Lord of Pandharpur- The Vitthal Rukmini Mandir, Maharashtra

Lord Vittobha is none other than  Krishna and in Pandharpur He is waiting patiently  on the banks of Chandhrabhaga with his  hands on his hips for his dearest bhaktha Pundalik.

The legend goes like this, once Lord Krishna came to meet his devotee Pundalik . He was so  engrossed in his duty of serving his parents, he  just threw a brick (Eet or Veet in local parlance) for Lord to stand on as the area was full of slush and asked Lord to wait till his duty was over.   The kind and merciful God waited for his devotee but Pundalik never returned as he didn't want Lord to leave that place thus making Pandharpur a sacred place. The deity came to be known as Vittobha as He is standing on Veet .( Ba ' stands for father figure).

There is a  separate shrine for Rukmini near to Vittobha's sanctum .

The temple always reverberates with devotional songs. The unique feature here, one can enter sanctum and touch the feet of the Lord . The main entrance of temple is known as Namdev Mahadwar.

Ashadha Ekadashi and Kartik Ekadashi  are very important days here  and thousands Varkaris march on foot from various parts of Maharashtra singing the glory of Lord to be with the Lord.

Tips to devotees

There are online facility to book the darshan ticket and one can choose darshan timings . Before going for darshan the ticket  has to stamped at the  administrative office which is very close to the temple. Entry for online darshan is through the main gate.These online tickets are free of cost.  

Cameras, electronic gadgets and mobile phones are banned inside the temple.

Check the link below for ticket booking and other details.

Very few good hotels in Pandharpur .  Recommend Prabhu Residency, it is neat and clean  right in the centre of the  town and is just a Kilometer from the temple.

Triyugnarayan temple-Triyugnarayan village, Rudraprayag district

Triyugnarayan temple, nestled in a  small quaint village amidst the Himalayas  is dedicated to Lord Narayan. This temple structure resembles   Kedarnath temple and is very popular as this is believed to be the  venue of  Shiva and Parvati's marriage which took place in Satyayuga in the  presence of Lord Narayan and other Gods and Rishis. 

There is a Akhand Dhuni ( perpetual fire) which burns in front of the sanctum and it is believed that this Dhuni is burning since the divine marriage of Shiva Parvati.

Devotees worship the Gods in the sanctum  and then offer firewood in the Dhuni and this ritual has been going on since three yugas hence the temple derived its name Triyug Narayan. There is a Brahma sila in front of the temple and this is the exact place where Siva-Parvati marriage was solemnised.

There are 3 natural springs inside the temple known as Brahma Kund , Vishnu Kund and Rudra kund and devotees sprinkle holy water from this kund on their head . 

 The serenity enveloping the temple, the amber glow of Dhuni, the recitations of mantras by the priests  will help  one to easily connect with the divinity .

This temple is 5 Kms from Gaurikund, the base camp for trek to Kedarnath. 

As it is close to Gaurikund do visit and get blessed when planning a visit to Kedarnath temple.

Performance of  marriage ceremony in this temple  is considered very auspicious.

Check some pictures Captured during my recent visit.

                                           

                                                                       Brahmasila

                                                                   Annapoorna Devi

Kohlapur Mahalakshmi temple. Maharashtra

Mahalakshmi temple,  located at Karveer on the banks of Panchganga river in Kohlapur  is one among the 108 Sakthipeetas of Mother Sakthi.

Goddess here is also known as Amba Bai  and her idol is made of gemstone which is facing the west. The idol with four arms carries a mace, a fruit, a shield and a bowl.

The mount of goddess ,lion is behind the idol.

The idol is resplendent is bright silks and is always adorned with dazzling  jewellery.

sandal paste is smeared on the forehead with a huge vermilion dot  in the middle.

The temple was first built in 7th century by Chalukyas and is  referred in various puranas.

There is a also a shrine for Mahakali here.

Outside the main shrine, there are many sub shrines devoted to Navgrahas, Shiva, Tuljabhavani, Nagas, Vittal and   Rukmini.

It is believed that Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi reside here eternally and will not leave the place even during mahapralaya.

The cluster of lamp posts which we see around the temple  are unique, unlike what we see in other  temples.  Here they appear  like huge cones made of rocks  with lamps extending out . Really a visual treat.

Tips for devotees

Do not use mobile or cameras inside the temple .

A few quick photographs of exterior is not banned.

Selfies are a big NO

There are no special paid darshan queues here .

more details here.

                                                  Lamp Post

      This image below ;courtesy mahalaklshmikohlapur.com