Fair and Festivals in Shirdi

Shirdi Sai Baba

Fairs and Festivals of Shirdi

Shirdi is famous pilgrimage town in India. Situated in Ahamadnagar district of state of Maharashtra, Shirdi is famous for the temple of Sri Sai Baba. Shirdi celebrates all major festivals of India with much fanfare. But there are some festivals in Shirdi that are linked to Sri Sai Baba. 

 Ramnavai is an important festival of India. But in Shirdi the festival has additional importance attached to it. Here in Shirdi celebration of the festival is related to an event happened in the life of Sri Sai Baba. In 1897 Gopal Rao Gund, after he had a child due to the blessing of Sri Sai Baba, proposed to hold Urs (a Muslim fair). Sri Baba conceded to it but asked him to organize it on the day of Ramnavami. The reason behind this was that Baba wanted to bring the people of both communities together and he had succeeded in his purpose to far extent.  Today the celebration of the festival of Ramnavami in Shirdi also witnesses the participation of Muslim people.

 Guru Purnima is another important festival event in Shirdi. Though Guru Purnima is celebrated in all parts of the country, the town of Shirdi witnesses thousands of people visiting the town and seeking the blessings of their guru Sri Sai Baba. On Vijayadashami thousands of devotees visit the temple of Sri Sai Baba in Shirdi as the day of Vijayadashami also happens to be the day of Sai Baba’s Punyatithi (death anniversary).