ॐ सांई राम
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"OM SHREE SAINATHAYA NAMAHA",
FOR THIS ARTICLE BABA IS MY INSPIRATION,
ALL THE WORDS ARE MY PERSPIRATION,
FOR EVERY DEVOTEE OF EVERY NATION,
HAVING A LONG DESIRED DIVINE ASPIRATION,
TO GO TO SHIRDI IN THE VACATION.
SO, NOW MOVE ON... AS "SAI-EXPRESS" IS WAITING IN ANTICIPATION,
TO TAKE YOU TO "SAINAGAR" RAILWAY STATION !
OH, WHAT A MOTIVATION !!! - rOhit beHaL
THE FOLLOWING IS A SHIRDI TEMPLE GUIDE MAP EASILY AVAILABLE ON THE NET, BUT HAVE TAKEN THE LIBERTY TO MODIFY IT BY LABELING "A to Z" ALPHABETS AGAINST SMALL "x" MARKS TO ENABLE YOU TO FIND THE EXACT SPOT OF THE CORRESPONDING PLACE IN THE TEMPLE PREMISES.
"SHIRDI TEMPLE PREMISES GUIDE MAP"
A (On the Manmad / Nagar Main Road) - QUEUE FOR "MUKH DARSHAN" ONLY & ROAMING IN THE TEMPLE PREMISES EXCEPT LENDI BAGH & BABAS WELL.
A (On the Pimpalwadi Road) - DEVOTEES ENTRANCE NEAR MAIN GATE NO.2, FOR SAMADHI DARSHAN FOR ALL DEVOTEES WITHOUT PASSES.
THE ARROWS IN THE DARSHAN QUEUE HALLS - THE DIRECTION DEVOTEES HAVE TO MOVE TO REACH THE SAMADHI TEMPLE.
B - MAIN GATE NO.1.
C - THE P.R.O OFFICE.
D - MAIN GATE NO.2 (CLOSED...NOT USED NOW)
E - SHIRDI SANSTHAN`S BOOK STORE FOR SELLING BABA`S BOOKS, CALENDARS, VCD / DVD etc
F - THE "SHREE SAI SATYAVRAT POOJA HALL".
G - "SHREE SAI SANSTHAN EMPLOYEES CREDIT CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD, SHIRDI" STALL.
H - DURING PEAK PERIODS, ENTRY GATE FOR N.R.I / FOREIGN NATIONALS / V.I.P`s.
I - SHOP SELLING POOJA ITEMS / MUSTARD OIL & SWEET PRASAD TOO.
J - HUGE WINDOWS FOR A VIEW OF THE DARSHAN QUEUE GOING DOWN THE STAIRS.
K - DURING PEAK PERIODS ITS THE SENIOR CITIZENS / AGED / PHYSICALLY DISABLED DEVOTEES SPECIAL ENTRY GATE.
L - MAIN GATE NO.3.
M - "THE SHREE SAIBABA SANSTHAN TRUST MOBILE CLOAKROOM".
N - "SAI-COMPLEX" COMMERCIAL SHOPPING COMPLEX.
O - "DAKSHIN-MUKHI MARUTI TEMPLE" (UNDER RE-CONSTRUCTION AS IN JUNE 2009).
P - ABDUL BABA`S COTTAGE.
Q - ENTRY FOR "MUKH DARSHAN" OF BABA`S IDOL..(ONE CANNOT GO TOWARDS BABA`S SAMADHI FROM HERE)
R - EXIT AFTER DARSHAN AND DURING OFF-PEAK PERIODS ITS THE SENIOR CITIZENS / AGED / DISABLED DEVOTEES ENTRY GATE .
S - DONATION OFFICE.
T - "ANNOUNCEMENT SECTION" - (FORMER UDHI / PRASAD DISTRIBUTION ROOM).
U - TELEVISION IN THE OPEN AIR THEATRE FOR DEVOTEES STANDING OUT TO HAVE LIVE DARSHAN.
V - WATER COOLER JUST BESIDES THE OPEN AIR THEATRE, FOR DEVOTEES TO DRINK THE BLESSED WATER OF BABA`S HOLY BATH.
W - REAR EXIT DOOR AFTER DARSHAN AND DURING OFF-PEAK PERIODS ITS THE ENTRY GATE FOR V.I.P PASS HOLDERS..
X - "SAIBABA`S MUSEUM'.
Y - UDHI / PRASAD DISTRIBUTION ROOM ( NEXT TO ABDUL BABAS / NANAVALIS / TATYAS SAMADHI ).
Z - MAIN GATE NO.4.
THE BLACK LINE DRAWN FROM GATE NO.4 CUTTING ACROSS LENDI BAGH UPTO THE EXIT AT MANMAD / NAGAR MAIN ROAD - STEEL BARRICADED PASSAGE SEPARATING LENDI BAGH FROM NANDADEEP.
CANDLES - PLACE IN NANDADEEP WHERE DEVOTEES CAN MAKE WISHES & LIGHT CANDLES.
MAIN GATE NO.1
ON THE WEST SIDE IS "GATE NO.1" ON THE MANMAD / NAGAR MAIN ROAD AND IS USED ONLY AS AN ENTRY GATE INTO THE TEMPLE PREMISES AND OR FOR BABA`S MUKH DARSHAN i.e., DARSHAN OF BABA`S FACE FROM A DISTANCE ( FROM, NEAR THE RAISED PLATFORM BEHIND IN THE TEMPLES SANCTUM).
AFTER, ENTERING THRU GATE NO.1, ONE CAN FREELY ROAM IN THE TEMPLE PREMISES i.e, CAN TAKE UDHI, SEE ABDUL BABA`S / TATYAS & NANAVALIS SAMADHI, SAIBABA`S MUSEUM AND CAN GO STRAIGHT UP TO DWARKAMAI BUT CANNOT GO TO LENDI BAGH OR BABA`S WELL.
THIS GATE NO.1 IS OPPOSITE THE TEMPLES P.R.O OFFICE AND BESIDES NANDA-DEEP.
ONE CANNOT MAKE AN EXIT FROM THIS GATE.
MAIN GATE NO.2
ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE TEMPLE, ON THE PIMPALWADI ROAD, IS MAIN GATE NO.2 WHICH WAS EARLIER USED AS AN ENTRY & EXIT GATE BUT AT PRESENT IS CLOSED & NOT IN USE.
INSTEAD, JUST BESIDES IT ON THE PIMPALWADI ROAD ITSELF IS THE ENTRY GATE FOR ALL DEVOTEES WITHOUT ANY PASSES.
THIS ENTRY TAKES ONE DIRECTLY INTO THE FIRST WAITING HALL FROM WHERE THE DARSHAN QUEUES, AFTER MOVING ALONG THROUGH SPIRALING LONG STRETCH OF STEEL BARRICADED HALLS & BY STAIRS UP & DOWN, FINALLY LEADS UPTO THE SAMADHI OF BABA.
MAIN GATE NO.3
ON THE EAST SIDE, IN THE LANE GOING INSIDE FROM THE PIMPALWADI ROAD IS "GATE NO.3" WHICH IS USED MAINLY FOR EXIT OUT OF THE TEMPLE PREMISES TOWARDS DAKSHIN MUKHI HANUMAN TEMPLE & BABA`S SHRI CHAVADI.
IF ONE ENTERS THROUGH THIS GATE, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE COMES THE "MUKH DARSHAN" ENTRY WHILE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS AN ENTRANCE USED FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS SPECIAL ENTRY DURING PEAK PERIODS.
THIS GATE IS ALSO USED AS AN ENTRY FOR SENIOR CITIZENS / PHYSICALLY DISABLED & AGED DEVOTEES WHO ARE UNABLE TO WALK.
LUCKY TIP - ONE NORMAL ADULT IS ALLOWED TO ESCORT THEIR AGED / HANDICAPPED DEPENDENT FAMILY MEMBER BY THIS GATE & A DEPENDENT KID CAN ALSO GO ALONG IF HE / SHE HAS NO ONE ELSE TO ACCOMPANY HIM / HER.
IF LUCKY ENOUGH,
THEN N.R.I & FOREIGN NATIONALS CAN TOO MAKE AN ENTRY BY THIS GATE IF THEY SHOW THE GUARDS THE PROOF OF THEIR NATIONALITY OR NRI STATUS i.e., PASSPORT COPIES etc
MAIN GATE NO.4
ON THE SOUTH SIDE IS "GATE NO.4" WHICH IS MAINLY USED FOR SOUTH EXIT OUT OF THE TEMPLE PREMISES.
TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS EXIT THERE ARE SHOPS WHICH LEAD UP TO DWARKAMAI WHEREAS THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THIS EXIT THERE ARE SHOPS WHICH LEAD
UP TO THE MANMAD / NAGAR MAIN ROAD.
THIS GATE NO.4 IS ALSO USED AS AN ENTRY, WITH A STEEL BARRICADED PASSAGE SEPARATING LENDI BAGH AND NANDADEEP IN SUCH A MANNER THAT IF DEVOTEES ENTER BY THIS GATE THEN THEY WILL AUTOMATICALLY MOVE TOWARDS LENDI BAGH, BABAS WELL AND THEN STRAIGHT OUT OF THE TEMPLE PREMISES TO THE MANMAD / NAGAR MAIN ROAD.
SO, IF FROM LENDI BAGH IF ONE WANTS TO GO TO NANDADEEP, THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO GO STRAIGHT OUT OF THE TEMPLE PREMISES AND THEN AGAIN ENTER THE TEMPLE FROM GATE NO.1 FOR NANDADEEP.
THIS GATE NO.4 IS BANG OPPOSITE THE SAMADHIS OF NANAVALI / ABDUL BABA / & TATYA PATIL.
"DARSHAN PASSES"
DURING OFF-PEAK PERIODS.
AT NORMAL TIMES, WHEN THERE IS NOT MUCH RUSH OF DEVOTEES IN THE TEMPLE...
THE N.R.I`s / FOREIGN NATIONALS & THE V.I.P`s CAN APPROACH THE P.R.O. OFFICE DIRECTLY TO ARRANGE FOR THE DARSHAN PASSES FOR WHICH THEY WILL HAVE TO SHOW THE ORIGINAL OR COPIES OF THE PROOF OF THEIR NATIONALITY i.e, PASSPORT / GREEN CARD OR ANY OTHER PROOF OF RESIDENCE TO THE SANSTHAN'S P.R.O OFFICER (FOR SAFETY REASONS THEY SHOULD CARRY COPIES OF THEIR ORIGINAL PROOF OF RESIDENCE DOCUMENTS).
WHEREAS, THE V.I.P`s WILL HAVE TO SHOW A REQUEST FOR DARSHAN PASSES LETTER FROM ANY GOVERNMENT OF INDIA AUTHORITY OR ANY HIGH RANKING INDIAN OFFICIAL etc.
DURING OFF PEAK PERIODS, NORMALLY, THE N.R.I`s / FOREIGN NATIONALS TOGETHER WITH THE SENIOR CITIZENS / AGED / DISABLED ARE ALLOWED ENTRY DIRECTLY INTO THE SAMADHI SHRINE BY THE SPECIAL GATE BANG OPPOSITE THE FORMER UDHI DISTRIBUTION ROOM (MARKED AS "R" IN THE ABOVE TEMPLE MAP) .
WHILE THE V.I.P`s HAVE TO ENTER BY THE REAR EXIT DOOR OF THE SAMADHI SHRINE (MARKED AS "W" IN THE ABOVE TEMPLE MAP)
IF THE V.I.P IS A SENIOR / DISABLED THEN EVEN HE /SHE CAN GO FOR DARSHAN WITH THE OTHER SENIOR CITIZENS FROM THE SENIOR CITIZENS ENTRY GATE.
ALSO, APART FOR DARSHAN PASSES, ONE CAN CONTACT THE SANSTHAN P.R.O. OFFICE FOR ANY GUIDANCE AND OTHER INFORMATION TOO.
DURING PEAK PERIODS.
WHEN THERE IS A HUGE INFLOW OF DEVOTEES IN THE TEMPLE....
DURING FESTIVALS & OCCASIONS / SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS / OTHER PEAK PERIODS NO DARSHAN PASSES ARE ISSUED WHAT-SO-EVER, DUE TO THE HEAVY RUSH OF DEVOTEES.
SO, ONE WILL MOSTLY FIND THE DEPARTMENT WHICH ISSUES DARSHAN PASSES, IN THE P.R.O OFFICE, CLOSED.
SO HOW DO THE N.R.I`s OR FOREIGN NATIONALS OR V.I.P`s GET AN ENTRY DURING PEAK PERIODS?
WELL, THE TEMPLE GUARDS ARE QUITE UNDERSTANDING, SO IF THE N.R.I`s / FOREIGN NATIONALS SHOW THEM THEIR PROOF OF NATIONALITY,
THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE TEMPLE NOT DIRECTLY, BUT BY A SEPARATE ENTRANCE BY WHICH THEY WILL BE CUTTING OUT QUITE A LARGE PORTION OF THE DARSHAN QUEUE.
THE V.I.P`s TOO CAN SHOW THE SPECIAL PASSES REQUEST LETTER OF ANY GOVERNMENT OF INDIA AUTHORITY / ANY HIGH RANKING INDIAN OFFICIAL etc TO THE TEMPLE GUARDS SO AS TO BE ALLOWED A SPECIAL ENTRY.
P.S - THE ONUS LIES WITH THE GUARD TO ALLOW OR REJECT ANY DEVOTEES REQUEST FOR ENTRY THROUGH THE SPECIAL GATE.
MOSTLY, THIS SPECIAL GATE FOR THEM IS THE GATE OPPOSITE THE THREE TEMPLES OF LORD SHANI / LORD GANESHA & LORD MAHADEV (MARKED AS "H" ABOVE IN THE TEMPLE MAP).
HOWEVER, THIS GATE MAY DIFFER DEPENDING UPON THE DEVOTEES RUSH AT THAT GIVEN PERIOD.
BUT IF THE N.R.I / FOREIGN NATIONAL OR THE V.I.P IS A SENIOR / AGED / HANDICAPPED THEN THEY ALSO DO NOT NEED ANY SPECIAL PASS AS THEY CAN ENTER THE TEMPLE BY THE SPECIAL ENTRY GATE MEANT FOR SENIOR CITIZENS (MARKED AS "K" ABOVE IN THE TEMPLE MAP).
THIS GATE MAY ALSO DIFFER DEPENDING UPON THE DEVOTEES RUSH AT THAT GIVEN PERIOD.
FOR DARSHAN PASSES / GUIDANCE ONE CAN CONTACT THE P.R.O OFFICE DIRECTLY :
IN SHIRDI -
Executive Officer,
Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi
Post. Shirdi 423 109 Tal. Rahata,
Dist. Ahmednagar (Maharashtra)
Phone : +91-2423-258500 ( I.V.R )
Fax No. Office:+91-2423-258870 & P.R.O.Office : +91-2423-258770
Website : www.shrisaibabasansthan.org & www.sai.org.in
E_mail : saibaba@sai.org.in & saisandesh_anr@sancharnet.in
saibaba@shrisaibabasansthan.org
IN MUMBAI THEN -
(AT PRESENT SHIRDI SANSTHAN`S MUMBAI BRANCH DOES NOT ISSUE DARSHAN PASSES BUT IN TIME TO COME, THEY MIGHT ALSO DO SO)
Executive Officer,
Shri Sai baba Sansthan Trust, (Shirdi)
'Sai Niketan', 804-8,
Dr. Ambedkar Road, Dadar,
Mumbai - 400014
Tel : +91- 22 - 24166556/ 24161293
Fax: +91- 22 - 24150798
E-mail : saidadar@bom3.vsnl.net.in
DARSHAN PASSES PROCEDURE :
ALL N.R.I`s / FOREIGN NATIONAL`s / VIP`s OR THE ONES REGISTERED FOR A PASS AT THE P.R.O OFFICE, CAN HAVE DARSHAN WITH SPECIAL PASSES ALSO CALLED THE V.I.P PASSES.
THESE PASSES CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE P.R.O.OFFICE IN THE SHIRDI TEMPLE PREMISES ITSELF FOR WHICH ONE HAS TO GO IN ADVANCE ( SOONER THE BETTER...ATLEAST A DAY IN ADVANCE ) & GET HIS / HER NAME REGISTERED FOR THE PASS WHILST SPECIFYING WHICH AARTI PASSES ARE NEEDED BY HIM / HER i.e, KAKAD AARTI, MADHYAN AARTI, DHOOP AARTI OR SHEJ AARTI.
ALSO, TO BE SPECIFIED IN ADVANCE, IS THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS GOING TO ACCOMPANY HIM / HER ON THAT PASS, AS ACCORDINGLY ONLY THOSE NUMBER OF DEVOTEES WITH THAT MEMBER WILL BE GIVEN ENTRY FOR DARSHAN IN THE TEMPLE.
ANY EXTRA MEMBER OF THE PASS HOLDER IS REFUSED ENTRY FOR DARSHAN, IF NOT REGISTERED BEFORE HAND AT THE P.R.O.
THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS ACCOMPANYING ONE SINGLE PASS DIFFERS DEPENDING UPON THE RUSH BUT IS USUALLY BETWEEN 6-10 MAX.
IF THE N.R.I.`s WANT TO ARRANGE FOR PASSES BEFORE THEY TOUCH DOWN IN INDIA, THEY CAN CONSULT THE SANSTHAN P.R.O.FOR THE PROCEDURE IF POSSIBLE OR THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVE IN INDIA OR SHIRDI TO ARRANGE FOR THE SAME BEFORE HAND.
P.S- THE P.R.O. IS NOT OPEN THE WHOLE DAY BUT HAS SPECIFIC TIMINGS, SO PLEASE ACCORDINGLY BE THERE TO ARRANGE FOR YOUR PASSES IN ADVANCE.
MY WISH - THE SYSTEM OF ALL DARSHAN PASSES SHOULD BE ABOLISHED WHAT-SO-EVER AND BE IT POLITICIANS / ACTORS / V.I.P`s / N.R.I`s / FOREIGNERS ANYBODY SO TO SPEAK, LET EVERYONE STAND IN THE NORMAL QUEUE FOR DARSHAN...AS PASSES IS DISCRIMINATING BETWEEN SECTS OF PEOPLE...A THING WHICH BABA NEVER PREACHED.
SO "DON`T GIVE PASSES BUT GIVE PREFERENCE"
ALL PHYSICALLY DISABLED / TERMINALLY ILL / AGED & SENIOR CITIZENS SHOULD BE GIVEN FIRST PREFERENCE FOR DARSHAN.
MY VIEW - KARMICALLY SPEAKING, THE PASS HOLDERS EAT AWAY SOME OF THEIR GOOD KARMAS BY ARRANGING A SMOOTH-n-EASY DARSHAN FOR THEMSELVES UP AGAINST THE OTHER DEVOTEES STANDING FOR HOURS IN QUEUE`S ONLY TO BE BACK-DROPPED DURING DARSHAN IN THE MAIN SANCTUM.
SENIOR CITIZENS / AGED / PHYSICALLY DISABLED.
ALL SENIOR CITIZENS / PHYSICALLY DISABLED & AGED DEVOTEES NOW DO NOT REQUIRE ANY SPECIAL PASSES FOR DARSHAN AS THEY ARE GIVEN DIRECT ENTRY TO THE TEMPLE FROM A SEPARATE GATE BY WHICH THEY CUT OUT THE LONG STANDING IN QUEUES. THIS SPECIAL ENTRY GATE FOR SENIORS / AGED DEVOTEES CHANGES DEPENDING UPON THE INFLOW OF DEVOTEES.
IN NORMAL PERIODS, WHEN IT ISN`T MUCH CROWDED, THE SENIOR CITIZENS ARE ALLOWED DIRECTLY INSIDE THE MAIN TEMPLE BY THE ENTRY OPPOSITE THE FORMER UDHI DISTRIBUTION ROOM, NOW THE ANNOUNCEMENT ROOM.
BUT DURING HOLIDAY SEASONS / FESTIVALS & OTHER PEAK TIMES WHEN A LARGE NUMBER OF DEVOTEES TURN UP FOR DARSHAN, THE ENTRY GATE FOR THE SENIOR / DISABLED DEVOTEES CHANGES TOO i.e, AT PRESENT IT IS A GATE JUST BENEATH THE WIDE GATE NO.3 STRUCTURE ITSELF AND OPPOSITE A BLACK COLORED GRANITE NOTICE BOARD.
WHEN ONE ENTERS THROUGH GATE NO.3, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE FALLS THE "MUKH DARSHAN" GATE & ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WAS THE FORMER SHOE STAND AREA...AND JUST ADJACENT TO THIS FORMER SHOE STAND AREA IS THE SENIOR CITIZENS ENTRY GATE.
DURING PEAK PERIODS,HOWEVER, EVEN AFTER GETTING A ENTRY FOR DARSHAN FROM THE SPECIAL ENTRY GATE, THE SENIOR CITIZENS / AGED HAVE YET TO WALK DOWN A FEW STAIRS WHERE THEY JOIN THE PASS HOLDERS & THE REST OF THE OTHER DEVOTEES, WITH WHOM THEY THEN CLIMB UP A FEW STAIRS TO FINALLY REACH BABA`S SAMADHI SANCTUM.
AND THE QUEUE FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS DEVOTEES STARTS FROM JUST OUTSIDE THE SQUARE WINDOWS (FROM WHERE ONE CAN SEE THE DARSHAN QUEUE GOING DOWN-STAIRS) OPPOSITE THE DONATION OFFICE.
IF THE SENIOR CITIZEN IS UNABLE TO GO ALONE DUE TO ANY DISABILITY OR ILLNESS OR IS ON WHEEL CHAIR THEN ANY ONE FAMILY MEMBER (YOUNG OR OLD) IS ALLOWED TO ACCOMPANY HIM /HER THROUGH THIS SENIOR CITIZENS GATE.
AND, IF THIS RESULTS IN ANY DEPENDENT MINOR WHO IS WITH THEM TO BE LEFT ALONE, THEN THAT MINOR TOO IS ALLOWED TO GO WITH HIS / HER FAMILY THROUGH THIS ENTRY.
BUT MIND YOU, THE GUARDS ARE QUITE SMART TO CATCH ANY SENIOR CITIZEN FAKING ANY DIFFICULTY TO WALK OR GO ALONE SO AS TO TAG ALONG A FAMILY MEMBER WITH THEM.
MY WISH - IRRESPECTIVE OF THE SEASON / TIME AND THE AMOUNT OF DEVOTEE INFLOW, ALL SENIOR CITIZENS / AGED / PHYSICALLY DISABLED DEVOTEES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ENTER BY THE GATE BANG OPPOSITE THE ANNOUNCEMENT ROOM (FORMER UDHI ROOM) LIKE BEFORE.
"MUKH-DARSHAN"
FOR DEVOTEES WHO WANT TO JUST HAVE A DARSHAN OF BABAS SAMADHI IDOL FROM FAR, THEY CAN ENTER THE TEMPLE FROM A DOOR- MARKED AS "Q" ON THE SHIRDI GUIDE MAP ABOVE.
THIS ENTRY IS JUST AT THE BEGINNING OF MAIN GATE NO.3 ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE.
AND AS ONE ENTERS BY THIS DOOR, HE / SHE STANDS BETWEEN A STEEL BARRICADED PASSAGE BETWEEN THE FRONT & BACK SIDE OF THE TEMPLE, LIKE AN AISLE, SO, ONE CANNOT GO FROM THIS PLACE OF MUKH DARSHAN FORWARD FOR SAMADHI DARSHAN.
HE WILL HAVE TO EXIT FROM THIS "MUKH DARSHAN" ENTRY DOOR AND GO AND STAND IN THE DARSHAN QUEUE IF HE WANTS TO DO SO.
DARSHAN WAITING HALLS.
THE HALLS WHERE THE QUEUES LINE UP SPIRALING ACROSS THE STEEL BARRICADES HAVE WATER COOLERS AND ADEQUATE SEATING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE COMFORT OF THE DEVOTEES.ALSO, PRESENT ARE TELEVISION SETS FOR DEVOTEES TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE SANCTUM WHILE THEY WAIT IN QUEUES FOR HOURS. AND MOSTLY ALL THE TIME DEVOTEES ARE CHANTING BABA`S NAME WHILE WAITING WHICH TOO IS VERY DIVINE.
DAKSHIN MUKHI HANUMAN TEMPLE. ( MARUTI MANDIR )
THE DAKSHIN MUKHI HANUMAN TEMPLE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED AND A NEW TEMPLE IS BEING CONSTRUCTED IN ITS PLACE.
THE IDOLS OF HANUMAN & OTHER GODS HAVE BEEN TEMPORARILY SHIFTED TO THE GROUND FLOOR OF A BUILDING OPPOSITE IT, ADJOINING THE "SHREE CHAVADI".
IT IS BEHIND THE SIGNBOARD OF SOME "ANAND GUEST HOUSE'.
"SHREE CHAVADI"
BABA`S "SHREE CHAVADI" HAS NOW BEEN DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS.
THE LEFT PORTION IS "FOR LADIES" ONLY WHILE THE RIGHT HAND SIDE ONE IS "ONLY FOR GENTS" WHERE NO LADIES ARE ALLOWED AS WAS BEFORE, SINCE LONG.
"SAIBABA MUSEUM"
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO VISIT THE "SAIBABA MUSEUM" JUST BESIDES THE DIXIT WADA. IT HAS MANY ITEMS WHICH WERE ACTUALLY USED BY BABA HIMSELF i.e, HIS UTENSILS, KAFNI, GRAMOPHONE RECORD`S & PLAYER, HIS CHILLUM, A BIG PALAQUIN WHICH WAS GIFTED TO BABA BUT NEVER USED BY HIM , ALL THE PALKHI PROCESSION THINGS, BABAS PADUKAS, HIS WHEAT GRINDING STONE, TWO POTS WITH WHICH HE COOKED & FED THE HUNGRY, THE COT ON WHICH BABA`S LAST BATHING TOOK PLACE AFTER HIS DEMISE, BABA`S ORIGINAL CHIMTA, THE EARTHEN WARE WITH HE USED TO ASK FOR FOOD etc. THIS MUSEUM IS SPREAD ON THE GROUND AS WELL AS THE FIRST FLOOR.
LADU PRASAD.
THE SWEET LADU PRASAD SALE COUNTER IS NOW LOCATED TO THE NORTHERN SIDE OF "SAI PRASAD" BUILDING NO..2 NEAR THE CAR PARKING.
THE TIMINGS FOR THE SALE OF THESE LADU PRASAD IS 06:00Am TO 10:00Pm.(22:00Hrs)
UDHI DISTRIBUTION ROOM.
THE OLD UDHI DISTRIBUTION ROOM WHICH WAS BANG OPPOSITE THE MAIN ENTRY OF THE SAMADHI TEMPLE AND ADJOINING THE DONATION OFFICE IS NOW CONVERTED INTO AN "ANNOUNCEMENT SECTION" ROOM.
THE NEW PRASAD / UDHI DISTRIBUTION ROOM IS NOW LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO TATYA KOTE PATILS SAMADHI, OPPOSITE SOUTH GATE NO.4. THE TIMINGS FOR UDHI DISTRIBUTION ARE -
07:00Am To 11:30Am
13:00Pm To 18:00Pm
19:00Pm To 22:00Pm
(AFTER DHOOP AARTI)
THE LINE FOR TAKING UDHI ALSO GOES TO QUITE A STRETCH AND ONLY ONE SMALL PACKET OF UDHI IS GIVEN TO EACH DEVOTEE SO REFRAIN FROM ASKING FOR ANOTHER.
NANDADEEP.
DEVOTEES CAN MAKE WISHES & LIGHT CANDLES OR DIYAS IN FRONT OF NANDADEEP, ON THE GRILL FENCING OPPOSITE IT.
AS, BABA TOO EVERY EVENING WOULD LIGHT A DIYA HERE.
ALSO, THERE ARE TWO TREES - NEEM & PIPAL TREE, BESIDES THE PLACE WHERE BABA USED TO LIGHT A DIYA...ONE OF WHICH DUE ITS HEIGHT OR GROWTH, HAS BEEN CHOPPED OFF BY THE TRUNK ITSELF FROM THE TOP AND ALL THAT'S LEFT IS A HUGE LOG (TREE TRUNK) WHICH WILL BUT NATURALLY TAKE SOME TIME TO GROW BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL FORM.
MY VIEW - WONDER WHAT HAVE THEY DONE WITH THE CHOPPED PORTION OF THE TREE AS, I THINK WE DEVOTEES WOULD HAVE TREASURED EVEN ONE LEAF OR TWIG OF BABA`S BLESSED TREE.
SHOE STAND.
THERE ARE SHOE STANDS JUST OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE WHERE ONE CAN KEEP THEIR FOOTWEAR FOR A VERY NOMINAL CHARGE, IN EXCHANGE FOR A TOKEN.
BUT MANY DEVOTEES REMOVE THEIR FOOTWEAR INSIDE THE TEMPLE PREMISES ITSELF IN ANY CORNER OR BELOW SOME STRUCTURE.
IT IS CONVENIENT BUT NOT CORRECT TO DO SO AS THESE PLACES ARE NOT MEANT TO PARK ONE`S FOOTWEAR, SO THEY MIGHT BE BRUSHED ASIDE BY ANYONE OR EVEN MIGHT GO MISSING FROM THERE. SO REMOVE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK INSIDE THE TEMPLE PREMISES.
TELEVISION - LIVE DARSHAN.
TELEVISION SETS TELECASTING LIVE IMAGES FROM THE SAMADHI SHRINE`S INNER SANCTUM & DWARKAMAI DIRECTLY, HAVE BEEN PUT IN THE ENTIRE TEMPLE PREMISES, INSIDE & OUTSIDE THE SAMADHI SHRINE ALSO, FOR DEVOTEES WHO CANNOT MAKE IT INSIDE ...AND BELIEVE ME WATCHING THE KAKAD AARTI ON THE TV SETS ESPECIALLY IN THE OPEN AIR THEATER IS MORE FUN AS YOU GET GOOD CLOSE UPS AND BETTER VIEW SITTING COMFORTABLY RATHER THAN FROM INSIDE WHERE DUE TO THE RUSH ONE HARDLY CAN GET A CLEAR VIEW OF BABA WHILE THE AARTI OR MANGAL SNAN GOES ON.
OPEN AIR THEATRE.
THE OPEN AIR THEATRE, IS A OPEN SPACE STANDING FROM WHERE DEVOTEES CAN HAVE A VIEW OF BABA`S SAMADHI IDOL THRU A WINDOW. ALSO, PRESENT HERE IS A TELEVISION SET FOR DEVOTEES TO ENJOY THE LIVE DARSHAN OF BABA WHILE ANY AARTI / PROGRAMME GOES ON INSIDE THE SAMADHI SANCTUM. THIS OPEN AIR THEATRE WAS ONCE A RAISED PLATFORM WITH A GARDEN & FOUNTAIN BEHIND IT, HAS NOW CHANGED TOO.
THE RAISED PORTION HAS BEEN REMOVED LEAVING BEHIND A FLOOR LEVEL TILED GROUND MINUS THE GARDEN, FOUNTAIN & THE WATER FALLS.
MY VIEW - THERE SHOULD BE A COUPLE OF BENCHES TO SIT IN THIS OPEN AIR THEATRE AS THIS IS THE ONLY OPEN SPACE IN THE TEMPLE PREMISES WHERE ONE CAN SIT BUT AS IT IS GROUND LEVEL SO A BIT DIFFICULT FOR AGED/SENIORS TO SIT DOWN.
THAT`S WHY NOW ONE CAN FIND DEVOTEES SITTING ON THE TWO LONG STRETCH OF STAIRS IN THE GURUSTHAN AREA AND ALSO, OPPOSITE NEAR THE DIXIT WADA GIVING THE PLACE A VERY CROWDED LOOK. THE SMALL COVERING WALL OF THE TWO TREES OPPOSITE THE DONATION OFFICE ARE ALSO ALWAYS FULL OF DEVOTEES SITTING.
SHOPS IN THE TEMPLE PREMISES.
"SHREE SAI SANSTHAN EMPLOYEES CREDIT CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD, SHIRDI" ( APPROVED BY SSST,SHIRDI) HAS A STALL INSIDE THE TEMPLE PREMISES FOR SELLING COLD DRINKS / ICE-CREAMS / MINERAL WATER / MASALA MILK / LASSI / PRASAD PEDHA / NAVGRAHA DHOOP ETC.AT VERY NOMINAL PRICES. IT IS SITUATED NEXT TO GATE NO.2 OUTSIDE THE DARSHAN QUEUE HALL.
ALSO, THERE IS A SHOP NEAR THE THREE TEMPLES OF LORD GANESHA, LORD SHANIDEV & LORD MAHADEV.. THIS SHOP SELLS SOME PRASAD & LOTS OF DIFFERENT POOJA ITEMS INCLUDING MUSTARD OIL FOR POURING IT ON LORD SHANIDEV.
"SHREE SAI SATYAVRAT POOJA HALL".
THE "SHREE SAI SATYAVRAT POOJA HALL" IS THE PLACE WHERE ON THE 1st FLOOR BABA`S ABHISHEK POOJA IS DONE BY DEVOTEES AND ON THE GROUND FLOOR DEVOTEES PERFORM THE "SATYANARAYAN POOJA" AFTER REGISTERING THEMSELVES FOR IT AT A VERY NOMINAL CHARGE OF Rs.101/- ONLY & IT`S TIMINGS ARE -
THE ABHISHEK POOJA TIMINGS ARE AS :
1St Batch 7.00 am to 8.00am
2nd Batch 9.am to 10.00 am
3rd Batch 12.30pm to 1.30 pm
"SAI COMPLEX"
AT A PLACE, JUST BESIDES THE TEMPLE COMPLEX, THERE WAS A PRIMARY SCHOOL WHICH NOW HAS BEEN MOVED AWAY AND IN ITS PLACE "SWASTIK GROUP" IS COMING UP WITH AN COMMERCIAL COMPLEX CALLED "SAI COMPLEX" JUST 20 FEET FROM THE GATE OF SHIRDI SAIBABA TEMPLE STARTING FROM OPPOSITE GATE NO.2 STRETCHING RIGHT UP TO THE END OF THE DAKSHIN MUKHI HANUMAN TEMPLE OPPOSITE GATE NO.3.
MY VIEW - "WE LOVE SHIRDI IN IT`S SIMPLICITY BUT SEEMS SOON SHIRDI WILL BECOME SIMPLY A CITY" !!!
"MOBILE CLOAKROOM"
BESIDES GATE NO.2 & IN THE LANE LEADING TO THE GATE NO.3 FROM THE PIMPALWADI ROAD IS "THE SHREE SAIBABA SANSTHAN TRUST MOBILE CLOAKROOM" WHERE DEVOTEES HAVE TO DEPOSIT THEIR MOBILES AT A NOMINAL CHARGE OF RS.2/- PER MOBILE. THEY GET A TOKEN IN RETURN AGAINST WHICH THEY CAN GET THEIR MOBILES BACK, AS MOBILES / CAMERAS ARE NOT ALLOWED INSIDE THE TEMPLE PREMISES.
SAI-PRASADALAYA.
THE FACILITY OF PRASAD BHOJAN OF THE "SHRI SAI PRASADALAYA" WHICH WAS SITUATED NEXT TO THE SAMADHI TEMPLE, HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY SHIFTED ON 08th JAN`2009, TO A NEW BUILDING CONSTRUCTED BY THE "SHRI SAIBABA SANSTHAN TRUST" & IS LOCATED AT -
"SHRI SAI PRASADALAYA"
BEHIND POLICE STATION, SHIRDI,
NIMGAON SHIV ROAD,
NIMGAON KORHALE,
SHIRDI
"DWARAVATI" BHAKT NIWAS.
SHRI SAIBABA SANSTHAN, SHIRDI HAS BUILT A NEW BHAKT NIWAS CALLED "DWARAVATI" WHICH WAS INAUGURATED
ON THE MAKAR-SANKRANTI - 14TH JAN`2009 BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKARJI.
SHIRDI SANSTHAN HAS SPENT Rs.19 CRORES ON THIS "DWARAVATI" PROJECT WHICH CAN ACCOMMODATE 1600 DEVOTEES CONVENIENTLY.
IT HAS 334 SELF-CONTAINED INDEPENDENT & WELL VENTILATED ROOMS, SPREAD OVER FOUR FLOORS AND PACKED WITH ALL THE BASIC AMENITIES.
ON THE FOURTH FLOOR THERE ARE 80 ROOMS, ALL OF WHICH ARE AIR-CONDITIONED.
THERE IS A LARGE WAITING ROOM FOR DEVOTEES ON THE GROUND FLOOR.
THERE IS A BIG PARKING SPACE & BOARDING FACILITIES FOR DRIVERS TOO.
"DWARAVATI" HAS FOUR LIFTS WHICH HAVE A CAPACITY OF CARRYING 10 PEOPLE AT A TIME.
LATEST TECHNOLOGIES LIKE SOLAR WATER HEATER SYSTEM & RAIN WATER HARVESTING FACILITIES ARE ALSO IMPLEMENTED.
"DWARAVATI" HAS A BIG GENERATOR FOR A 24 HOUR UN-INTERRUPTED SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY
FOR DEVOTEES RECREATION THERE IS A BIG GARDEN ON THE FRONT SIDE.
CLOSE BY ONLY, IS THE "BHOJAN-SHALA" WHERE THE FOOD IS COOKED USING SOLAR HEATERS & SO, THE FOOD SERVED IS AT VERY NOMINAL RATES.
ALSO, LIKE THE OTHER ACCOMMODATION FACILITIES PROVIDED BY THE SHIRDI SANSTHAN IN SHIRDI, THERE IS NO ADVANCE BOOKING FOR ROOMS AS ACCOMMODATION IS AVAILABLE ONLY ON FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS.
IT IS SITUATED ON THE MANMAD / NAGAR MAIN ROAD, NEAR THE "SHRI SAINATH HOSPITAL".
MESSAGE BOARDS WITHIN THE TEMPLE PREMISES -
DONATION BOXES AND WATER DRINKING FACILITIES ARE PLACED EVERYWHERE AROUND THE TEMPLE PREMISES.
WHEELCHAIR`S ARE AVAILABLE FOR HANDICAPPED DEVOTEES...FOR WHICH ONE CAN CONTACT THE SANSTHAN`S P.R.O. NEAR GATE NO.1 AND NANDA-DEEP.
FOR PRESERVATION OF BABA`S IDOL, MILK, ROSE-WATER, HONEY ETC IS NO MORE USED FOR THE SACRED BATH OF SAIBABA AS PER EXPERTS ADVICE.
PLEASE HANDOVER FLOWERS, GARLANDS TO TEMPLE STAFF BEFORE OR IN THE SAMADHI SHRINE ITSELF.
OFFERING OF GARLANDS, PRASAD, OR ANY OTHER ARTICLES SHOULD BE DONE BY DEVOTEES AFTER 07:00Am AND BEFORE SHEJ AARTI.
HANDLING THE RUSH OF DEVOTEES -
OWING TO THE HUGE RUSH OF DEVOTEES IN THE SAMADHI TEMPLE ESPECIALLY DURING KAKAD AARTI & BABAS MANGAL SNAN, TO ACCOMMODATE MORE & MORE DEVOTEES INSIDE THE TEMPLE SANCTUM DEVOTEES ARE NOW REQUESTED TO REMAIN STANDING THROUGH OUT WHILE THE AARTI / MANGAL SNAN GOES ON, AS STANDING OCCUPIES LESS SPACE THAN SITTING SO MORE DEVOTEES CAN BE PULLED INSIDE THE TEMPLE DURING AARTI ETC.
INSIDE THE TEMPLES SANCTUM, GENTS SHOULD TRY TO STAND ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE BARRICADES WHILE IN A QUEUE WHILE THE LADIES SHOULD TRY TO STAND ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE BARRICADES WHILE IN THE QUEUE, SO AS TO GO AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO BABA`S IDOL DURING DARSHAN AND THEN MOVE OUT FROM THE REAR DOOR EXITING TOWARDS THE GURUSTHAN RATHER THAN STANDING TOWARDS THE AISLE AS THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO TAKE A "U" TURN AFTER DARSHAN & THEN FROM THE AISLE (CENTRE) PASSING THE NANDI`S IDOL, HE WILL HAVE TO EXIT FROM THE DOOR OPPOSITE THE PRESENT "ANNOUNCEMENT ROOM" WHICH WAS THE FORMER UDHI / PRASAD DISTRIBUTION ROOM.
MY VIEW - AS FIRST STANDING FOR HOURS IN DARSHAN LINE QUEUE / SPIRALING DOWN A FEW HALLWAYS & THEN STANDING THROUGH OUT THE KAKAD ARTI & MANGAL SNAN, CAN BE VERY TIRING, MY PERSONAL ADVICE IS TO AVOID TAKING SMALL KIDS AND AGED PEOPLE WHO ARE UNABLE TO STAND FOR LONG PERIODS.
EVEN BABA WOULD NEVER WANT THIS AS HE TOO COULD NEVER SEE HIS DEVOTEES BEAR PAIN FOR HIM.
AS THERE ARE THREE OPENINGS FOR BOWING DOWN TO DO PRANAM ON BABA`S SAMADHI i.e., ONE FOR LADIES, ONE FOR GENTS AND ONE IN BETWEEN, DEVOTEES BOW DOWN AND TAKE TIME TO GET UP AND MOVE FORWARD THUS DELAYING OTHER DEVOTEES BEHIND, THEREFORE ON THURSDAYS, SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS, OTHER FESTIVALS / OCCASIONS AND HOLIDAY SEASONS WHEN THERE IS A HUGE FLOW OF DEVOTEES IN SHIRDI, THE THREE OPENINGS ON BABA`S SAMADHI ARE ALSO ENCLOSED WITH GLASS SHIELDS, SO ONE CANNOT BOW DOWN OR TOUCH THE SAMADHI AND SO MOVES ON FASTER. BUT ONE CAN SURELY TOUCH THE OUTER SIDE OF BABA`S SAMADHI WHILE PASSING BY AS BABAS PRESENCE IS EVERYWHERE !
LIKEWISE, SOMETIMES THE DHUNI-MAA PORTION OF DWARKAMAYI, REMAINS CLOSED FOR DARSHAN SO THE DEVOTEES ENTER DWARKAMAYI AND HAVE DARSHAN OF DHUNI MAA AREA WITHOUT CLIMBING THE STEPS AND MOVE AHEAD TOWARDS THE SACRED STONE ON WHICH BABA SAT. THIS ALSO SPEEDS UP THE DARSHAN QUEUE WHICH NOW-A-DAYS GOES ALMOST ALL OUT TO THE MANMAD / NAGAR MAIN ROAD !
THE NEW GURUSTHAN, NANDA-DEEP ARE ALSO ENCLOSED IN STEEL BARRICADES TO SPEED UP THE HUGE RUSH OF DEVOTEES.
THE TEMPLE GUARDS MIGHT SOUND RUDE WHILE ASKING YOU TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD IN THE DARSHAN LINE BUT REMEMBER THE THOUSANDS OF DEVOTEES WHO ARE STILL WAITING BEHIND YOU FOR THEIR TURN OF DARSHAN..AND THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE / PATIENCE THE GUARDS HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH WHILE KEEPING THE FLOW OF DARSHAN GOING SMOOTHLY FOR HOURS & HOURS.
MY VIEW - EVEN THOUGH ANY AARTI OR BABAS MANGAL SNAN IS GOING ON,THE QUEUES OF DEVOTEES SHOULD BE KEPT MOVING FORWARD CONSTANTLY FOR DARSHAN & THEN MOVE OUT SO THAT THE WAITING TIME IN THE LONG QUEUES GETS REDUCED AND MORE PEOPLE GET A CHANCE TO HAVE DARSHAN SOONER THAN BEFORE.
AND THEN, THE TIME MADE UP IN KEEPING THE QUEUE MOVING ON CAN BE UTILISED BY ALLOWING DEVOTEES TO BOW THEIR HEADS ON THE SAMADHI FOR SOME TIME WHICH AT PRESENT IS ACTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
HOLY TIPS ON KAKAD AARTI & MANGAL SNAN -
THE HOLY BATH OF BABA NOW ONLY LASTS FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES WITH A BUCKET OR TWO OF HOLY WATER ON THE SAMADHI FIRST FOLLOWED BY A BUCKET ON BABA`S IDOL. THAT'S IT...AND AS SOON AS THIS GETS DONE...DEVOTEES ARE ASKED TO START MOVING AHEAD FOR DARSHAN, EVEN WHILE BABA`S IDOL IS BEING PAT DRY...SO MAKE SURE AS YOU REACH NEAR THE SAMADHI, FEEL THE WATER OF BABA`S MANGAL SNAN FROM THE TOP OF THE SAMADHI OR THE GROUND NEAR IT WHERE SOME WATER USUALLY SPILLS WHILE THE HOLY BATH IS ON.
MY VIEW - FOR THIS ALWAYS LADIES & GENTS WHILE IN QUEUE INSIDE THE TEMPLE SANCTUM SHOULD TRY AND STAND ON THEIR RIGHT AND LEFT RESPECTIVELY SO AS TO REACH THE SIDES OF BABA`S SAMADHI AND GET A CHANCE TO TOUCH THE HOLY WATER OF BABA`S MANGAL SNAN WHICH USUALLY FALLS DOWN ON THE SIDES WHILE THE SNAN GOES ON.
NOW FOR A VERY BLESSED TIP...WANT TO TAKE A SIP OF BABAS MANGAL SNAN`S (HOLY BATH) WATER...THEN READ ON...
IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT INSIDE THE TEMPLE FOR THE KAKAD AARTI & BABA`S MANGAL SNAN OR IF YOU DO MAKE IT INSIDE THE SAMADHI SHRINE FOR KAKAD AARTI BUT ARE PUSHED OUT SOONER THAN YOU THINK, DON'T WORRY AS IT MAY BE A BLESSING IN DISGUISE !
AS JUST BESIDES THE OPEN AIR THEATRE ( TO THE EAST OF DIXIT WADA ) AND JUST OPPOSITE THE REAR EXIT OF THE SAMADHI TEMPLE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE GURUSTHAN EXIT IS AN EMPTY WATER COOLER WHERE THE BLESSED WATER AFTER BABA`S MANGAL SNAN IS POURED IN, FOR THE DEVOTEES TO DRINK..
NOT MANY GET A CHANCE TO HAVE A SIP OF THIS BLESSED WATER ALSO, AS BY THE TIME DEVOTEES START COMING OUT AFTER DARSHAN THIS HOLY WATER IS ALREADY OVER.
SO, THE SOONER YOU CAN MAKE IT TO THIS COOLER, BETTER IT WOULD BE, AS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A SIP OR TWO OF THIS BLESSED WATER.
BUT MAKE SURE THIS HOLY WATER IS NOT SPILLED DOWN AS MOST OF IT USUALLY DOES BECAUSE MANY DEVOTEES JUST PICK THIS COOLER UP AND TILT IT DOWN SO AS TO FILL THEIR BOTTLES ETC BUT IN DOING SO MOST OF THIS HOLY WATER SPILLS & IS WASTED & OTHER DEVOTEES ARE LEFT BEHIND FROM A CHANCE OF GETTING A SIP OF THIS WATER ALSO.
ALSO, JUST AFTER THE KAKAD AARTI IS OVER THERE IS PRASAD MADE OF WHITE BUTTER MIXED WITH SUGAR BEING DISTRIBUTED AT THE PRASAD / UDHI DISTRIBUTION ROOM LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO TATYA KOTE PATILS SAMADHI, OPPOSITE SOUTH GATE NO.4.
SO MAKE SURE, YOU MAKE IT HERE ALSO, AFTER DRINKING THE HOLY WATER OF BABA`S BATH.
THIS WHITE BUTTER PRASAD LIKE THE HOLY WATER OF BABA`S BATH IS ALSO VERY LIMITED SO ONLY THE FIRST LUCKY FEW DEVOTEES MAKE IT HERE.
HOLY TIP ON DWARKAMAI.
WHEN ONE GOES FOR DARSHAN TO DWARKAMAI, DO NOT FORGET TO HAVE THE BLESSED TEERTH (WATER) FROM THE BLACK COLORED EARTHEN POT KEPT ON A HIGH STAND. THIS POT HAS NO TAP SO WHAT ONE HAS TO DO IS TO USE THE BIG SPOON KEPT ON TOP OF THE POT TO TAKE SOME TEERTHA AND DRINK IT. ONE HAS TO HAVE THIS TEERTH HIMSELF AS NO ONE SERVE`S IT OVER HERE SO, NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE AWARE ABOUT IT SO GO AWAY WITHOUT HAVING A SIP.
BABAS DEVOTEES HOUSES IN SHIRDI VILLAGE GUIDE MAP.
MAP SOURCE - http://www.saibaba.com/holyshirdi/
LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST - DO NOT FORGET TO GO THE SHIRDI VILLAGE AND VISIT BAIJAMAA`S HOUSE, LAXMIBAI`S HOUSE & HER SAMADHI WHICH IS JUST OUTSIDE OF HER HOUSE, SHYAMAS HOUSE, ABDUL BABAS KUTI & MAHALSAPATIS HOUSE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE PADUKAS / 3 COINS / SATKA GIVEN BY TO MAHALSAPATI BY BABA HIMSELF....ALL ARE JUST A FEW STEPS STRAIGHT AHEAD OF DWARKAMAI. ALSO, DO NOT FORGET TO SEE THE 5 BLESSED HOUSES THAT BABA TOOK BHIKSHA FROM.
ABDUL BABA`S COTTAGE
SHAMA`S HOUSE
LAXMIBAI SHINDE`S HOUSE WITH HER SAMADHI RIGHT INFRONT OF IT
BAYAJABAI`S HOUSE - BABA USED TO STAND ON THE STONE SEEN IN FRONT OF THE DOOR.
MAHALSAPATI`S HOUSE
WHAT ONE CAN DO, IS TO ASK ANY LOCAL PEOPLE / KIDS THERE TO GUIDE THEM AND THEY WILL MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO SO ...THAT'S IT...IN A FEW MINUTES THEY WILL SHOW YOU ALL THE HOUSES, THE NINE COINS GIVEN BY SAIBABA TO LAXMIBAI, THE PLACE WHERE BABA`S SOUL LEFT HIS BODY FOR 3 DAYS, THE SHOP OF THE MAN WHO HAD REFUSED TO GIVE BABA OIL TO BURN DIYA'S IN DIWALI etc etc. THEY ALL ARE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER...JUST WALK STRAIGHT IN THE LANE BANG OPPOSITE THE DWARKAMAI ENTRANCE.
TRY NOT TO VISIT THESE HOUSES IN THE MORNING AS THEY ARE USUALLY CLOSED AT THAT TIME...KEEP THIS VISIT IN THE LATTER PART OF THE DAY. ALSO, FEEL FREE TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS HERE, AS PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT ALLOWED IN THE MAIN TEMPLE PREMISES BUT OUTSIDE IN THE SHIRDI VILLAGE YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS...
(BUT THE DO NOT FORGET TO SHARE IT WITH US ALL Hmmm !!!)
"KHANDOBA TEMPLE"
ONCE YOU FINISH OFF WITHIN & AROUND THE TEMPLE PREMISES DO NOT FORGET TO HAVE DARSHAN OF LORD KHANDOBA AT THE KHANDOBA TEMPLE,
JUST CLOSE BY NEAR THE "SHRI SAINATH HOSPITAL" ON THE MAIN ROAD ITSELF. IT HAS THE IDOLS OF LORD KHANDOBA , BANAI & MHALSAI.
FOR THIS ARTICLE BABA IS MY INSPIRATION,
ALL THE WORDS ARE MY PERSPIRATION,
FOR EVERY DEVOTEE OF EVERY NATION,
HAVING A LONG DESIRED DIVINE ASPIRATION,
TO GO TO SHIRDI IN THE VACATION.
SO, NOW MOVE ON... AS "SAI-EXPRESS" IS WAITING IN ANTICIPATION,
TO TAKE YOU TO "SAINAGAR" RAILWAY STATION !
OH, WHAT A MOTIVATION !!! - rOhit beHaL
THE FOLLOWING IS A SHIRDI TEMPLE GUIDE MAP EASILY AVAILABLE ON THE NET, BUT HAVE TAKEN THE LIBERTY TO MODIFY IT BY LABELING "A to Z" ALPHABETS AGAINST SMALL "x" MARKS TO ENABLE YOU TO FIND THE EXACT SPOT OF THE CORRESPONDING PLACE IN THE TEMPLE PREMISES.
"SHIRDI TEMPLE PREMISES GUIDE MAP"
A (On the Manmad / Nagar Main Road) - QUEUE FOR "MUKH DARSHAN" ONLY & ROAMING IN THE TEMPLE PREMISES EXCEPT LENDI BAGH & BABAS WELL.
A (On the Pimpalwadi Road) - DEVOTEES ENTRANCE NEAR MAIN GATE NO.2, FOR SAMADHI DARSHAN FOR ALL DEVOTEES WITHOUT PASSES.
THE ARROWS IN THE DARSHAN QUEUE HALLS - THE DIRECTION DEVOTEES HAVE TO MOVE TO REACH THE SAMADHI TEMPLE.
B - MAIN GATE NO.1.
C - THE P.R.O OFFICE.
D - MAIN GATE NO.2 (CLOSED...NOT USED NOW)
E - SHIRDI SANSTHAN`S BOOK STORE FOR SELLING BABA`S BOOKS, CALENDARS, VCD / DVD etc
F - THE "SHREE SAI SATYAVRAT POOJA HALL".
G - "SHREE SAI SANSTHAN EMPLOYEES CREDIT CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD, SHIRDI" STALL.
H - DURING PEAK PERIODS, ENTRY GATE FOR N.R.I / FOREIGN NATIONALS / V.I.P`s.
I - SHOP SELLING POOJA ITEMS / MUSTARD OIL & SWEET PRASAD TOO.
J - HUGE WINDOWS FOR A VIEW OF THE DARSHAN QUEUE GOING DOWN THE STAIRS.
K - DURING PEAK PERIODS ITS THE SENIOR CITIZENS / AGED / PHYSICALLY DISABLED DEVOTEES SPECIAL ENTRY GATE.
L - MAIN GATE NO.3.
M - "THE SHREE SAIBABA SANSTHAN TRUST MOBILE CLOAKROOM".
N - "SAI-COMPLEX" COMMERCIAL SHOPPING COMPLEX.
O - "DAKSHIN-MUKHI MARUTI TEMPLE" (UNDER RE-CONSTRUCTION AS IN JUNE 2009).
P - ABDUL BABA`S COTTAGE.
Q - ENTRY FOR "MUKH DARSHAN" OF BABA`S IDOL..(ONE CANNOT GO TOWARDS BABA`S SAMADHI FROM HERE)
R - EXIT AFTER DARSHAN AND DURING OFF-PEAK PERIODS ITS THE SENIOR CITIZENS / AGED / DISABLED DEVOTEES ENTRY GATE .
S - DONATION OFFICE.
T - "ANNOUNCEMENT SECTION" - (FORMER UDHI / PRASAD DISTRIBUTION ROOM).
U - TELEVISION IN THE OPEN AIR THEATRE FOR DEVOTEES STANDING OUT TO HAVE LIVE DARSHAN.
V - WATER COOLER JUST BESIDES THE OPEN AIR THEATRE, FOR DEVOTEES TO DRINK THE BLESSED WATER OF BABA`S HOLY BATH.
W - REAR EXIT DOOR AFTER DARSHAN AND DURING OFF-PEAK PERIODS ITS THE ENTRY GATE FOR V.I.P PASS HOLDERS..
X - "SAIBABA`S MUSEUM'.
Y - UDHI / PRASAD DISTRIBUTION ROOM ( NEXT TO ABDUL BABAS / NANAVALIS / TATYAS SAMADHI ).
Z - MAIN GATE NO.4.
THE BLACK LINE DRAWN FROM GATE NO.4 CUTTING ACROSS LENDI BAGH UPTO THE EXIT AT MANMAD / NAGAR MAIN ROAD - STEEL BARRICADED PASSAGE SEPARATING LENDI BAGH FROM NANDADEEP.
CANDLES - PLACE IN NANDADEEP WHERE DEVOTEES CAN MAKE WISHES & LIGHT CANDLES.
MAIN GATE NO.1
ON THE WEST SIDE IS "GATE NO.1" ON THE MANMAD / NAGAR MAIN ROAD AND IS USED ONLY AS AN ENTRY GATE INTO THE TEMPLE PREMISES AND OR FOR BABA`S MUKH DARSHAN i.e., DARSHAN OF BABA`S FACE FROM A DISTANCE ( FROM, NEAR THE RAISED PLATFORM BEHIND IN THE TEMPLES SANCTUM).
AFTER, ENTERING THRU GATE NO.1, ONE CAN FREELY ROAM IN THE TEMPLE PREMISES i.e, CAN TAKE UDHI, SEE ABDUL BABA`S / TATYAS & NANAVALIS SAMADHI, SAIBABA`S MUSEUM AND CAN GO STRAIGHT UP TO DWARKAMAI BUT CANNOT GO TO LENDI BAGH OR BABA`S WELL.
THIS GATE NO.1 IS OPPOSITE THE TEMPLES P.R.O OFFICE AND BESIDES NANDA-DEEP.
ONE CANNOT MAKE AN EXIT FROM THIS GATE.
MAIN GATE NO.2
ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE TEMPLE, ON THE PIMPALWADI ROAD, IS MAIN GATE NO.2 WHICH WAS EARLIER USED AS AN ENTRY & EXIT GATE BUT AT PRESENT IS CLOSED & NOT IN USE.
INSTEAD, JUST BESIDES IT ON THE PIMPALWADI ROAD ITSELF IS THE ENTRY GATE FOR ALL DEVOTEES WITHOUT ANY PASSES.
THIS ENTRY TAKES ONE DIRECTLY INTO THE FIRST WAITING HALL FROM WHERE THE DARSHAN QUEUES, AFTER MOVING ALONG THROUGH SPIRALING LONG STRETCH OF STEEL BARRICADED HALLS & BY STAIRS UP & DOWN, FINALLY LEADS UPTO THE SAMADHI OF BABA.
MAIN GATE NO.3
ON THE EAST SIDE, IN THE LANE GOING INSIDE FROM THE PIMPALWADI ROAD IS "GATE NO.3" WHICH IS USED MAINLY FOR EXIT OUT OF THE TEMPLE PREMISES TOWARDS DAKSHIN MUKHI HANUMAN TEMPLE & BABA`S SHRI CHAVADI.
IF ONE ENTERS THROUGH THIS GATE, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE COMES THE "MUKH DARSHAN" ENTRY WHILE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS AN ENTRANCE USED FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS SPECIAL ENTRY DURING PEAK PERIODS.
THIS GATE IS ALSO USED AS AN ENTRY FOR SENIOR CITIZENS / PHYSICALLY DISABLED & AGED DEVOTEES WHO ARE UNABLE TO WALK.
LUCKY TIP - ONE NORMAL ADULT IS ALLOWED TO ESCORT THEIR AGED / HANDICAPPED DEPENDENT FAMILY MEMBER BY THIS GATE & A DEPENDENT KID CAN ALSO GO ALONG IF HE / SHE HAS NO ONE ELSE TO ACCOMPANY HIM / HER.
IF LUCKY ENOUGH,
THEN N.R.I & FOREIGN NATIONALS CAN TOO MAKE AN ENTRY BY THIS GATE IF THEY SHOW THE GUARDS THE PROOF OF THEIR NATIONALITY OR NRI STATUS i.e., PASSPORT COPIES etc
MAIN GATE NO.4
ON THE SOUTH SIDE IS "GATE NO.4" WHICH IS MAINLY USED FOR SOUTH EXIT OUT OF THE TEMPLE PREMISES.
TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS EXIT THERE ARE SHOPS WHICH LEAD UP TO DWARKAMAI WHEREAS THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THIS EXIT THERE ARE SHOPS WHICH LEAD
UP TO THE MANMAD / NAGAR MAIN ROAD.
THIS GATE NO.4 IS ALSO USED AS AN ENTRY, WITH A STEEL BARRICADED PASSAGE SEPARATING LENDI BAGH AND NANDADEEP IN SUCH A MANNER THAT IF DEVOTEES ENTER BY THIS GATE THEN THEY WILL AUTOMATICALLY MOVE TOWARDS LENDI BAGH, BABAS WELL AND THEN STRAIGHT OUT OF THE TEMPLE PREMISES TO THE MANMAD / NAGAR MAIN ROAD.
SO, IF FROM LENDI BAGH IF ONE WANTS TO GO TO NANDADEEP, THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO GO STRAIGHT OUT OF THE TEMPLE PREMISES AND THEN AGAIN ENTER THE TEMPLE FROM GATE NO.1 FOR NANDADEEP.
THIS GATE NO.4 IS BANG OPPOSITE THE SAMADHIS OF NANAVALI / ABDUL BABA / & TATYA PATIL.
"DARSHAN PASSES"
DURING OFF-PEAK PERIODS.
AT NORMAL TIMES, WHEN THERE IS NOT MUCH RUSH OF DEVOTEES IN THE TEMPLE...
THE N.R.I`s / FOREIGN NATIONALS & THE V.I.P`s CAN APPROACH THE P.R.O. OFFICE DIRECTLY TO ARRANGE FOR THE DARSHAN PASSES FOR WHICH THEY WILL HAVE TO SHOW THE ORIGINAL OR COPIES OF THE PROOF OF THEIR NATIONALITY i.e, PASSPORT / GREEN CARD OR ANY OTHER PROOF OF RESIDENCE TO THE SANSTHAN'S P.R.O OFFICER (FOR SAFETY REASONS THEY SHOULD CARRY COPIES OF THEIR ORIGINAL PROOF OF RESIDENCE DOCUMENTS).
WHEREAS, THE V.I.P`s WILL HAVE TO SHOW A REQUEST FOR DARSHAN PASSES LETTER FROM ANY GOVERNMENT OF INDIA AUTHORITY OR ANY HIGH RANKING INDIAN OFFICIAL etc.
DURING OFF PEAK PERIODS, NORMALLY, THE N.R.I`s / FOREIGN NATIONALS TOGETHER WITH THE SENIOR CITIZENS / AGED / DISABLED ARE ALLOWED ENTRY DIRECTLY INTO THE SAMADHI SHRINE BY THE SPECIAL GATE BANG OPPOSITE THE FORMER UDHI DISTRIBUTION ROOM (MARKED AS "R" IN THE ABOVE TEMPLE MAP) .
WHILE THE V.I.P`s HAVE TO ENTER BY THE REAR EXIT DOOR OF THE SAMADHI SHRINE (MARKED AS "W" IN THE ABOVE TEMPLE MAP)
IF THE V.I.P IS A SENIOR / DISABLED THEN EVEN HE /SHE CAN GO FOR DARSHAN WITH THE OTHER SENIOR CITIZENS FROM THE SENIOR CITIZENS ENTRY GATE.
ALSO, APART FOR DARSHAN PASSES, ONE CAN CONTACT THE SANSTHAN P.R.O. OFFICE FOR ANY GUIDANCE AND OTHER INFORMATION TOO.
DURING PEAK PERIODS.
WHEN THERE IS A HUGE INFLOW OF DEVOTEES IN THE TEMPLE....
DURING FESTIVALS & OCCASIONS / SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS / OTHER PEAK PERIODS NO DARSHAN PASSES ARE ISSUED WHAT-SO-EVER, DUE TO THE HEAVY RUSH OF DEVOTEES.
SO, ONE WILL MOSTLY FIND THE DEPARTMENT WHICH ISSUES DARSHAN PASSES, IN THE P.R.O OFFICE, CLOSED.
SO HOW DO THE N.R.I`s OR FOREIGN NATIONALS OR V.I.P`s GET AN ENTRY DURING PEAK PERIODS?
WELL, THE TEMPLE GUARDS ARE QUITE UNDERSTANDING, SO IF THE N.R.I`s / FOREIGN NATIONALS SHOW THEM THEIR PROOF OF NATIONALITY,
THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE TEMPLE NOT DIRECTLY, BUT BY A SEPARATE ENTRANCE BY WHICH THEY WILL BE CUTTING OUT QUITE A LARGE PORTION OF THE DARSHAN QUEUE.
THE V.I.P`s TOO CAN SHOW THE SPECIAL PASSES REQUEST LETTER OF ANY GOVERNMENT OF INDIA AUTHORITY / ANY HIGH RANKING INDIAN OFFICIAL etc TO THE TEMPLE GUARDS SO AS TO BE ALLOWED A SPECIAL ENTRY.
P.S - THE ONUS LIES WITH THE GUARD TO ALLOW OR REJECT ANY DEVOTEES REQUEST FOR ENTRY THROUGH THE SPECIAL GATE.
MOSTLY, THIS SPECIAL GATE FOR THEM IS THE GATE OPPOSITE THE THREE TEMPLES OF LORD SHANI / LORD GANESHA & LORD MAHADEV (MARKED AS "H" ABOVE IN THE TEMPLE MAP).
HOWEVER, THIS GATE MAY DIFFER DEPENDING UPON THE DEVOTEES RUSH AT THAT GIVEN PERIOD.
BUT IF THE N.R.I / FOREIGN NATIONAL OR THE V.I.P IS A SENIOR / AGED / HANDICAPPED THEN THEY ALSO DO NOT NEED ANY SPECIAL PASS AS THEY CAN ENTER THE TEMPLE BY THE SPECIAL ENTRY GATE MEANT FOR SENIOR CITIZENS (MARKED AS "K" ABOVE IN THE TEMPLE MAP).
THIS GATE MAY ALSO DIFFER DEPENDING UPON THE DEVOTEES RUSH AT THAT GIVEN PERIOD.
FOR DARSHAN PASSES / GUIDANCE ONE CAN CONTACT THE P.R.O OFFICE DIRECTLY :
IN SHIRDI -
Executive Officer,
Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi
Post. Shirdi 423 109 Tal. Rahata,
Dist. Ahmednagar (Maharashtra)
Phone : +91-2423-258500 ( I.V.R )
Fax No. Office:+91-2423-258870 & P.R.O.Office : +91-2423-258770
Website : www.shrisaibabasansthan.org & www.sai.org.in
E_mail : saibaba@sai.org.in & saisandesh_anr@sancharnet.in
saibaba@shrisaibabasansthan.org
IN MUMBAI THEN -
(AT PRESENT SHIRDI SANSTHAN`S MUMBAI BRANCH DOES NOT ISSUE DARSHAN PASSES BUT IN TIME TO COME, THEY MIGHT ALSO DO SO)
Executive Officer,
Shri Sai baba Sansthan Trust, (Shirdi)
'Sai Niketan', 804-8,
Dr. Ambedkar Road, Dadar,
Mumbai - 400014
Tel : +91- 22 - 24166556/ 24161293
Fax: +91- 22 - 24150798
E-mail : saidadar@bom3.vsnl.net.in
DARSHAN PASSES PROCEDURE :
ALL N.R.I`s / FOREIGN NATIONAL`s / VIP`s OR THE ONES REGISTERED FOR A PASS AT THE P.R.O OFFICE, CAN HAVE DARSHAN WITH SPECIAL PASSES ALSO CALLED THE V.I.P PASSES.
THESE PASSES CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE P.R.O.OFFICE IN THE SHIRDI TEMPLE PREMISES ITSELF FOR WHICH ONE HAS TO GO IN ADVANCE ( SOONER THE BETTER...ATLEAST A DAY IN ADVANCE ) & GET HIS / HER NAME REGISTERED FOR THE PASS WHILST SPECIFYING WHICH AARTI PASSES ARE NEEDED BY HIM / HER i.e, KAKAD AARTI, MADHYAN AARTI, DHOOP AARTI OR SHEJ AARTI.
ALSO, TO BE SPECIFIED IN ADVANCE, IS THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS GOING TO ACCOMPANY HIM / HER ON THAT PASS, AS ACCORDINGLY ONLY THOSE NUMBER OF DEVOTEES WITH THAT MEMBER WILL BE GIVEN ENTRY FOR DARSHAN IN THE TEMPLE.
ANY EXTRA MEMBER OF THE PASS HOLDER IS REFUSED ENTRY FOR DARSHAN, IF NOT REGISTERED BEFORE HAND AT THE P.R.O.
THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS ACCOMPANYING ONE SINGLE PASS DIFFERS DEPENDING UPON THE RUSH BUT IS USUALLY BETWEEN 6-10 MAX.
IF THE N.R.I.`s WANT TO ARRANGE FOR PASSES BEFORE THEY TOUCH DOWN IN INDIA, THEY CAN CONSULT THE SANSTHAN P.R.O.FOR THE PROCEDURE IF POSSIBLE OR THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVE IN INDIA OR SHIRDI TO ARRANGE FOR THE SAME BEFORE HAND.
P.S- THE P.R.O. IS NOT OPEN THE WHOLE DAY BUT HAS SPECIFIC TIMINGS, SO PLEASE ACCORDINGLY BE THERE TO ARRANGE FOR YOUR PASSES IN ADVANCE.
MY WISH - THE SYSTEM OF ALL DARSHAN PASSES SHOULD BE ABOLISHED WHAT-SO-EVER AND BE IT POLITICIANS / ACTORS / V.I.P`s / N.R.I`s / FOREIGNERS ANYBODY SO TO SPEAK, LET EVERYONE STAND IN THE NORMAL QUEUE FOR DARSHAN...AS PASSES IS DISCRIMINATING BETWEEN SECTS OF PEOPLE...A THING WHICH BABA NEVER PREACHED.
SO "DON`T GIVE PASSES BUT GIVE PREFERENCE"
ALL PHYSICALLY DISABLED / TERMINALLY ILL / AGED & SENIOR CITIZENS SHOULD BE GIVEN FIRST PREFERENCE FOR DARSHAN.
MY VIEW - KARMICALLY SPEAKING, THE PASS HOLDERS EAT AWAY SOME OF THEIR GOOD KARMAS BY ARRANGING A SMOOTH-n-EASY DARSHAN FOR THEMSELVES UP AGAINST THE OTHER DEVOTEES STANDING FOR HOURS IN QUEUE`S ONLY TO BE BACK-DROPPED DURING DARSHAN IN THE MAIN SANCTUM.
SENIOR CITIZENS / AGED / PHYSICALLY DISABLED.
ALL SENIOR CITIZENS / PHYSICALLY DISABLED & AGED DEVOTEES NOW DO NOT REQUIRE ANY SPECIAL PASSES FOR DARSHAN AS THEY ARE GIVEN DIRECT ENTRY TO THE TEMPLE FROM A SEPARATE GATE BY WHICH THEY CUT OUT THE LONG STANDING IN QUEUES. THIS SPECIAL ENTRY GATE FOR SENIORS / AGED DEVOTEES CHANGES DEPENDING UPON THE INFLOW OF DEVOTEES.
IN NORMAL PERIODS, WHEN IT ISN`T MUCH CROWDED, THE SENIOR CITIZENS ARE ALLOWED DIRECTLY INSIDE THE MAIN TEMPLE BY THE ENTRY OPPOSITE THE FORMER UDHI DISTRIBUTION ROOM, NOW THE ANNOUNCEMENT ROOM.
BUT DURING HOLIDAY SEASONS / FESTIVALS & OTHER PEAK TIMES WHEN A LARGE NUMBER OF DEVOTEES TURN UP FOR DARSHAN, THE ENTRY GATE FOR THE SENIOR / DISABLED DEVOTEES CHANGES TOO i.e, AT PRESENT IT IS A GATE JUST BENEATH THE WIDE GATE NO.3 STRUCTURE ITSELF AND OPPOSITE A BLACK COLORED GRANITE NOTICE BOARD.
WHEN ONE ENTERS THROUGH GATE NO.3, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE FALLS THE "MUKH DARSHAN" GATE & ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WAS THE FORMER SHOE STAND AREA...AND JUST ADJACENT TO THIS FORMER SHOE STAND AREA IS THE SENIOR CITIZENS ENTRY GATE.
DURING PEAK PERIODS,HOWEVER, EVEN AFTER GETTING A ENTRY FOR DARSHAN FROM THE SPECIAL ENTRY GATE, THE SENIOR CITIZENS / AGED HAVE YET TO WALK DOWN A FEW STAIRS WHERE THEY JOIN THE PASS HOLDERS & THE REST OF THE OTHER DEVOTEES, WITH WHOM THEY THEN CLIMB UP A FEW STAIRS TO FINALLY REACH BABA`S SAMADHI SANCTUM.
AND THE QUEUE FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS DEVOTEES STARTS FROM JUST OUTSIDE THE SQUARE WINDOWS (FROM WHERE ONE CAN SEE THE DARSHAN QUEUE GOING DOWN-STAIRS) OPPOSITE THE DONATION OFFICE.
IF THE SENIOR CITIZEN IS UNABLE TO GO ALONE DUE TO ANY DISABILITY OR ILLNESS OR IS ON WHEEL CHAIR THEN ANY ONE FAMILY MEMBER (YOUNG OR OLD) IS ALLOWED TO ACCOMPANY HIM /HER THROUGH THIS SENIOR CITIZENS GATE.
AND, IF THIS RESULTS IN ANY DEPENDENT MINOR WHO IS WITH THEM TO BE LEFT ALONE, THEN THAT MINOR TOO IS ALLOWED TO GO WITH HIS / HER FAMILY THROUGH THIS ENTRY.
BUT MIND YOU, THE GUARDS ARE QUITE SMART TO CATCH ANY SENIOR CITIZEN FAKING ANY DIFFICULTY TO WALK OR GO ALONE SO AS TO TAG ALONG A FAMILY MEMBER WITH THEM.
MY WISH - IRRESPECTIVE OF THE SEASON / TIME AND THE AMOUNT OF DEVOTEE INFLOW, ALL SENIOR CITIZENS / AGED / PHYSICALLY DISABLED DEVOTEES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ENTER BY THE GATE BANG OPPOSITE THE ANNOUNCEMENT ROOM (FORMER UDHI ROOM) LIKE BEFORE.
"MUKH-DARSHAN"
FOR DEVOTEES WHO WANT TO JUST HAVE A DARSHAN OF BABAS SAMADHI IDOL FROM FAR, THEY CAN ENTER THE TEMPLE FROM A DOOR- MARKED AS "Q" ON THE SHIRDI GUIDE MAP ABOVE.
THIS ENTRY IS JUST AT THE BEGINNING OF MAIN GATE NO.3 ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE.
AND AS ONE ENTERS BY THIS DOOR, HE / SHE STANDS BETWEEN A STEEL BARRICADED PASSAGE BETWEEN THE FRONT & BACK SIDE OF THE TEMPLE, LIKE AN AISLE, SO, ONE CANNOT GO FROM THIS PLACE OF MUKH DARSHAN FORWARD FOR SAMADHI DARSHAN.
HE WILL HAVE TO EXIT FROM THIS "MUKH DARSHAN" ENTRY DOOR AND GO AND STAND IN THE DARSHAN QUEUE IF HE WANTS TO DO SO.
DARSHAN WAITING HALLS.
THE HALLS WHERE THE QUEUES LINE UP SPIRALING ACROSS THE STEEL BARRICADES HAVE WATER COOLERS AND ADEQUATE SEATING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE COMFORT OF THE DEVOTEES.ALSO, PRESENT ARE TELEVISION SETS FOR DEVOTEES TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE SANCTUM WHILE THEY WAIT IN QUEUES FOR HOURS. AND MOSTLY ALL THE TIME DEVOTEES ARE CHANTING BABA`S NAME WHILE WAITING WHICH TOO IS VERY DIVINE.
DAKSHIN MUKHI HANUMAN TEMPLE. ( MARUTI MANDIR )
THE DAKSHIN MUKHI HANUMAN TEMPLE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED AND A NEW TEMPLE IS BEING CONSTRUCTED IN ITS PLACE.
THE IDOLS OF HANUMAN & OTHER GODS HAVE BEEN TEMPORARILY SHIFTED TO THE GROUND FLOOR OF A BUILDING OPPOSITE IT, ADJOINING THE "SHREE CHAVADI".
IT IS BEHIND THE SIGNBOARD OF SOME "ANAND GUEST HOUSE'.
"SHREE CHAVADI"
BABA`S "SHREE CHAVADI" HAS NOW BEEN DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS.
THE LEFT PORTION IS "FOR LADIES" ONLY WHILE THE RIGHT HAND SIDE ONE IS "ONLY FOR GENTS" WHERE NO LADIES ARE ALLOWED AS WAS BEFORE, SINCE LONG.
"SAIBABA MUSEUM"
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO VISIT THE "SAIBABA MUSEUM" JUST BESIDES THE DIXIT WADA. IT HAS MANY ITEMS WHICH WERE ACTUALLY USED BY BABA HIMSELF i.e, HIS UTENSILS, KAFNI, GRAMOPHONE RECORD`S & PLAYER, HIS CHILLUM, A BIG PALAQUIN WHICH WAS GIFTED TO BABA BUT NEVER USED BY HIM , ALL THE PALKHI PROCESSION THINGS, BABAS PADUKAS, HIS WHEAT GRINDING STONE, TWO POTS WITH WHICH HE COOKED & FED THE HUNGRY, THE COT ON WHICH BABA`S LAST BATHING TOOK PLACE AFTER HIS DEMISE, BABA`S ORIGINAL CHIMTA, THE EARTHEN WARE WITH HE USED TO ASK FOR FOOD etc. THIS MUSEUM IS SPREAD ON THE GROUND AS WELL AS THE FIRST FLOOR.
LADU PRASAD.
THE SWEET LADU PRASAD SALE COUNTER IS NOW LOCATED TO THE NORTHERN SIDE OF "SAI PRASAD" BUILDING NO..2 NEAR THE CAR PARKING.
THE TIMINGS FOR THE SALE OF THESE LADU PRASAD IS 06:00Am TO 10:00Pm.(22:00Hrs)
UDHI DISTRIBUTION ROOM.
THE OLD UDHI DISTRIBUTION ROOM WHICH WAS BANG OPPOSITE THE MAIN ENTRY OF THE SAMADHI TEMPLE AND ADJOINING THE DONATION OFFICE IS NOW CONVERTED INTO AN "ANNOUNCEMENT SECTION" ROOM.
THE NEW PRASAD / UDHI DISTRIBUTION ROOM IS NOW LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO TATYA KOTE PATILS SAMADHI, OPPOSITE SOUTH GATE NO.4. THE TIMINGS FOR UDHI DISTRIBUTION ARE -
07:00Am To 11:30Am
13:00Pm To 18:00Pm
19:00Pm To 22:00Pm
(AFTER DHOOP AARTI)
THE LINE FOR TAKING UDHI ALSO GOES TO QUITE A STRETCH AND ONLY ONE SMALL PACKET OF UDHI IS GIVEN TO EACH DEVOTEE SO REFRAIN FROM ASKING FOR ANOTHER.
NANDADEEP.
DEVOTEES CAN MAKE WISHES & LIGHT CANDLES OR DIYAS IN FRONT OF NANDADEEP, ON THE GRILL FENCING OPPOSITE IT.
AS, BABA TOO EVERY EVENING WOULD LIGHT A DIYA HERE.
ALSO, THERE ARE TWO TREES - NEEM & PIPAL TREE, BESIDES THE PLACE WHERE BABA USED TO LIGHT A DIYA...ONE OF WHICH DUE ITS HEIGHT OR GROWTH, HAS BEEN CHOPPED OFF BY THE TRUNK ITSELF FROM THE TOP AND ALL THAT'S LEFT IS A HUGE LOG (TREE TRUNK) WHICH WILL BUT NATURALLY TAKE SOME TIME TO GROW BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL FORM.
MY VIEW - WONDER WHAT HAVE THEY DONE WITH THE CHOPPED PORTION OF THE TREE AS, I THINK WE DEVOTEES WOULD HAVE TREASURED EVEN ONE LEAF OR TWIG OF BABA`S BLESSED TREE.
SHOE STAND.
THERE ARE SHOE STANDS JUST OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE WHERE ONE CAN KEEP THEIR FOOTWEAR FOR A VERY NOMINAL CHARGE, IN EXCHANGE FOR A TOKEN.
BUT MANY DEVOTEES REMOVE THEIR FOOTWEAR INSIDE THE TEMPLE PREMISES ITSELF IN ANY CORNER OR BELOW SOME STRUCTURE.
IT IS CONVENIENT BUT NOT CORRECT TO DO SO AS THESE PLACES ARE NOT MEANT TO PARK ONE`S FOOTWEAR, SO THEY MIGHT BE BRUSHED ASIDE BY ANYONE OR EVEN MIGHT GO MISSING FROM THERE. SO REMOVE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK INSIDE THE TEMPLE PREMISES.
TELEVISION - LIVE DARSHAN.
TELEVISION SETS TELECASTING LIVE IMAGES FROM THE SAMADHI SHRINE`S INNER SANCTUM & DWARKAMAI DIRECTLY, HAVE BEEN PUT IN THE ENTIRE TEMPLE PREMISES, INSIDE & OUTSIDE THE SAMADHI SHRINE ALSO, FOR DEVOTEES WHO CANNOT MAKE IT INSIDE ...AND BELIEVE ME WATCHING THE KAKAD AARTI ON THE TV SETS ESPECIALLY IN THE OPEN AIR THEATER IS MORE FUN AS YOU GET GOOD CLOSE UPS AND BETTER VIEW SITTING COMFORTABLY RATHER THAN FROM INSIDE WHERE DUE TO THE RUSH ONE HARDLY CAN GET A CLEAR VIEW OF BABA WHILE THE AARTI OR MANGAL SNAN GOES ON.
OPEN AIR THEATRE.
THE OPEN AIR THEATRE, IS A OPEN SPACE STANDING FROM WHERE DEVOTEES CAN HAVE A VIEW OF BABA`S SAMADHI IDOL THRU A WINDOW. ALSO, PRESENT HERE IS A TELEVISION SET FOR DEVOTEES TO ENJOY THE LIVE DARSHAN OF BABA WHILE ANY AARTI / PROGRAMME GOES ON INSIDE THE SAMADHI SANCTUM. THIS OPEN AIR THEATRE WAS ONCE A RAISED PLATFORM WITH A GARDEN & FOUNTAIN BEHIND IT, HAS NOW CHANGED TOO.
THE RAISED PORTION HAS BEEN REMOVED LEAVING BEHIND A FLOOR LEVEL TILED GROUND MINUS THE GARDEN, FOUNTAIN & THE WATER FALLS.
MY VIEW - THERE SHOULD BE A COUPLE OF BENCHES TO SIT IN THIS OPEN AIR THEATRE AS THIS IS THE ONLY OPEN SPACE IN THE TEMPLE PREMISES WHERE ONE CAN SIT BUT AS IT IS GROUND LEVEL SO A BIT DIFFICULT FOR AGED/SENIORS TO SIT DOWN.
THAT`S WHY NOW ONE CAN FIND DEVOTEES SITTING ON THE TWO LONG STRETCH OF STAIRS IN THE GURUSTHAN AREA AND ALSO, OPPOSITE NEAR THE DIXIT WADA GIVING THE PLACE A VERY CROWDED LOOK. THE SMALL COVERING WALL OF THE TWO TREES OPPOSITE THE DONATION OFFICE ARE ALSO ALWAYS FULL OF DEVOTEES SITTING.
SHOPS IN THE TEMPLE PREMISES.
"SHREE SAI SANSTHAN EMPLOYEES CREDIT CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD, SHIRDI" ( APPROVED BY SSST,SHIRDI) HAS A STALL INSIDE THE TEMPLE PREMISES FOR SELLING COLD DRINKS / ICE-CREAMS / MINERAL WATER / MASALA MILK / LASSI / PRASAD PEDHA / NAVGRAHA DHOOP ETC.AT VERY NOMINAL PRICES. IT IS SITUATED NEXT TO GATE NO.2 OUTSIDE THE DARSHAN QUEUE HALL.
ALSO, THERE IS A SHOP NEAR THE THREE TEMPLES OF LORD GANESHA, LORD SHANIDEV & LORD MAHADEV.. THIS SHOP SELLS SOME PRASAD & LOTS OF DIFFERENT POOJA ITEMS INCLUDING MUSTARD OIL FOR POURING IT ON LORD SHANIDEV.
"SHREE SAI SATYAVRAT POOJA HALL".
THE "SHREE SAI SATYAVRAT POOJA HALL" IS THE PLACE WHERE ON THE 1st FLOOR BABA`S ABHISHEK POOJA IS DONE BY DEVOTEES AND ON THE GROUND FLOOR DEVOTEES PERFORM THE "SATYANARAYAN POOJA" AFTER REGISTERING THEMSELVES FOR IT AT A VERY NOMINAL CHARGE OF Rs.101/- ONLY & IT`S TIMINGS ARE -
THE ABHISHEK POOJA TIMINGS ARE AS :
1St Batch 7.00 am to 8.00am
2nd Batch 9.am to 10.00 am
3rd Batch 12.30pm to 1.30 pm
"SAI COMPLEX"
AT A PLACE, JUST BESIDES THE TEMPLE COMPLEX, THERE WAS A PRIMARY SCHOOL WHICH NOW HAS BEEN MOVED AWAY AND IN ITS PLACE "SWASTIK GROUP" IS COMING UP WITH AN COMMERCIAL COMPLEX CALLED "SAI COMPLEX" JUST 20 FEET FROM THE GATE OF SHIRDI SAIBABA TEMPLE STARTING FROM OPPOSITE GATE NO.2 STRETCHING RIGHT UP TO THE END OF THE DAKSHIN MUKHI HANUMAN TEMPLE OPPOSITE GATE NO.3.
MY VIEW - "WE LOVE SHIRDI IN IT`S SIMPLICITY BUT SEEMS SOON SHIRDI WILL BECOME SIMPLY A CITY" !!!
"MOBILE CLOAKROOM"
BESIDES GATE NO.2 & IN THE LANE LEADING TO THE GATE NO.3 FROM THE PIMPALWADI ROAD IS "THE SHREE SAIBABA SANSTHAN TRUST MOBILE CLOAKROOM" WHERE DEVOTEES HAVE TO DEPOSIT THEIR MOBILES AT A NOMINAL CHARGE OF RS.2/- PER MOBILE. THEY GET A TOKEN IN RETURN AGAINST WHICH THEY CAN GET THEIR MOBILES BACK, AS MOBILES / CAMERAS ARE NOT ALLOWED INSIDE THE TEMPLE PREMISES.
SAI-PRASADALAYA.
THE FACILITY OF PRASAD BHOJAN OF THE "SHRI SAI PRASADALAYA" WHICH WAS SITUATED NEXT TO THE SAMADHI TEMPLE, HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY SHIFTED ON 08th JAN`2009, TO A NEW BUILDING CONSTRUCTED BY THE "SHRI SAIBABA SANSTHAN TRUST" & IS LOCATED AT -
"SHRI SAI PRASADALAYA"
BEHIND POLICE STATION, SHIRDI,
NIMGAON SHIV ROAD,
NIMGAON KORHALE,
SHIRDI
"DWARAVATI" BHAKT NIWAS.
SHRI SAIBABA SANSTHAN, SHIRDI HAS BUILT A NEW BHAKT NIWAS CALLED "DWARAVATI" WHICH WAS INAUGURATED
ON THE MAKAR-SANKRANTI - 14TH JAN`2009 BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKARJI.
SHIRDI SANSTHAN HAS SPENT Rs.19 CRORES ON THIS "DWARAVATI" PROJECT WHICH CAN ACCOMMODATE 1600 DEVOTEES CONVENIENTLY.
IT HAS 334 SELF-CONTAINED INDEPENDENT & WELL VENTILATED ROOMS, SPREAD OVER FOUR FLOORS AND PACKED WITH ALL THE BASIC AMENITIES.
ON THE FOURTH FLOOR THERE ARE 80 ROOMS, ALL OF WHICH ARE AIR-CONDITIONED.
THERE IS A LARGE WAITING ROOM FOR DEVOTEES ON THE GROUND FLOOR.
THERE IS A BIG PARKING SPACE & BOARDING FACILITIES FOR DRIVERS TOO.
"DWARAVATI" HAS FOUR LIFTS WHICH HAVE A CAPACITY OF CARRYING 10 PEOPLE AT A TIME.
LATEST TECHNOLOGIES LIKE SOLAR WATER HEATER SYSTEM & RAIN WATER HARVESTING FACILITIES ARE ALSO IMPLEMENTED.
"DWARAVATI" HAS A BIG GENERATOR FOR A 24 HOUR UN-INTERRUPTED SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY
FOR DEVOTEES RECREATION THERE IS A BIG GARDEN ON THE FRONT SIDE.
CLOSE BY ONLY, IS THE "BHOJAN-SHALA" WHERE THE FOOD IS COOKED USING SOLAR HEATERS & SO, THE FOOD SERVED IS AT VERY NOMINAL RATES.
ALSO, LIKE THE OTHER ACCOMMODATION FACILITIES PROVIDED BY THE SHIRDI SANSTHAN IN SHIRDI, THERE IS NO ADVANCE BOOKING FOR ROOMS AS ACCOMMODATION IS AVAILABLE ONLY ON FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS.
IT IS SITUATED ON THE MANMAD / NAGAR MAIN ROAD, NEAR THE "SHRI SAINATH HOSPITAL".
MESSAGE BOARDS WITHIN THE TEMPLE PREMISES -
DONATION BOXES AND WATER DRINKING FACILITIES ARE PLACED EVERYWHERE AROUND THE TEMPLE PREMISES.
WHEELCHAIR`S ARE AVAILABLE FOR HANDICAPPED DEVOTEES...FOR WHICH ONE CAN CONTACT THE SANSTHAN`S P.R.O. NEAR GATE NO.1 AND NANDA-DEEP.
FOR PRESERVATION OF BABA`S IDOL, MILK, ROSE-WATER, HONEY ETC IS NO MORE USED FOR THE SACRED BATH OF SAIBABA AS PER EXPERTS ADVICE.
PLEASE HANDOVER FLOWERS, GARLANDS TO TEMPLE STAFF BEFORE OR IN THE SAMADHI SHRINE ITSELF.
OFFERING OF GARLANDS, PRASAD, OR ANY OTHER ARTICLES SHOULD BE DONE BY DEVOTEES AFTER 07:00Am AND BEFORE SHEJ AARTI.
HANDLING THE RUSH OF DEVOTEES -
OWING TO THE HUGE RUSH OF DEVOTEES IN THE SAMADHI TEMPLE ESPECIALLY DURING KAKAD AARTI & BABAS MANGAL SNAN, TO ACCOMMODATE MORE & MORE DEVOTEES INSIDE THE TEMPLE SANCTUM DEVOTEES ARE NOW REQUESTED TO REMAIN STANDING THROUGH OUT WHILE THE AARTI / MANGAL SNAN GOES ON, AS STANDING OCCUPIES LESS SPACE THAN SITTING SO MORE DEVOTEES CAN BE PULLED INSIDE THE TEMPLE DURING AARTI ETC.
INSIDE THE TEMPLES SANCTUM, GENTS SHOULD TRY TO STAND ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE BARRICADES WHILE IN A QUEUE WHILE THE LADIES SHOULD TRY TO STAND ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE BARRICADES WHILE IN THE QUEUE, SO AS TO GO AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO BABA`S IDOL DURING DARSHAN AND THEN MOVE OUT FROM THE REAR DOOR EXITING TOWARDS THE GURUSTHAN RATHER THAN STANDING TOWARDS THE AISLE AS THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO TAKE A "U" TURN AFTER DARSHAN & THEN FROM THE AISLE (CENTRE) PASSING THE NANDI`S IDOL, HE WILL HAVE TO EXIT FROM THE DOOR OPPOSITE THE PRESENT "ANNOUNCEMENT ROOM" WHICH WAS THE FORMER UDHI / PRASAD DISTRIBUTION ROOM.
MY VIEW - AS FIRST STANDING FOR HOURS IN DARSHAN LINE QUEUE / SPIRALING DOWN A FEW HALLWAYS & THEN STANDING THROUGH OUT THE KAKAD ARTI & MANGAL SNAN, CAN BE VERY TIRING, MY PERSONAL ADVICE IS TO AVOID TAKING SMALL KIDS AND AGED PEOPLE WHO ARE UNABLE TO STAND FOR LONG PERIODS.
EVEN BABA WOULD NEVER WANT THIS AS HE TOO COULD NEVER SEE HIS DEVOTEES BEAR PAIN FOR HIM.
AS THERE ARE THREE OPENINGS FOR BOWING DOWN TO DO PRANAM ON BABA`S SAMADHI i.e., ONE FOR LADIES, ONE FOR GENTS AND ONE IN BETWEEN, DEVOTEES BOW DOWN AND TAKE TIME TO GET UP AND MOVE FORWARD THUS DELAYING OTHER DEVOTEES BEHIND, THEREFORE ON THURSDAYS, SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS, OTHER FESTIVALS / OCCASIONS AND HOLIDAY SEASONS WHEN THERE IS A HUGE FLOW OF DEVOTEES IN SHIRDI, THE THREE OPENINGS ON BABA`S SAMADHI ARE ALSO ENCLOSED WITH GLASS SHIELDS, SO ONE CANNOT BOW DOWN OR TOUCH THE SAMADHI AND SO MOVES ON FASTER. BUT ONE CAN SURELY TOUCH THE OUTER SIDE OF BABA`S SAMADHI WHILE PASSING BY AS BABAS PRESENCE IS EVERYWHERE !
LIKEWISE, SOMETIMES THE DHUNI-MAA PORTION OF DWARKAMAYI, REMAINS CLOSED FOR DARSHAN SO THE DEVOTEES ENTER DWARKAMAYI AND HAVE DARSHAN OF DHUNI MAA AREA WITHOUT CLIMBING THE STEPS AND MOVE AHEAD TOWARDS THE SACRED STONE ON WHICH BABA SAT. THIS ALSO SPEEDS UP THE DARSHAN QUEUE WHICH NOW-A-DAYS GOES ALMOST ALL OUT TO THE MANMAD / NAGAR MAIN ROAD !
THE NEW GURUSTHAN, NANDA-DEEP ARE ALSO ENCLOSED IN STEEL BARRICADES TO SPEED UP THE HUGE RUSH OF DEVOTEES.
THE TEMPLE GUARDS MIGHT SOUND RUDE WHILE ASKING YOU TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD IN THE DARSHAN LINE BUT REMEMBER THE THOUSANDS OF DEVOTEES WHO ARE STILL WAITING BEHIND YOU FOR THEIR TURN OF DARSHAN..AND THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE / PATIENCE THE GUARDS HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH WHILE KEEPING THE FLOW OF DARSHAN GOING SMOOTHLY FOR HOURS & HOURS.
MY VIEW - EVEN THOUGH ANY AARTI OR BABAS MANGAL SNAN IS GOING ON,THE QUEUES OF DEVOTEES SHOULD BE KEPT MOVING FORWARD CONSTANTLY FOR DARSHAN & THEN MOVE OUT SO THAT THE WAITING TIME IN THE LONG QUEUES GETS REDUCED AND MORE PEOPLE GET A CHANCE TO HAVE DARSHAN SOONER THAN BEFORE.
AND THEN, THE TIME MADE UP IN KEEPING THE QUEUE MOVING ON CAN BE UTILISED BY ALLOWING DEVOTEES TO BOW THEIR HEADS ON THE SAMADHI FOR SOME TIME WHICH AT PRESENT IS ACTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
HOLY TIPS ON KAKAD AARTI & MANGAL SNAN -
THE HOLY BATH OF BABA NOW ONLY LASTS FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES WITH A BUCKET OR TWO OF HOLY WATER ON THE SAMADHI FIRST FOLLOWED BY A BUCKET ON BABA`S IDOL. THAT'S IT...AND AS SOON AS THIS GETS DONE...DEVOTEES ARE ASKED TO START MOVING AHEAD FOR DARSHAN, EVEN WHILE BABA`S IDOL IS BEING PAT DRY...SO MAKE SURE AS YOU REACH NEAR THE SAMADHI, FEEL THE WATER OF BABA`S MANGAL SNAN FROM THE TOP OF THE SAMADHI OR THE GROUND NEAR IT WHERE SOME WATER USUALLY SPILLS WHILE THE HOLY BATH IS ON.
MY VIEW - FOR THIS ALWAYS LADIES & GENTS WHILE IN QUEUE INSIDE THE TEMPLE SANCTUM SHOULD TRY AND STAND ON THEIR RIGHT AND LEFT RESPECTIVELY SO AS TO REACH THE SIDES OF BABA`S SAMADHI AND GET A CHANCE TO TOUCH THE HOLY WATER OF BABA`S MANGAL SNAN WHICH USUALLY FALLS DOWN ON THE SIDES WHILE THE SNAN GOES ON.
NOW FOR A VERY BLESSED TIP...WANT TO TAKE A SIP OF BABAS MANGAL SNAN`S (HOLY BATH) WATER...THEN READ ON...
IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT INSIDE THE TEMPLE FOR THE KAKAD AARTI & BABA`S MANGAL SNAN OR IF YOU DO MAKE IT INSIDE THE SAMADHI SHRINE FOR KAKAD AARTI BUT ARE PUSHED OUT SOONER THAN YOU THINK, DON'T WORRY AS IT MAY BE A BLESSING IN DISGUISE !
AS JUST BESIDES THE OPEN AIR THEATRE ( TO THE EAST OF DIXIT WADA ) AND JUST OPPOSITE THE REAR EXIT OF THE SAMADHI TEMPLE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE GURUSTHAN EXIT IS AN EMPTY WATER COOLER WHERE THE BLESSED WATER AFTER BABA`S MANGAL SNAN IS POURED IN, FOR THE DEVOTEES TO DRINK..
NOT MANY GET A CHANCE TO HAVE A SIP OF THIS BLESSED WATER ALSO, AS BY THE TIME DEVOTEES START COMING OUT AFTER DARSHAN THIS HOLY WATER IS ALREADY OVER.
SO, THE SOONER YOU CAN MAKE IT TO THIS COOLER, BETTER IT WOULD BE, AS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A SIP OR TWO OF THIS BLESSED WATER.
BUT MAKE SURE THIS HOLY WATER IS NOT SPILLED DOWN AS MOST OF IT USUALLY DOES BECAUSE MANY DEVOTEES JUST PICK THIS COOLER UP AND TILT IT DOWN SO AS TO FILL THEIR BOTTLES ETC BUT IN DOING SO MOST OF THIS HOLY WATER SPILLS & IS WASTED & OTHER DEVOTEES ARE LEFT BEHIND FROM A CHANCE OF GETTING A SIP OF THIS WATER ALSO.
ALSO, JUST AFTER THE KAKAD AARTI IS OVER THERE IS PRASAD MADE OF WHITE BUTTER MIXED WITH SUGAR BEING DISTRIBUTED AT THE PRASAD / UDHI DISTRIBUTION ROOM LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO TATYA KOTE PATILS SAMADHI, OPPOSITE SOUTH GATE NO.4.
SO MAKE SURE, YOU MAKE IT HERE ALSO, AFTER DRINKING THE HOLY WATER OF BABA`S BATH.
THIS WHITE BUTTER PRASAD LIKE THE HOLY WATER OF BABA`S BATH IS ALSO VERY LIMITED SO ONLY THE FIRST LUCKY FEW DEVOTEES MAKE IT HERE.
HOLY TIP ON DWARKAMAI.
WHEN ONE GOES FOR DARSHAN TO DWARKAMAI, DO NOT FORGET TO HAVE THE BLESSED TEERTH (WATER) FROM THE BLACK COLORED EARTHEN POT KEPT ON A HIGH STAND. THIS POT HAS NO TAP SO WHAT ONE HAS TO DO IS TO USE THE BIG SPOON KEPT ON TOP OF THE POT TO TAKE SOME TEERTHA AND DRINK IT. ONE HAS TO HAVE THIS TEERTH HIMSELF AS NO ONE SERVE`S IT OVER HERE SO, NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE AWARE ABOUT IT SO GO AWAY WITHOUT HAVING A SIP.
BABAS DEVOTEES HOUSES IN SHIRDI VILLAGE GUIDE MAP.
MAP SOURCE - http://www.saibaba.com/holyshirdi/
LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST - DO NOT FORGET TO GO THE SHIRDI VILLAGE AND VISIT BAIJAMAA`S HOUSE, LAXMIBAI`S HOUSE & HER SAMADHI WHICH IS JUST OUTSIDE OF HER HOUSE, SHYAMAS HOUSE, ABDUL BABAS KUTI & MAHALSAPATIS HOUSE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE PADUKAS / 3 COINS / SATKA GIVEN BY TO MAHALSAPATI BY BABA HIMSELF....ALL ARE JUST A FEW STEPS STRAIGHT AHEAD OF DWARKAMAI. ALSO, DO NOT FORGET TO SEE THE 5 BLESSED HOUSES THAT BABA TOOK BHIKSHA FROM.
ABDUL BABA`S COTTAGE
SHAMA`S HOUSE
LAXMIBAI SHINDE`S HOUSE WITH HER SAMADHI RIGHT INFRONT OF IT
BAYAJABAI`S HOUSE - BABA USED TO STAND ON THE STONE SEEN IN FRONT OF THE DOOR.
MAHALSAPATI`S HOUSE
WHAT ONE CAN DO, IS TO ASK ANY LOCAL PEOPLE / KIDS THERE TO GUIDE THEM AND THEY WILL MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO SO ...THAT'S IT...IN A FEW MINUTES THEY WILL SHOW YOU ALL THE HOUSES, THE NINE COINS GIVEN BY SAIBABA TO LAXMIBAI, THE PLACE WHERE BABA`S SOUL LEFT HIS BODY FOR 3 DAYS, THE SHOP OF THE MAN WHO HAD REFUSED TO GIVE BABA OIL TO BURN DIYA'S IN DIWALI etc etc. THEY ALL ARE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER...JUST WALK STRAIGHT IN THE LANE BANG OPPOSITE THE DWARKAMAI ENTRANCE.
TRY NOT TO VISIT THESE HOUSES IN THE MORNING AS THEY ARE USUALLY CLOSED AT THAT TIME...KEEP THIS VISIT IN THE LATTER PART OF THE DAY. ALSO, FEEL FREE TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS HERE, AS PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT ALLOWED IN THE MAIN TEMPLE PREMISES BUT OUTSIDE IN THE SHIRDI VILLAGE YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS...
(BUT THE DO NOT FORGET TO SHARE IT WITH US ALL Hmmm !!!)
"KHANDOBA TEMPLE"
ONCE YOU FINISH OFF WITHIN & AROUND THE TEMPLE PREMISES DO NOT FORGET TO HAVE DARSHAN OF LORD KHANDOBA AT THE KHANDOBA TEMPLE,
JUST CLOSE BY NEAR THE "SHRI SAINATH HOSPITAL" ON THE MAIN ROAD ITSELF. IT HAS THE IDOLS OF LORD KHANDOBA , BANAI & MHALSAI.
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