Shegaon is a popular Hindu pilgrimage. It is famous for a great Hindu saint, Shri Gajanan Maharaj. Shegaon is located in Buldhana district of Maharashtra, India. It is very well connected with the main cities like Nagpur, Pune, and Mumbai. Initially known as a Hindu pilgrimage, it has now developed into a tourist spot with the construction of “Anand Sagar,” a project spread over 330 acres of land, which includes a beautiful garden, marble temples, a beautiful lake, restaurant, meditation centers, play park for children, fountains, and beautiful sculptures.
The climate of Shegaon is very hot during summer averaging between 40-45 degrees Celsius. It is better if you avoid going in summer there.
How to reach Shegaon: You can reach there by train, state transport bus, or private buses which is convenient for you. Most of the private buses are Sleepers only. Train tickets you would have to book 3-4 months in advance or have to book from the emergency quota.
Shri Gajanan Maharaj:
Shri Gajanan Maharaj was a popular Hindu saint with miraculous powers. Nobody knows how he was born. He first appeared in Shegaon on February 23, 1878. It is believed he appeared out of the blue moon in a ceremony where he was found as eating the remains of the food on the plates under a tree. When people invited them, he told them that it was not good to waste food like this and we should respect the food. Since then, he lived in Shegaon and helped healed the people in Shegaon and around with his miraculous powers.
Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan:
Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan looks after all the management of Gajanan Maharaj Temple, and take my word, their management is better than even Tirupati Balaji Trust. No corruption, no VIP queues, which you would scarcely find in any part of India. They have constructed a large number of rooms for the devotees to stay in when they come to Shegaon. Plus, these are available at a very cheap price. The cleanliness is very well maintained. They provide food and breakfast at a very reasonable and affordable rate. If you go there, you would have to spend very less compared to other parts of Maharashtra. They have constructed “Anand Sagar,” a beautiful project, which has established Shegaon as a tourist spot too. They have free transportation available for those who want to go to Anand Sagar, which is approximately 4 Km away from the main temple.
Gajanan Maharaj Temple:
Gajanan Maharaj Temple is the biggest temple in the Vidarbha region and is also known as Pandharpur of Vidarbha. It is a very beautiful temple carved out of marble with a Lord Rama Temple on the ground floor, Gajanan Maharaj statue below that, and Samadhi of Gajanan Maharaj at the bottom. You can view the Samadhi from a glass window made outside of the temple. There is a big auditorium and some small temples around there. It is very clean and pleasant to be there.
The place is overcrowded on every Thursdays and Ekadashis. You will have to wait for even 4-5 hours for Darshan.
If you live in India or travel to India at any time, you must visit this place.