Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan Introduces Fixed Darshan Slots For VIP Devotees With Recommendation Letters; Common Devotees To Benefit

Shirdi, June 24, 2025: In a major decision aimed at streamlining the darshan process and ensuring smoother access for common devotees, the Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan has announced a dedicated darshan break schedule for VIP devotees carrying recommendation letters. The new rules reserve a total of 2.5 hours per day exclusively for such VIPs.

Every day, thousands of devotees visit the shrine in Shirdi for Saibaba’s darshan. Many VIPs, including government officials and political leaders, arrive with recommendation letters, often disrupting the general darshan queues. To prevent inconvenience to the public, the Saibaba Sansthan has implemented a fixed schedule for VIP entries.

VIP Darshan Timings with Recommendation Letters:

• Morning: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
• Afternoon: 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
• Evening: 8:00 PM to 8:30 PM

VIPs with recommendation letters will now be allowed darshan only during these time slots, and they must obtain paid passes to enter. Outside of these hours, no protocol or priority entry will be granted, regardless of their letter.

Balwadkar

Exemptions from VIP Darshan Time Restriction:

The rule does not apply to the following categories, who will continue to receive darshan arrangements as before:

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• Top political and judicial dignitaries (current/former Presidents, Prime Ministers, Governors, Chief Ministers, MPs, MLAs, Supreme and High Court judges)
• Renowned personalities such as industrialists, scientists, international athletes, and film actors
• Major donors contributing ₹1 lakh or more
• Current and former chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, and members of the Sansthan’s management/ad-hoc committee

The Sansthan’s CEO Gorakshak Gadilkar shared details of the new policy, stating that the objective is to reduce crowd congestion and offer uninterrupted darshan to general devotees.

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