Shani Amavasya at Shani Shingnapur — 10 Oct 2026 Plan from Shirdi (2026)

Shani Amavasya falls on Saturday 10 October 2026, and a Saturday new moon is the biggest crowd day at Shani Shingnapur. The tithi runs from 9:36 pm on Friday 9 October to 9:20 pm on Saturday, so Yatris arrive overnight. From Shirdi it is about 70 km, and this is how to do it in half a day.

📅 Why 10 October is different

Shani Shingnapur sees roughly 30,000 to 45,000 Yatris on an ordinary day. On an Amavasya that rises to about 2 to 3 lakh, and when the new moon lands on a Saturday the village holds a full yatra. The last Saturday Amavasya, on 16 May 2026, crossed 5 lakh by noon according to Marathi press.

Three things stack up on this one day:

• Shani Amavasya, the day Shani devotees most want to offer oil.

• Sarva Pitru Amavasya, the last day of Pitru Paksha, which brings shraddha and tarpan crowds.

• Navratri Ghatasthapana the next morning, Sunday 11 October, so Shirdi itself fills up from Saturday evening.

The next Saturday Amavasya after this one is 6 February 2027. If a calm darshan matters more than the date, that gap is worth knowing.

🛕 Timings and the platform rules

The temple is open 24 hours, and the trust says Shani gives darshan in rain, sun or storm. Aggregator listings put the aartis at about 4:30 am, noon and 6:30 pm, so treat those as approximate.

For pooja on the chauthara, the open platform, the trust's rules are:

• Bathe first and go up in wet clothes, bare-headed, with no cap or turban.

• Traditional dress, which in practice means a saffron dhoti for men and a saree or salwar with dupatta for women.

• Women have been allowed on the platform since April 2016.

On heavy days the trust and police often keep the public off the platform and have you offer oil from below. Do not plan a personal tel abhishek on the platform for 10 October. Our Shani Shingnapur darshan guide covers the normal-day routine.

🚗 The road from Shirdi

The route is Shirdi → Rahuri → Nevasa Phata → Shani Shingnapur, about 70 km and 1.5 to 2 hours on a normal day. On 10 October the pinch point is the single approach road and the parking fields, not the highway.

Parking touts wave cars into paid plots, so decide where you stop rather than being pushed.

🌅 A half-day plan that works

Shirdi's Kakad aarti is at 5:15 am, with the gates opening at 4:45 am and Samadhi Mandir darshan from 6:25 am. The aarti pass is ₹200, booked up to 60 days ahead on the Sansthan's online portal. Our Shirdi aarti schedule has the full day.

1. 5:15 am Kakad aarti at Shirdi, out by about 6:30 am.

2. 7:00 am Leave Shirdi with sealed oil, a dhoti and a change of clothes.

3. 9:00 am Reach the Shingnapur approach. Expect the queue to already be hours long.

4. Budget 3 to 5 hours on site, offer oil, and leave by early afternoon.

5. Back in Shirdi by 4 to 5 pm, in time for Dhoop aarti at sunset or Shej aarti at 10 pm.

There is no beating the crowd by coming early on this day, because the tithi begins on Friday night and people arrive overnight. Go for the atmosphere and the offering, not for a quick darshan.

🚌 Taxi, ST bus or shared jeep

• Private taxi: the only option that waits and returns on your timing. Right for families, elders and anyone who wants to be back for Shej aarti.

• MSRTC bus: limited direct services from Shirdi stand, around ₹120 to 150. On Amavasya expect full buses and a long walk from where the bus stops.

• Shared jeep: cheapest and fastest to fill, but you return when the jeep is full, not when you are done.

What to avoid is arriving between 11 am and 2 pm, when the queue is at its longest, and buying oil from hawkers on the road. Check Shirdi queue wait times before fixing the morning aarti.

🛏️ Where to stay

Stay in Shirdi, not Shingnapur. Shingnapur is a village without doors and has little to offer at night, while Shirdi has rooms at every budget within walking distance of the Samadhi Mandir.

Book for the Friday and Saturday nights now. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, so Shirdi hotels pick up a second wave of Yatris from Saturday evening, and the Punyatithi rush follows ten days later.

Carry sealed oil, wear the dhoti, and give the day the hours it asks for. Om Sai Ram.