Shirdi is a town in the jurisdiction of the municipal council popularly known as Shirdi Nagar Panchayat, located in Rahata Taluka in Ahmednagar District in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is accessible via the Ahmednagar – Manmad State Highway No.10, approximately 83 km from Ahmednagar and 15 km from Kopargaon.
Shirdi is famously known as the home of the late 19th century saint Sri Sai Baba who is regarded by his devotees as a saint, a fakir, a satguru and an incarnation (avatar) of Lord Shiva.
He is revered by both his Hindu and Muslim devotees during, as well as after his lifetime. Saibaba is now revered as incarnation of Sri Dattatreya, and considered as Saguna Brahma. He is attributed to be the creator, sustainer and destroyer of this universe by his devotees.
Sai Baba Temple in the town of Shirdi houses the tomb of the Divine Master. Baba promised before His Mahasamadhi, “I shall be active and vigorous even from the tomb”. Echoing these divine words and attracting millions from all over the world, the Shirdi.
Sai Baba chose to make the nondescript village of Shirdi his home. Sai Baba visited Shirdi when he was 16 years old and stayed there until his samadhi in 1918. Sai Baba transformed this small village into a holy pilgrimage site for his devotees. Many tales of the renowned Shirdi Sai are associated with this village. His selfless love and dedication to the poor, earned him respect for which he is worshiped even now.
Despite his appearance as a Muslim fakir, he quoted eloquently from Hindu scriptures and treated devotees of all religions, castes, and creed equally. He founded the philosophy of “Shraddha” meaning faith and “Saburi” meaning compassion and according to him both of these virtues were very important to reach the state of godliness. Sai Baba is believed to have manifested many miracles during his lifetime and his popularity seems to be only growing in leaps and bounds almost a century after his samadhi.
The Shirdi temple complex covers an area of about 200 square meters. It includes Gurusthan, Samadhi Mandir, Dwarkamai, Chavadi and Lendi Baug.
The mosque, Dwarkamai and the Chavadi which had come up even during his lifetime were the primary places of worship for the devotees of Sai Baba. The Chavadi was initially a store/office but later became Sai Baba’s bed chamber on alternative nights. These have now been rebuilt into grand structures.
The Samadhi Mandir – the main temple is the mausoleum where Baba’s mortal remains lay buried. A life-size marble idol of Baba is placed here which is worshipped by the devotees who throng to this temple. A large hall in the Samadhi Mandir accommodates hundreds of devotees for prayers and darshan each day.
Apart from the Samadhi Mandir, the current temple premises houses a Khandoba temple – the shrine of a regional deity worshipped by the saint fakir himself. The Gurusthan is a spot in the temple premises where a neem tree is worshipped. It is under this neem tree that Sai Baba’s guru remains entombed, according to legend.
The temple premises enclose a large garden, the Lendi Garden, which Sai Baba is believed to have tended. There are a number of small shrines for Shiva, Ganesh, and Shani in the premises. The temple also houses a museum which showcases his personal articles of use.
Sai Baba temple at Shirdi is famous for its wish fulfillment and healing. Thousands of devotees pledge to visit the temple each year when their desires are granted and accidents averted. Many sick devotees come here with the belief that the seer shall heal them of their maladies. The sacred ash or Udhi dispensed at the temple is believed to have miraculous healing properties. The sacred fire or Dhuni lit by Sai Baba of Shirdi at the mosque is kept aglow round the clock.
Before his Samadhi Sai Baba of Shirdi had promised to live in the tomb and to bless all devotees who visit the temple. A number of devotees claim to see Sai Baba in times of need and despair. The temple is known for its intense peace and spiritual vibrations.
Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi, is the Governing and Administrative body of Shri Saibaba’s Samadhi Temple and all others temples in the premise.
Large number of devotees of all faiths flocks to the temple of Shirdi Sai Baba throughout the year. On an average, daily 50,000 devotees visit Shirdi village, to have the darshan of Sri Saibaba. In the festival season, more than 100,000 devotees visit the temple every day. The Sri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust (Shirdi) has provided 2,500 rooms of varied capacity for accommodation. Apart from the temple trust complex there are many accommodation options ranging from budget to star category in Shirdi.
Maruti Temple, Khandoba Mandir, Sai Heritage Village, Shanisinghnapur and Nashik are the other places of attraction situated in and around Shirdi.
Source:
https://www.trawell.in/maharashtra/shirdi
https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/travel/shirdi-sai-baba-temple