
There are many religious places to visit around Shirdi and one can even spend time having fun at places having tourist attractions. It may be required to transverse and the recommendation is that it should be done with Rcabs to make it easier.
