Sai Baba · Maharashtra
Shirdi Sai Baba Temple
The samadhi shrine of the 19th-century saint Sai Baba, whose message of unity draws devotees of every faith. The Shirdi temple is built around the samadhi of Sai Baba, a saint who taught a path of love, charity and the oneness of all faiths. Worshipped by Hindus and Muslims alike, he remains one of the most beloved spiritual figures of modern India. The shrine draws a steady stream of devotees seeking comfort and his promise of help to those who turn to him.
The route inside Shirdi.
The visit4 min read→Its founding — Built around the samadhi (resting place) of Sai Baba, who lived in Shirdi until 1918; the temple complex grew through the 20th century.
Going there, and what the town asks of you
2 days suggestedHow long to stay is our suggestion, not a temple-published figure. No shrine publishes a length of visit — group the stops to suit your own party.
First — the samadhi, and the shrines around it
- Samadhi Mandir
Start here. The marble samadhi of Sai Baba, with his idol above it — the shrine the whole complex was built around.
Where — the centre of the Sansthan's grounds; the shrines below all stand close to it, and you reach them on foot. - Gurusthan
The neem tree under which Baba was first seen in Shirdi as a young ascetic. Devotees light incense at its foot.
Where — a few steps on from the Samadhi Mandir, in the same courtyard. - Dwarkamai
The old mosque Baba lived in for most of his years here. The dhuni — the fire he lit and never let go out — still burns inside, and its ash is given to devotees as udi.
Where — on foot from Gurusthan, still inside the complex. - Chavadi
The building Baba slept in on alternate nights in his last years. A palanquin procession comes to the Chavadi; the Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust publishes when, on sai.org.in — take the day and the hour from there, not from a travel page.
Where — a short walk on from Dwarkamai.
Next — the garden, the belongings, the village
- Lendi Baug
The garden Baba tended and walked to daily. The Nanda Deep, the lamp he kept alight, is here.
Where — a short walk from the main shrine, through the complex. - Dixit Wada Museum
Baba's own belongings are kept here, in the wada where his early devotee Kaka Dixit stayed.
Where — inside the Sansthan grounds. - Khandoba Mandir
The village temple where Baba was first greeted as 'Sai' on his arrival.
Where — in Shirdi village, outside the Sansthan gates.
The rhythm of the year
No fixed season — the shrine is open all year. Three festivals fill the town: Ram Navami, Guru Purnima and Vijayadashami, which is Baba's punyatithi. All three move with the Hindu calendar.
Udi from the dhuni
The dhuni is the fire Baba kept burning in Dwarkamai, and its ash — udi — is what he gave to people who came to him.
Donation, annadan towards the free kitchen, and seva registration for the shrine.
Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi — the body that runs the complex, its prasadalaya and its hospitals. Give at the Trust's own counters or on the Trust's own site; nothing on this page collects on its behalf.
The town around the gates
- The Samadhi Mandir, Gurusthan, Dwarkamai and the Chavadi all stand close together in the Sansthan's grounds — you move between them on foot, not by vehicle.
- The Sansthan runs its own prasadalaya (dining hall) and its own lodging blocks. Both are booked through the Trust, not through a private agent.
- Shirdi is a small town built around the shrine, so most lodging is within walking reach of the gates.
- Shirdi has its own railhead close to the town. The airport that carries the town's name is out of Shirdi and needs a road transfer — plan the arrival, not just the landing.
- Pilgrims also arrive overland from Nashik or Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Shani Shingnapur and Nashik are the usual onward stops for those leaving Shirdi.
What the shrine itself publishes
Every line below was read off a page the trust runs, on the day named beside it. Timings and fees change. Check the source before you travel.
Spots worth stopping at
- Samadhi Mandir — The main darshan shrine — darshan begins here at 6:25 am daily.
- Dwarkamai — The site of the daily Dhuni Pooja with rice and ghee, performed at 11:30 am.
Source: Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust — Daily Programme (read 2026-09-28)
When to go
- The Daily Programme lists temple opening at 4:45 am, Kakad Aarti at 5:15 am, Samadhi Mandir darshan beginning at 6:25 am, and Shej Aarti at 10:00 pm; it does not establish a closing time. The FAQ separately lists the general darshan queue as open from 6:00 am to 9:30 pm. Check the Trust's current programme and queue information before travelling.
Source: Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust — Daily Programme (read 2026-09-28) · Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust — FAQ (states 6:00 am–9:30 pm) (read 2026-09-28)
What devotees come for
- Darshan at the samadhi and the marble idol of Sai Baba
- The four daily aartis that punctuate the temple day
- Thursdays, the day most sacred to Sai Baba's devotees
- Sought for solace, healing and faith in trying times
Recorded timings
- Opens
- 04:45
- Morning aarti
- 05:15 — Kakad Aarti
- Evening aarti
- Sunset — Dhoop Aarti · 22:00 — Shej Aarti
The 22:00 Shej Aarti is not a verified temple closing time. Confirm the current programme before travelling. These hours are a reference, not a live schedule. Confirm current timings with the temple authority before travel.
How to book
Steps
- Visit the official Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust booking portal at https://online.sai.org.in/.
- Log in using your Indian mobile number and OTP; registration is not required.
- Select the service to book: Darshan Pass, Aarti, Pooja, Accommodation, or Donation.
- Choose date, slot/type, and number of devotees as prompted.
- Enter devotee details and carry a photo ID matching the booking for verification.
- Pay the applicable fee online and save the acknowledgement receipt.
- Bring the acknowledgement and photo ID to the temple to avail the booked service.
What you'll need
- Indian mobile number
- OTP for login
- Photo ID matching the booking
Indian mobile number with OTP login is required; carry photo ID matching the booking.
Book on the official site ↗Last checked: Sep 28, 2026
Map and model
The temple, mapped
Shirdi is a walk between low, plain, whitewashed buildings rather than one great temple. The route runs from the queue hall to Sai Baba's marble samadhi, then out to the two small buildings he actually lived in.
Stop 1 of 11 · Queue complex
Darshan Queue Complex
This is the covered hall where the darshan line forms and moves. Before it was built the line ran out into the village streets. You join it here, not at the shrine door.
Where it is
It stands at the outer end of the temple complex. The row of three small temples sits between it and the Samadhi Mandir.
Visitor tip
Come early for arati. The arati line is kept separate from the ordinary darshan line inside the same complex.
Sources (3)
- Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust
the recently constructed Queue Complex has changed this
Retrieved 10 Sept 2026 - Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust
go early and join those waiting in the Queue Complex, where there will be a separate line
Retrieved 10 Sept 2026 - Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust
the three small temples that now lies between the Samadhi Mandir and the Queue Complex
Retrieved 10 Sept 2026
Stop 1 of 11: Darshan Queue Complex
The walk, in order
The walking order follows the way the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust describes its own premises to a visitor. Facts checked against their sources on 10 Sept 2026; open “Sources” under any spot to see them.
Stay aware
What visitors and officials have reported
5 things people have run into at Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, 3 of them carried in an official advisory. Every line below comes from a page we opened and read ourselves. We name no individual.
Ran into something here?
Tell us what happened at Shirdi Sai Baba Temple. Sign in first, so we know a real person sent it.
Online, before you travel
Look-alike booking sites and apps
Look-alike sites and numbers use names such as Sai Ashram Bhakt Niwas or Dwaravati Bhakta Niwas. They take payment for rooms, donations or darshan passes that the Sansthan counter does not honour.
What to do. Book rooms, donations and darshan only on www.sai.org.in or online.sai.org.in, or through the Sansthan app and helpline. Do not pay Google results, WhatsApp scanners or unknown mobile numbers.
Read the 4 sources
“Sansthan does not authorize any agents for online bookings of Darshan / Aarti / Accommodation / Donations / Membership / Publications.”
Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi · Official advisory · no date on the page · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
“The Sai Baba Sansthan and Shirdi Police administration have appealed to devotees to book rooms and offer donations only through the official website of the Sansthan www.sai.org.in or contact the official contact numbers of the Sai Sansthan.”
ETV Bharat · Reported in the news · 18 September 2025 · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
“ऑनलाईन रूम बुकिंग देणगी किंवा दर्शन पाससाठी फक्त संस्थानची अधिकृत वेबसाईट www.sai.org.in हिचा वापर करावा किंवा साई संस्थानच्या अधिकृत संपर्क क्रमांकावर संपर्क साधून अधिक माहिती घ्यावी.”
ETV Bharat · Reported in the news · 18 September 2025 · quoted in Devanagari · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
“याप्रकरणी एका अज्ञाताविरोधात शिर्डी पोलिस ठाण्यात फसवणुकीचा गुन्हा दाखल करण्यात आला आहे.”
TV9 Marathi · Reported in the news · 23 August 2022 · quoted in Devanagari · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
Fake hotel google listing
A search for a well-known Shirdi hotel can land on a look-alike page with many reviews. After a small advance, a QR code request is used to take a much larger sum from the bank account.
What to do. Book the hotel on its own confirmed site or by phone listed on arrival. Do not pay extra QR codes for a receipt, and check the hotel desk before sending money.
Read the 2 sources
“Never share Debit/Credit Card/Account details, ATM PIN, Passwords, CVV, OTP over phone/email.”
Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi · Official advisory · no date on the page · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
“Random search on Google for the contact number of the hotel led to the scam.”
Hindustan Times · Reported in the news · 24 August 2022 · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
On the road in
“VIP” and “quick darshan” passes
Agents stop vehicles on roads, chowks, bus stops and temple entry points. They claim to represent the Sansthan or to arrange darshan, rooms or parking, then send people to chosen shops and private lots.
What to do. Do not stop for people who flag you down or claim official status. Book darshan on online.sai.org.in or at the PRO office, and use posted public parking.
Read the 3 sources
“Sansthan does not authorize any agents for online bookings of Darshan / Aarti / Accommodation / Donations / Membership / Publications.”
Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi · Official advisory · no date on the page · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
“Individuals are prohibited from falsely claiming to be authorised representatives of the Sai Baba Sansthan or administration.”
Hindustan Times · Reported in the news · 4 February 2026 · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
“पूजा साहित्य ठराविक दुकानांतूनच खरेदी करण्यासाठी दबाव टाकला जात असून जादा दराने साहित्य विक्री करून भाविकांची आर्थिक पिळवणूक होत असल्याचेही निदर्शनास आले होते.”
Saam TV · Reported in the news · 5 February 2026 · quoted in Devanagari · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
Crowd theft and snatching
On the walk from lodgings to the temple, someone may grab a gold earring from the ear and run. This has been reported on the Nagar-Manmad highway.
What to do. Leave jewellery in the room safe. Walk in a group on the highway stretch to the temple, and call Shirdi police if someone is stopped.
Read the source
“साईबाबांच्या दर्शनासाठी आलेल्या महिलेच्या कानातील सोन्याचे झुमके हिसकावणाऱ्या चोरट्याला स्थानिक ग्रामस्थांनी रंगेहात पकडून चोप दिला.”
ETV Bharat · Reported in the news · 12 September 2025 · quoted in Devanagari · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
At the gates
Crowd theft and snatching
Groups mix with devotees near the gates, change clothes often, and cut purses with blades. Phones and cash are taken in the crowd.
What to do. Keep bags zipped and in front in the queue. Report a cut purse at once to Sansthan security or Shirdi police at the gates.
Read the 3 sources
“Police have busted a gang from Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool stealing cash and other valuables from devotees at the Saibaba temple in Maharashtra's Shirdi.”
ETV Bharat · Reported in the news · 21 February 2026 · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
“ही टोळी भाविकांसारखाच वेश परिधान करून गर्दीत मिसळत होती.”
TV9 Marathi · Reported in the news · 21 February 2026 · quoted in Devanagari · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
“चोरीसाठी पर्स ब्लेडने कापण्याची पद्धत वापरली जात होती.”
ABP Majha · Reported in the news · 21 February 2026 · quoted in Devanagari · we opened this page on 10 September 2026
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Questions devotees ask
- Where is Shirdi Sai Baba Temple?
- Shirdi Sai Baba Temple is recorded at Shirdi, Maharashtra.
- Who is the presiding deity at Shirdi Sai Baba Temple?
- The presiding deity recorded for Shirdi Sai Baba Temple is Sai Baba.
- What are the darshan timings at Shirdi Sai Baba Temple?
- Opens: 04:45. Morning aarti: 05:15 — Kakad Aarti. Evening aarti: Sunset — Dhoop Aarti · 22:00 — Shej Aarti. Source checked 2026-10-04. Confirm the current schedule with the shrine before you travel.
Keep this shrine close
We do not sell darshan.Here is the temple’s own desk.
Temple World keeps the record. The timing, the ticket and the entry rule are the shrine’s to publish — read them there before you travel, and treat anything on this page as a reference only.
- The shrine’s own sitesai.org.inToday’s hours, and any entry ruleOpen ↗
- Published enquiry line02423-258500 (main helpline)As published by the shrine. Confirm before you rely on itEnquiry
- Darshan optionsRecord a request for helpNo payment is taken. A request is not a bookingReference
- Plan the visitSourced guidance, cited line by lineEvery section there names the page it was read fromPlanner
- The rite referencesNo online service is recorded for this templeBrowse the rites we do hold a reference forBrowse