KANIFNATH TEMPLE

This temple is in front of the old post office and adjacent to the Seva Dham building. It is an old temple. Unfortunately the date of construction is not known, but it was there in the 1800s. Kanifnath is one of the Navnaths manifested from the ear of an elephant and hence his name. Baba visited this temple on his way to Lendi Baugh and on various other occasions. Festivals are conducted in this temple in the month of Shravana (August) on Gokulashtami and other holy days. Daily pujas are conducted by the village priest.

MAHALAKSHMI MANDIR (ASHTA LAKSHMI MANDIR)

This ancient temple of Ashta Lakshmi is on Pimpalwadi Road adjacent to Pilgrims Inn Hotel.  Bala Ganapat Shimpi once suffered from malignant malaria. He tried all sorts of medicines but it did not abate. He ran to Shirdi and fell at Baba's feet. Baba said, "Bala go to Mahalakshmi Temple and feed a black dog some rice and curd". So Bala Shimpi took the rice and curds to the temple, there he found a black dog wagging its tail. He placed the rice before the dog who at once ate it, thus ridding him of malaria (Refer Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 13)

In the 1950s, it was an old temple with beautiful wooden beams and pillars. In the centre was the panel of Ashta Lakshmi that was venerated and covered with a paste of Sindhur. Later, many idols were added. Now, when you enter the temple on your left is the Navagrahas. On the right three rooms (temples) have been constructed. The first temple houses the Ashta Lakshmi deities. Sacred Dhuni is present next Navagrahas.

There are two panels of Ashta Lakshmi deities. The panel above has been added on later, while the panel below is the original and ancient.

The next temple houses Maha Lakshmi and the third temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga. In front of her and to the rear is a Shiva Linga with Nandi. Touching the eastern wall there are seven stones that are covered with Sindhur. These 7 stones are symbolic of the seven holy rivers.

The temple was reconstructed in August 2001.

Location link to Mahalakshmi Mandir is as follows: https://maps.app.goo.gl/HcdAjBbh7RehoAcBA

VITTAL MANDIR

This Mandir is situated on the left side of the street leading to post office and opposite to Seva Dham. The descendants (seventh generation) of Laxman Mama say that Shirdi was full of small hillocks. This temple is next to Shama’s house. When the area was levelled and the road was defined, they shifted the temple to the present location.

Legend has it that Nanu Mama Ratna Parkhi was a staunch devotee of Vittal. Once he was having a bath in the Chandrabhaga River at Pandharpur, when the Idol of Vittal emerged from the river. He did ritualistic puja to the idol and brought it home. Then he constructed a temple and daily puja was done. It bothered him that Vittal was alone without his beloved Rukmini. On another visit to Pandharpur, he met Das Ganu and told him the story. Das Ganu obliged him by getting a suitable idol of Rukmini made of the same type of stone.

The priest Lakshman Rao alias Lakshman Mama (the son of Nanu Mama) was very orthodox in his views. At first he was against Baba, as Baba’s way of living, speech and routine were not acceptable to him. Once he fell sick losing all hope of life and Baba saved him from that illness. This was his turning point, and thereafter he became a staunch devotee of Baba. He was the Gram Pujari (priest of all the village temples). His daily routine was to perform Baba’s ritualistic puja, and then perform puja to all the village deities.

His son Bapaji Lakshman Ratna Parkhi also fell ill and his father approached Baba and entreated Him to cure his son. Baba scolded him and drove him away. Later Baba went to his house and put His hand over Bapaji's head and he recovered. Lakshman Rao was so overwhelmed with this and thought that Baba was none other than God Himself. Bapaji also became an ardent devotee of Baba and he was one of the few devotees who were present when Baba took Mahasamadhi.

The day after Baba’s Mahasamadhi, Lakshman Mama had a vision in a dream early in the morning. In his dream Baba asked him to come and perform Kakad Arati. At once he got up, performed his morning ablutions and took all the Puja materials to the Dwarakamai. There he uncovered Baba’s face, not heeding to the protests of the Maulvis and other Muslims he performed Kakad Arati as he had always done (Refer Sai Satcharitra Chapter 43).

Baba on his way to Lendi Baugh often visited this temple. Because of its solitude, Baba asked Das Ganu to stay in this temple and not to come to the Dwarakmai where there were many distractions. Location link to Vittal Mandir is as follows: https://maps.app.goo.gl/yrynEY6mWmkeQZtJ9

NARASIMHA TEMPLE

Built in 1964 by the descendants of Sakharam Shelke. It is adjacent to Sakharam's house (near Baba's Chavadi). The temple is looked after and maintained by the Shelke family.

Link to Narasimha Temple is as follows: https://maps.app.goo.gl/buvW9vypGNWbyh2C9

JAIN TEMPLE

There are two Jain temples within close proximity of each other. The first is on the main Nagar-Manmad Road, by Sai International Hotel. It was built by Sri Jain Swethambara Theertha Trust and is noted for the absence of any iron-not even one nail- in its construction, as metal is held to be unconducive to meditation. The main idol is of Adeshwar Bhagavan.

The other temple is the Shesh Mahal which, as its name (shesh) implies, has its inside walls and ceiling covered with mosaic mirror pieces. The idol here is Sri Shantiniwas Maharaj l6th Teerthanka. The temple was built by the Shri Shantniwas Digambar temple Committee. To get there, continue along the main road in the direction of Nagar/Pune. and turn off down an unpaved track on the right, by the Municipal 0ffice. The temple is a few hundred meters down here on the right.