Shani Shingnapur Temple

Watch the darshan

The Divya Darshan 360 app has 8 videos of Shani Shingnapur Temple, 4 of them in 360°.

360°Shani Shingnapur Aarti (360)360°Shani Shingnapur Abhishek360°Temple Surroundings at Shani Shingnapur360°Shani Shingnapur PoojaShani Shingnapur AartiAbhishek at Shani ShingnapurPooja at Shani ShingnapurShani Shingnapur: Temple and Surroundings

Why devotees come here

Shani Dev is worshipped here as a black stone 5 feet 9 inches high, standing in the open on a raised platform. It stays there through heat, cold and rain, day and night. The trust says it was found about 350 years ago, after a heavy flood left it caught in a ber tree near Panas Nala. When cowherds touched it with their sticks, blood trickled from it.

That night Shani came in a villager's dream and asked to be installed in the village. Tradition says he wanted no roof over him. When the villagers tried to dig the stone out, it went deeper the more they dug, so they built a foundation around it instead.

Faith in Shani's watch is why houses near the temple have no doors or locks. In 2011 a UCO Bank branch here opened without locks on its doors. For centuries women were kept off the platform. On 8 April 2016 the trust opened it to women devotees.

Getting there

• By air

  The trust suggests flying to Aurangabad, Pune or Mumbai. Aurangabad is about 84 km away; buses, jeeps and taxis go on to the village.

• By train

  The nearest stations are Ahmednagar, Rahuri, Shrirampur and Belapur. ST buses, jeeps and taxis run from each to Shanishingnapur.

• By road

  On the Aurangabad to Ahmednagar highway, get off at Ghodegaon, 5 km from the temple. Shirdi is about 74 km away and Ahmednagar about 35 km.

Rules to know

• The trust's worship guide asks men going to the platform to bathe first and wear a wet cloth.
• Remove your cap or any headgear before you pray.
• Do pooja and oil abhishek at the temple itself, as the trust has not authorised any online worship app or website.
• The trust's guide says devotees from a home with a recent birth or death do not go to the deity.

Festivals

• Shani AmavasyaA Saturday new moon, two or three times a year

  The trust says 8 to 10 lakh people come within 24 hours.

• Shani JayantiVaishakh Amavasya, usually May

  A 12-hour Laghurudra abhishek ends in a Maha Puja.

• Gudi PadwaMarch or April

  Villagers walk barefoot to the Pravara and Godavari sangam, about 42 km, for water to bathe Shani.

• Chaitra weekChaitra Shuddha Dashami to Vadya Pratipada

  Daily kakad aarti, Dnyaneshwari reading, bhajan and kirtan.

Tips for your visit

• Shani Amavasya brings lakhs of people in a single day, so pick another day if you are bringing an elderly parent.
• Prasadam is served at the trust's Prasadalay building from 10 AM to 3 PM and 6 PM to 9 PM.
• Shirdi is about 74 km away, so the two temples fit into one trip.

Questions people ask

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