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Shirdi

Coordinates: 19°46′N 74°29′E / 19.77°N 74.48°E / 19.77; 74.48
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Shiraadi.

Shirdi
Town
Sai Baba's Samadhi Mandir and Sanctum Sanctorum in Shirdi
Sai Baba on a Stone Platform
Nickname: 
Sainagar
Shirdi is located in Maharashtra
Shirdi
Shirdi
Shirdi is located in India
Shirdi
Shirdi
Coordinates: 19°46′N 74°29′E / 19.77°N 74.48°E / 19.77; 74.48
Country India
StateMaharashtra
DistrictAhmednagar
TalukaRahata
Government
 • TypeMunicipal Council
 • BodyShirdi Municipal Council
 • MPBhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Shiv Sena (UBT)
 • MLARadhakrishna Vikhe Patil, BJP
Area
 • Total13 km2 (5 sq mi)
Elevation
504 m (1,654 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total36,004
 • Density2,800/km2 (7,200/sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialMarathi
Time zoneUTC 5:30 (IST)
PIN
423109
Telephone code02423
Vehicle registrationMH-17
Websitewww.maharashtra.gov.in

Shirdi (pronunciationⓘ; also known as Sainagar) is a town and pilgrimage site in the Indian state of Maharashtra.[1][2] Shirdi is located in the Rahata taluka of Ahmednagar District. It is accessible via the Ahmednagar–Malegaon State Highway No.10, approximately 83 km (52 mi) from Ahmednagar and 15 km (9.3 mi) from Kopargaon. It is located 185 km (115 mi) east of the Ahmednagar–Manmad road.[3] Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust is located in Shirdi.[4]

Demographics

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As per the 2011 Indian census, the population of Shirdi stood at 36,004. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Shirdi has an average literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 76%, and female literacy is 62%. In Shirdi, 15% of the population is under six years of age.[5]

Being a famous pilgrimage site, much of Shirdi's population is made up of tourists, due to the town being home to the 19th-century Indian saint Sai Baba's samadhi temple. Every day, over 60,000 religious tourists visit Shirdi. The temple opens at 4:45 AM.[6]

Transport

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Train

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The Sainagar Shirdi Railway station became operational in March 2009. As of 2011, there are trains from Chennai,[7][8] Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Mysore[9] and other cities/states that have Shirdi railway station as their terminal stop.

Air

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Shirdi Airport was inaugurated by the President of India, Ramnath Kovind, on 1 October 2017. There are major destinations from Shirdi airport, viz. the airports of Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai. The airport is located at Kakadi in Kopargaon tahsil area, 14 km south-west of Shirdi.[10] The construction, according to the original plans, was completed in February 2016, and the first trial flight landed on 2 March 2016.[11] There are plans to lengthen the runway from 2,200 metres to 3,200 metres. The target completion date is 2017 or 2018.[12]

The nearest major airports are at Aurangabad and Pune, 115 km (71 mi) and 186 km (116 mi) respectively from Shirdi.

By car

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Shirdi is accessible via the Ahmednagar-Manmad State Highway No.10, approximately 83 km (52 mi) from Ahmednagar and 15 km (9.3 mi) from Kopargaon. It is approximately 240 km (150 mi) from Mumbai on the Eastern Express Highway.

References

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  1. ^ Bureau, The Hindu (25 October 2023). "PM Modi to inaugurate various projects in Shirdi tomorrow" – via www.thehindu.com. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  2. ^ "Shirdi Sai Baba should not be worshipped as deity, says Dharma Sansad". 25 August 2014 – via www.thehindu.com.
  3. ^ "Shirdi". Amazing Maharashtra.
  4. ^ "India's top 10 richest temples". www.indiatvnews.com. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  5. ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  6. ^ "Shirdi Temple Timing & Daily Programme - Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi". sai.org.in. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  7. ^ "New trains will start operations from July". The Hindu. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  8. ^ "Coimbatore-Tuticorin Express service from today". The Hindu. Tuticorin. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  9. ^ "Mysore-Shirdi weekly train from Aug 1". The Times of India. Hubli. 29 July 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  10. ^ "Shirdi airport work in full swing: Official". The Times of India. 2 July 2010. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  11. ^ Yogesh Naik (3 March 2016). "First trial flight touches down at Shirdi airport". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  12. ^ Kunal Anand (10 February 2016). "Maharashtra govt made the runway for Shirdi Airport in 2013, rest of it will be made in 2017!". India Times. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
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