How to Reach Shirdi: Complete Travel Guide to Sai Baba’s Holy Town

Shirdi is a famous pilgrimage town in Maharashtra, known as the home of Saint Sai Baba. Both Hindus and Muslims visit Shirdi to seek his blessings. Sai Baba is remembered as a saint with a white beard and a calm, kind face. He always wore a simple white robe like a poor fakir (holy beggar) and sat barefoot on a rock.

Devotees from India and abroad visit the Sai Baba Temple every week, and especially on Thursdays, when a special prayer called Aarti is held. Other popular spots in Shirdi include Gurusthan, Khandoba Temple, Shani Mandir, Narsimha Mandir, Changdev Maharaj Samadhi, and Sakori Ashram.

Shirdi is well connected by air, train, and road, so you can easily plan a trip from anywhere in India or the world.

How to Reach Shirdi

By Air

• Nashik Airport is the closest, about 75 km from Shirdi.
• Aurangabad Airport is about 150 km away.
• Mumbai Airport (domestic and international) is about 296 km away.
• Pune Airport is about 231 km away.

From all these airports, you will find buses and taxis to take you to Shirdi.

By Train

• Kopergaon Railway Station is only 16 km from Shirdi and is on the Karnataka Express route (New Delhi to Bangalore).
• Manmad Railway Station is about 58 km away and connects to many trains from Mumbai and Delhi.
• Shirdi also has its own computerized railway ticket booking center inside the temple area, so you can book tickets to anywhere in India.

By Road

• Shirdi sits on the Ahmednagar-Manmad Highway.
• It is 250 km from Mumbai and 75 km from Nashik.
• MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism) buses run regularly from major cities across the state.

Read: Maniyankottappan Temple Timings, History info

Must-Visit Places in Shirdi

Samadhi Mandir (Main Temple)

This is the holiest place in Shirdi, built on land once owned by a wealthy devotee named Gopalrao. The temple holds Sai Baba’s Samadhi (final resting place), made of white marble with beautiful silver pillars. Behind it stands a stunning marble statue of Sai Baba, installed in 1954.

The temple can hold about 600 devotees at once. It opens daily at 5 AM with a morning song called Bhoopali and closes at 10 PM. On three special days each year — Gurupoornima, Dassera, and Ramnavami — the temple stays open all night. Every Thursday, a small procession (Palakhi) carries Baba’s photo through the temple.

Dwarkamai

This was once an old, broken-down mosque. Sai Baba lived here for most of his life, helping people with their problems and illnesses. Inside, you can see the stone he used to sit on, his sacred bath area, an oil painting of him, and old kitchen tools he once used.

Gurusthan

This is the spot where Sai Baba was first seen as a young boy, sitting under a Neem tree. Today it has a small shrine with his portrait and a marble statue, along with photos of the twelve Jyotirlingas (sacred Shiva shrines).

Chavadi

Sai Baba slept here every other night. It has his portrait, wooden bed, and chair. Nearby is a cottage that belonged to his devotee Abdul Baba, along with small temples for local deities.

Lendi Baug

A peaceful garden that Sai Baba planted and watered himself. It has a memorial flame called Nanda Deep, a Datta Temple, the grave of Baba’s horse Shyamsundar, and a well he dug with his devotees.

Khandoba Mandir

Located on the main road, this is where Sai Baba was first welcomed into Shirdi with the words “Aao Sai” (Come, Sai).

Read: Simhachalam Temple Timings, Accommodation Book Online

Famous Miracles of Sai Baba

Sai Baba was known for many miracles. Here are a few well-known stories:

• Lighting lamps with water: When shopkeepers refused to give him oil, he filled the lamps with water instead — and they still burned all night.
• Saving the fields from fire: He warned a farmer about a fire before it happened, then put it out with just a splash of water.
• Stopping the rain: He asked for the rain to stop so his devotees could travel home safely, and it did.
• Filling a dry well with water: He blessed a nearly empty well, and it filled up completely for a village festival.
• Saving a drowning child: A young girl who fell into a well was found floating safely, as if held up by an unseen hand.
• Water from his feet: He once made holy water flow from his feet to satisfy a devotee’s faith.

About Sai Baba of Shirdi

Sai Baba’s real name and birthplace are unknown — he never spoke about his early life. He arrived in Shirdi as a young man and lived there until his passing on October 15, 1918. He is believed by Hindus to be an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya, and by Muslims to be a holy Sufi saint.

His teachings blended Hinduism and Islam. He gave the mosque he lived in a Hindu name, practiced rituals from both religions, and often said “Sabka Malik Ek” — meaning “One God rules over all.” He taught people to love one another, forgive, help the poor, stay content, and stay devoted to God.

Sai Baba welcomed everyone equally, no matter their religion or background. He cooked for his visitors, sang and danced with them, and lived a simple life among the people. Even today, millions of devotees visit his Samadhi Mandir every year.

Sai Baba Museum, Shirdi

Located inside the Dwarkamai complex, this museum houses many personal items once used by Sai Baba, including:

• His padukas (sacred footwear)
• Coins he gave to his priest, Mhalsapati
• The two large vessels he used to feed 50 and 100 people
• His personal grinding mill, symbolizing faith (Bhakti) and duty (Dharma)
• The chair and cot he used in his final days
• His earthen begging bowl and water pot, and his fire tongs (chimta)

The museum is managed by the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan and is a must-visit for anyone wanting to feel closer to the saint’s simple, humble life.