Shani Shingnapur,Maharastra,India

Shanaieshwar Temple at Shingnapur widely known as "Shani Shingnapur" houses the deity of Lord Shani (Lord of planet Saturn) and is the most revered temple of Shani Dev in the world. Its not a conventional temple architecture, but a single 5 feet black stone mounted on a raised platform of 3-4 feet in an open environment and I think this is the only Shani Dev temple in the world where he resides in the form of stone instead as a sculpt. 

This village lies in Ahmednagar district, a 2hour drive from Shirdi. There are no direct local buses as I know and is accessible by plenty of Qualis transporters near the temple. They charge around Rs 70-80 per head for complete return trip. You will cross a check post just around 10km before the village which will charge you Rs15 for four wheelers paid by the cab driver, Rs 2 will be levied per head on entering the village premises paid by you.

History says this deity self appeared in the form of this black stone which floated along with the flood which happened around 160 years ago in the village Shingnapur and got stuck in a tree around 150 meters away from the village. This was then spotted by a local shepherd who then tried to free it from the tree by poking it. To his surprise the stone started bleeding as a result of his act, frightened by this he notified villagers who also witnessed  this un-usual event. On consecutive days several villagers have had the similar dreams in which Lord Shani acclaimed the stone to be himself and instructed the villagers to consecrate this within the village and that too without any terrace/roof over the Idol. Villagers followed the instruction and laid down the deity on the place where it is today. Witnessing this divine event, villagers started worshiping Shani Dev and also decided to keep their home/shops doorless which is alike an open environment just like this temple which is in open environment. This become a dictate for all residents of this village to not to have any doors in any of their rooms and even toilets, be it a school, post office, shops etc none should have a door. Though for privacy they can have curtain but that too should be transparent. This dictate is followed followed only in this village, outside near by villages doesn't need to follow the same. Time has witnessed that none of the robbery has made to success though legend says that even if theft happened the culprit has become blind and the stolen articles were always came back to its place. These events has increased the belief/faith of villagers on this deity to manifold and today all of them have a singular faith in this God and are living in a belief that Shani Dev is protecting this village from any ill effect which seems to be true.

The presence of this God is felt immensely here as compared to other temples in India for the same deity. As per the stats over 25000 people visits here per day and during yatra days  this goes to over Lakhs on single day. I took a shared Maruti Omini and reached the temple in 2 hrs.

One big market place (see pic right side) has been built for visitor where ground floors are occupied by shops and first are for lodging. As expected none of them had doors and even public toilets. These transporters have a dealing with the shopkeepers and always park their vehicle on their parking area. Shopkeeper will explain you the rituals to be performed. Rituals says, the Men if they want to pay obeisance to the deity then they need to be topless and to wear only  orange colored cloth in lungi fashion (wearing in form of Skirt, though they allow undergarments to wear). You need to take shower wearing this cloth and needs to step in the temple as wet, this market place has one public shower hall (they charge Rs 2 for that). Womens were not allowed to mount on deity platform and only can offer prayers from the distant when i visited but later on even they were allowed and history changed by the law of highcourt.