Most visitors to Shirdi come for one reason: darshan at the Shri Sai Baba Samadhi Mandir. The temple runs on a fixed daily programme published by the Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust, and the earlier you arrive for each aarti, the shorter the wait. This guide lists the timings, the places inside the temple complex and a simple two-day plan that works from a hotel near the temple.
We took every temple detail below from the Sansthan's own daily programme page. Timings can change on festival days and for special events, so check sai.org.in before you travel.
Sai Baba Temple Aarti Timings
The Samadhi Mandir follows the same programme every day. These are the Sansthan's published times:
| Programme | Time |
|---|---|
| Temple opens | 4:45 AM |
| Bhupali | 5:00 AM |
| Kakad aarti (morning) | 5:15 AM |
| Mangal snaan in the Samadhi Mandir | 5:50 AM |
| Aarti 'Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur' | 6:20 AM |
| Darshan begins in the Samadhi Mandir | 6:25 AM |
| Dhuni pooja with rice and ghee in Dwarkamai | 11:30 AM |
| Mid-day aarti | 12:00 noon |
| Pothi (devotional reading) in the Samadhi Mandir | 4:00 PM |
| Dhoop aarti | At sunset |
| Devotional songs and cultural programmes | 8:30 - 10:00 PM |
| Shej aarti | 10:00 PM |
Four aartis shape the day: Kakad at dawn, the mid-day aarti at noon, Dhoop at sunset and Shej at 10:00 PM, after which the temple closes for the night. Thursdays and festival days draw the largest crowds.
Inside the Temple Complex
The Samadhi Mandir is the main shrine, but the complex holds several places tied to Sai Baba's life, all within a short walk of one another:
- Dwarkamai, the mosque where Sai Baba lived for most of his years in Shirdi. The dhuni, the sacred fire, still burns here.
- Chavadi, where Sai Baba slept on alternate nights in his later years.
- Gurusthan, the spot under the neem tree where he was first seen in Shirdi as a young man.
- Lendi Baug, the garden he watered and tended each day.
- The Khandoba Mandir, where he was first greeted with the name 'Sai'.
Allow a full morning for the complex if you want to see each of these at an unhurried pace.
A Two-day Plan That Works
Day 1, afternoon: reach Shirdi, check in and walk to the temple for the Dhoop aarti at sunset. Have dinner afterwards; our restaurant, Suraj Kitchen, is open until 11 PM, so a late meal after the aarti is never a problem.
Day 2, early morning: the Kakad aarti at 5:15 AM is the quietest and, for many devotees, the most memorable. From Hotel City Heart the temple is 450 m away, a six-minute walk, so you can leave the room at 5:00 AM rather than sit in traffic. Return for breakfast, rest and visit Dwarkamai, Chavadi, Gurusthan and Lendi Baug before the mid-day aarti.
Day 2, afternoon: Shirdi Market is 700 m from the hotel for prasad and souvenirs. If you have an extra day, Shani Shingnapur is ~72 km by road; see our post on places to visit near Shirdi.
Where to Stay: A Hotel near the Temple and the Bus Stand
Hotel City Heart has 65 rooms and a 4-star rating. It sits beside the Shirdi Govt. Bus Stand on Nagar Manmad Road, in the commercial part of town, away from the dust and noise of the main road. The Sai Baba Temple is 450 m from our door, the bus stand 100 m, the railway station ~3 km and Shirdi Airport ~13 km.
Rooms range from 200 sq. ft. Superior Royal Double Bed Rooms up to the 650 sq. ft. Presidential Suites, which face the temple and sleep seven. Every room is air-conditioned with complimentary Wi-Fi, an LED smart TV and a tea and coffee maker. Children below 6 stay free in the parents' room, and parking is complimentary.
Book on this website for 20% off on direct bookings, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before check-in.