Yamai devi temple, Aundh

Name :  Yamai Devi , Aundh Maharashtra

Location :

The Yamai Devi Temple is situated in a hill complex in the town of Aundh, Satara district, Maharashtra, India. It is situated 44kms from Satara Bus station.

Legend :

The legend has it that the goddess Yamai got the name after Goddess Mahalaxmi of Kolhapur and Shri Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu addressed her as 'Ye Mai' in Marathi which literally translated into 'Come Mother' when said in English. Therefore, the goddess of Aundh became famous as Yamai Devi.

Description :

The Yamai Devi idol is made of black stone and is in a cross-legged seating position almost 2 meters high. It is the Devi Mahishasur Mardini Yamai goddess idol.

Interestingly, the Yamai Devi temple (aka. Sakhargadnivasini temple)  happens to be the family shrine (Kula daiwat (or) Kula deivam ) of several Marathi families, also known as Kula-Daiwat in the local language. There are several idols of Hindi gods and Goddesses at the top of the temple.  The town and the temple has been associated with the Pant family for many centuries. The present head of this former ruling family, Gayatreedevi Pantpratinidhi, has installed a 7 kilograms (15 lb) solid gold kalash or crown on the pinnacle of the Yamai temple on the hill.

You can reach the top of the hill either by using steps which start at the bottom of the hill or by car using a rather perilous road.

The temple complex also houses the Shri Bhavani Museum established from the private collection of the Maharajas of Aundh. The museum holds paintings by noted 19th and 20th century Indian artists such as M. V. Dhurandhar, Baburao Painter, Madhav Satwalekar and Raja Ravi Varma as well as the famous Mother and Child stone structure by the British artist Henry Moore.

No restaurant or hotel near temples so carry your own food

There is one more temple of Devi Yamai located in the town; apart from the one on the hill.

Festivals :

The annual Yatra to the Yamai Devi Temple attracts thousands of devotees. Yamai Devi Yatra is annually observed on Paush Purnima or full moon day in Paush month as per traditional Hindu lunar calendar followed in Maharashtra. This festival attracts large numbers of devotees.

Websites :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamai_Temple

http://trekbook.in/2014/07/yamai-devi-sakhargadnivasini-temple.html/ 

Kalsubai Temple

Name : Kalsubai temple

Location :

The peak of Kalasubai is situated in Nagar district. This is apex, highest peak of the mountain range of Sahyadri. It is a dream of every sincere mountaineer to climb it at least once. Its height is almost 5,500 feet.

The Legend :

It is said, that in the ancient times, a lady named “Kalsu” came to nearby Indorey village to work. However, somebody forced her to clean utensils and clean up the residence by force. So she left the place and eventually died at this spot. So comes the name, Kalasubai. A small temple dedicated to Goddess Kalsubai is built at the peak and is worshipped by locals. A traditional pooja is performed at the summit temple every Tuesday and Thursday by local priest.

Festivals :

On occasion of Navratri, its a festive atmosphere as many people come to worship at the summit and Fair is organised during the nine days of Navratri.

About the Sanctuary :

The sanctuary area spreads from Kalasubai to Harischandragad in Akole Tehsil of Ahmednagar district. The area is part of Sahyadri hill ranges. The Kalsubai sanctuary is challenge to trekkers as it is most rugged, hilly area and difficult to get accessibility. Kalasubai is the highest (1646 m) peak of Western Ghats in Maharashtra. It is also a paradise for nature nad Flora lovers.

Trekking Experience :
 

The Trek is uphill climb and could take 3-4hrs climb and 2-3hrs descend from Base village Bari. After a climb of around 20minutes we came across temple of Kalsubai, which was the base temple at machi. Here we got the first glance of Diety Kalsubai.

At times we had to stop on the way as there would be long queue at certain points where it was important to climb slowly and also along with us there were other groups as well. The vegetation type is southern moist mixed deciduous. The part of Sahyadri that is close to West Coast is semi evergreen forest and semi deciduous shrub savanna. The main tree species that are seen in this area are Hirda, Jambhul, Chandawa, Bahava, Kumbhal, Gulchavi, Kudal, Siras, Kharvel, Karap, Avali, Aashind, Lokhandi, Beheda and character worth noticing.
After a climb of around 1hr one can reach first plateau, view from here of mountains covered with fogs and waterfalls was mesmerising. Trekkers can have some rest with group indulging in photo session at this point.

There are total of four ladders on the route and then there are carved steps on the rocks with railings on the side, this really make the route quite safe and easy.

Just before the last ladder, there is small hut or a shop where one could get hot kanda bhajia, tea and there was small well which was probably the only source of water in entire journey. From there we reach the fourth and final plateau.

Kalsubai Well On Top of Peak ! ! !

Best Time To Visit

August To December

Websites:
http://traveladventuresbyme.blogspot.in/2013/07/kalsubai-peak-mt-everest-of-sahyadris.html

Kanakeshwar Temple

Name : Kanakeshwar Temple

Location :

Kanakeshwar Temple is situated on a hill near the village of Mapgoan which is 13 kilometers from Alibaug. Regular buses are available from Shivajinagar to Alibag and buses from Alibag to Kanakeshwar.

Legend :

In the mid of the hill one can see "Nagobacha Tappa" (a Place of Snakes) and the famous step called "Devachi Payari" named because, it is said, God himself stepped here after the construction of the temple and the steps.

Description :

The hill is almost 1200 feet high and one has to climb 700 - 750 steps to reach the temple. The temple of Kanakeshwar is very beautiful; it is a Hoysala style structure built in 1764. The ancient temple was built by Raja Ramdeorai yadav. The height of the Shiv temple is 54 ft. The front gate has Lion sculpture on both sides with traditional lamp-pillarV (deepmaal) in front. The 4 ft. long 'Pindi' of Lord Shiv is Silver plated.

Pushkarna Kund

A water tank, called a "Pushkarni", has water almost throughout the year which is now closed to the Pilgrims. There is also another water tank bear the temple known as Brahma Kund. It takes almost one hour to reach the Temple on the hill. The fatigue of the uphill climb vanishes the moment one enters the scenic temple premises. It comprises various small temples of Sri Paleshwar, Sri Hanuman, Sri Balram Krishna and Lord Shiv. There are few pilgrims who reside on the top of hill. There are also couple of small tea shops next to the temple.

The special attraction is an ancient sweet water tank enclosed in traditional structure of red stone.

The premises also include Nagaar-khana, Bheem Kunda, a garden for flowers to be offered to the Lord, Sri Ram Ganesh temple and Gomukha.

If you want to see the beauty of the Arabian sea and the fort of Khandvi as well as the entire hilly region, then Kanakeshwar is the place to visit and rest.

Festivals :
Every year, Kartik Poornima in Hindu calender is the day of fair.

Websites :

http://www.marathiecards.com/alibag_temple.htm

http://anushankarn.blogspot.in/2009/04/alibag-tour-part-3-temples-and-more.html

Road leading to Temple

Brahma Kund

Mandher Devi Temple in Mandhradevi

Name :  Mandher Devi Temple at Mandhardev hill

Location :

Mandher Devi Temple that is famed as “Kalubai temple” in Mandhradevi nearly at the place Wai, District of Satara, Maharashtra, India, situated on a hill about 4,650 feet above sea level and just some 20 km far from Satara.

Description :


The temple is popular among Hindus who undertake the annual Kalubai Jatra pilgrimage over a ten day period every January. The main event is a 24-hour-long festival on the day of the full moon that includes animal sacrifices to the demons of goddess whom she killed. The goddess is offered (Nivad) of Puran Poli - a sweet and also Curd-Rice. The religious event usually draws more than 300,000 devotees. The annual fair is in honour of Kaleshwari Devi, fondly called Kalubai by the faithful. Over 300 devotees died there in a stampede in 2005.

The idol of Kalubai sports two silver masks and silk finery. The masks are carried in a procession by members of the Gurav family, seen as the hereditary custodians of the shrine. Members of this family take turns to conduct rituals.

Devotees attribute miraculous properties to a grove around the shrine. Local lore has it that the temple is more than 400 years old and was built during Shivaji's Maratha rule. However, no definite date on the temple's construction is available.


The title of the land is in the name of Lord Mandeshwar and Kaleshwari Devi. After the festival most of the year there is little tourist traffic here. The nearest primary health centre is six kilometres away and a major hospital is at Satara town.

Website :


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandher_Devi_Temple_in_Mandhradevi

Jivdani Mata

 
Name :  Jivdani Mata

Location :

The Goddess rests in a temple situated about 1375 steps above the ground on a hill that forms a part of the Satpura Range in Virar, a northern Mumbai suburb, about 60 km away from Mumbai.
Legend :

The name Virar comes from Eka-viraa. Just as Tunga Parvat becomes “Tunga-ar”, similarly “Vira” becomes “Vira-ar”.There is a huge temple of Eka-vira Devi on the banks of Vaitarna River at the foot hills of Tunga Parvat, (this is now totally broken by the continuous raids of Mohamedeans and Portuguese in last 400 years), where people used to conclude their “Shurpaaraka Yatra”, as described in the Puranas and local legends. There is a huge tank here dedicated to Eka veera Devi called “Viraar Tirtha”, i.e. “Eka- Viraa Tirtha”. Even today, on the west banks of Viraar Tirtha, one finds a carved stone about three feet long and nine inches broad. Below that is a group of female figures of the Yoginis of Ekaveera Devi. Nearby one can find a stone with a roughly cut cow and calf (Savatsa Dhenu), a symbol of Govardhana Math which symbolizes eternity or Moksha.

Moving ahead near the foot of a knoll of rock are two cow’s feet (Go-Paad) roughly cut in rock. The legendary story of Jivdani Devi is as follows: During their forest journey, Pandavas came to Shurparaka. They visited the holy temple of Vimaleshwar consecrated by Lord Parashuram and on their journey to Prabhas halted on the banks of Vaitarni river. There they worshipped the Bhagavati Ekaveera on the banks of Viraar Tirtha and seeing the serenity and lofty nature decided to carve caves in the nearby mountains. They did so on the hills nearby and installed and worshipped the Yoga Linga of Ekaveera devi in one of the caves. They called her Bhagavati Jeevadhani (That is Goddess, who is the real wealth of life). Doing so Pandavas also made a set of small caves now known as “Pandav Dongri” about a mile from Shirgaon for the hermits. Many yogis used to stay in Pandav Dongri and have darshan of Jeevdhani Devi.

After the onset of Kali Yuga, and after the advent of the Buddhist faith, the number of Vaidik Yogis lessened and slowly people forget the hillock and the devi. During times of Jagadguru Shankaracharya’s advent, a Mahar or Mirashi used to stay in Viraar who used to graze the village cattle. He came to Nirmal Mandir for the darshan of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Padmanabha Swami and requested His Holiness to bless him so that he could have darshan of his beloved Kuladevata. Jagadguru was pleased with the devotion of Mahar and advised him to serve Go-Mata on the foothills of Jivadhani, and at appropriate time he would have darshan of his Goddess and attain Go-Loka. He literally for the rest of life followed the advice of Jagadguru Shankaracharya and herded the village cattle. While grazing the village cattle, he used to see a cow grazing along with, whose owner never paid him for herding her. By his virtue, he determined to find the owner of the cow. He followed the cow on the top of Jeevdhan Hill. A beautiful woman with divine features appeared. The Mahar remembered the words of Jagadguru Shankaracharya and understood that she is none other than his Kuladevi Jeevdhani, he was overjoyed and asked “Oh Mother ! I have grazed your cow, will you not pay me for her herding ?”. The Devi just smiled in delight and was on the point of putting some money in the Mahar’s hand, when he said “Do not touch me, I am Mahar. Give me something which cannot be spoilt by touch, words, smell, figure, and ether.” Knowing this Devi asked “Lo my child, whence from you learned this unique knowledge of Varnashram Dharma and Moksha Dharma?”. To this Mahar replied, “From none other than by the Grace of Jagadguru Shankaracharya”. Bhagavati was pleased by this and said “By your virtue (Punya), see this cow which is none other than Kaamadhenu has taken your forefathers to higher abodes by her tail, crossing the Vaitarini”. Thus saying the Mahar saw the cow lept from the hill top putting her two feet prints on hill foor and other two across Vaitarini River in heavens. Now Devi told, “I confer upon you the thing which you demanded that is Moksha.”

Saying so the Mahar attained Moksha (The real Jeeva Dhana, the real wealth of Life)and the Devi was about to disappear in the cave, when a barren woman saw all this divine incident screamed “Devi Devi, Amba Amba, will you leave this barren daughter of yours without our jeevan dhan a child in my laps?”. Devi was pleased by her prayers and said “ Great indeed are you who saw all three of us. I henceforth bless you with a child.” The lady was not satisfied by this, she said “Oh Mother of the three worlds, do not just bless me, but let all barren daughters of you who pray you be conferred with the child”. Devi was pleased at this and said “See henceforth, due to the advent of Kali Yuga, in order to maintain purity of rituals, I will stay into a hole in the niche of the cave. The barren women who offer me the beetlenuts in this hole, as is offered in my original place in Mahurgad, will be rewarded with a progeny”. Thus saying the Devi disappeared.

Description :

The lady spread out the incident and thus once again the Jeevdhan hill started to be visited by the pilgrims. The presently installed image is a very recent one, the original sanctum sanctorum is the hole in the niche of the cave, which is the central place of worship.

The goddess is worshipped for providing relief to the suffering and new life to the dying hence the name of the goddess - Jivdani. Many people of Vasai especially - Mangayle, Koli and Bhandhari treat Jivdani as their family goddess.

The devotees return the "Navas" or blessing / favor by sacrificing goats and chickens. They also offer gold ornaments.Devotees believe that to return to have "Navas" granted they must climb the mountain and worship the goddess but not return the same way as they climbed the mountain. So all are blessed by maa as they return from mountain.
Offerings of beetle-nuts are dropped into a hole in the niche in which the deity is believed to reside. The goddess Jivdani Mata is an avatar of Adi Shakti Devi. Jivdani Mata’s temple is situated on a hill that has around 1375 steps.The 150-year-old Jivdani Temple at Virar, which attracts thousands of devotees on Sundays and during festivals, is getting a facelift. It is recognised as one of the 51 Shakthipeethas like Kanyakumari, Kamakshi and Kalimata temples.
 
Festivals :

During the nine days of the Navratri festival many followers visit the shrine, and devotees also tend to visit on Tuesdays and Sundays.

Websites :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jivdani_Mata

http://www.jivdani.org/

http://jivdanimaa.blogspot.com/

Renuka Mata Temple, Mahur

Name :  Renuka Mata Temple Mahur

Location :

Mahur is the abode of the goddess Renuka, mother of Parshuram, an incarnation of Vishnu. The place is in Kinwat about 130 km away from Nanded in Maharashtra.

Legend :

The legends of Renuka are contained in the Mahabharata, the Harivamsa and in the Bhagavata Purana.

Early life

Renuka raja (father of Renuka) performed an yajna — a ritual performed to maintain peace and good health. He was blessed with a daughter, who originated from the fire of this yajna. Renuka was a bright and active child and became the most beloved child of her parents.
When she was eight, Agastya, who was the guru of the Renuka Raja, advised him to have his daughter married to Jamadagni when she reached maturity. Jamadagni was the son of Ruchik Muni and Satyavathi and had obtained the blessings of the gods by performing severe penance. Renuka and Jamdagni Muni lived in the Ramshrung mountains, near the present day Savadatti area of Belgaum district. Renuka helped the Jamdagni Muni in all of his tasks of performing various rituals and puja. Gradually she became close and dear to Jamdagni.

Later life

Renuka would wake up early in the morning to bathe in the Malaprabha River with complete concentration and devotion. Her devotion was so powerful that she was able to create a pot to hold water made only of sand, one fresh pot every day. She would fill this pot, on the bank of the river and would use a snake which was nearby, turning it into a rope-like convolution and placing it on her head, so that it supported the pot. Thus, she brought the water to Jamdagni for his rituals of oblation. ("Renuka" is derived from the Sanskrit for "fine grain of sand".)
Renuka gave birth to five sons: Vasu, Viswa Vasu, Brihudyanu, Brutwakanwa and Rambhadra. Rambhadra was the youngest and most beloved, gaining the favour of Lord Shiva and Parvati and hence called Parashurama (the sixth incarnation of Vishnu).

One day when Renuka went to the river, she saw Gandharva spirits playing. These were young couples carelessly frolicking in the water with abandon. For a moment, she lost her concentration and devotion and fantasized about playing in the river with her husband. She wished she and her husband had such fun sometimes too, living so close to such a beautiful place. After some time, Renuka came to her senses and cursed herself for her indiscretion. She hurriedly bathed, as she had lost precious time, and tried to create the pot, but was unable to as she had lost her concentration. She even tried to catch the snake but it disappeared. Disappointed by this, she returned to the ashram in shame. Seeing Renuka returning empty-handed, Jamadagni became furious and angrily ordered her to go away.

After being cursed by her husband, Renuka went east and sat in the forest to meditate. In her penance, she met with the saints Eknath and Joginath; she prayed to them and asked to gain the mercy of her husband. They first consoled her, then instructed her to follow their advice exactly as told. They told her to purify herself, first bathing in a nearby lake, and then to worship a Shivalinga, which they had given to her. Next, she should go to the nearby town and beg for rice from the houses (this ritual, called "Joga Bedodu", is still carried out by women during a particular month in Karnataka). After collecting the rice, she was to give half to the saints and cook the remaining half, adding jaggery, partaking of the cooked rice with full devotion. They said that if she performed this ritual for three days, she would be able to visit her husband on the fourth day.

Punishment and resurrection

Jamadagni was still furiously angry with Renuka and ordered his sons to punish their mother. One by one, four of them refused flatly. Jamadagni, who possessed the power to burn anyone to ashes with his one look, was so angry that he went berserk and turned four of his sons into four piles of ashes. Parashurama, who was not there when this happened, found his mother weeping by the piles of ashes when he arrived and his father was still raging mad. Jamadagni told him what happened and ordered him to behead his mother for her infidelity. Parushurama had to think quickly. Knowing his father's powers and the extent of his anger, Parashurama immediately obeyed his father, using his axe.
His father then offered a boon to Parushurama, who asked for his mother and brothers to be brought back to life. To everybody's astonishment, Renuka's spirit multiplied and moved to different regions. Renuka was back as a whole too. This miracle inspired her sons and others to become her followers, and worship her.

Renuka vs. Yellamma

In many traditions, Renuka and Yellamma are taken to be two names for the same goddess. However there is also an oral tradition that distinguishes between the two. According to these tales, Renuka fled to a low-caste community when her son Parushurama was coming to kill her. He found and beheaded her, along with a low-caste woman who had tried to protect her. When he later brought them back to life, he mistakenly attached the woman's head to Renuka's body, and vice versa. Jamadagni accepted the former as his wife Renuka, while the latter remained to be worshipped by the lower castes as Yellamma, the mother of all. Matangi, Renuka, and Yellamma are all names of the Goddess of the lower castes.

Legend 2 :

About the goddess Renuka the following anecdote is told.

Renuka was the daughter of the king Renu of Kubaj country and the wife of the sage Jamadagni. When the king Sahastrarjuna paid a visit to Jamadagni in his abode, he was taken by surprise by the hospitality of the sage. When asked about the same, the sage told him that it is all because of the Kamadhenu, i.e., cow that fulfils the desires of the owner given to him by Indra, the king of the Gods.

Thinking that if the Kamadhenu was in his possession he would be able to maintain his vast army easily, the king Sahastrarjuna tried to seize the Kamadhenu from the sage by farce when his request to hand over the Kamadhenu to him was turned down by the sage. In the scuffle that ensued the sage died and his wife Renuka was injured due to 21 wounds she had received at the hands of the king. At this juncture many soldiers appeared on the scene from the body of the Kamadhenu by divine magic and farced the king to retreat.

On coming to know of the above incident Parasuram, the son of Jamadagni who rushed there vowed to defeat and punish the king 21 times. His mother asked him to cremate his father. He carried his father and mother to Mahur and cremated his father there. His mother became a sati.

The religious rites were conducted on this occasion by the God Sri Dattatreya himself. However, after everything was over Parasuram was stricken by grief and at this time a voice from the heavens told him that his mother would came out from the earth but he should not look behind. Being eager to see his mother, Parasuram just saw behind far a fraction of a second to find the mother's face aver the earth. The upper facet is the present upper facet of the Renukadevi.

Renukadevi is adorned with various gold ornaments such as the golden flowers to be used as earrings, gold garlands (putal mal candrahar, jaymal, etc.), nose-ring (nath), etc.

Temple :

Mahur is amongst the four places of pilgrimage having the abodes of the three and a half goddesses that are of major significance in the state of Maharashtra. The other three are Kolhapur, Tuljapur, and Saptashrungi and Mahur is half, because it is only the head of the goddess that is visible (maybe because the body is of Yellamma).

The three important temples of Renuka mata, Dattatreya and Anasuya temple are built on three mountain ranges. Mahur is surrounded by Jungles which bear wild animals like peacocks , deers, black bears and panthers. In these forests Teak wood trees are more. 

Dattatreya Temple :

The importance of Datta temple here is that unlike other Datta kshetras where we find Padukas of Datta,the idol of Lord is been worshipped. Devotees believe that the Lord Dattatreya was born here.


Datta bhagavan is known as Chiranjeevi or the immortal avatar. So it is believed that he dwells in SOOKSHMA ROOPA or the minutest form in all his kshetras. So it is believed that Mahur is also a place where DattaGuru comes to sleep. As per the belief the saying goes that Datta Prabhu takes his NITYA SNAN (daily bath) In Meruwada Talao in Mahur, BHIKSHA(Meal served to a sadhu) at Kolhapur,BHOJAN(food) at Panchleswar and gets back to sleep in Mahur. Devadeveswar Temple is the nidra sthan of Lord Dattatreya.

Anasuya Mata Mandir :

Anasuya mata is wife of Atri Mahamuni. She is once tested by Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar to prove her loyalty towards her Husband. As per Indian mythology The trinity went to Atri’s home in his absence and asked Anasuya mata to give them Bhiksha(food). When she was ready to serve them, they insisted that she has to Serve them with a nude body. Then with her devotion and Bhakti she turned all the three into babies and fed them. Finally impressed by her devotion she was given a Boon of her choice and then she wanted all three to be her sons. That is how Lord Dattatreya took birth on Earth at Mahur and from then he had been existing on earth To bless his devotees. Anasuya mata mandir is famous at Mahur. We can get shared autos from Renukadevi temple to this place.

Renuka Mata Temple :
 
It is believed that the temple has been constructed by a Yadava king of Devgiri about eight or nine hundred years ago. The temple of Renukadevi is located on a hill top. There are carved caves in the hills around Mahur.


The main deity Head alone idol is Swayabhu. Doli facility is available for the convenience of the devotees who cannot reach the temples on the hill top.

The temple is coloured in RED colour and here BEETLE LEAVES are offered as Prasad. Here pan patta and supari are grinded as paste and offered as prasad. People believe that Mata blesses all those females who offer her beetle leaves.

Mahur is pilgrim Centre of great significance. It is considered to be one of the Shaktipith of Maharashtra. On the day of Dasara every year a very big fair is held in honour of Renukadevi.

Thousands of people come to get blessings of Renuka mata on Navaratri Festival.

Other places to visit :

1.Chinthamani Ganapathi Temple: 20 km from Yavatmal at Kalam ,Chinta mani Ganesh temple is there. It is one of the eight Ganesh temples in Vidarbha and it is the only temple where deity faces south. The temple is 20 feet below the ground level and it is said that every 12 years the temple is submersed in water comes out of the well.Chinthamnai Ganapathi ‘s anugraha is also mentioned in Shree Gurucharitra at Ganagapur temple by Sri Nrusimha saraswathy swamy to his disciples.

2. Unkeshwar: Pracheena Shiva temple. People who visit Mahur Also Visit “Unkeshwar” (50 km from Mahur; 15 km from Kinwat), which has natural sources of hot water. This sulphur rich water is supposed to have medicinal value.

Website :

http://renukamatatemple.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renuka

Saptashrungi Devi temple

Name : The Saptashrungi Devi temple

Location :

The Saptashrungi Devi temple is located at Vani which is 60kms from Nashik in Maharashtra.

Legend :

Saptashrungi Devi is believed to be Mahishasur Mardini, the slayer of the demon Mahishasur, who took the form of a buffalo. Hence, at the foot of the hill, from where one starts climbing the steps, there is the head of a buffalo, made is stone, and believed to be that of the demon.



It is believed that the Devi Mahatmya, a sacred book which extols the greatness of Devi and her exploits was composed at this place by the sage Markandeya, who performed rigorous penance on a hill opposite the one on which the Devi resides, which is now named after him.

Description :

The temple, which sort of sticks to the cliff, is 1230 meters above sea level. There is an old path with steps cut out of the mountain, which starts right at the foothills, at Vani and goes all the way to the mountain.



This temple is one among the 51 Shakti peethas located on the Indian subcontinent. The Devi is said be swayambhu (self-manifested) on a rock on the sheer face of a mountain. She is surrounded by seven (sapta-in Sanskrit) peaks (shrunga-in Sanskrit), hence the name- Sapta Shrungi Mata (mother of the seven peaks). The image of the Devi is huge-about 10 feet tall with 18 hands, holding various weapons. The idol is always coated with Sindoor, which is considered auspicious in this region.



Now, a motorable road has been built, which goes up to an altitude of 1150 meters. From that place one has to climb only 500 steps to reach the shrine, which only takes about forty five minutes.

Website :

http://anushankarn.blogspot.com/2007/11/saptashrungi-devi-temple-vani.html

http://goddessblogg.blogspot.com/2010/10/goddess-saptashrungi-mata.html

Hiranyakeshi Temple

Name : Hiranyakeshi Uppam (temple) is a place from where the Hiranyakeshi River springs originated from the mouth of caves.

Location :

Hiranyakeshi Temple is located at Amboli in Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra. It lies at the origin of Hiranyakeshi River.

Description :



The river Hiranyakeshi originates from a cave adjacent to the temple of Goddess Parvati at the foot of a mountain. Water rushes out with tremendous force to fall into a squarish tank or ‘Kund’, from where it flows out. Hiranyakeshi temple houses a Shivling, Ganapati idol and of course the Hiranyakeshi Devi idol. Hiranyakeshi is name of Mata Parvati, the one with Golden hair, Hiryana being Gold and Kesh means hair. The temple is said to house a natuarally created shivlingam (Swayambhu)made of red stone. However this lingam cannot be seen as it is covered by another Shivlingam which is used for daily offerings and prayers. There is also a statue of Mata Parvati with golden colour hair.

This River came from DEER like Statchue. In Sanscrit DEER called as HIRAN. So name Hiranyakeshi.



The nearby Maruti Mandir was built by a holy baba from Goa. The Hiranyakeshi is a Purvamukhi River means east facing,the river Hiranyakeshi flows eastwards. Fishing can be enjoyed at the river. Its flow around 80Km and then joins the Ghataprabha River.

Cave Temple :

Next to this temple, there is an entrance to a cave which is not safe to enter in the monsoons when it becomes a safe harbour for a lot of creepy crawlies.



Local people say that an expeditiation was held in 1981 a seven member team from Pune which revealed that there are seven water Kunda (pond)behind the temple and after that there is also a cave which can accomodate 200 people. The place is a delight for natural beauty lovers. The area is covered by dense forests and you can even spot some rare breed of birds in this area.



Website :

http://www.oktatabyebye.com/travel-blog/1582-travel-blog-rambling-around-4579.html

http://chiksunny.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/01/spectacular-sindhudurg.htm

Bhimashankar Temple

Name : Bhimashankar Temple

Location :

Bhimashankar Temple is located in the village of Bhorgiri 50 km north west of Khed, near Pune, in India. It is located 110 km away from Pune in the Ghat region of the Sahyadri hills.
Regular pilgrims near Mumbai visit Bhimashankar from Karjat via Khandas.

Legend :

Eons ago in the dense forests of Dakini, on the lofty ranges of the Sahaydris lived an evil Asura by the name Bhima with his mother Karkati. Compassion and kindness shivered in the presence of Bhima. The divine and the mortals were scared of him alike. But he was confronted by certain questions about his own existence which continuously tormented him.

When Bhima could no longer sustain his agony and curiosity, he asked his mother to unveil the mysteries of his life. He urged his mother to tell him who his father was and why he had abandoned them in the wilderness of the forest. After much hesitation and with a lingering fear, Karkati his mother, revealed to him that he was the son of the mighty Kumbhakarna, the younger brother of the Lankadheeswara - the mighty all powerful King Ravana of Lanka.

Lord Vishnu in his incarnation as Lord Rama annihilated Kumbhakarna. Karkati told Bhima, that his father was killed by Ram in the great war. This infuriated Bhima and he vowed to avenge Lord Vishnu. To achieve this he embarked on a severe penance to please Lord Brahma.

The compassionate creator was pleased by the dedicated devotee and granted him immense prowess. This was a terrible mistake. The evil tyrant caused havoc in the three worlds. He defeated King Indra and conquered the heavens. He also defeated a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva – Kamarupeshwar, and put him in the dungeons.

He started torturing Rishis and Sadhus. All this angered the Gods. They all along with Lord Brahma beseeched Lord Shiva to come to their rescue. Lord Shiva consoled the Gods and agreed to rescue them from the tyrant. On the other hand Bhima insisted and ordered Kamarupeshwar to worship him instead of Lord Shiva.

When Kamarupeshwar denied, the tyrant Bhima raised his sword to strike the Shiva Linga, to which Kamarupeshwar was doing abhishekam and pooja. As soon as Bhima managed to raise his sword, Lord Shiva appeared before him in all his magnificence.

Then the terrible war began. The holy sage Narada appeared and requested Lord Shiva to put an end to this war. It was then that Lord Shiva reduced the evil demon to ashes and thus concluded the saga of tyranny. All the Gods and the holy sages present there requested Lord Shiva to make this place his abode. Lord Shiva thus manifested himself in the form of the Bhimashankar Jyotirlingam.

It is believed that the sweat that poured forth from Lord Shiva's body after the battle formed the Bhimarathi River.

Description :

There are 2 ways to go, basically the Ganesh route and Shidi(ladder) route once you reach the base village of Khandas near karjat. Shidi route is much shorter but risky and should be avoided in rainy seasons if you are not well experienced.

It is believed that the ancient shrine was erected over a Swayambhu Lingam (that is the self emanated Shiva Lingam). It can be seen in the temple that the Lingam is exactly at the centre of the floor of the Garbagriham (the Sanctum Sanctorum).



This temple also has shrines to Bhairavanath and Devi, and a temple tank by name Shivaganga.

Bhimashankar is also the source of the Bhima river, which flows south east and merges with the Krishna river near Raichur. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines in India. Bhimashankar Temple is a buzzing temple with beautiful architecture. The Bhimashankar trek to the top goes through beautiful jungles, cliffs, plains and some thrilling patches.

Within the temple precincts there is also a small shrine dedicated to Lord Shani Mahatma (also called Shaneeswara).



There are Buddha style carvings of Amba-Ambika, Bhootling and Bhimashankar in the hills of Manmaad near Bhimashankar. This is at a height of 1034 mtrs. A big size bell in Hemadpanthi structure built by Nana Phadanavis is also a feature of Bhimashankar. Various places that could be visited in Bhimashankar are Hanuman Lake, Gupt Bhimashankar, Origin of River Bhima, Naag Phani (view point), Bombay Point, Sakshi Vinayak and a lot more.



Three worship services are offered every day. Mahashivratri is a season of greate festivity here.

Flora and Fauna :

Bhimashankar is a conserve red forest area and wildlife sanctuary where a variety of birds, animals, flowers, plants can be seen. A rare animal "Shekru" can be found in deep woods. Bhimashankar is worth visiting for jungle lovers and trekkers as well as for pilgrims. There is a beautiful spot called Naagphani (Snakes hood) from where one can see vast landscapes. Also an observant trekker can see the rare and huge shekru (mountain squirrel).

Theerthams :

The Mokshakund thirtha is located behind the Bhimashankara temple, and it is associated with the rishi Kaushika. There are also the Sarvathirtha, the Kusharanya thirtha where the Bhima river begins to flow eastward, and the Jyanakund.

Kaushika Maha Muni is said to have did 'Tapas' (penance) here. The place where he bathed is called Mokshakund thirtham which is located behind the Bhimashankara temple.

Accommodation :

Pilgrims usually stay here for three days. The local upadhyayas or priests make arrangements for the lodging and boarding of pilgrims at a small cost. Visitors are accommodated in either temporary hutments or in dharamshalas near the village. A new dharamshala is under construction. There are ST buses to return back.

Website :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhimashankar_Temple

Marthanda Bhairava Temple - Jejuri

Name : Marthanda Bhairava Temple. It is also known as Khandoba, Mhalsakant or Malhari Martand.

Location :

Jejuri in Purandhar district, located to the southeast of the Pune city in Maharashtra. The town is known for being the venue for one of the most revered temples in Maharashtra.

Description :

Regarded as the ‘God of Jejuri’, Khandoba is held in great reverence by the Dhangars, one of the oldest tribes in India. The temple is an ornate structure with little resemblance to other temples of the region. It is on the summit of an unpretentious hillock with a wall running around it like the ramparts of a fort.

A series of over 200 steps of dressed stone lead up to the temple. Flanking the steps on both sides are tall, tapering stone pillars with provisions for lamps.



In the innermost shrine of the temple, Khandoba appears as a linga, but what is strange is that his counterpart, Mhalsa Devi too appears as a linga. The two lingas are covered with silver masks, and dressed colourfully in all finery to symbolise divinity.

Khandoba, above anything else, is acknowledged to be the God who answers prayers, who fulfils every wish. The worshipper, in turn, is counted upon to take a vow before the deity that if the wish were granted, his or her gratitude would be demonstrated through an offering, penance or sacrifice.

The offering may be in various forms, simple gestures like sponsoring a special puja for the God, circumambulating the temple a number of times in obeisance or donating money to erect another deepmala.

Festivals :

A sword competition is held every year at the temple on the occasion of Dusshera. The one who lifts the sword of the temple high up, for the maximum time, is declared the winner.

Website :

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/110573/mythical-tales-jejuri.html

Walkeshwar Temple

Name : Walkeshwar Temple also known as the Baan Ganga Temple

Location :

It is situated on on Malabar Hill next to the Banganga Tank, in South Mumbai precinct of the city of Mumbai, India. It is situated at the highest point of the city, and close to the temple, lies the Banganga Tank.

Legend :

Legend has it that Hindu god, Ram paused at that spot on his way from Ayodhya to Lanka in pursuit of the demon king, Ravana who had kidnapped his wife, Sita. Then Lord Rama was advised to worship Shiv lingham and he is said to have constructed the original lingam of sand, after getting tired of waiting for his brother, Lakshman to bring an idol. The name is etymologically derived from the Sanskrit word for an idol made of sand - Valuka Iswar, an avatar of Shiva.

As the story progresses, later when Ram was thirsty, as there was no fresh water readily available (except sea water), he shot an arrow and brought Ganga over here. Hence Bana (arrow in Sanskrit) Ganga. The water that feeds the tank stems from an underground spring at that spot, despite the proximity to the sea.

History :

The temple and the attached fresh water Banganga Tank were built in 1127 AD by Lakshman Prabhu, a Gaud Saraswat Brahmin minister in the court of Silhara dynasty Kings who ruled Thane, and the islands of Mumbai during 810 to 1240 AD. The temple was destroyed by the Portuguese during their reign over Mumbai (Portuguese Bom Bahia) in the 16th century.

It was rebuilt due to the generosity of Mumbai businessman and philanthropist, Rama Kamath, another Gaud Saraswat Brahmin (known in British records as 'Kamati') in 1715. The main temple has been substantially reconstructed and many smaller temples have come up around the Banganga Tank. By 1860, the temple started attracting greater crowds and 10 to 20 other temples had come up around it and 50 dharamshalas.

Festivals :

The temple is generally busy every month only during the full moon, and at Amavasya (new moon). In the past it was a favorite of the Malabar pirates who used to frequent the islands during the 16th and 17th centuries.

It is currently the site of an annual Hindustani classical music festival, which in 2005 featured musicians like classical singers Rajan and Sajan Mishra, and Santoor maestro Shivkumar Sharma.

Website :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walkeshwar_Temple

Chaturshringi Temple

Name : The Chaturshringi Temple

Location :

This Hindu temple is located in the city of Pune, Maharashtra, India. The temple is located on the slope of a hill on Senapati Bapat Road.

Legend :

The legend associated with the temple is that, once there was a rich and prosperous merchant who was an ardent believer of Goddess Chaturshringi and visited all Her temples everywhere. It is said that the idol of Goddess Chatshrungee, now enshrined in the temple, was discovered by a trader. The goddess appeared in his dream and instructed him to unearth the idol.

Description :

It is said to have been built during the reign of the Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosle. The temple is looked after by Chaturshringi Devasthan (Temple) trustees, with full dedication.

Chaturshringi (Chatur means four) is a mountain with four peaks. The Chaturshringi temple is 90 feet high and 125 feet wide and is a symbol of power and faith. One has to climb more than 100 steps to reach the shrine of Goddess Chaturshringi. In the temple premises there are also temples of Goddess Durga and Lord Ganesh. This includes eight miniature idols of Ashtavinayaka. These small temples are located on the four separate hillocks.



The presiding deity of the temple is Goddess Chaturshringi, also known as Goddess Ambareshwari. She is also considered as the presiding deity of the city of Pune. The temple is maintained by the Chaturshringi Devasthan Trust.

Festivals :

One of the major attractions of the Chaturshringi temple of Pune is the Navratri Festival, organized every year in the month of October-November. Devotees visit the temple in large numbers to attend this festival.

Website :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaturshringi_Temple

Lord Mahadev Shingnapur temple

Name : Lord Mahadev Shingnapur temple

Location :

Atop the hill there is The temple of Lord Mahadev is located atop a Hill in Shingnapur. Shingnapur is located on the niche of the Shikhar Shingnapur hills, 40 miles away from Satara and is a famous pilgrimage center in Maharashtra.

Legend :

The devotee called Somaya requested Lord to come his village, Harani, Taluka Purandar, District Pune which nearly 30 kilometers from Karanje. Lord Mahadev Mahadev (Shiva) accepted the request. The Lord told the devotee to build his temple at such a place that he can see his temple of Shikhar Shinganapur located in Satara district nearly 90 kilometers from Harani.

But there was already ancient open temple of Mahadev in village Harani which is now called as Old Mahadev where already goddess Haranai was staying.

She annoyed and tried to leave the hill but Lord Mahadev tried to stop her but she disappeared in the earth immediately. There are footprints of godess Haranai on the rock of the hill. Her small temple is also established on the top of the hill. The hill is called hill of Mahadev (Mahadevacha Dongar)

Description :

There are about 10 decendent families of the devotee, they are called as Bhagat. Every year one family Bhagat has right to do service of god. The bhagat or his any family member washes the Pind and ling of Lord Mahadev every day. There are two lingas in the pind, one of god Mahadev and other of goddess Parvati. There are also small other temples on the hill. There are two temples of Lord Bali at the foot of the hill.

Festivals :

The annual fair called Yatra in local language is held every year from Chaitra Shuddha Ekadashi to Chaitra Shuddha Pornimaa. The period is somehow closer to month of April. There are five prestigious Kawadees ( manachya kawadee) and other about 20 small kawadees of every big family called kul or wada. Ordinarily one person of every family is server of kawad called kawadya.

On Ekadasi ,the first day fair, there is bath of kawad. The kawad is lifted by 6 kawadyas, 3 to front side and 3 to back side. Music of Halagi and daff is played by a person who is primarily held from Matang community, there may be other halagiwala daffwala. The kawad climbs the hill by fastening the strong rope to the kawad, other peoples help to pull the rope. Five rounds (pradakshinas) are done by the kawad,then water from the vertical bronze pot (gadava having capacity about 30 to 50 liters)is spred on the pind of Mahadev from outside of the temple or some devotee prefer to go inside the temple. The kawad halts there for a night and in the morning, all the 5 and other samll kawadees come down in the village. There dance in the front of temple Lord Vitthal Ruhkmini for about half to one hour,then the kawad is kept for during day in the house of the owner of the kawad.

On the second day of Dwadashi, same programme is performed but there meal to kawadyas given by the owners of the kawad. On the third day also same program is performed but on that day, there is tamashaa for entertainment of the villagers. On fourth day , the all kawadees go the river Nira to bath and bring the water to bath the god Mahadev.On the route of river, there Laptalwadi where peoples of Laptalwadi offer the tea or sarbat to all the devotes. All kawadyas do bath in the river, bath is also done by the kawad except her shid which is covered by clothes called patakaas. There is aarti of Lord Ganesh after bath. Then kawad is lifted to go to Mahadev. There is music of halagi and daff. During the return journey, the meal of Zunka and Bhakri (roti) of jowar or bajra is given to all the devotee from the respective kawad owners. The kawadees come in the village about 3 to 4 pm.in Harani.

The water is thrown to the godess Kalubai, god Bhairavnath, godess Tukai ,Kanhabai, god Hanuman during the Pradakshina. Then all small and big prestigiuos kawadees perform the dance below the large tree of banyan for about two to three hours. During dance, there is also race to pull or to push the kawad between front three kawadees and rear three kawadees for fun. After tiring, the race is stopped. Again the same or other kawadyas lift the kawad and starts dancing in a manner to and fro for about 3- 4 feets. Almost all ladies, gents, children and guests come to see the dance.

During going to Mahadev, there is system to touch the body by kawadya other person along with kawad. Some persons may prefer sleep on the earth, then body touched by leg of all six kawadyaa in faith to avoid accidents and long life. In the evening, all kawadees go the Mahadev to offer water of river Nira. Kawadees halt there on the hill. Then after midnight of the fourth day i.e. early in the morning of fifth day about 2-3 am , all the kawadees come down in the village. There is ceremony called varat with Dhol Lezim sound and dance.

On this fifth day, there is programme of tamashaa till afternoon. After tamashaa, at the evening, there is programme of wrestling. The wrestlers from nearby villages come to play. This ends upto 7 pm. There is prize to winners. Sometimes there is draw of competition, then prize is distributed equally. In such a way fair is finished.

After fair 5 days , there is programme of fulfillment of navas starts. Navas is a method to offer god certain thing after fulfillment of the demand from god. In village Harani, the devotee may offer the god that, if his particular demand is fulfilled he will give meal of Puran Poli to all the villagers. The navas may be of one kawad or two or five kawadees. Water of river Nira or from Mahabaleshwar or river Krishna Dhom is offered. After fulfillment of demand from Lord Mahadev, the particular person who prayed for his demand does all the expenditure of kawad alongwith devotees to go river, meal,etc. The kawad / kawadees climb/s throgh Mungi Ghat which is very diffcult to climb with help of rope during evening. The Tirth offered to god. There are usual pradakshinas. Kawad Stops there for sometime, then come down where the programme of meal is kept. The navas is fulfilled except Monday and Amavashya.

The above details taken from article Written by Mr. Prakash Jagdevrao Yadav - Harani.

Website :

http://wikimapia.org/4330905/History-Lord-Mahadev-of-Harani-Tal-Harani-Dist-Pune

Ramdham - Ramtek

Name : Ramdham

Location :

The temple is located on the Ramgiri Hill situated in Ramtek, which is 42 km northeast of Nagpur city, Maharashtra. One can travel by car up to the entrance of the temple on the hill.

Legend :

The legend says that Lord Rama stopped at Ramtek, along with His wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, while on his exile. Another fact that adds to the attraction of the town, from tourism point of view, is its association with the Great poet Kalidasa. He wrote his excellent poem, Meghdoot in the hills of Ramtek only. Infact, it is often said that it was the beauty of Ramtek Hills that inspired him to write the poem.

Description :

Ramdham is a historical temple of Lord Rama, which is said to be more than 600 years old. The temple dedicated to Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman on the top of the hill. The major attractions of Ramtek comprise of the 27 Brahmanical style temple that have been constructed atop the hill. Amongst them is the Lakshmana Temple, which dates back to as far back as 1400 AD.

The temple is known for its unique OM structure which is 350 feet long and 10.5 feet high and 11 feet wide which is situated at foot of the hill.

The town serves as the venue of the Kalidasa Festival, held every year in the month of November. A fortnight-long festival, it boasts of performances by virtuosos in the field of music, dance and drama.



The Ambala talab is a big tank found at the foot of the Ram Temple in Ramtek. A number of temples have been built around the Lake. The tank is also important because the ashes of the dead are immersed here (Pitru Pooja).

Website :

http://www.bharatonline.com/maharashtra/travel/nagpur/ramtek.html

http://gurusriguru.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html

Girijatmaj Vinayak Temple, Lenyadri

Name : Girijatmaj Vinayak Temple

History of Girijatmaj Ganesh Temple :

With a desire of having Vinayak as her son, Parvati performed penance for 12 years in the caves of Lenyadri. Ganapati was pleased and gave her the boon she wanted . On one Bhadrapada Shudh Chaturthi, Parvati scrapped the scraf from her body, mixed it with oil and ointment and formed an idol of Ganesh. She was performing pooja of that idol, suddenly the idol became alive and told Parvati that as desired by her he has taken Avatar in her house. On 11th day he was named Ganesh meaning a person who keeps three qualities Satva, Raja and Tama under control. Lord Shiv Shankar gave him boon that whosoever remembers Ganesh before starting a work, will successfully complete the work. Ganesh grew up for 15 years at Lenyadri. Demon king Sindhu who knew that his death is in the hands of Ganesh, sent demons like Krur, Balasur, Vyomasur, Kshemma, Kushal etc. to kill Ganesh on Lenyadri. Instead Ganesh killed all these demons in his childhood. Ganapati also performed many Balleelas in this place. Hence Lenyadri is considered holy place .

Coming back to the story of Girijatmaj or Ganesa, Parvati requested Marichi Rishi to find a way out to protect Ganesa from demons. Marichi asked why it would be necessary to protect Ganapati, whose Namasmarana (remembering the name) itself destroys all obstacles. Still to satisfy Parvati he taught her Ganesa Kavacha and said that if any child had fear of Rakshasas or Pishachas this kaacha may be tied around his neck. At the age of six, Vishwakarma worshipped Ganesa and endowed him with Paasa [noose], Parasu[axe], Ankusa[hook] and Kamala[lotus]. At the age of seven, his Upanayana was performed by sages like Gautama.

At the age of ten, a demon called Kamalasur came with an army twelve crore strong and had war with Ganesa, who was mounted on a peacock. The demons' army was defeated. From Kamalasur's blood many more demons were created. Siddhi and Buddhi ate away all demons. Al last Kamalasur was cut into two pieces with Ganesa’s Trishul. The place where the head of Kamalasura was thrown is the Morgaon Kshetra. Vishwakarma constructed a city and a temple in that place.
Then Shankar, Parvati and Ganesa started towards Gandaki city where the gods were imprisoned. First as a matter of courtesy Nandi was sent to meet demon Sindhu to ask him to release the gods. Sindhu refused and war ensued. Nandi, Veerabhadra, Kartikeya and other Shiva Ganas fought with the demons. On the second day his two brothers-in-law Kala and Vikala were killed and on the third day his sons Dharma and Adharma were destroyed by Kartikeya. Sindhu's father Chakrapani advised him to release the gods. But he refused. He came running towards Mayureshwara with his sword held high. Suddenly Ganesa took a small form, got down from the peacock and sent an arrow which pierced Sindhu's navel and broke it. Out came the nectar given by Surya to Sindhu. Sindhu fell dead.

Ganesa was seated on the Simhasana by Chakrapani and all gods. Brahma's daughters, Siddhi and Buddhi were married to him. Ganesa lived there for many years. After that he took leave of everybody and disappeared. Before doing so he gave his peacock to Kartikeya.

Whoever hears the story of Mayureshwar has all his desires fulfilled. His wealth and fame increases.

The Story of Mayuresa and Girijatmaja are vividly described in Genesa Purana Kreeda Khanda from 73 to 126.

Description :

Girijatmaj is the sixth Lord Ganesh Temple to be visited on the Ashta Vinayaka Mandir Pilgrimage. It is the only temple of the Ashtavinayaka which is on a mountain and is built in the locale of Buddhist CaveTemples . Here, Lord Ganesh is worshipped as Girijatmaja.



The idol faces north with its trunk to the left, and has to be worshipped from the rear of the temple. The temple faces south. This idol seems to be little different from the rest of the Ashtavinayak idols in a sense that it appears to be not very well designed or carved like the other idols. This idol can be worshipped by anyone. There is no electric bulb in the temple. The temple is constructed such that during the day it is always lighted up by the sun-rays! This place is referred as Jirnapur or Lekhan Parbat in Ganesh Puran.

The Temple

Lenyadri Temple, located on hill top, is approached after climbing 307 steps. Out of 18 Buddhist caves on mountain, Girijatmaj Vinayak's Temple is in the 8th cave. These caves are also known as Ganesh Gufa. The temple is built out of a single rock and is Dakshinabhimukh- facing south. The Sabhamandap (temple hall) has 18 Overees (small rooms for meditation) within it. The idol of Girijatmaj Ganesh is in one of the rooms. Lord Ganesh’s image is a fresco carved out into a rock, with his head turned to the left. Devotees can enter the Garbhagriha and offer their worship. A river flowing nearby adds beauty to the temple. All the 30 Lenyadri Caves including the Girijatmaj Vinayak Temple is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Girijatmaj Vinayak Temple Festivals

The Panchamrit puja is conducted daily in the morning. Major celebrations are held during the Bhadrapad (August – September) and Magh Chaturthis. In the month of Magh, an Akhand Harinaam Saptah is held. Ganesh Jayanti and Ganesha Chaturthi is celebrated in a great manner with cultural programs. Bullock cart racing is organized on this occasion.

How to reach Girijatmaj Vinayak Temple, Lenyadri

By Bus / Road

Lenyadri is about 94 km from Pune, on Pune - Nasik Highway and Junnar is the nearby town, which is 5 km from Lenyadri. State transport buses ply to Junnar from Pune and from Mumbai. From Junnar, rickshaws, jeeps and buses are available to Lenyadri. Palanquins are available for the devotees to reach the temple on hill top.

By Train / Railway Station

Pune Railway Station and Talegaon Railway Station are the nearest railway stations to reach Lenyadri Ashta Vinayak Temple.

By Flight / Air

Pune Lohegaon Airport is the nearest airport to reach Girijatmaj Ashta Vinayak Temple.

Website :

http://debu7370.blogspot.com/2009/11/shri-shirdi-sai-speaks-16th.html

http://www.hindudevotionalblog.com/2010/03/girijatmaj-vinayak-temple-lenyadri.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtavinayaka