If your knowledge for the spectrum of religions around the world are passable, you would definitely have heard of one of the most prominent Hindu saints, Sai Baba. Sai Baba’s teachings are followed by thousands of devotees and he imparted two principal teachings – Shraddha (faith) and Saburi (patience) which to put it in a sentence he says, “If you have faith and patience, you will succeed”. Shirdi is a town in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra in India and this town is the abode of Sai Baba thus making it a busy pilgrimage center where thousands of devotees check in every year to pay homage to this great holy saint.
There is no dearth of hotels in Shirdi and you will find hotels of all categories and price range, however during peak seasons it is highly advised you book your rooms prior to your trip. Advance bookings of hotels can be made via phone call, travel agents or online websites. To get the best deal and know what you will be getting during your stay there you can refer the listings of the Oyo rooms in Shirdi from their website. This website offers you a very convenient way to compare and book your hotels and you can check the customers reviews and pictures to further help you make up your mind.
The peak seasons in Shirdi starts from the month of September and goes up all the way till November. It is during this window that the most important festivals from the Hindu calendar take place starting from Dussera. Thursdays are considered as Sai Baba’s holy day and it is believed that He grants the wishes of the devotees who pray to him on that auspicious day. Guru Poornima and Sai Baba’s death anniversary falls in the month of October but the exact date depends on the hIndu calendar. The streets are packed up to hilt.
Without a hint of doubt, the main attraction to the town of Shirdi is the Sai Baba temple where Sai Baba’s samadhi is located. All the major sights of the town are located within the walking distance of this temple. Sites like the Khandoba temple, the place where Sai Baba acquired the title ‘Sai’, to the Gurusthan where he spent most of his time under the neem tree and other spots where it is believed to be the places where the Baba would rest his head at night.
Shirdi is very small town and heard of mostly only to the devotees, but since it is a major pilgrimage site for the Hindus all over India, there is good connectivity to this small town. There is an airport, train station with trains leading to all major cities and buses which go to many nearby and far places. A huge crowd of devotees are from Hyderabad in Telangana. They make up the highest group of people. While majority of this chunk of devotees take the train, there is also a fair share of people who come from Hyderabad to Shirdi by car.
Dimpy Roy
Dimpy Roy is a travel writer working with an Online Travel Guide. She guides travelers to various resources where they can find best Oyo rooms in Shirdi and choose the best one.