In Shirdi, Maharashtra, Shirdi Sai Baba Temple (Samadhi Mandir) is dedicated to Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi. It is also known as Shri Saibaba Samadhi Mandir, Sai Baba Sansthan.
One of the most visited religious sites in India, revered by people across faiths who come to seek Baba's blessings. Udi (sacred ash) from the Dwarkamai dhuni is given as prasad. Sai Baba lived in Shirdi from about 1858 until his samadhi in 1918, spending much of his life in the Dwarkamai mosque where the sacred dhuni (eternal fire) he lit still burns.
Maharashtra carries a distinct temple identity of its own: From Mumbai's beloved Siddhivinayak and Shirdi's Sai Baba to five of the twelve Jyotirlingas and the Varkari heart of Pandharpur, Maharashtra weaves together Shaiva, Vaishnava and Shakta devotion.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | Temple opens 4:45 AM; Kakad Aarti 5:15 AM; Madhyan (mid-day) Aarti 12:00 PM |
| Evening | Dhoop Aarti at sunset (time varies seasonally); Shej Aarti (night) at 10:00 PM, after which the temple closes |
Reverified directly against the official Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust daily-programme page (sai.org.in/en/daily-programme), which lists a more detailed sequence than previously recorded: temple opens 4:45 AM, Bhupali 5:00 AM, Kakad Aarti 5:15 AM, Mangal Snaan (ritual bathing) in the Samadhi Mandir 5:50 AM, the aarti 'Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur' 6:20 AM, general darshan in the Samadhi Mandir begins 6:25 AM, Dhuni Pooja (rice and ghee offering) in Dwarkamai 11:30 AM, Madhyan Aarti 12:00 PM, Pothi (devotional reading) 4:00 PM, devotional songs/cultural programme roughly 8:30-10:00 PM, and Shej Aarti at 10:00 PM (temple closes after). Dhoop Aarti itself is listed only as 'at sunset' on the official page, so its exact clock time is not fixed and is intentionally left out of the structured ritualSchedule below rather than guessed. The official site's own 'Where to get VIP Darshan Pass and Aarti Passes' page confirms a Paid/VIP Darshan Pass and separate Aarti Passes exist, bookable via online.sai.org.in, the Sansthan's official mobile app, or in person at the PRO office (paid-darshan facility available 6:00 AM-9:00 PM at the reception counter), plus Sansthan Information Facility Centres in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore - but the exact current prices live inside a JavaScript booking portal (online.sai.org.in) that could not be read directly in this research pass (see dataConfidence). No weekly closure day is documented on the official site.
Poojas and daily rituals
Bhupali (5:00 AM), Kakad Aarti (5:15 AM), Mangal Snaan (5:50 AM), 'Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur' aarti (6:20 AM), Samadhi Mandir darshan begins (6:25 AM), Dhuni Pooja in Dwarkamai (11:30 AM), Madhyan Aarti (12:00 PM), Pothi reading (4:00 PM), Dhoop Aarti (sunset, time varies seasonally), Shej Aarti (10:00 PM, bookable online in advance).
Daily aarti and pooja schedule
| Ritual | Time |
|---|---|
| Temple opens | 4:45 AM |
| Bhupali | 5:00 AM |
| Kakad Aarti | 5:15 AM |
| Mangal Snaan (ritual bathing) in Samadhi Mandir | 5:50 AM |
| Aarti (Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur) | 6:20 AM |
| Darshan begins in Samadhi Mandir | 6:25 AM |
| Dhuni Pooja (rice and ghee offering) in Dwarkamai | 11:30 AM |
| Madhyan Aarti (mid-day) | 12:00 PM |
| Pothi (devotional reading) | 4:00 PM |
| Shej Aarti (night; temple closes after) | 10:00 PM |
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Ram Navami | March/April | One of Shirdi's three major festivals, drawing huge crowds. |
| Guru Purnima | July | Celebrated with great devotion as a day to honour the guru. |
| Vijayadashami (Punyatithi) | September/October | Marks Baba's mahasamadhi (death anniversary), among the most important observances at Shirdi. |
History and architecture
Architecture
The complex covers roughly 200 square metres around the Samadhi Mandir, the mausoleum where Baba's remains are enshrined, with a large hall for devotees. The wider complex includes Dwarkamai, Chavadi, Gurusthan and Lendi Baug.
History
Sai Baba lived in Shirdi from about 1858 until his samadhi in 1918, spending much of his life in the Dwarkamai mosque where the sacred dhuni (eternal fire) he lit still burns. After his passing, the Samadhi Mandir was built over his tomb, and a marble idol was installed in 1954. The shrine is now managed by the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust.
Planning your visit
Darshan types and fees
| Type | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General Queue Darshan | Free | Free general darshan for all devotees |
| Paid/VIP Darshan Pass | Amount not independently confirmed on the official site in this research pass (secondary sources widely cite approximately ₹200) | Confirmed to exist via sai.org.in's own 'Where to get VIP Darshan Pass and Aarti Passes' page; booked via online.sai.org.in, the Sansthan mobile app, or in person at the PRO office |
| Aarti Pass | Amount not independently confirmed on the official site in this research pass (secondary sources cite roughly ₹400-600 depending on the aarti) | Books entry for a specific daily aarti (Kakad/Madhyan/Dhoop/Shej); confirmed to exist via the official site's own pass-information page, exact current price not verified here |
How to reach
Nearest railway station is Sainagar Shirdi (about 2 km); Shirdi Airport is nearby. About 187 km from Pune and well connected by road and bus from Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Aurangabad.
Shirdi Sai Baba Temple (Samadhi Mandir) in photographs
5 freely-licensed photographs of this temple, from Wikimedia Commons. Each is credited to its photographer.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: High. The detailed daily ritual sequence (Bhupali, Kakad Aarti, Mangal Snaan, darshan opening, Dhuni Pooja, Madhyan Aarti, Pothi reading and Shej Aarti) is now confirmed directly from the official Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust daily-programme page (sai.org.in/en/daily-programme). The existence of a paid/VIP darshan pass and separate aarti passes is confirmed via the Trust's own 'Where to get VIP Darshan Pass and Aarti Passes' page, but their exact current prices live inside a JavaScript booking portal (online.sai.org.in) that could not be rendered by the fetch tooling available in this research pass (interactive browser access was also denied in this session), so exact prices are recorded as unverified here rather than guessed, even though multiple independent secondary sources commonly cite roughly Rs. 200 for darshan and Rs. 400-600 for aarti passes.