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Shani Shingnapur
A miraculous divine place
Preeti Sharma
EVEN in today?s science oriented world, the inexplicable events of God Shani in Shingnapur (Maharashtra) leave his devotees bewildered. No matter how much staunch an atheist one is, in the presence of Shani one?s head automatically bows in reverence. Though there are many sacred places in Maharashtra devoted to God Shani, Shingnapur holds a unique significance. Its unusual qualities make it a distinct place of pilgrimage any where in the world; one can realise it only after a personal visit.
A place where women are not allowed to worship the deity, Shingnapur is situated on the Pune-Aurangabad Highway, about 70 kms far from Shirdi. like any other place of pilgrimage, one cannot see the ubiquitous pandas and poojaris here. The worshipper has to take a bath before offering pooja. He is then allowed to perform the religious rites to the deity to his will and satisfaction. One may offer oil and flowers to the deity on the altar. Women are not allowed to touch the deity but they can have darshan from some distance.
On Saturday, especially on an amavasya, devotees from all over the country come for darshan. "The Shani amavasya is the most auspicious day for Shani darshan. Thousands of devotees generally come on trekking foot. Lodging and boarding arrangements are also available. No one faces any problem, thanks to Lord Shani", says a member of Shri Shaneshwar Public Trust, Shingnapur.
Deity without a dwelling
The swayambhu ( natural-formed) idol of Lord Shani is of a natural black colour. Standing eternally open on an altar for around 150 years, it is 5'-9" high and 1'-6" broad. Lord Shani never accepts any chhatra (shelter). This can well be witnessed as even in hot sun, whirlwind, rain, heat or cold, whatever the weather the deity stands here without a shelter. Many people in the past and even in the present have tried to raise a temple for the deity but in vain. "Lord Shani has invariably appeared in the dreams telling them, ?I do not need any shelter?. He prefers to stay in the open and protects his devotees", believes a member of the Trust. It is an irony that even though Shingnapur is a very popular and important place of pilgrimage, it has to date no temple to house the unusual deity and to enhance its beauty.
Dwellings without doors
Shingnapur, a sleepy village of around 3000 people, has no doors and no glass panes on the windows of the local houses. One uses either wooden planks or curtains on the doors just to ward off stray animals. The practice of bolting or locking the houses is conspicuous by its absence. And this all is reportedly done at the "command of Lord Shani".
When this reporter asked about the strange practice, a villager said: "We don?t find this practice strange anyway. We have been doing it for thousands of years. We keep our money and valuables in a bag or a box; they are never stolen. Even the devotees who come here for darshan are told not to lock their vehicles. There are no thieves. If anyone steals he will have to pay for his misdeed by the miracle of God Shani." Though the village is small, it is prosperous. The houses (majorly single storey) are built with the modern technique of bricks and cement.
The legend
The locals say that around 150 years before, it once rained very heavily in Shingnapur. In a local rain drain, called Panas nala, a large black rock came along tumbling. Some people noticed it and out of curiosity tried to take it out with the help of a pickaxe. As a boy used force to salvage it, blood came out and a scar appeared on the rock. They were scared and they called their adults. The news spread all over and crowds gathered to watch the miracle. Later in the night, a devotee is said to have dreamt of Shani God announcing: "I am Shani. I have come to your village. Get me out and install me." As directed, the people tried to pick the stone up, but in vain. It could not even be moved. Later again at night, Lord Shani appeared in the devotee?s dream and commanded that a genuine pair of maternal uncle and his sister?s son should lift him and place over the branch of a ber (jujube) tree, then he will come and that only they should establish him. Just two men picked up the stone deity the next day, while hundreds had failed the day before. The deity was then carried in a bullock-cart. On the way, the cart stopped and could move no further. Thus, eventfully the deity was installed on the present site.
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