Shirdi Sai temple to remain shut for visitors from May 1, religious traditions to continue
Shirdi Temple to remain shut from May 1. As per the reports, the trust has called for the closure as a protest against the central government.
Maharashtra: Shirdi Temple, a famous shrine located in India’s western part of Maharashtra, is expected to experience an indefinite closure starting May 1. According to the reports, the trust of the Sai Baba temple has called for the shutdown as a protest against the decision of the Indian central government to use the central industrial security forces (CISF) to protect the shrine.
The shutdown will continue until a resolution is reached.
However, the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust (SSST) in a statement on its website denied the media reports and said: “All the Aartis [prayers] and all the religious traditions will continue on Monday 1st May 2023 and thereafter all the facilities from Sansthan such as Shri Sai Prasadalaya, all Bhakt Niwas locations and Hospitals etc would be functioning regularly as always. This information was provided by Mr.Rahul Jadhav, I/C Chief Executive Officer of the Sansthan.”
According to the DNA report, the temple administration believes that the CISF, which safeguards industrial installations, metro stations, and airports, is not equipped to handle the security needs of the temple.
In 2018, the CISF was deployed at the Shirdi airport. Now, the government has decided to give the Central Force the job of protecting the Saibaba temple.
The Maharashtra Police was responsible for maintaining the security of the temple until now. However, the CISF lacks the appropriate training and experience to manage the security needs at the temple, according to the temple administration.
The temple’s administration is overseen by the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust. It works across different divisions, which include distribution of free dinners, and accommodation, providing amenities, and running charitable schools and universities.
The closure of the Shirdi Saibaba temple will possibly influence the thousands of devotees who visit the shrine consistently. Due to the rush, the visits are planned well in advance, and if the temple is closed for an extended period of time, those who have already booked their travel and lodging may encounter difficulties.
The shutdown may also affect the local hotels, restaurants, and shops, which are heavily dependent on tourists.
The temple is located in the small town of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. It attracts millions of visitors every year. People of all ages and all religions visit the most important temple dedicated to Sai Baba, a legendary Indian spiritual guru.
Ms Kalinga