Shirdi is in the Rahata Taluka of Ahilyanagar district in the Maharashtra state of India. Shirdi is a secular place where all religions are treated as one. Saibaba, the Holy Saint, a true repository of wisdom, who performed many miracles and taught peace and harmony by saying “SABKA MALIK EK”. The footprints of Saibaba have made this town a holy place. Millions of devotees continuously flock here from all over India and abroad. Situated on the Ahmednagar-Manmad highway.
Shirdi Samadhi Mandir Temple has a beautifull marble statue of Sai Baba, alongside his tomb. Close by are Dwarkamai, a mosque where Sai Baba once lived, and tree-lined Lendi Garden.
Long time ago, at the beginning of eighteenth century a young bearded man with sparkling eyes took shelter in a mosque, in Shirdi Village. Nobody knew from where this stranger had come who hardly spoke a word and stayed there. Today he is simply know as Shirdi ke Sai Baba. He is said to be an incarnation of Lord Siva.
Gradually the curious villagers started offering food to the man, but he never asked anything from them. Sometimes he shared his food with the animals. Soon the young fakir, as he was started to be addressed, started expressing his view points with few elderly villagers. His simple language of expression and his special power of solving the problems of poor needy and destitute soon made this less known fakir, known as Shri Sai Baba. As the days passed, devotees started streaming into Shirdi in ever growing numbers. The village was fast becoming a centre of pilgrimage. He performed many miracles and cured and fulfilled the wishes of many who came to him. As gifts and presentations flowed in, the pomp and ceremony of Sai worship were evolving. Everyday Sai Baba would be a pauper having distributed all among the needy and the poor. But Sai Baba’s life of a Fakir remained calm, undisturbed, unaltered and therein is the saint’s Spiritual glory.
For 60 years Sai Baba served mankind and preached his precious teachings to the world from here, and then went for contemplation (Samadhi) in Shirdi itself. The footprints and the deeds of Saibaba have turned this small town into a unique holy place for people of all castes, creeds and religions. Saibaba delivered the universal slogan of “Shraddha – Saburi”, i.e. Faith and Patience for everyone, from here itself. The place of his ‘Samadhi’ has become a center-point for innumerable devotees, infusing them with the joy of life. What was once a small village is now a prospering town with several 5 star hotels.
Nobody really knew his parentage, where he came from or which religion he practised. He claimed no possessions nor accepted any disciples or gave any specific teaching. This anonymity lent a strange facet to his interaction with the people who came to him for guidance. To the Hindus he was an orthodox Brahmin, with a sacred fire, enjoining the worship of many gods and the devout study of various Hindu scriptures. He lived in a mosque but always referred to it as “Dwarkamay!” (Lord Krishna’s birth place is Dwaraka). To the Moslems he was a fakir living in a mosque observing the disciplines of Islam, uttering “Allah Malik” (God is the master) guiding Muslim seekers along the lines c)f their own religion. To the Parsis he was the sacred rire worshipper. His life was a living manifestation of the Sermon of the Christ and of the Eight-fold path of the Buddha.
Today Sai Baba temples and ashrams are all over India and in many other countries where devotees offer prayers and bhajans.
Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi, is the authorized body to control and manage the day-to-day activities at the Shree Saibaba Samadhi Temple. With billions donated by the devotees, it provides various facilities like Accommodation, Meals (Free), refreshments, and lot more. The Sansthan Trust also runs School and Colleges(Junior and Senior), English Medium School from class Jr KG to Std X, Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Drinking Water Supply, Hospitals (Shree Saibaba Superspecility Hospital and Shri Sainath Hospital on Charity basis).
How to reach:
By Bus
Maharashtra State Transport buses are available from major cities like Nashik, Mumbai, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar, Pune, Manmad and Kopargaon to Shirdi. Private air-conditioned buses also available from various cities of Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujrat, Andhra-Pradesh to Shirdi.
By Train
Shirdi can be reached from the new railway station at Sainagar, other Railway stations are Manmad-Junction (60 Kms), Kopargaon(22 Kms) and Nagarsul (50 Kms) on the Central Railway.
By air
Shirdi International Airport (SAG). It is located in Kakadi village, about 14 km southwest of the main town of Shirdi. It is also well connected by air to other major cities.
