Akhanda Parayan during the Mahasamadhi Utsav

The Akhanda Shri Sai Satcharitra Parayan (continuous reading of the sacred text) is a very significant event that takes place during the annual festival in Shirdi commemorating Sai Baba’s Mahasamadhi (death anniversary).

General information about the Akhanda Parayan during the Mahasamadhi Utsav (Festival):
* Date of the Mahasamadhi: Shirdi Sai Baba attained Mahasamadhi on the day of Vijayadashami (Dussehra) in 1918. The date changes each year according to the Hindu calendar, but it usually falls in September or October. The Utsav is typically a three or four-day event surrounding the main Mahasamadhi day.
* Akhanda Parayan Schedule:
   * The Akhanda Parayan usually starts on the first day of the Utsav.
   * The reading begins after the Kakad Aarti (early morning aarti) and a procession of Baba’s photo and the Pothi (holy book, Shri Sai Satcharitra) from the Samadhi Mandir to Dwarkamai.
   * The continuous, uninterrupted reading of the Shri Sai Satcharitra takes place in Dwarkamai (Baba’s Masjid) and continues all day and through the night, as Dwarkamai is kept open.
   * The Parayan is completed on the morning of the main Utsav day (Mahasamadhi day), after which the Pothi and Baba’s photo are taken back to the Samadhi Mandir in a procession.
* Participation: Devotees wishing to participate in the Akhanda Parayan, by reading one of the 53 chapters, often have to submit their names a day before the festival begins, and chapters are allotted through a lottery system.
To get the exact dates for the upcoming Akhanda Parayan, you would need to check the official calendar for the Mahasamadhi Utsav for the specific year, which is generally published on the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust (Shirdi) official website as the date gets closer.
For example, in 2025, Sai Baba’s Mahasamadhi Day is on October 2nd (Vijayadashami/Dussehra), and this festival took place on 1st October.