My first visiting to Shani Shingnapur

In September 2005, My Brother and I went to Shani Shingnapur to visit Shani dev temple. It was my first visiting to Shani Shingnapur village. My brother had known every thing about Shani Shingnapur. So, we decided that we will go to Shingnapur village on bike. The Shingnapur village is situated at Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra. Shingnapur village is about 170km from my city town Nashik. We started our journey at 6.30 am from our home. It was interesting journey for me on bike. The Shirdi temple is situated in the route of Shingnapur. So, we decided that firstly we take darshan of Sai Baba in Shirdi. We reached Shirdi at 9.15 AM. In the Shirdi, we spent 3 hours in queue. Shirdi temple is a very big temple of India. It is famous in all over India and abroad too. After taking a darshan and Prasad of Shirdiwale Sai Baba, We continued to our journey to Shingnapur. We were feeling better because of Shirdi rest.
The road of Shingnapur was very good that’s why we had not faced any problem with bike. We reached Ghodegaon which is situated at Ahmednagar- Aurangabad highway. Shingnapur village is just 6 km away from Ghodegaon. I and my brother were thirsty and we were searching hotel for water but we saw only sugarcane juice seller was there with one bull. So, we drank sugarcane juice. The juice was fresh and very testy. The whole area of Shingnapur is covered with sugarcane fields and the local farmers yoke bulls to the mill, like a wheels to crush the sugarcane and produce juice.
After a very short time we entered the Shani Shingnapur campus. When we entered in the shingnapur campus, I shocked to see that there was a school, and that school have no door. I was never come to Shani Shingnapur only heard about the shingnapur village that houses have no door but at that time I saw the reality of Shani Shingnapur. My brother stopped bike at one pooja material shop. The shopkeeper said, “You can park your bike in front of my shop and I will also give you dhotis and water for bath because cloths is not allowed in the temple.” I and my brother had a pure bath and wore the dhotis which were provided by shopkeeper. After a pure bath we purchased pooja items and oil from shop. The shopkeeper also suggest us that how to worship of god Shanidev in the foundation and most important that don’t touch any ladies before worship. There is a short walkway from the shop to Shani temple. When we entered the foundation, there were very crowd. But the system was good that every body could take darshan easily.
After taking darshan we came back to the shop. We saw that the houses have no any door and window even shop also. After paying his money for Pooja items and oil, we started back on our return journey. When we were returning, we took a dinner at a small hotel. I was fear on the highway when big trucks overtaking us and focused light. Finally we reached home at 10.00 pm. really this is very interesting journey for me and I will always remember this journey.

Before writing on Shani dev, I didn’t know anything about Shani dev, about his power and his good nature. That time I had knew that Shani dev is a very angry god and he gives troubles to the people. But when I visited to Shani Shingnapur, I understand that who is Shani dev and how is his nature with people. Recently one TV serial also started on Shani dev. The aim of serial is to bring to light the greatness of God Shanidev. This TV serial was launched by NDTV Imagine. I think people should visit Shani Shingnapur at least one time throughout the life.