Shirdi Sai Temple is located in Hampshire, a Northwest suburb of Chicago, USA. Pran Pratishta of a five and a half foot marble statue of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba and the inauguration of the Temple was performed by Dr. C.B Satpathy on Thursday, August 19, 2004. Since then the Temple has served the devotees and the visitors from across the country and abroad.
The temple structure was built in 1873 by the congregation of the Old Saint Peter’s Church. The building is listed as historic by the Historical Society and registered in Kane County, Illinois. Devotees have been offered in the temple building for over 145 years. Temple has been serving Sai devotees for over 15 years from this location.
Chicago Shirdi Sai Temple Timings:
- 8:30 AM: Temple, Gurusthan, Chavadi, Meditation Room and Dwarkamai doors open
- 8:45 AM: Kakad Arathi
- 9:15 AM: Daily Abhishek (Holy Bathing)
- 10:15 AM: Alankar of Baba in Gurusthan, Meditation Hall, Chavadi and Dwarkamai (after moring program in the main sanctuary)
- 10:30 AM onwards: – Archana, Darshan and Sponsored Poojas till Madhyana Arathi
- 12:00 Noon: Madhyana Arathi
- 12:30 PMonwards: – Prasadalaya opens, Archana, Darshan and Sponsored Poojas till Dhoop Arathi
- 5:00 PM.: Deepa Aradhana and Daily Scriptural Reading
- 5:30 PM: Dhoop Arathi
- 5:50 PMonwards: – Arathi, Darshan and Sponsored Poojas till Shej Arathi
- 6:00 PM: Shri Sai Charan Pooja (on Thursdays)
- 6:30 PM: Daily evening Archana in Gurusthan
- 6:45 PM: Paalkhi Seva (on Thursdays)
- 7:30 PM: Bhajan Sandhya (on Thursdays)
- 7:45 PM: Prasadalaya Closes
- 7:50 PM: Gurusthan, Chavadi, Meditation room, and Dwarkamai Close
- 8:00 PM: Shej Arathi
- 8:20 PM: Temple Closes
Note: The above program is subject to change during events, festivals, holy days and weather-related emergencies. For questions, please call ahead of your visit.
Chicago Shirdi Sai Temple Services:
- Abhishek (Daily morning)
- Maha Abhishek (Thursday and festival morning)
- Ashtotranama Archana (All Day)
- Vishnu Sahasranama Pooja
- Shri Sai Sahasranama Pooja
- Paada (Charan) Pooja
- Satyanarayan Pooja (Samuhika)
- Homam (Monthly)
- Paalkhi Seva and Annadan Seva (Thursdays)
- Chaddar Offering
- Garland Offering
- Hanuman (Anjaneya Swami) Pooja
- Vahana (Vehicle) pooja
- Namakaranam
- Akshara Abhyasa
- Anna Prasana
- Kesa Kandana (Moondan)
- Upanayanam
- Marriage
- Shastabdapoorthi
- Seemantham
- Pinda Shradham
- Hiranya Shradham
- Service not listed above
- Special Events sponsorship
- Special Request
Chicago Shirdi Sai Temple offerings:
- Clothes(Dress) for Baba: Baba’s dress changed often after holy bathing daily comprised of (1) outerwear of Kafni and headgear which can be either cotton, satin or silk in any color except black. (2) innerwear which is white cotton and (3) scarf or angavastra or dhottar which can be satin, silk, or cotton contrasting or matching the color of outerwear. The size of outerwear is 6 yards. Innerwear is 5 yards and scarf is 4 yards. Baba’s dress will have to be stitched and corners embroidered before it can be offered to Baba. Devotees are requested to please conform to this standard. Custom-made dresses are available at the temple for your convenience.
- Flowers: Garlands of fresh flowers are offered to Baba daily after holy bathing and changing of clothes. About eight to ten garlands are used daily in the temple in the mandir, Dwarka Mai, gurusthan and chavadi. The garland on the main shrine comprises 300 carnations and roses are used during Archana. About 900 flowers are estimated for daily use including flowers used in pooja services such as Archana, etc.
- Fruits: Fruits are offered throughout the day in various poojas.
- Oil: Sesame oil is used to light oil lamps that burn all the time in the temple. Canola oil is used to make daily naivedya. The temple procures Sesame and cooking oil in bulk. Please inquire before you decide to donate oil for daily temple use.
- Naivedya: Baba’s naivedya is made inside the temple itself and offered thrice daily to Baba. No cooked food from outside is allowed. But you can still participate by volunteering to make a prasad in the temple kitchen. The temple provides all the necessary items for kitchen use including groceries except fresh produce. The menu is fixed and decided by the temple in advance, please inquire. To make prasad please call the temple and register to avoid disappointment and inconvenience.
Chicago Shirdi Sai Temple Address:
12N950 IL Route 47 Hampshire,
IL 60140.
Phone: (847) 931-4058, (224) 218-9029
