Shani Shinganapur is a village in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated in Nevasa taluka in Ahmednagar district. It is 84 Kms from Aurangabad and 35kms from Ahmednagar, the village is known for its popular temple of Shani, the Hindu god associated with the planet Saturn.
The spectacle of the deity in black stone is overwhelming. A unique aspect of this place is, that no temple structure houses the Shanidev. There is only a simple platform on which stands the swayambhu idol, in black stone.
Unlike other pilgrimage centres, at the shrine in Shinganapur there are no long queues and no waiting period. devotees here can perform puja or abhishek or other religious rituals themselves. They need not even wait for a priest.
To worship the Lord Shaneshwara in Shinganapur, a devotee h
The spectacle of the deity in black stone is overwhelming. A unique aspect of this place is, that no temple structure houses the Shanidev. There is only a simple platform on which stands the swayambhu idol, in black stone.
Unlike other pilgrimage centres, at the shrine in Shinganapur there are no long queues and no waiting period. devotees here can perform puja or abhishek or other religious rituals themselves. They need not even wait for a priest.
To worship the Lord Shaneshwara in Shinganapur, a devotee h
as to take a head bath and proceed in wet clothes to the platform where the swayambhu idol of Shani Maharaj exists. The devotee then circumambulates, offers prayers and performs Abhishek-s with water from the holy well in the vicinity and sesame oil. Sacrificial offerings are not permitted here. Any male devotee can go up to the platform wearing a wet cloth but women are enjoined to offer worship without mounting the platform.
One of the unique aspects of the village Shiganapur is that houses here have no doors or locks on them for safety. They are in fact not needed. The people here believe that it is the benediction of the god that no crime ever occurs in this village.
How to reach there:
By Road
Alight on Aurangabad-Ahmednagar N.H.No 60. at Ghodegaon and Shanishingapur is 5 Kms from there. Or, on Manmad-Ahmednagar N.H. No 10, alight at Rahuri and Shanishingnapur is 32 Kms from there. From there, one can avail the bus-shuttle services.
From there, one can utilize the State Transport Bus services, taxis, bus services etc.
By Train
One can travel from any corner of India to Shanishingnapur. For this, the suggested railway stations are Ahmednagar, Rahuri, Shrirampur and Belapur. From these railway destinations, there are S.T. buses, Jeeps, Taxis etc. facilities to Shanishingnapur.
By Air
Having arrived from abroad to Mumbai or other from other states to Aurangabad or Pune by air, one can avail S.T. bus, jeeps, taxies facilities upto Shanishingnapur.
Festivals:
Generally the devotees can perform pooja and abhishek on any day at Shari Shaneshvar tirtha. But the Amavasya or the no day moon 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 there is a Yatra.
In Shanishingnapur, everyday, lakhs of devotees of God Shani come for a ‘darshan'. On every Saturday, innumerable devotees come and benefit from the ‘darshan'.
Every Shani Amavashya and the Gudi Padava of every year, lakhs of devotees of God Shani visit the Temple.
ShriShaneshchar Jayanti, the special day of God Shani's birthday, is celebrated with great gusto and devotion.
Every year, from ‘Chaitra Shuddha Dashami' to ‘Chaitrya Vadya Pratipada', continuously, the chanting of God's name and ‘Granthraj Dnyaneshwari Parayan' is performed. During this period, prayers are performed as follows
Early in the morning from 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. ‘Kakada Aart'.
5 a.m. to 6 a.m. ‘Vishnu Sahastra naam'.
7 a.m. to 8 a.m. ‘Dnyaneshwari Vaachan'.
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ‘Sangeet Bhajan'.
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. ‘Pravachan'
5 p.m. to 6 p.m. ‘ Haripaatha' and
8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ‘Hari Keertan' and ‘Jaagar'.
One of the unique aspects of the village Shiganapur is that houses here have no doors or locks on them for safety. They are in fact not needed. The people here believe that it is the benediction of the god that no crime ever occurs in this village.
How to reach there:
By Road
Alight on Aurangabad-Ahmednagar N.H.No 60. at Ghodegaon and Shanishingapur is 5 Kms from there. Or, on Manmad-Ahmednagar N.H. No 10, alight at Rahuri and Shanishingnapur is 32 Kms from there. From there, one can avail the bus-shuttle services.
From there, one can utilize the State Transport Bus services, taxis, bus services etc.
By Train
One can travel from any corner of India to Shanishingnapur. For this, the suggested railway stations are Ahmednagar, Rahuri, Shrirampur and Belapur. From these railway destinations, there are S.T. buses, Jeeps, Taxis etc. facilities to Shanishingnapur.
By Air
Having arrived from abroad to Mumbai or other from other states to Aurangabad or Pune by air, one can avail S.T. bus, jeeps, taxies facilities upto Shanishingnapur.
Festivals:
Generally the devotees can perform pooja and abhishek on any day at Shari Shaneshvar tirtha. But the Amavasya or the no day moon 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 there is a Yatra.
In Shanishingnapur, everyday, lakhs of devotees of God Shani come for a ‘darshan'. On every Saturday, innumerable devotees come and benefit from the ‘darshan'.
Every Shani Amavashya and the Gudi Padava of every year, lakhs of devotees of God Shani visit the Temple.
ShriShaneshchar Jayanti, the special day of God Shani's birthday, is celebrated with great gusto and devotion.
Every year, from ‘Chaitra Shuddha Dashami' to ‘Chaitrya Vadya Pratipada', continuously, the chanting of God's name and ‘Granthraj Dnyaneshwari Parayan' is performed. During this period, prayers are performed as follows
Early in the morning from 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. ‘Kakada Aart'.
5 a.m. to 6 a.m. ‘Vishnu Sahastra naam'.
7 a.m. to 8 a.m. ‘Dnyaneshwari Vaachan'.
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ‘Sangeet Bhajan'.
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. ‘Pravachan'
5 p.m. to 6 p.m. ‘ Haripaatha' and
8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ‘Hari Keertan' and ‘Jaagar'.