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Shaneshwar Temple at Shingnapur also referred as "Shani Shingnapur homes the divinity of Lord Shani (Lord of planet Saturn) and most revered temple of Shani Dev within the world.

 It’s not a standard temple design, however a alone 5 feet black stone mounted on a raised platform of 3-4 feet in an open surroundings and that i assume this can be the sole Shani Dev temple within the world wherever he resides within the sort of stone instead as a sculpt. 

This village lies in Ahamednagar district, a 2 hour drive from Shirdi. There aren't any direct native buses as i do know and is accessible by lots of Qualis transporters close to the temple. They charge around Rs 70-80 per head for complete come back trip. you may cross a check post simply around 10km before the village which is able to charge you Rs.15 for four wheeler's paid by the cab driver, Rs 2 are going to be levied per head on getting into the village premises paid by you.

History says this divinity self-appeared within the sort of this black stone that floated together with the flood that happened around 160 years past within the village Shingnapur and got stuck in a very tree around 150 meters far away from the village. This was then noticed by a neighborhood shepherd who then tried to free it from the tree by jabbing it. To his surprise the stone started injury as a results of his act, frightened by this he notified villagers who additionally witnessed this unusual event. On consecutive days many villagers have had the similar dreams within which Lord Shani acclaimed the stone to be himself and educated the villagers to consecrate this among the village which too without any terrace/roof over the Idol. Villagers followed the instruction and arranged down the divinity on the place wherever it's these days. Witnessing this divine event, villagers started attend Shani Dev and conjointly set to stay their home/shops door less that is alike an open surroundings similar to this temple which is in open atmosphere. This become a dictate for all residents of this village to not to have any doors in any of their rooms and even bathrooms, be it a college, post office, retailers etc… none ought to have a door. Although for privacy they’ll have curtain however that too ought to be clear. This dictate is followed solely in this village; outside close to by villages does not need to follow a similar. Time has witnessed that none of the theft has created to success although legend says that even though stealing happened the offender has become blind and also the purloined articles were continuously came back to its place. These events has enhanced the belief/faith of villagers on this deity to manifold and these days all of them have a singular religion in this God and reside in a very belief that Shani Dev is protecting this village from any unwell impact that appears to be true.

The presence of this God is felt vastly here as compared to alternative temples in India for a similar god. As per the stats over 25000 individual’s visits here per day and through Yatra days this goes to over Lakhs on single day. I took a shared Maruti Omini and reached the temple in 2 hrs. 

One huge market place has been designed for traveler wherever ground floors are occupied by retailers and 1st are for lodging. of course none of them had doors and even public bogs. These transporters have a handling the shopkeepers and invariably park their vehicle on their parking lot. Storekeeper can justify you the rituals to be performed. Rituals says, the lads if they need to pay obeisance to the spiritual being then they have to be topless and to wear solely orange colored artifact in lungi fashion (wearing in style of Skirt, although they permit undergarments to wear). You would like to require shower wearing this artifact and wishes to step within the temple as wet, this market place has one public shower hall (they charge Rs 2 for that). Women’s aren't allowed to mount on spiritual being platform and only offers prayers from the distant. 

Now each regional place offers localities an incredible chance for cash creating and this place isn't any exception. They need fastened puja things for Rs 100 and few others that is Rs 100+. They created it obligatory that the orange artifact solely incline together with puja item and not on an individual basis. Here you're at bay since most of the guests won't be carrying this artifact they need to shop for the puja things for this artifact. The fabrics are come back to a similar look. Mustard oil is that the main puja item that is often offered to the present deity and these shop keepers (who farm out the cloth) do not keep the oil, they're sold by separate shopkeepers who do not rent out artifact, thus in nutshell you may paying for the fabric and also the oil to 2 separate merchants. A typical team work example in spiritual place.

You can keep your stuff/clothes within the cab on which you came, and affirmative don't be concerned regarding your valuables or wallets. None of the individuals during this space can dare to the touch something which does not belongs to them.

I took bath, wear lungi and headed for the temple. On left their is entrance to the present temple and you'll see individuals in orange lungi. Mobile and Camera is allowed to be carried however not photograph shoot within the premises. No price of admission. Saturday is main day of this deity and since I went on Friday thus did not featured abundant drawback. Solely mustard oil and flowers is obtainable to the divinity rest can got to be given on the doorway itself, shown on the pic right aspect. there's separate queue for people who are reaching to provide Oil (orange clothed Men's) all others have to be compelled to proceed through left most separate queue (both Women’s and Men’s). We tend to proceed further and eventually reached close to the Idol. Offered my prayers, flowers and you should to pour oil over the Idol. Ritual has, one shouldn't look back until you're fully stepped out of the platform. Once I stepped out, I spent couple of minutes leading the Idol and was probing for a chance to click the deity through my camera that is hanging in my topless neck. With my nervous hands I clicked few 

Completed the darshan and back to the cab, returned the piece of cloth and headed back to shirdi. Maharashtra is that the biggest producer of sugarcane that you'll witness on the route, each facet of the road has sugar cane cultivation and so does native sugar juice retailers.

Felt like a crucial accomplishment of my life. I headed back to Shirdi, spent night there and next morning head for Nasik.

- guide by Hari prasad (updated on 10th feb 2017)