Datta Peetha Parikrama (Path Completing Lord Dattatreya Powerful Places)

Immortal Incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, Lord Dattatreya has transformed various places into holy places by virtue of the work he has carried out through his different incarnations (Datta Sampradaya). All these holy places represent great significance and values bestowed by Datta Sampradaya. One can experience very strong holy vibrations full of Datta Satvik Vichar and great parampara of Datta Lineages.

Following are the few of the very important Datta Peethas you should pay visit to in your lifetime:

• Gangapur in Karnataka State- Second Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Shri Nrusinh Saraswati"
• Nrusinhpur ("Narsobawadi") in Maharashtra- Second Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Shri Nrusinh Saraswati"
• Suchindram in Tamil Nadu State - Vishnurupi Lord Dattatreya
• Audumbar -  Second Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Shri Nrusinh Saraswati"
• Pithapuram - First Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Sreepada SreeVallabha"
• Kuravpur - First Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Sreepada SreeVallabha"
• Akkalkot - Third Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Shree Swami Samartha"
• Mangalwedha - Third Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Shree Swami Samartha"
• Markandi in Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra state- Third Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Shree Swami Samartha"
• Dattatreya Ghat or Datta Guha in Himalayan Ranges - Lord Dattatreya
• Girnar in Gujarat - Lord Dattatreya
• Nagalpuram near Tirupati - Vishnurupi Lord Dattatreya
• Senthalpangalam in Tamil Nadu state
• Prayag in Uttar Pradesh
• Sompuram in Andhra Pradesh
• Chandradronagiri
• Datta Peetha of Mysore
• Shirdi in Maharashtra - Anshik(Partial) Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Saibaba"
• Shegaon in Maharashtra - Anshik(Partial) Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Gajanan Maharaj"

Completing the visit to the above Datta Peethas marks the completion of Datta Peethas' Parikrama and one achieves the ultimate enlightenment in his life and he becomes free from birth cycles.

Shirdi Pilgrimage - Sai Darshan

Shirdi is a town and falls under the jurisdiction of municipal council located in Rahata Tahasil in Ahmednagar District in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located at 19.77° N 74.48° E. Shirdi is accessible via the Ahmednagar - Manmad State Highway No.10, approximately 83 km from Ahmednagar and 15 km from Kopargaon. It is located 185 km east of the Western Seashore line (the Ahmednagar - Manmad road), which was at one time a very busy route. Shirdi is best known as the late 19th century home of the popular guru Shirdi Sai Baba.

Sai Baba of Shirdi (d. October 15, 1918), also known as Shirdi Sai Baba, was an Indian guru, yogi and fakir who is regarded by his Hindu and Muslim followers as a saint. Some of his Hindu devotees believe that he was an incarnation of Shiva or Dattatreya, and he was regarded as a satguru and an incarnation of Kabir.

The name 'Sai Baba' is a combination of Persian and Indian origin; Sāī (Sa'ih) is the Persian term for "holy one" or "saint", usually attributed to Islamic ascetics, whereas Bābā is a word meaning "father" used in Indian languages. The appellative thus refers to Sai Baba as being a "holy father" or "saintly father". His parentage, birth details, and life before the age of sixteen are obscure, which has led to a variety of speculations and theories attempting to explain Sai Baba's origins. In his life and teachings he tried to reconcile Hinduism and Islam: Sai Baba lived in a mosque, was buried in a Hindu temple, practised Hindu and Muslim rituals, and taught using words and figures that drew from both traditions. One of his well known epigrams says of God: "Allah Malik" ("God is Master").

Sai Baba taught a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others, charity, contentment, inner peace, devotion to God and guru. His philosophy was Advaita Vedanta and his teachings consisted of elements both of this school as well as of bhakti and Islam.

Sai Baba remains a popular saint and is worshipped mainly in Maharashtra, southern Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Debate on his Hindu or Muslim origins continues to take place. He is also revered by several notable Hindu and Sufi religious leaders. Some of his disciples received fame as spiritual figures and saints.

Transportation
Shirdi is located approximately 296 km from Mumbai in India. Private Airlines are available from Mumbai to Shirdi. Although Shirdi is not served directly by rail, trains run from Manmad station which is 83 km from the heart of Shirdi, alternatively from Kopargaon station which is 18 km from Shirdi, or Nashik city which is 119 km from Shirdi or Nagarsol. Daund railway station is 200 km from Shirdi.Buses and taxis ply from these railway stations and locations to and from Shirdi. Shirdi can be reached by bus from any of the following cities in Maharashtra State (India): Mumbai, Pune, Thane,Nashik, Akaluj, Dhule, Nagpur and Aurangabad. Air-Conditioned Car Rentals are provided by many private companies.

To book luxury bus tickets, please visit Sonal Travels or call Mr. Vijay Mane on 022-2340 9745 / 9869554222.