Shani Shingnapur...

The presiding deity of Shinganapur, Sri Shaneshwara or Shanidev- the personification of the planet Saturn is worshipped with utmost reverence and devotion by multitudes of people from all over the world. The spectacle of the deity in black stone is overwhelming. A unique aspect of this place is, that no temple structure houses the Shanidev. There is only a simple platform on which stands the swayambhu idol, in black stone.

Suryadev(son of Brahma) and Sandna (the daugther of Daksha Prajapati) were Shri Shaneshwar's parents.

Sandna and Suryadev had two sons Dakshinadhipati Yama and Shri Shaneshwar and four daughters Tapti, Bhadra, Kalindi and Savitri.

Sandna finding it unbearable to live with the harsh glare of Surya's light, created her own replica and named her as Sanvarna and asked her to behave as Surya's wife and perform all the duties and savour the privileges of a wife. She made her promise that under no condition would she reveal to Suryadev that she was not Sandna and promised to help her when needed.

Sandna went back to her father Daksha. When Daksha saw that his daughter coming back, he advised her that she better live with her husband only. The dejected Sandna did not follow her father's advise and instead transformed herself into a mare and resided in the Himalayas and started penance.

Savarna performed the role of dutiful wife. She also gave birth to five sons and two daughters from Surya. Surya did not have any doubts about Sanvarna.

One day Shanidev was very hungry and he asked his mother to give him something to eat. She asked him to wait till she had made her first offering to God. But Shanidev insisted on serving him first and in anger kicked his mother Sanvarna. She in return cursed him that his leg would break.

Shanidev reported the matter to his father Surya. Surya said," a mother would never curse a son like this." Surya observed Sanvarna closely and found that she was not Sandna. Surya was enraged and asked her who she was. Sanvarna confessed that she was a 'shadow' of Sandna. and that Sandna had gone to the Himalaya for penance.

Surya told Shanidev that Sanvarna was like his mother and her curse would not go in vain. It is therefore that Shanidev has one lame leg. Shinganapur is a village situated at a distance of 6 kms from Ghodegaon on Aurangabad Ahmedanagar road in Maharashtra. It is 84 Kms from Aurangabad and 35kms from Ahmednagar. From Ghodegaon, there is a motorable tar road leading to the Shri Shaneshwar and is open in all the seasons. The population of this village is about 3000. State Transport buses ply regularly to Shinganapur from Ahmednagar, Aurangabad. Another well known pilgrim centre Shirdi is at a distance of 70kms from Shinganapur and can be reached via Rahuri and Sonai.