Post No. 11,926
Date uploaded in London – – 22 APRIL 2023
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Maharshtra, the western state of India, is full of Hindu shrines. Like Tamil Nadu, many places are associated with famous saints of that state. Great saints Nivrutti Dnyaneshwar, Sopana , Muktabhai Eknath ,Tukaram,Namdev, Gora Kumbhar, Samarth Ramdas, Chokhamela, Sant Janabai, Sant Sakhubai and many others have walked the length and breadth of the land singing the glory of Vittal of Pandharpur, sanctified hundreds of places. There are famous temples like Jyotirlinga shrines, Ashta Vinayaka temples and Mahalaskhmi Temples. Of late Shirdi of Sai Baba has also become a crowd puller. There are more than 108 towns with one or two temples in each place.
Let us have the darshan of at least 108 temples in alphabetical order. Most of the temples have become important due to three factors: 1.They are at the junction of holy rivers, 2.They are at the top of hills with natural beauty and 3. They are associated with great saints both ancient and modern.
1.Adivra (aadiware) Maha Kali Temple
A well known temple dedicated to Maha Kali is at Adiware
Mahakali Temple is situated at Adiware in Rajapur Taluka of Maharashtra. It is one of the most popular and revered temple in Adiware. The temple is a home for three goddesses viz. Goddess Maha lakshmi, Goddess Mahakali and Goddess Maha saraswati. A well is seen in the temple complex which has a different arrangement to draw the water out of it. A bark of a tree has tied on a horizontal bamboo bar which acts as a pulley. At the other end of this, another vertical bamboo with a vessel is seen which is long enough to reach the water level.
An image of Garuda faces the sanctum. Garuda mandap has square pillars and foliated arches of wood which is a typical characteristic of Maratha temples Another stone mandap, on a raised platform, has an idol of Lord Ganesh, which faces the sanctum. The main sanctum has three shrines facing west. The center houses an idol of Goddess Mahalakshmi which is flanked by the idols of Goddess Mahakali and Mahasaraswati. The black stone idol of Mahalakshmi is 3 ft tall The Shri Yantra is carved on one of the walls of the temple. The sanctum is designed in such a manner that once in a year, the setting rays of the sun falls on the face of Goddess Mahalakshmi for three days. Above the main sanctum is a shrine which houses Shiva ling and a Nandi. Recently many other shrines are added. Also located in the courtyard is the temple tank Manikarnika Kund.
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2.Agasi Bhavanishankara Temple
This town is at the mouth of Vaitarna and Surya rivers. A fair is held on Kartika Krishna Ekadasi at Bhavani Shankara temple here. Bathing at this spot is belived to cure skin diseases.
A Mandap is also there. Sixteen wooden pillars support the sabha mandap of this temple and only a few are decorated with carvings. Shankraji Keshav Phadke built this temple in Saka 1613 (1691 AD) and the successor of Baji Rao I renovated this temple at a later date. A relation of the Chief of Miraj, built a holy bathing reservoir in 1691, where he was cured by the water.
There is a famous Jain temple also nearby.
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3.Akhalkop Dattatreya Temple
A temple of Dattatreya, at this place is constructed with models of his foot prints. It is considered the birth place of the saint. There is also a mask which is carried in procession in a palanquin at festivals. Fairs are held on Margashirsha full moon and on Asvina Krishna Dwadasi and a very special one on Magha Krishna Panchami.
Bombay Gazetteer adds the following:
Akhalkop is a small town of 2910 people four miles north-east of Ashta and eleven miles west of Tasgaon. The town lies on the right bank of the Krishna at a point where the river takes a bend from west to south.
Akhalkop has two small temples of Dattatraya and Mhasoba both in high local repute and the scenes of large fairs. The Dattatraya temple (6′ 6″ x 4′ 9′ X 9′) is built on rising ground in a grove of trees chiefly neem and consists of a small cut-stone shrine facing east and containing the footprints of Dattatraya. The shrine was first’ built by the Deshpandyas of Akhalkop and rebuilt about 1860 by Krishnarav Trimbak Bapat then mamlatdar of Valva. A flight of steps (12’x6′) built from alms obtained by devotees leads up to the entrance gate.
On three occasions the mask of the god is carried in a palanquin with the honours of the umbrella, peacock fans, maces, and flywhisks as symbols of sovereignty.
The other temple is of Mhasoba a spirit believed to be an attendant on Ganpati, The temple is a domed stone shrine ten feet long by eight feet broad and including the dome about twelve feet high. According to the Krishna-mahatmya the temple is said to have originally belonged to Ganpati and this seems probable as separate temples of Mhasoba are very rare. Round the shrine are stones representing the attendants of Ganpati and inside a stone for Mhasoba.
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4.Alandi Dnyneswar (Jnaneswar) Temple
This is the site of tomb and temple of Dnyyanesvar, Marathi poet and saint. A large fair is held onKartika Krishna Ekadasi and pilgrimages are made on every Krishnapaksha Ekadasi in the year . A tree called Ajaana vrksha in the temple court is said to have sprung from his staff, and he meditated under this tree.
Bombay Gazetteer adds more information:
Alandi, on the Poona-Nasik road on the left bank of the Indrayani about twelve miles south of Khed, is a small municipal town.
Alandi is noted as containing the tomb and temple of the great Brahman saint Dnyaneshvar (1271-1300) where a large yearly fair attended by about 50,000 pilgrims is held in November-December.
The mandap here is large and arched and built of stone. It is painted on the inside with scenes and figures from Hindu mythology, and on the outside has the same scenes and figures sculptured in relief.
A part of Dnyanoba’s temple-tomb is said to have been built by the great Vani saint Tukaram who was a great admirer of Dnyanoba. Over Dnyanoba’s tomb is his image three feet high with a silver face and crown and dressed in red clothes. Behind the image are figures of Vithoba and Rakhmai.
Alandi has six other temples of Bahiroba, Malappa, Maruti, Pundlik, Ram, and Vishnu. Pundlik’s temple is in the river bed. Another object of worship is a masonry wall which is said to have served Dnyaneshvar as a horse.
To be continued…………………….
Tags- Maharashtra, Shrines, Alandi, Akhalkop, Agahasi, Adiware, Mahakali, Temple
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