Sai Baba Madhyan Aarti
शिर्डी माझे पंढरपूर
What is the Sai Baba Madhyan Aarti?
Madhyan Aarti The Madhyan Aarti is the noon worship sung at Shirdi, opening with the abhang 'Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur,' which calls Shirdi the devotee's Pandharpur and Sai Baba the living form of Vithoba.
The Madhyan Aarti is offered at midday in the Shirdi temple, and its opening abhang Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur was written by the poet-devotee Das Ganu Maharaj. In four short couplets it turns Shirdi into a second Pandharpur, seats Sai Baba on Vithoba’s place, and invites every listener to bow at his feet.
Sai Baba Madhyan Aarti Lyrics (English)
Roman transliteration for easy chanting. Tap “Meaning” under any verse for the English translation.
Shirdi majhe Pandharpur
Sai Baba Ramavar
Meaning
Shirdi is my own Pandharpur, and Sai Baba is Ramavar, the consort of Lakshmi, meaning Lord Vishnu himself standing here for us.
Shuddha bhakti Chandrabhaga
Bhav Pundalik jaga
Meaning
Pure devotion flows here like the Chandrabhaga river of Pandharpur, and the heart's sincere feeling stands awake like the devotee Pundalik who once drew the Lord to that bank.
Ya ho ya ho avaghe jan
Kara Babansi vandan
Meaning
Come, come, all of you people, gather together and offer your salutation at the feet of Baba.
Ganu mhane Baba Sai
Dhav pav majhe Aai
Meaning
Das Ganu prays: O Baba Sai, my Mother, hurry to me and give your grace without delay.
Meaning & Significance
Das Ganu built this abhang on a single bold idea: a devotee does not have to travel to Pandharpur to reach Vithoba, because the same presence has taken a seat in Shirdi as Sai Baba. Every image in the four lines is borrowed from the Warkari pilgrimage tradition, the river Chandrabhaga, the devotee Pundalik, the call to the assembled crowd, and then handed to Sai.
The last line changes the tone from praise to pleading. After naming Baba as Vithoba and inviting everyone to bow, the poet drops the theology and simply calls Sai his ‘Aai,’ his mother, asking her to run to him. That shift from grand comparison to a child’s cry is what makes the noon aarti feel personal rather than formal.
How Do You Perform the Aarti?
- Time it at midday. — This aarti belongs to the noon worship, traditionally offered around 12 pm when the Shirdi temple performs its Madhyan aarti.
- Face Baba's image or padukas. — Stand before a picture, murti, or the sandals of Sai Baba, with a lit oil or ghee lamp on the aarti plate.
- Sing the abhang aloud. — Recite the four couplets clearly, letting the repeated lines settle so the meaning stays with you rather than rushing through.
- Circle the lamp gently. — Move the flame in slow clockwise circles before the image while you sing, keeping the plate steady.
- Close with a bow and prasad. — End with folded hands and 'Om Sai Ram,' then share the lamp's blessing and any prasad with everyone present.
What Are the Benefits of Singing This Aarti?
Devotees sing the Madhyan Aarti to renew their bond with Sai Baba at the middle of the day and to carry that steadiness into the hours ahead.
- Midday reset: A short pause at noon to sing this aarti breaks the rush of the day and returns the mind to a calm, devotional footing.
- Shirdi in your home: The opening line makes Shirdi present wherever you sing it, so the pilgrimage feeling is available even far from the temple.
- Simple, memorable text: With only four couplets and repeated lines, the abhang is easy to learn by heart, so children and elders can join without a book.
- A mother's assurance: Calling Baba 'Aai' frames him as a protective mother, which many devotees find comforting during worry or illness.
- Shared devotion: The verse literally invites everyone to come and bow, so it works well as a group aarti that draws a family or gathering together.
Who Wrote This Aarti?
The abhang ‘Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur’ was composed by Das Ganu Maharaj, a close devotee of Sai Baba who came from the Warkari tradition of Maharashtra. He signs the poem in the final line, ‘Ganu mhane,’ meaning ‘Ganu says,’ which is the traditional way a Marathi abhang names its author. His familiarity with Pandharpur devotion is why the verse maps Vithoba’s imagery so naturally onto Shirdi.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sai Baba Madhyan Aarti?
The Madhyan Aarti is the noon worship sung at Shirdi, opening with the abhang 'Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur,' which calls Shirdi the devotee's Pandharpur and Sai Baba the living form of Vithoba.
Is the Madhyan Aarti different from the main Sai Baba Aarti?
Yes. The well-known Sai aarti 'Aarti Sai Baba, Saukhyadatar Jeeva' is a separate hymn. 'Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur' is the distinct Das Ganu abhang that opens the noon aarti sequence, with its own words and tune.
When is the Madhyan Aarti sung?
It is the afternoon or noon aarti, offered around midday. Shirdi observes four daily aartis, and the Madhyan is the one performed at 12 pm.
Who wrote 'Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur'?
It was written by Das Ganu Maharaj, a devotee-poet in the Warkari tradition, who names himself in the closing line with the words 'Ganu mhane.'
Why does the aarti call Shirdi 'Pandharpur'?
Pandharpur is the great pilgrimage town of Lord Vithoba. The abhang says Sai Baba is that same Lord, so for his devotees Shirdi becomes their Pandharpur and there is no need to journey elsewhere.
॥ जय साई नाथ ॥