Pandharpur

About:

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.Also known by the other names, Pandurang, Vitthal or Pandhari, it is supposed to be The Supreme God of The Universe for all the Maharashtrians and an incarnation of Lord Shiva and Vishnu. The word Vitthala is derived from the word Vishnu in Kannada. Panduranga is a sanskritized form of Pandarga, the old name of Pandharpur. Pundalik, a saint was closely associated with this shrine, and hence this shrine is also known as Pundarika pura.

PandharpurMaharashtra(Pandharpur is also spelled as Pandarpur)Overview Attractions Map How to reach Weather A devout centre on the banks of River Bhima, Pandharpur in the state of Maharashta boast of a rare combination of tradition and history. Famed as the religious capital of Maharashtra state, this quite town speaks about the grace of a benevolent God,who descended down to earth to be with his ardent devotee.

At Pandharpur, every Wednesday is regarded as an auspicious day and Ekadashi- auspicious day of the month. Pandharpur hosts four "Yatras" in a year. Out of which "Aashadhi Yatra", Kartiki, Magh and Chaitra Ekadashi`s are celebrated yearly and it thus, attracts the most pilgrims to Pandharpur. Out of these, 1st two attract a crowd of about 8 to 10 lakhs.Here,thepalanquins(Palkhis) of various saints from different locations come together at Wakhri, 5 kilometers away from Pandharpur. And then, thepilgrims take holy bath in river Bhima and usually stand in queues 3km long in order to take "Darshana" of Lord Vitthala.

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 importance of Solapur is unique in the history of India in the sense that this district enjoyed the freedom even before independence. The citizens of Solapur enjoyed the Independence for three days from 9th to 11th May 1930. The brief history runs like this. After the arrest of Mahatma Gandhi in May 1930, protests and demonstrations against the British Rule were held throughout the India. Large scale rallies and protests were done at Solapur also. Many citizens lost their lives in the Police firings. Due to this the irate mob attacked the Police Stations. Out of fear the Police and other officers ran out of Solapur.

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 to Pundalik at Pandharpur.

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The Solapur District was ruled by various dynasties such as Andhrabhratyas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Yadavas and Bahamanis. Recent research work however shows that the name Solapur is not derived from the congregation of sixteen villages. It is evident from the inscriptions of Shiva yogi Shri Siddheshwar of the time of the Kalachuristis of Kalyani, that the town was called `Sonnalage` which came to be pronounced as `Sonnalagi`. A Sanskrit inscription dated Shake 1238, after the downfall of the Yadavas found at Kamati in Mohol shows that the town was known as Sonalipur. During the Muslim period, the town was known as Sandalpur. Subsequently the British rulers pronounced Solapur as Sholapur and hence the name of the district.

Solapur District, MaharashtraThe present Solapur district was previously part of Ahmednagar, Pune and Satara districts. In the year 1838 it became the Sub-district of Ahmednagar. After the State reorganization in 1956 Solapur was included in Mumbai State and it became a full-fledged district of Maharashtra state in 1960.

During this period the responsibility of law, order and security of citizens was on the shoulders of congress party leaders. Then city congress President Shri.Ramkrishna Jaju, with his other congressmen maintained the law and order for a period of three days from 9th to 11th May 1930. Secondly, the Solapur Municipal Council was the first Municipal Council of India to host the National Flag on the Municipal Council building (Now Municipal Corporation) Solapur in 1930.

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Lakshmi temple:
A small temple dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, situated near to Jagnaath temple, plays a very important place in Rath Yathra. It is assumed that the marriage of Lord Siva and Goddess Parvati is occuring on the sixth day of bright fortnight of Jyeshta, during May-June, on the day known as Jyestha Sukla Sasthi. On this occasion, Goddess Lakshmi happily invites the couple Shiva and Parvathy in this temple.

Pundalik Temple:
Prettily placed on the majestic banks of River Chandra bagha, Pundalik Temple portrays lord Vitthal as its chief deity. Vitthal is one among the manifestations of Lord Vishnu. The main shrine is a five-story building with a pyramidal gun spire. The statue of Jaya and Vijaya flanks Lord Vithal.

Vishnupad Temple :
Since the temple situates in the middle of the river temple shows water level up to its floor level and in the rainy months the temple is virtually submerges with the water.

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Siddheshwar Temple and lake:
The temple was built by a yogi, Shri Siddharameshwar, a devotee of Sri Mallikarjuna of Srisailam. Enroute to Srisailam, he was ordered by his guru to return to Solapur and consecrate several Shiva lingams. He duly returned to Solapur and began his work, starting with this temple. Siddharama was a great contributor to the Lingayata religion and he is considered as one of the six prophets of Lingayat religion. It is believed that the inhabitants of this city became prosperous since the birth of the saint. It is also said that the deity is capable of bestowing blessings on the devotees.

Akkalkot:
Akkalkot is bordered by south Solapur to the west and other districts. The district covers an area of 1,407 km². and contains 138 villages, apart from the town. The total population of the district is approximately 290,000 (2001 census), giving a population density of 209 per km². The soil is classified as 'medium to deep black' and is of rich quality. Jawar, Bajra and Pulses are the main crops grown in the district. Akkalkot is continuously drought hit area.

Gangapur:
Dattatreya Temple is located at Ganganapur, Maharashtra. The presiding deity is Dattatreya, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu Dattatreya. The shrine at Ganganapur is in the process of assuming the form of a temple. It is currently more like an 'Ashram'. The main gate faces towards the west and is built in the Maratha model of 'Nagarkhana'. A spacious mandap (hall) is provided for the gathering.

Nearest Petrol Pump:

Reliance Petrol Pump:, Near S.T. Stand, Pandharpur

Rajput Petrol Pump:Pune Road Pandharpur

Naval Petrol Pump:Solapur ,Maharashtra

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:

Ashwamadh Hotel :Pandharpur,Solapur ,Maharashtra

Hotel ChaitanyaAddress:Keshav Nagar Mundhwa, Pune, Maharashtra

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