Places to visit in and around Shirdi Temple complex

Khandoba Mandir

This temple is situated on the main road near Shirsainath Hospital. It is a place where Baba acquired his name “Sai” by Poojari Mhalsapati. In front of this Mandir, Mhalsapati first called BABA “Aao Sai” and welcomed him to the shirdi. It was poojari Mhalsapati who was responsible for Baba’s name “Sai”, which has become the sacred mantra of thousands of his devotees.

Gurusthan Mandir

This is the place where Baba first appeared to the world as a boy of 16 years. He was first spotted seated under a neem tree (Margosa tree).

Gurusthan means “Place of the Guru”. It is the place where Baba spent most of his time when he first came to Shirdi, and also where, according to Baba, the tomb of his own Guru is located by the neem tree. Gurusthan is therefore one of the most important places in Shirdi. From underneath the neem tree there is an underground tunnel or passage leading to the place of Dwarkamai as told by an old lady.

Sai Baba’s Samadhi Mandir

This is the place where Sacred Body of Baba is resting in Samadhi. The day that Baba took Maha Samadhi is Tuesday 15 October 1918.

All Pooja, Abhishek & daily Aratis are performed here. The Samadhi is built with white marble stones. Baba’s statue is made up of Italian marble. The temple has an assembly hall for about 600 devotees. The temple opens from 5 AM with morning prayers to 10 PM with night prayers. The first floor of the temple has the pictures depicting the life of the saint.

Dwarkamai (Masjid)

Dwarkamai is situated on the right of the entrance of Samadhi Mandir. Sai Baba stayed at this place till the very end of his life. Here he solved problems of the people, cured their sickness and worries.

Dwarkamai has a portrait of Baba and a big stone (Shila) on which Baba used to sit. In a small temple Sacred Fire (Dhuni) lit by Baba is ever burning. The dhuni is the sacred, perpetually burning fire that Baba built and which has been maintained ever since, though today the fire is much bigger and is enclosed behind a wire cage. Baba used to give Udi (Ash) to the devotees to solve their problems.

Baba also used to cook food here and distributed the same to his devotees. The grinding stone and the wooden vessel called Kolamba in which Baba used to keep the Bhiksha is placed here. There is a square stool made of stone, which was used by Saibaba for taking a bath. You can also see the oil painting of Shri Sai Baba sitting in a carved wooden shrine.

Chawdi Mandir

Baba proceeds to this place at night & sleep here. The Chavadi is divided into two parts. One part of the Chavadi has a large portrait of Baba along with a wooden bed and a white chair belonging to him.

There is a cottage of Abdul Baba, an ardent devotee of Shri Sai Baba, in front of the Chavadi. Photos and various items that were handled by Sai Baba and Abdul Baba are there in the cottage. There is a Maruti Mandir located at some distance from the cottage of Abdul Baba.

Lendi Baug

At some distance from Gurusthan, there is the Lendi Baug. This garden was made and watered daily by Baba himself. Baba used to come here every morning and afternoon and take rest under a neem tree. It contains some tombs, a shrine, and most importantly the perpetually burning lamp lit by Baba and placed between the two trees he planted. The burning lamp is called as Nanda Deep and the place is identify with the name deepgriha (lighthouse). Nanda Deep has been built in marble stone in memory of this place. It constantly burns. On one side of the deepgriha is a pipal tree. Nanda Deep is the main feature of Lendi Baug. 

Content updated in January 2023