Pilgrims visit Shirdi to make a mark in their
spiritual journey. This holy land becomes a turning point in the lives
of many devotees. Coming to this holy land is also an invitation to
visit many religious sites that will interest you. About 75kms from
Shirdi lies Nashik, another of major holy cities of India. You could
also venture out to Ajanta and Ellora caves in Aurangabad about 144kms
from Shirdi. There are many more significant religious and tourist
destinations that will make your pilgrimage to Shirdi even more worth
cherishing.
Sakori
Close to Shirdi is Sakori at a distance of about 5kms. Sakori is a very
special place and popular among pilgrims for its Shri Upasani
Kanyakumari Sthan. You can come here for peace and tranquility. Founded
by Upasani Baba in 1917, Shri Upasani Kanyakumari Sthan reverberates
with positive energy that can be felt by anyone. Shri Sai Baba took him
as his Param Shishya, meaning Astute Devotee.
Shanisinghnapur
Shanisinghnapur is a village that is the holy seat Lord Shani. Another
important pilgrim spot near to Shirdi, Shanisinghnapur is about 70 km
from here Shirdi. Here the devotees themselves can perform pooja and
abhishek on any day at Shari Shaneshvar tirtha. Amavasya or the no moon
day, which falls on a Saturday, is considered to be most auspicious. On
such a day lakhs of devotees from all corners of the country come to
receive blessings of Shri Shanidev. On every Shani Amavasya a yatra is
held with great fanfare. One unique quality about this village is that
there are no doorframes or locks in any of the houses. It is said that
it's because of Lord Shani's blessings that there is no fear of crime in
the village.
Nashik
Nashik is among the most holy places that evokes a personality of its
own. Rich in mythological connotations with great historical and
cultural significance, Nashik is about 75 km from Shirdi. Here you can
visit several of temples and religious spots making your spiritual
journey lively and fulfilling. Among the temples you could visit
Panchavati with five sacred banyan trees and Sita Gumpha. You can also
visit Naroshankar Temple built in an architectural style of Maya.
Kalaram Temple is dedicated to Kala Ram built with black stones.
Sundarnarayan Temple is situated at the corner of Ahillyabai Holkar
Bridge. In addition to many temples and religious places, Nashik also
has Shri Kailas Math, one of the Vedas Schools in Nashik.
Ajanta and Ellora Caves
About 144kms from Shirdi are the world famous Ajanta and Ellora Caves.
As the ancient repository of Indian architectural heritage, these caves
are located near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Ajanta and
Ellora caves are the world heritage sites famous for the cave shrines
that are cut out of rock, all by hand. There are 34 caves at Ellora and
29 caves at Ajanta. And all are sheer outstanding specimens of Indian
architectural excellence.
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