Khandoba Mandir, Shirdi - Timings, History, Darshan, Pooja Timings

At a distance of 300 m from Shirdi Bus Stand and 600 m from Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, Khandoba Mandir is a small temple situated on Ahmednagar - Kopergaon Road in Shirdi. It is also a part of Shirdi Darshan tour.

The temple is dedicated to Khandoba, who is the presiding deity of the town and is considered to be another form of Lord Shiva. Khandoba temple is a small well maintained and calm place. A stone idol of Lord Khandoba is located in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Also idols of Lord Sai Baba and Mahalsapati are inscribed as a remembrance of event of Lord Baba coming to Shirdi. A rectangular sandpit is situated in front of the Khandoba temple which was used for fire-walking in earlier days. Now this tradition has stopped. Even though during annual festival of Champa Shashti, devotees walk on hot coals in accompaniment of bhajans.

It is believed that Sai Baba came to Shirdi for a second time with a marriage party and set his foot under the banyan tree. The priest named Mahalsapati first spotted the nameless fakir and welcomed him to Shirdi by saying 'Aao Sai', which in Marathi means 'welcome Sai'. Having felt calmness and peace at this place, Shirdi Sai Baba first decided to make this temple as his residence, but Mahalsapati thought him to be a Muslim and did not allow him to stay there. Then after, Baba made an old dilapidated mosque of Shirdi as his residence and lived there till his last breath.

Timings: 5.30 AM to 10 PM.