One Day Pune to Shirdi & Shani Shingnapur Trip by Cab
Shirdi which is immensely popular for being the home of Sai Baba, a renowned spiritual philosopher, a fakir and a Satguru. He has millions of followers from various parts of the globe. He is considered as the reincarnation of Lord Shiva and for many, he is the universal God.
Considering Pune acts as a convenient vantage point for various one day tours and keeping in mind its proximity to Shirdi, most tourists often take a one day trip from Pune to Shirdi & Shani Shingnapur by private car.
Pune, also known as the Queen of the Deccan is claimed to be the cultural capital of Maharashtra and attracts various kinds of people from across the country. Its city life is charismatic yet is away from the hustle bustle. The roads that lead to Shirdi from Pune are well maintained and the routes are scenic which makes taking a road trip an ideal choice.
Shirdi which was an unknown village in Maharashtra years ago has now become a must-visit pilgrimage site of the world. So much, that thousands of tourists visit this town every day.
Sai lived a simple life and preached that there is only one lord. He gained a massive following because of his spiritual teachings and his capability of performing magical treatments on those who were in need.
The second destination for the one day tour from Pune is another religious site known as Shani Shingnapur. Also known as Sonai, this town is popular worldwide for being the only Indian town where the houses do not have doors. It is considered to host an alive temple, meaning the gods residing in it are living, which protects the houses from any kind of theft.
What to Expect
On your One Day Pune to Shirdi & Shani Shingnapur Trip by Car, we will be starting early in the morning so that we can visit both the destinations comfortably and with ease. Our cabs will pick you up from your hotel or home in Pune and we will straightaway head for Shirdi.
The distance between Pune to Shirdi is roughly 200 km and it will take us approximately four-five hours to reach Shirdi. Of the three primary places to visit here, we will first visit the world-famous Sai Baba Temple, where thousands of tourists stand in the queue only to take Sai’s Darshan.
From here we will visit the Dwarkamai Mosque, which is where Sai Baba stayed for most of his last decade. And lastly, we will walk a few steps to reach the Chavadi, which was the alternate home for Sai Baba.
We will then take the car and go to Shani Shingnapur which is an hour and a half’s drive from Shirdi. Here we will visit the Shani Temple to take darshan of the self-evolved God, Swayambhu. After spending adequate time here, we will then head back to Pune.
Places to visit during your One Day Pune to Shirdi & Shani Shingnapur Trip by Car
1. Shirdi Sai Baba Temple
On your one day tour to Shirdi & Shani Shignapur, the first place to visit is Shirdi Sai Baba temple. The temple is where the Samadhi of Sai Baba is kept along with his idol which is adorned with beautiful clothes and a golden crown and is made of Italian marble and the hall in which it is kept is made using gold.
Sai Baba’s teachings of Self Actualization, Faith, Charity, Compassion and Patience is what brings roughly twenty thousand visitors here every day. You will see people from various religions; Hindus, Muslims, Jains, all coming here to pay their respect to Sai.
Four operational arched gates give visitors access to the temple:
Gate No. 1: One can take this gate to take the Mukh Darshan of Sai Baba from an elevated platform which is placed at a distance.
Gate No.3: Only elderly and differently-abled can enter through this gate.
Gate No.4: Can be accessed by anybody with a pass
Gate No. 5: Can be accessed by anybody without a pass
Passes can be bought from a counter within the temple but it is advisable to book it online to save time.
Shirdi Sai Baba temple is well managed by the trust and have various facilities such as a cloakroom, canteen, ticketing counter, train reservation counter etc to make sure each devotee can comfortably take the darshan. Visitors who want to stay for longer can even avail the AC and Non AC Dormitories which are available around the temple complexes.
There is also a big hall known as the Prasadalaya where visitors can avail a complete vegetarian meal only for Rs.10. It also gives free food for free to the needy in an adjoining hall which can accommodate up to 150 people at a time.
The management by the authorities is note-worthy. Apart from quality services to the visitors, they also employ approximately 4500 people, directly or indirectly.
Things To Do: Depending upon the time of your visit, attend one of the four aarti’s that are held every day. They begin at 4.30 am, 12 pm, 6 pm and 10.30 pm.
Timings: Open on all days from 4 am to 11.15 pm
Entry Fee: Free
Recommended Duration: 2 Hours
2. Dwarkamai
The only mosque which is known to have a temple in its premise is the Dwarkamai Masjid of Shirdi. Also known by many as ‘the Heart of Shirdi’, this is where Sai stayed for most of his last decade and was here even during his last few breaths.
When Sai visited Shirdi, he took shelter in this old mosque which was in a worn-down condition. When he started living there, it was muddy and almost in ruins. But Sai lived with simplicity. He never asked for anything. His devotees would often ask him to get the mosque renovated but he would kindly refuse.
It is said that once while his devotees were visiting him for lunch, the crack of the roof was about to fall. Sai saw this and raised his hands signalling it to wait. Once the devotees left, the crack fell on the spot where the devotees were sitting. Such was the magical power of Sai.
However, when time passed, the mosque because unfit to stay at especially during the rainy season. Hence Sai agreed and moved to Chavadi, a village office which was located very closely.
Post-renovation, Dwarkamai had two levels. On the first level, one can find a tall portrait of Sai Baba along with a stone-like platform where he would sit. This floor also has a palanquin and a chariot. On the second level, one can find another square-shaped stone platform where Sai would take a bath.
Must See: What attracts the attention of most tourists is an oil painting of Sai Baba which adorns the wall of Dwarkamai. Additionally, there is a big wooden vessel, known as the ‘Kolamba’, where he would keep all the offerings he received from the devotees visiting him.
Timings: Open on all days from 5:30 AM – 9:45 PM
Entry Fee: Free
Recommended Duration: 30 Minutes
3. Chavadi
Sai Baba’s other home where he spent a large chunk of his few years was the Chavadi. The villagers had relocated him to the Chavadi during the monsoons because of the water leakage at the Dwarkamai.
Chavadi was essentially a meeting point for the villagers where they would come together to make transactions or discuss issues of importance. When Sai moved here, he filled this place with positivity and prosperity. Post the renovation of Dwarkamai, since Sai had become emotionally attached with the Chavadi, he started spending alternate nights here.
During your One Day Pune to Shirdi Trip, do visit the Chavadi which is divided into two areas. One where Sai’s wooden bed and his wheelchair are kept, and the other where his idol is kept. The area where the bed is kept also has a photo of Baba where he is sitting cross-legged. This area is restricted to women which was also the case when Sai Baba was alive.
There is also a beautiful sketch of Sai which was done by a young boy from a small village in Gujarat. It is said that the boy had seen Sai Baba in his dreams, post which, the villagers had donated money to draw his sketch and offer it to Baba.
Must See: There are two Dhoop Artis that happen here every morning and evening. One must try and attend either of these during their day trip to Shirdi.
Timings: Open on all days from 5:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
Entry Fee: Free
Recommended Duration: 30 Minutes
4. Shani Shignapur Temple
Post our visit to the prominent places in Shirdi, on this one day trip from Pune, we will then head towards another religious place of Maharashtra. Shani Shignapur is a village nestled in the Nevasa taluka in the Ahmednagar district. Despite being a small village it is popular for the miracles of the Shani Shignapur Temple.
This temple is dedicated to Lord Shani or the personification of the Planet Saturn. The idol is simply a black stone which lies outside the complex. It is said that it had emerged on its own from the ground and is approximately 4-5 feet tall.
The houses of this village do not have doors and it is said that Lord Shani would punish anybody who would try to steal. Interestingly even United Commercial Bank opened its branch here without any security.
Most tourists who take a day trip from Pune to Shani Shingnapur often come here to see the doorless houses. This temple is also been mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records. Most people visiting Shirdi often add & Shani Shingnapur to their same day trip.
However, only men are allowed on the platform to worship the idol and they must take a head bath and pick up water from the holy well to be able to worship. One can only pour sesame oil on the idol of Lord Shani during Poojas.
Things to do: Talk to the locals in the village who can share more stories of this mysterious town.
Timings: Open all-day
Entry Fee: Free
Recommended Duration: 30 Minutes