Shri Saibaba Samadhi Mandir, Shirdi
Shirdi, Rahata taluka, Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar) district · Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi (samadhi 15 October 1918), worshipped through his samadhi and marble idol
The tomb-shrine of the fakir-saint who taught 'Sabka Malik Ek', with four aartis a day, a Thursday palkhi, Asia's largest free solar kitchen and pilgrims of every faith.
Shirdi is the village where Sai Baba, a saint of unknown origin revered by Hindus and Muslims alike, lived for about sixty years and took samadhi on Vijayadashami, 15 October 1918. His body rests in the Samadhi Mandir, originally a stone wada built by the devotee Gopalrao Buti, where a white Italian-marble statue of Baba sits above the tomb. Shirdi now draws about 25,000 pilgrims on an ordinary day and over a lakh on festivals. The Sansthan runs paid aarti and darshan passes, three large guest-house complexes and the Sai Prasadalaya, which serves free meals to tens of thousands every day.
Timings
- Temple opens: 4:45 AM
- Darshan queue: approx. 6:00 / 6:25 AM – 9:30 PM (closed during aartis)
- Temple closes: After Shej Aarti, about 10:00 PM
- Sai Prasadalaya: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Thursday palkhi: Thursday evening/night (Samadhi Mandir to Dwarkamai and Chavadi); check timing at the temple
Darshan types and costs
- General (free) darshan – Free
- Paid (VIP) darshan pass – ₹200 per person (approx.; confirm on online.sai.org.in)
- Recommendation-letter (protocol) VIP darshan – Paid pass required
- Kakad Aarti pass – ₹600 per person (approx.; confirm on online.sai.org.in)
- Madhyan / Dhoop / Shej Aarti pass – ₹400 per person each (approx.; confirm on online.sai.org.in)
- Mukh darshan – Free
Sevas and costs
- Shree Sai Satyavrata Pooja – ₹100 (7–8 AM, 9–10 AM, 11 AM–12 PM; on full-moon days also 1–2 PM and 3–4 PM)
- Abhishek Pooja – ₹100 (7–8 AM and 9–10 AM)
- Vehicle Pooja – ₹51 (two-wheeler); ₹151 (four-wheeler) (9:00 – 11:30 AM and 1:00 – 5:00 PM (except aarti times))
- Thursday Palkhi – Free (Every Thursday night)
- Aarti clothes / shawl offering – Check official site (Monthly allotment)
How to book darshan
Darshan and aarti passes, poojas, rooms and donations are booked on the Sansthan's official portal and app. The Sansthan says it has not authorised any agency to book rooms or passes.
Shirdi Sansthan booking portal
Dress code
No strict written dress code was found, but modest, decent clothing is expected inside the Samadhi Mandir.
Best time to visit
October to March. Thursdays, weekends, Guru Purnima, Ram Navami, Vijayadashami and New Year's Eve are the busiest times. Early mornings on weekdays are calmest.
How to reach
- air: Shirdi Airport (SAG) is about 17 km away. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad, about 112 km) and Pune (about 200 km) have more flights.
- rail: Sainagar Shirdi station is about 4 km away, with direct trains from Mumbai and other cities. Kopargaon (17 km) and Manmad Junction (61 km) are alternatives.
- road: On NH-160. About 240 km from Mumbai, 90 km from Nashik and 80 km from Ahilyanagar. MSRTC and private buses run from major cities; the Sansthan has a reception centre at the bus stand.
Festivals
- Ram Navami – Chaitra Shukla 9 (Mar/Apr)
- Guru Purnima – Ashadha Purnima (Jul)
- Vijayadashami (Punyatithi) – Ashwin Shukla 10 (Oct)
- New Year's Eve – 31 December
- Thursday palkhi – Every Thursday