Shirdi Temple readies to receive Amit Shah on Saturday

Mumbai, Dec 17 (IANS) The world famous Saibaba Temple at Shirdi in Ahmednagar is all set to receive Union Home Minister Amit Shah who arrives on a two-day visit to Maharashtra starting Saturday, officials said here on Friday.A trust official said Shah is likely to take 'darshan' of Saibaba Samadhi Temple prior to the pre-noon 'aarti' to ensure there is no disturbance to the regular devotees who throng here from all over the country daily.The trust is planning to felicitate the Union Home Minister -- who has been a frequent visitor to the temple in the past -- in Maharashtrian traditions with a shawl, coconut, Saibaba's 'vibhuti' (holy ash) and a miniature statue of the saint revered by all communities.Several other engagements are lined up for Shah in Mumbai, Pune and Ahmednagar during his trip.Besides the Shirdi Temple, Shah -- who is also the Union Cooperatives Minister -- will attend an event at the Padmashri Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe-Patil Cooperative Sugar Factory at Loni in Ahmednagar before attending the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) awards function in Mumbai.On Sunday, December 19, Shah will go to Pune where he will inaugurate the new building of the Central Forensics Science Lab at its sprawling 30-acre complex in Chakan and later have lunch with NDRF personnel.Subsequently, he will attend the VAMNICOM convocation ceremony and lay the foundation stone for a large statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj coming up at the Pune Municipal Corporation lawns, and unveil a bust of Dr. Babasaheb R. Ambedkar there.Shah is also scheduled to meet the Bharatiya Janata Party Pune leaders and workers and then visit the home of the renowned historian and theatre personality Balwant Moreshwar alias Dr. Babasaheb Purandare who passed away on November 15 aged 100.
--IANS qn/dpb

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