Shani Shingnapur Temple

The popular temple of Shani, the Hindu god of the planet (graha) Saturn is situated in Shingnapur village of Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra.Hence got its name Shani Shingnapur Temple. The place is visited by devotees coming in to pay respect to the Mighty Lord Shanidev.

Shingnapur is famous for the fact that no house in the village has doors, only door frames. Villagers believe that the temple is a “jagrut devasthan” (Alive temple), meaning that the god here is very powerful. They believe that god Shani punishes anyone attempting theft. The deity here is “Swayambhu” (Sanskrit: self-evolved deity) that is self-emerged from earth in form of black but imposing stone.

The shrine for Shani consists of a five and a half feet high black rock installed on an open-air platform, which symbolizes the god Shani. A Trishula (trident) is placed along the side of the image and a Nandi (bull) image is on the south side. In front are the small images of Shiva and Hanuman.

Generally, the temple has 30–45000 visitors a day, which swells to around three lakh (i.e. three hundred thousand) on amavasya (the new moon day), believed to be the most auspicious day to appease Lord Shani.The village holds a fair in honour of the deity on this day. A bigger festival is held on new moon days that fall on Saturdays. Devotees bathe Lord Shani’s image with water and oil and offer flowers, and udid to him. A palanquin procession of Shani is held on the day of the fair. Other festivals include the birthday of Shani, Shani Jayanti.