Shirdi is a small town located about 250 km away from Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is one of the most popular religious places for Hindus in India and it attracts a lot of devotees every single year. Sai Baba is said to have come to Shirdi and lived all his life there performing miracles on those who were suffering from sickness and helping the poor. He is said to have preached good things by sitting under a neem tree which is preserved well within the temple complex. He was laid to eternal rest on 15 October 1918. The year 2018 marked the 100 years of Sai Baba laid to rest on this planet. There are various sites around Shirdi which speak about the life of Sai Baba. It is said that one should have done some good deeds in one’s life to have the chance to step in this holy land by keeping this handy guide and remember these Shirdi travel tips.
One can easily reach Shirdi via roadways, railways, and airways. The airport at Mumbai is one of the nearest airports to Shirdi which is located 250 km away. The airports at Pune and Aurangabad are located about 200 and 140 km away from Shirdi. Train routes connect Shirdi to other cities of India. The train station of Shirdi is known as Sai Nagar which is about 10 km away from the temple. Kopargaon, Manmad, and Nasik are the other railway stations that are located very near to the Sai temple.
There are many state transport corporation buses, autos, and private cabs that operate to and from this place. There are many buses which are operated by the state transport corporation of Maharashtra. One can get on to these buses and get down right at the top of the temple. You can also hire a private cab and reach the temple. The roads are very well laid that there are pilgrims who are ready to take the road to reach the temple from the other states of India as well. Various National Highways connect Shirdi to other parts of India as well.
Shirdi has started attracting a lot of tourists from all corners of the world. This is reflected in the mushrooming of hotels in Shirdi. There are a lot of hotels in and around Shirdi that would fit anyone’s pockets. There are budget hotels around the main temple which only cost you about INR 600 to INR 700 per night. You can keep roaming around the temple complexes even in the late nights as there are darshan timings fixed for late nights as well. There are a lot of food stalls that are around the temple complex, which serve you mouth-watering dishes and some drinks to quench your thirst as well. If you book hotels that cost you about INR 1000-2000 per night, then you can avail of a free breakfast option. The prices of the star hotels shoot up during the peak season. So, it is better to book off the hotel rooms well in advance to avail a lot of discounts.
Shirdi is located in the state of Maharashtra and experiences very harsh summers. So, if you visit Shirdi during April, May then be prepared to take the brunt of the sun. The best time to visit Shirdi keeping the weather conditions in mind is from October to March. Despite the hot weather conditions, there is a heavy rush found in Shirdi temple during summer as the schools close for vacations during those months. There is also heavy rush which is found during the festival days and special days like Vijayadashami, New Year’s Eve, Rama Navami and Guru Poornima. There is also a heavy rush on Thursday as it is considered as Baba day. An image of Sai Baba is taken all around the temple by 9 15 pm. If you wish to visit in less crowded months, then you need to visit the temple from August to September.