A spiritual journey to Kolhapur & Pandharpur (May 20-23, 2010)

Temple Sculptures

Nephew, Mom, Sister

Temple gate

Aunt



   

Mahalaxmi Devi



        

I have to dig deep within my memory to recollect the incidents related to the family trip that we made to Kolhapur and Pandharpur.This was a trip that we made in 2010.  It’s in recent days that I have got into this activity of writing blogs. Nevertheless, I did want to write about it as it was a very enriching experience.

Apart from Aunt, cousin and family, it was just me and mom who were going on this journey. Dad didn’t want to join since his friend had informed him that the climate would not be suitable for travel as it would be hot and humid in the interiors of Maharashtra. I also think that his enthusiasm waned because the agenda was to visit temples. Visiting temples wasn’t his idea of fun. He’s rather contented in his life and doesn’t feel the need to trouble spiritual beings, unless necessary. LOL! I am trying to explain his ideology about life and spirituality in general. Me and sister were a bit worried about the heat. But our car was very comfortable and had air ducts near the backseats as well.

So we travelled from Mumbai to Kolhapur to visit the goddess. The journey was colorful. The landscape consisted of green fields, barren lands. black soil, lush trees, sugarcane plantations and sparsely populated villages with their quaint looking temples. While travelling, i was thinking on how the villages in Kerala and in Maharashtra differed in terms of their architecture and style of living.

Nephew, Sister, I- giggling away

I, my nephew and sister occupied the backseat. Sister and I, had a jolly good time as we were singing along with the radio that was playing some of our favorite Hindi songs. Poor nephew was harassed to the core. But he didn’t have an option but to bear with us and our braying..ooops! I meant, singing!!! LOL!!!

Bro in Law

 Mahalaxmi Temple is mentioned in many Puranas. According to researchers, it is approximately 5-6 thousand years old. In 109 A.D. when Raja Karnadeo came from Konkan to Kolhapur, this idol was in a small temple. Raja Karnedeo cut down the surrounding forest and brought it to the light. The various Puranas of ancient India have listed 108 sites where Shakti (the goddess of power) is manifested. Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur is one of the six sites of the Shakti, where one can get both fulfillments of desires as well as salvation from them. It is said that both Shri Lakshmi and Shri Vishnu reside in the Karveer area eternally and shall not leave even at the time of Mahaprayakala. This region is therefore also referred to as an ‘avimuktakshetra’. The greatness of this region has therefore attracted many sages and devotees, the blessings and affections showered by this region on its devotees are immeasurable. It is believed that Prabhu Shri Dattatreya still comes here every noon to seek alms. Very interesting!



 

Devi

 To give some information about the ancient idol...The idol of the Goddess Mahalakshmi is made of gemstone and is considered to be at least 5000 to 6000 years old. It weighs about 40 kilos. The precious stones that adorn the deity indicate the antiquity of the idol. Almost all the idols of Hindu Gods face the north or the east directions, whereas here, the Idol faces the west. Once a year, the rays of the Sun during sunset falls on the face of the image through the window on the western wall. This period lasts for three days and is considered extremely auspicious.



Deepastambhas



We went to the temple in the evening. The goddess looked resplendent in her attire. After attending the Aarti, we walked up the stone stairs and went to see the Elephant God (Ganpati) and Lord Shiva. Once done, it was time to go back to the hotel.

Kolhapur temple at nite

You can read more on the architecture related to the temple at this website: http://www.mahalaxmikolhapur.com/

Other temple deities

Snake Temple



Partners in crime:)



 

 



Pandhra Rassa





Tambda Rassa

Next day, we went to the temple in the morning. After darshan, we went to this awesome local restaurant to have food. I do not recollect the name of the restaurant but the hotel folks served us a fantastic ‘Thali’ which contained all the possible dishes that you could think of. While at Kolhapur, you should not forget to taste the Kolhapuri Pandhra Rassa (white gravy) and their awesome Tambda Rassa. Pandhra Rassa is a broth like mutton soup which generally precedes the fiery Tambda rassa of Kolhapur. If you have a penchant for spicy food, Kolhapur is the best place for indulging in the same. The aroma of Kolhapur spices is fabulous and sharpens your appetite. We also found time to go shopping for Kolhapur spices at a wholesale center. 

Local Theatre

In the evening, we went to watch the Hrithik Roshan movie called 'Kites' that was playing at a local theatre.The environment within the theater was lively, with comments and  Catcalls made by the local audience. I was reminded of the rustic theatres in Kerala. Of course...if you are used to watching movies in Dunlop seats with soft drink slots, caramel popcorn and a quiet atmosphere, then this theatre may not be one of your favorite spots to enjoy a movie. With regard to the movie..i would watch the entire movie just for Hrithik!! Nothing else was worth mentioning in the movie apart from him!

We then had 'kanda poha' from a roadside stall. It was really delicious :). It has always been a personal favorite apart from Misal Pav, Vada Pav and Puri Bhaji. Ohh..i don't want to forget the awesome 'puran polis' which are made at Maharashtrian homes. They are just out of this world. Yikes..food has distracted me again!!!

Women have to shop, no matter where! Hence, some time was spent in buying local saris and dress materials. We also got some video CDs to watch on the way to Pandharpur.

After bidding adieu to Devi, we began our travel to Pandharpur. We travelled through various picturesque places while on our way and passed through many rural spots. I believe I saw windmills on our way to Pandharpur. Lunch was at a roadside restaurant. The food was delicious. It was funny to see big cashew nuts floating in the curry. What a novel idea :).

I vaguely remember some sights such as a passing marriage procession. Women in the village were dressed in all their finery and had colored pots on their head. They were walking towards the bride's home. Everyone looked happy despite the heat which was really killing. The marriage procession also had a cow with painted horns that was moving along with the wedding party. That's an endearing part of our culture. We also accept animals as one amongst us, be it in our life or our functions. They are considered auspicious and treated with respect. Talk about embracing one and all!!!

Pandharpur is located in a place, which is 65 km away from Sholapur on the banks of river Bhimarathi. This place is one of the most revered pilgrimage sites in Maharashtra. Pandharpur preserves Lord Vithoba's image in a grand temple. Vithoba is a form of Krishna. The name Vithoba means Father Vitthala. Vitthala is said to have been derived from the word Vishnu in Kannada. The worship of Vishnu - Vitthala at Pandharpur is derived mainly from the puranas and has been augmented by the contribution of the great Vaishnava saints of Maharashtra from the 13th to 17th centuries (Namdev, Jnaneshwar, Eknath, Tukaram). Rukmini or Rakhumai is worshipped as the consort of Vithoba (a form of Krishna) in Pandharpur, Maharashtra.

The temple with its vast area has a total of six gates. The eastern entrance to this temple is known as the Namdev gate. The sanctum enshrines a standing image of Vithoba also known as Panduranga, Pandhari or Vitthala. The image dates back to the 5th century. There are inscriptions in this temple dating back to the 13th century. Namdev, the 13th century saint was closely associated with this temple. Copper plate inscriptions of the Rashtrakootas place this shrine in the 6th century. There is also a shrine for Saint Pundalik at Pandharpur.



Palkhi



The most important dates for Pandharpur pilgrimage is on Aashadi Ekadashi (June- July) and Kartiki / Kartik Ekadashi (November). During these yatras or pilgrimage, people travel from miles together, barefooted, fasting and chanting His holy name until they get a glimpse of the Lord.

We found a hotel that was near to the temple premises. After taking some rest, we began our walk towards Vithoba’s abode. The temple location was strewn with shops selling all kinds of religious offerings. We had to wait in a long queue to reach the temple interiors. Once we reached inside, there was another queue to reach the main sanctum where Lord ‘Vithoba’ and ‘Rakhumai’ are placed. Prior to reaching the main sanctom, we saw a cute little room with lovely curtains and a comfortable bed with cushions all around it. The god and goddess retire to this room during the night hours. I found this custom very endearing. It makes spiritual beings sound more human. Once we reached the holy idol, the priest took our offerings and placed it at god’s feet. It’s not possible to describe the happiness that I felt when I saw my Vithoba.I had the good fortune to touch his feet and pray for everyone in the family. I also prayed that he should remain in my life forever. The tranquility that you feel after you meet him is one of life’s most enriching experiences. Nothing matters after that! Your soul is at peace!!! The same goes for Rakhumai. She looked very ethereal in her finery and jewels.

The 'darshan' leaves you pining for more. So next day, we woke up at 3 am and went back to stand in the serpentine queue as we were desperate to catch another glimpse of both of them before leaving Pandharpur. I will not put too much emphasis on the priest’s request for money (dakshina) and his displeasure when we gave him some notes of smaller denomination. I must admit that we had to finally give him the amount that he requested. My reasoning was that probably, I owed him some amount of money in my last birth and god wanted me to return the same:). But I don’t really resent them for this. I am a firm believer that the more you give, the more you get. So if he gets some financial help with my hard-earned money, then why not! He can have it!!! He was pleased with the monetary benefits gained from me and my sister. Hence, we got this beautiful sari that was placed at the god’s feet. I gave mine to my mother.

The story of Pandharpur reminds us that god is pleased, when we take care of our old parents. I am not going into the details of Saint Pundalik’s story here. But it’s an interesting one and available on most religious sites related to Pandharpur. Attaching a picture depicting the saint and his parents with 'Vithoba'.

Once done, we had breakfast at a local restaurant. ‘Puri Bhaji’ tasted great. The tea was strong and sugary, just the way I liked it. With that, it was time to get back to Mumbai. The return journey was smooth.

The memories of this place still linger on. With god’s grace, we may go back some day to see Vithobha and Rakhumai again.  

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." -Helen Keller