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Shirdi in Maharashtra is a mystical magical town near the holy city of Nasik. The pilgrimage town of Shirdi was home to the saint Sai Baba, who lived here for eighty years. It is said that Sai Baba himself calls his devotees to Shirdi and that his blessings can heal even the deepest wound. Shirdi is tiny town with just 2 square km of main street and a labyrinth of by-lanes but packs in much spiritual passion.

A major pilgrimage centre, Shirdi is imbued with an aura of spiritual sanctity. Pilgrims throng for a brief "darshan" at Samadhi Mandir, the shrine of Sai Baba where his mortal remains were interred. The queues outside the temple are endless, the throng inside is maddening, and the devotion intense. Next to the shrine is the peaceful Masjid, where Sai Baba spent most of his life. The sacred fire called "dhuni" still burns here and its ash or "udhi" is smeared on devotees. The Chavadi is a small building where Sai Baba used to spend every alternate night.

Shirdi does not have any banks or moneychangers and you will need to go to Nashik to change your foreign currency. Most of the large hotels accept international credit cards. Beware of touts!

Historically Speaking

A sleepy little village in the interiors of Maharashtra, Shirdi came into prominence when an old sage died in 1918. The saga of Sai Baba of Shirdi started in the middle of the last century when, as a boy of about 16 years of age, he first appeared here under a neem tree (Azadirachta indica) absorbed in a hard penance. For the next 60 years, he devoted his life for the upliftment of the poor and suffering. His origin, religion, and early life are shrouded in mystery, and though he is believed to be an incarnation of lord Shiva, his teachings transcended all religions and beliefs. Today, all places, persons, and possessions connected with him have become objects of veneration by millions of devotees who throng to Shirdi every year from all parts of the world. Sai Baba's shrine has been incorporated as one of the holy places in the world's map of pilgrimage.