At Shingnapur in the Ahmednagar region of Maharashtra stands one of the most extraordinary shrines in India — the temple of Shani, the planet Saturn, worshipped here as a self-manifested black stone that stands in the open beneath the sky, without roof or walls. So powerful is the presence of Shani, the villagers hold, that he himself guards the whole village — and so, by ancient custom, the houses of Shingnapur have no doors and no locks, trusting the Lord to protect them from all theft.
Devotees throng to worship Shani, above all on Saturdays and at Shani Amavasya, seeking his grace to soften the trials of Saturn. Shani Shingnapur is among the most singular and famous shrines of Maharashtra.
At Shani Shingnapur, houses have traditionally been built without doors. The village holds that Shani himself keeps watch.
Source: Local tradition, Shingnapur village
