Shani Shingnapur Temple

Shani Amavasya

Amavasya or the no moon day, which falls on a Saturday, is considered to be the most auspicious occasion to worship Lord Shanidev at Shani Shingnapur Temple. Numerous devotees from all around the country come here to receive the blessings of the Lord on this day. A huge fair and a palanquin procession of Shani are held on this day. Apart from Shani Amavasya, worshipping Lord Shani on all Saturdays is considered to be very favourable.

Shani Jayanthi

Shani Jayanti is considered as the day on which Lord Shani was born or appeared on earth. It is also known as Shanishchara Jayanti and observed on Amavasya (New moon day) in Vaishakh month. On this day, the idol appears blue in colour. ‘Panchamrut’ and ‘Gangajal’ are used for cleaning the idol of Lord Shaneshwara.

Special Rituals/ Prarthana performed in temple

The devotees should take head bath and proceed in wet clothes to the platform of Lord Shani Bhagwan. Saffron-colored attire is generally worn by the devotees. No priest exists here to perform the pooja. Devotees themselves perform the puja in the form of circumambulations, offering prayers and performing abhishekams with water from the holy well nearby and sesame oil.

Male devotees can go up to the platform and offer their prayers without any upper-garments, in wet dhotis. However, women are offered worship without mounting the platform.

Devotees offer oil (preferably sesame) in multiples of quarter, coconut, dried dates, dried coconut, betel nut, rice, turmeric, kumkum, gulal, neel, sugar, colotropis flowers preferably blue, black cloth, curds and milk for abhishekam.

Temple Pooja Daily Schedule

The Shani Temple at Shingnapur is open for worship from 5 am to 10 pm.