🚩 Baba’s four aartis — Kakad, Madhyahna, Dhoop and Shej. Their meaning and their time.
Every day at the Sai Baba Samadhi Mandir in Shirdi, Baba is honoured with four aartis — from dawn to late night, at four different times. These are not ceremonies alone; they are an expression of the devotees’ boundless love, in which Baba is treated as a living presence — woken at sunrise, served through the day, and put to rest at night. Here’s what each of the four aartis means and when it happens.
🕰️ At a glance — the four aartis
🌅 1. Kakad Aarti — the morning wake-up
Kakad means torch or wick. The first aarti of the day, Kakad is the moment devotees gently wake Baba after the night’s rest — the way a family member might rouse a loved one at first light. The temple day officially begins here.
☀️ 2. Madhyahna Aarti — the mid-day service
Held at noon, this is the main day-time aarti. It is said this is the hour when Baba would return from his rounds of bhiksha and rest for a while. The Madhyahna Aarti is the most widely-attended aarti of the day — the pooja hall is packed with devotees.
🌇 3. Dhoop Aarti — the evening incense
Dhoop is fragrant smoke — the evening aarti burns incense as the sun sets. It is the quietest and most contemplative of the four; a moment of gratitude before night. The lamps, the incense, and the fading light together shift the whole temple into a hushed, reverent mood.
🌙 4. Shej Aarti — the night send-off
Shej means bed. The last aarti of the day sends Baba lovingly to rest — the same way one would tuck a dear elder in for the night. With Shej Aarti, the temple day closes.
🙏 The deeper thread — Baba, always alive
Notice how the four aartis frame Baba’s whole day as if he were still bodily present: That is the heart of Shirdi bhakti — here Baba isn’t a distant deity, he is a living sadguru at home with his devotees.