What to see and things to do in shirdi, places to see in shirdi

To See & Do

Distances can seem exaggerated in Shirdi. What is referred to as the other end of the town is, in reality, a 10-minute walk away, through narrow lanes fringed by small stalls selling flowers, sweets, trinkets and other items that devotees offer to Sai Baba. There are even Tibetans here selling woollies. Music blares from almost every stall; devotional and popular Bollywood songs mingle to create a most eclectic medley as one walks down the streets. Leave your footwear with the stall owner from whom you buy your puja offerings; the service is free and saves you the jostling at the shoe minding stall at the entrance to the temple complex.

Activities


	Samadhi Mandir of Sai Baba

	This is the heartbeat of Shirdi. The entire town seems to revolve around the shrine in which a life-size white Italian marble statue of the saint presides. The shrine is also known by the unusual name of 'Butty Wada', after the man who built it Gopalrao Butty of Nagpur. There is invariably a long line of devotees waiting for a darshan. If you are lucky, the wait will be about half an hour, more likely to be an hour or more. Be prepared to wait even longer up to three or four hours on Thursdays, the special day of the saint, and on weekends, holidays and during festivals. The darshan is brief and security guards wave you on to give others their moment in the glow of the saint's grace. Devotees should note that all religious functions and pujas on the Sansthan premises are to be arranged and performed through the office of the Sansthan. 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. Offerings in cash or kind to Shri Sai Baba should always be made at the office against a receipt. Since the capacity within the temple is limited, entrance is on a first-come basis. This means getting there very early or obtaining a special VIP pass from the Sansthan office the previous day. Convincing them that you are a VIP, however, is another matter altogether. Timings 5 am to 10 pm.


	Dwarkamai

	This is the old village mosque, located to the right of the mandir entrance. This is where the 20-year-old Sai Baba took up residence in 1858 when he first arrived in Shirdi as part of a marriage procession, and where he lived for the remaining 60 years of his life. The two-level structure houses portraits and relics of Sai Baba and some items of everyday use that belonged to him, including the stone stool on which he sat when he had his bath.


	Chavadi

	To the east of Dwarkamai is the place where Sai Baba slept alternate nights. It contains the wooden bed and white chair that were used by the saint.


	Thursday Palki Procession

	Every Thursday, the holy day of Sai Baba, a palki procession is taken through the streets of Shirdi. A framed photograph of the saint, along with the slippers he wore, the chillum (traditional pipe) that he smoked and the stick he carried, are taken out on a palanquin hoisted on the shoulders of priests. The procession starts at 9 pm from Samadhi Mandir, proceeds to Dwarkamai, on to Chavadi and then back to the main temple. There is a great deal of jostling and shoving during the procession, and special care should be taken if kids are brought along to witness it.


	Gurusthan

	This is a small shrine built around a neem tree under which Sai Baba sat when he first came to Shirdi. In front of the portrait of Sai Baba enshrined here is a Shivaling and a Nandi bull. Photos of the 12 Jyotirlingas are also kept in the temple.


	Lendi Baug

	This is a small garden that was watered daily by Sai Baba who would drop by every morning and afternoon and rest under a neem tree. Here there is also the samadhi of Shyamsunder, a horse that would bow whenever it passed Sai Baba!


	Cottage of Abdul Baba

	Located opposite the Chavadi is the residence of Sai Baba's friend Abdul Baba. Descendants of the man dust the Holy Koran and the portraits of the two friends with peacock feathers and sprinkle the holy dust over visitors.


	House of Laxmibai Shinde

	The place where Sai Baba last received food and gave nine coins in exchange just before attaining samadhi. The coins, the last gift of the saint in his lifetime, are framed and enshrined in the humble hut.

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