Where is Shirdi and How to get there?

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OM SAI NAMO NAMA

SRI SAI NAMO NAMA

JAI JAI SAI NAMO NAMA

OM SADGURU SAI NAMO NAMA

 

 

Where is Shirdi and How to get there?Shirdi is located approximately 296 Kilometers from Mumbai (Bombay) City in India. The nearest railway station is Kopargaon 15 kilometers on Manmad-Daund section of Central Railways. To get to Shirdi from outside India:First, you have to travel to India. (Check with the Office of Consulate General of India in your region for visa and travel requirements. ). You could either go by Sea or by Air. Presuming that you want to go by Air, the first choice of landing airport should be Mumbai (Bombay) .

Alternatively you could land in any other city which has an international airport. After reaching India, you have many options to travel to Shirdi.(see below).To get to Shirdi from within India:1. From Mumbai (Bombay): a. You could take a Cab, hire a private taxi or drive. (If you are an international tourist you may want to check the requirements for Driver's licence and road regulations with the Maharashtra State Road Transport department.)b. You could take a Maharashtra State Transport Bus. c. You could take a Bus operated by Private operators.d. You could take a Central Railway train of the Indian Railways from Mumbai (Bombay) V.T. station to Manmad station and then take a bus to Shirdi. State transport buses are available from Manmad to Shirdi.For Fares, Schedules and other details contact your local travel agent, the Government of India Tourism Office, the Maharashtra State Tourism Board Office, the Central Railway booking office or the Maharashtra State Transport booking office.2. From any other City within India:a. You could first go to Mumbai by train, bus or an airplane and then follow the steps listed above.b. You could take a train from the city of origin to Manmad. Not all trains go directly from point to point. You have to check if the train goes

directly to Manmad or if you have to break your journey and change over trains. From Manmad you have to take a bus or cab to Shirdi.c. You could drive, hire a cab or private taxi to take you directly to Shirdi. (If you are an international tourist you may want to check the requirements for Driver's licence and road regulations with the Maharashtra State Road Transport department.) For Fares, Schedules and other details contact your local travel agent, the Government of India Tourism Office, the Maharashtra State Tourism Board Office, the Central Railway booking office or the Maharashtra State Transport booking office.

 

 

 

Important instructions to devotees arriving in Shirdi1. For proper guidance and assistance to the devotees, Reception centers have been opened opposite the S.T. Bus stand. 2. On arrival to Shirdi, devotees should immediately get in touch with the above mention Reception centers of the Sansthan and should thereafter proceed to the Enquiry Office for booking their accommodation which is made available after registration of name and other particulars. 3. Occupied room(s) should be locked before going out. 4. If the accommodation provided is in the common hall, luggage should always be left in charge of a member of the party to safeguard it from anti-social elements. 5. A locker is available at nominal charge and against a deposit, which may be booked at the enquiry office,

and used for keeping luggage or any other valuables. 6. Care should be taken not to leave any belongings behind in the toilets and the bathrooms. 7. As the Samadhi Mandir is over-crowded at the time of Arati, devotees should safeguard their ornaments and purses from pick-pockets and mind their children. 8. Devotees should note that all religious functions and Poojas in the Sansthan premises are to be arranged and performed through the office of the Sansthan. Necessary payments for these are to be made at the office against a receipt. Boxes have been provided by the Sansthan in the Mandir itself to receive the devotees' offerings by way of Dakshina and Hundis. 9. Offering to Shri

Sai Baba in cash or kind should always be made at the office against a receipt. 10. Devotees should bear in mind that Baba left no heirs or disciples and should guard themselves against such deception practiced by impostors. 11. As all the necessary assistance and guidance is readily available to the devotees at the Reception center of the Sansthan, assistance from unauthorized guides at the S.T. stand, if taken by the devotees, will be at their own risk. 12. Devotees are warned against practitioners of black magic professing allegiance to Shri Sai Baba, and also against those circulating chain-letters, asking the receiver to send a certain number of copies of the letter to his friends. 13. Literature about Shri Sai Baba containing authentic information has been published by the Sansthan and is readily available at

book shops near the Samadhi Mandir. 14. A complaint/suggestio n book is always kept in the office for the use by the devotees, in which they are requested to write clearly their complaints/suggesti ons along with their full name(s) and addresses. The Sansthan authorities take due note of such complaints/suggesti ons. 15. Donations should always be sent by Money Orders, Postal Orders, Crossed and A/c. Payee Cheques or Drafts to ensure safe delivery of the same. Do not send cash or currency notes in postal envelopes. 16. As the various dealers and vendors of Pooja articles are not connected with the Sansthan, devotees should first fix the price before buying these articles to avoid any trouble thereafter. 17. All donations for oil for the Nanda-deep and for firewood for Dhuni in the Dwarkamai are to be given in the Accounts office only. Further details regarding these can be

obtained from the Temple-in-charge. 18. Devotees desirous of feeding the poor can arrange to do so against cash payment to be made to the Prasadalaya itself or the account office. Coupons are not accepted for this purpose. 19. Devotees desirous of distributing alms to beggars can do so only in the beggars' shed, near Prasadalaya with the help of the Security officer. 20. Devotees making correspondence should give their complete and correct addresses. 21. Devotees are requested to avail of the facilities at the Tea canteen and Prasadalaya run by the Sansthan where tea and meals are served at subsidized rates. 22. Medical facilities are available at the well-equipped Sainath Hospital run by the Shirdi Sansthan. 23. The Sansthan has not appointed any representative for the purpose of collecting donations in cash or otherwise. Devotees are informed that no

donations either in cash or otherwise should be given to anybody personally. This is to avoid deceit as well as to prevent devotees from being cheated by unscrupulous elements.

 

 

 

Important Places in Shirdi• Samadhi Mandir• Dwarkamai• Gurusthan• Lendi Baug• Khandoba MandirSamadhi MandirSamadhi Mandir of Shri Sai Baba was actually owned by a millionairefrom Nagpur, a famous Sai devotee Shreemant Gopalrao. Gopalrao wantedto keep an idol of Murlidhar here. However, Baba himself becameMurlidhar and the Mandir became the Samadhi Mandir of Baba.The Mandir is built with stones and Baba's Samadhi is built withwhite marble stones. A railing is built in marble around the Samadhiand is full of ornamental decorations. In front of the Samadhi aretwo silver pillars

full of decorative designs. Just behind theSamadhi is Sai Baba's marvelous statue made of Italian marble whichshows him seated on a throne. This idol was made by late BalajiVasant.This statue was installed on 7th October 1954. Above the statue is anopen, silver umbrella. The front of the Mandir has an assembly hallwhere about 600 devotees can be accomadated. Here is the show-casewhere various things handled by Baba are kept. On the first floor ofthe Mandir are pictures depicting the life of Baba.The routine of the temple starts at 5 o'clock in the morning withBhoopali, a morning song, and closes at 10 o'clock in the night afterShejarati is sung. Only on three occasions the temple is kept openovernight .ie. on Gurupoornima, Dassera, and Ramnavami. EveryThursday and on each fesitival, a Palakhi with Baba's photo is takenout from the temple.DwarkamaiShri Sai Baba came to

Shridhi with a marriage procession. He stayedat Dwarkamai till the very end of his life. Dwarkamai is situated onthe right side of the entrance of Samadhi Mandir. Here he solvedproblems of the people, cured their sickness and worries. BeforeBaba's arrival in Shridhi, Dwarkamai was an old mosque in adilapidated condition. Baba turned it into Dwarkamai and proved thatGod is one.The first level of Dwarkamai has a portrait of Baba and a big stoneon which Baba used to sit. This level has two rooms. One contains thechariot and the second a palkhi. Just in front of the room where thechariot is kept is a small temple. A saffron flag flies over it.The second level of Dwarkamai has a square stool made of stone, whichBaba used for taking a bath. The main attraction of this place is theoil painting of Shri Sai Baba sitting in a carved wooden shrine. Thislevel also has the grinding stone and the wooden

vessel calledKolamba in which Baba used to keep the Bhiksha brought from thevillage.GurusthanSai Baba first came to Shridhi in the form of Bal Yogi - a childascetic. He was first spotted seated under a Neem tree. This placecame to be known as Gurusthan. The renovation of Gurusthan was madeon 30th September, 1941. The present temple was built after thisperiod. There is a small shrine in Gurusthan. On a elevated platformof this shrine a big portrait of Baba is placed. On the side is amarble statue of Baba. In front of the portrait is a Shivling and theNandi. Photos of twelve Jyotirlingas are kept in the temple. Thebranches of the Neem tree have come out through the roof of thetemple.At a short distance lies Baba's CHAVADI. Baba used to sleep hereevery alternate day. The Chavadi is divided into two parts. One partof the Chavadi has a large portrait of Baba along with a wooden

bedand a white chair belonging to him.There is a cottage of Abdul Baba, an ardent devotee of Shri Sai Baba,in front of the Chavadi. The Lendi Baug was looked after by AbdulBaba. There are photos and various things which were handled by SaiBaba and Abdul Baba in the cottage.There is a Maruti Mandir located at some distance from the cottage ofAbdul Baba. This mandir was visited by Baba for the sat-sang withDevidas, a Balyogi, who lived at the Mandir ten to twelve yearsbefore Baba arrived.There are also temples of village deities named Shani, Ganapati, andShankar to be visited.Lendi BaugAt some distance from Gurusthan there is the Lendi Baug. This Baugwas made and watered daily by Baba himself. It got its name from aNalla (a drain) which used to previously flow there. Baba used tocome here every morning and afternoon and take

rest under a Neemtree. Baba dug a pit, 2 feet deep, under the Neem tree and kept aDeep lit in that pit. One octangular Deepgriha called Nanda Deep hasbeen built in marble stone in memory of this place. It constantlyburns in a glass box. On one side of the Deepgriha is a Peepal treeand on the other side is a Neem tree.Some distance away is a Datta Mandir below an Audumbar tree. In theMandir there is a statue of Datta built in marble stone. The statueof Datta was installed on 6th December, 1976. Just behind the DattaMandir is a Samadhi of the horse, Shyamsundar which belonged to Babaand which used to bow to him.Lendi Baug also has a well dug by Baba with the cooperation of hisdevotees.At the entrance of the Baug are the Samadhi's of ardent Sai devoteesTatya Kote Patil, Bhau Maharaj Kumbhar, Nanavalli and Abdul Baba.Khandoba MandirThis temple is situated on the main road.

In front of this templeBaba was welcomed by Poojari Mhalsapati, of this temple, saying "AaoSai", when Baba stepped in Shridi. In this temple there are icons ofKhandoba, Banai and Mhalsai.

Shirdi - Daily Schedule Of Worship

TIME ACTIVITY - Shirdi Temple5.00 AM Main doors of Samadhi temple open.5.15 AM Kakad Aarti (Morning Aarti)6.00 AM Mangal Snan (Holy bath)7.00 AM Pandharpur Aarti7.10 AM Darshan begins7.10 AM – 11.45 AM Darshan continues12.00 PM Madhyahan Aarti (Mid-day Aarti)12.30 PM Darshan begins12.30 PM – Sun set time (6.00 / 6.30 PM) Darshan continues.6.00/ 6.30 PM Dhup Aarti (Sunset time)Around 6.45 PM till 9.30 PM Darshan continues10.00 PM Shej Aarti (Night Aarti)10.20 PM Temple Closes.Daily routine:Samadhi Mandir is opened at 5.00 AM as "Utha utha Sakala Jana" amelodious prayer is played on audio cassette. Exactly at 5.15AMKakad arati begins as a request to Lord Sai to wake up and give Hismerciful glances to His

devotees.After the Kakad Aarati, the Samadhi and the Idol of Shri Sai isoffered Mangal Snan (Holy bath) with milk, curd, honey, sugar, gheeand warm perfumed water. After this Baba is offered Shodashopacharpooja (complete formal worship prescribed in Hindu scriptures).Offerings and presentations to Baba are accepted from 7.00 AM tillbefore night aarti (i.e. at 10 PM) except during Aartis. Offeringslike flowers, garlands, coconut, sweets and other related materialscan be purchased from the nearby shops in and around temple complex.Programme for mass Abhishek starts at 8.00 AM. In case ofunmanageable crowds this programme is not performed. Between 12 and12.30 PM Noon arati is performed.In the evening at sunset `Dhoop Aarti' is performed, the timechanges according to inclination of Sun through different seasons.After the aarti devotees perform programme of devotional

music.Permission to present such performance has to be obtained from theTemple-in-charge at the office of the Trust.At 10PM `Shej Arati' is offered. As Shri Sai Baba retires for theday. A mosquito net is put over the idol of Shri Sai. A jug of wateris also kept on the dais of Samadhi. Every Thursday and on specialdays Shri Sai Baba's padukas (sacred foot wear) are kept inpalanquin along with his portrait, a regal procession is taken fromSamadhi Mandir to DwarkaMai and ChawrAadi.

Jai Sai Ram

Bow to Shri sai-Peace be to all

 

 

 

 

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