Shegaon Meetup Recap
I, @MohanG , was very excited about hosting the Shegaon Meetup. This was my first time experiencing a meetup myself. Participants traveled from different locations to join this special event.
Travel and Stay Arrangements
@Sagarkanherkar , my co-host, traveled from Kalyan, Mumbai.
@Shrut19 and her husband Nilesh traveled from Borivali, Mumbai, by train.
@Ptrivedi joined us from Bhavnagar, Gujarat, also traveling by train.
@ShubhamWaman arrived a day earlier from Pune by train and stayed overnight.
@Viranchi traveled by bus from Washim.
@Raj_Tayade came by bus from Aurangabad (now Sambhajinagar).
@Tiger007 traveled from Akola to Shegaon by car with Ganesh Wagh.
Shruti, Nilesh, and Shubham stayed overnight in the dormitory of Shegaon Gajanan Maharaj Sanstha at a reasonable price. In the morning, we all gathered at Anand Visava, near Anand Sagar, where we had breakfast and began our journey.
Exploring Anand Sagar
- We entered Anand Sagar through an underpass.
- Due to ongoing development, some areas were restricted, but we visited the Ganesh Temple.
- The surroundings of the Shaiv Temple were peaceful, with a large Nandi idol and a river.
Hi-Tech Automated Parking Visit: A guided tour of the modern parking system set up by Shegaon Sansthan impressed attendees.
Facilities: Clean drinking water, seating areas, and well-maintained toilets were available. Wheelchairs were provided free of charge for senior citizens and disabled visitors.
Accommodation Options : Anand Visava offered dormitories, simple rooms, deluxe rooms, luxury rooms, and bungalows. Large groups could book halls.
Shegaon Temple Visit
- Some of us traveled by car, while others enjoyed a Tanga ride to Shegaon Temple.
- The temple provided a free slipper stand and a security check at the entrance.
- We had two darshan options: Face Darshan (10 minutes) and Tomb Darshan (40 minutes).
- The Parayan Room offered a serene atmosphere with Vitthal Rukmai Darshan, Sant Shri Gajanan MaharajтАЩs bed, and a continuously burning Dhuni.
- Mahaprasad was available for devotees from morning until 5 PM. Though we did not partake, the arrangements were excellent.
- The temple ensured organized pedestrian and vehicle movement, preventing accidents.
Meetup Highlights & Gifts
Participants: Nine attended physically, while seven joined online.
T-shirts with the Ten TH logo, designed by Pranav Trivedi ( Not for all he gives only US.) were distributed.
Local guide badges, stickers, and cards were handed out.
Special Gift:
Nilesh Fale from Akola, a devoted follower of Gajanan Maharaj, generously gifted each participant a white marble idol of the saint.
Discussions on Google Maps Local Guides, accessibility, and local businesses took place.
Shaktipeeth Visit & Art Center
We visited Mahalakshmi Shaktipeeth, where we witnessed a beautiful Aarti.
Twelve Jyotirlinga replicas were housed in a cave.
We explored an art center, featuring work by disabled children, aimed at supporting their financial independence.
Final Day & Departure
The next morning, we gathered at the station for ShrutiтАЩs meetup, where we tasted the famous Shegaon Kachori.
Local Business Awareness: We spoke with small business owners about Google Maps and placed Local Business stickers on their shops.
Departures:
Sagar traveled to Murtijapur by bus.
Raj Tayde traveled back to Sambhajinagar by bus.
Shubham, Pranav, Shruti, and Nilesh left by train from Akola.
Conclusion
This meetup was an incredible experience. Everyone enjoyed the journey, spiritual visits, and engaging discussions. Despite minor challenges, the event was a great success. We hope to return when Anand Sagar is fully developed.
Special thanks tho virtual attendies : @AjitThite @ModNomad @TravellerG @RosyKohli @RaviSharma111 @Saksham_Tambe @Shubhu1 & Rupali Gupta
Special Thanks
Ajit Thite - Logo
Pranav Trivedi - Stickers
@NareshDarji :- Use 10 th aniversary logo in our meetup Link
