Shirdi, Shani Signapur & Nashik Darshan

Shani Shingnapur

Shani Shignapur Temple is a Jeet Devasthan (alive temple) in the Ahmednagar district, well-known for the magical and powerful Lord Shani, who is believed to reside in a black stone to date. The Hindu God symbolizing the planet Saturn is referred to as Swayambhu, which means that he has emerged himself in the form of the black stone that scores lakhs of devotees every year. The trust of people in the lord is so strong that none of the houses in the wondrous village has doors and locks as people believe that Lord Shani is protecting their valuables from thieves.

On some of the holiest days like Saturdays, Amavasya, and Shri Shaneshchar Jayanti, the enthusiasm and vehemence rise to the next level. Some Hindus worship Lord Shani to please him as the influence of planet Saturn on anyone’s life is considered as bad luck.

A visit to the Shani Shignaour Temple surely gives hope that your remaining life will be smooth and that Lord Shani will bestow only happiness upon you. With no long queues and waiting period, you can easily get darshan of the divine power.

Trimbakeshwar

https://goo.gl/maps/BZe7pcRyBxnyca9y8

The holy temple of Trimbakeshwar is considered to be one of the holiest Lord Shiva temples in India. It houses one of the 12 Jyotirlingas that are renowned pilgrimage centers in the country. The temple is nestled on the foot of the massive Brahmagiri Hills in the holy city of Trimbak. Such is the piousness of this beautiful city that has been mentioned in the Mrityunjaya Mantra. The temple was developed back in the eighteenth century by Peshwa Nana Saheb, the then Maratha Ruler. This is an outstanding piece of artwork the architecture of which is worth admiring. The sanctity of the temple is further enhanced by a kund or Kusavarta which is the source of the holy river water of Godavari. The Jyotirlinga features three faces that symbolize Lord Rudra, Lord Brahma, as well as Lord Vishnu, three different gods of the Hindus. The outside of the temple features some local vendors selling crispy corns which you can use to satiate your hunger craving.

Distance from City Centre – 28 km

Approximate Time to Explore the Place – Half a day

Visiting Hours – 05:30 AM – 09:00 PM

Entry Fee – No visiting hours

Return journey to Mumbai  5hrs approximately

https://goo.gl/maps/4S1jNQ6QQrzLLsDeA

Nashik is an ancient holy city in the Western India’s state of Maharashtra. It is a religious pilgrimage destination for many especially the Hindus. It is one of the four pious Kumbh Mela Festival locations. The popular Kumbh Mela is hosted here once every twelve years. Lord Ram along with his wife Sita and brother Lord Lakshman had spent fourteen long years at a Tapovan located close to Nashik. Back in the sixteenth century during the reign of the Mughals, the city was renamed Gulshanabad. Later in the year 1818, it came under the Maratha rule. The city is also known for its active participation in the struggle for freedom. It has given birth to nationalists like Anant Laxman Kanhere and Veer Savarkar. Nashik is a city well known as the landing spot for the pilgrims traveling to Shirdi. There are many places to visit in Nashik that you can explore while traveling to the city. The guide ahead would help you know in detail about the places to see in Nashik.

1. Sita Gufa

https://goo.gl/maps/PTwFCkT6iko1JRH76

Sita Gufa is situated close to Panchvati. It is said to be the place where Ravana had kept Sita, wife of Lord Rama after kidnapping her in disguise. The place features a narrow staircase that leads to the inside of the caves. The inside of the cave houses the idols of Sita, Lord Rama, and Lord Lakshmana. Additionally, it also houses the ancient Shivling which is said to be the one that Sita worshipped during her abducted days. It is one of those places that every Hindu would desire to visit.

Distance from City Centre – 1 km

Approximate Time to Explore the Place – Half an hour.

Visiting Hours – No specific visiting hours

Entry Fee – No entry fee

2 ) Panchavati

https://goo.gl/maps/EiC5bbCdmisUPRtVA

The holy land of Panchvati is quite a popular pious destination for the pilgrims especially the Hindus who are strong believers of the epic Ramayana. This is a peaceful, serene town situated close to Nashik where many sightings hold remarkable significance in the much renowned and holy epic of Ramayana. For someone who has heard stories from the great epic, this place would hold many answers to the inheld curiosity. While exploring Panchvati one can also make plans to visit tourist places like Sita Gufa and Kalaram Temple as these are nestled nearby.

Distance from City Centre – 3 km

Approximate Time to Explore the Place – Half a day

Visiting Hours – During the day time

Entry Fee – No entry fee

Shirdi to sapta shringi  Temple  88 km 3hrs

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Saptashrungi is a hill range consisting of seven hills locally called Ghads and form part of the Sahyadri Range of hills in the Western Ghats. Sahyadri Range is also known as Ajanta Satmala Range and the average height of the peaks is 4,500 feet (1,400 m). The Dhodap, in the center of this mountain range, is the highest peak with an elevation of 4,600 feet (1,400 m), and Saptashrungi is towards its west. There are 108 water bodies (ponds) located in the watershed of these hills, which are called Kunda. Nanduri, Kalwan, and Vani are the villages nearest to the temple, which is situated at the foot of the hills. There are many approaches to reach the top of the temple location. The route from Nashik and Vani via Dindori is 39 kilometers (24 mi) and via Pimpalgaon Baswant is 51 kilometers (32 mi). The route via Nadurgaon village is the easiest and is 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) from Vani. It is at a distance of 60 kilometers (37 mi) from Nashik, the district headquarters. The State Highway 17 (Maharashtra) (SH-17) connected with the National Highway 3 (NH 3) links Nashik with the temple site near the villages of Vani and Nanduri. Bus facilities by state transportation are available to reach the temple precincts. The forests in the hills are reported to have medicinal herbs. There is a circumlocutory path used by pilgrims to do parikrama around the temple. This path is in an elevation range between 1,230 meters (4,040 ft) and 1,350 meters (4,430 ft) and is stated to be in steep rock topography. The hills are covered with verdant forests.

Peethas (prominent seats of the Hindu Goddess) are reported in Maharashtra. These four Goddess temples are Mahalakshmi Temple at Kolhapur, Tulja Bhavani Temple at Tuljapur, Renuka Temple at Mahur (Matripur), and the Saptashrungi Temple of Vani. These four temples are also interpreted to represent the four parts of holy AUM, A kara, U kara, Ma kara, and Mmm kara (Ardha matra). Though which of these is an ardha-peetha (a half Shakti Peetha, considered lower in importance to a complete Shakti Peetha) is disputed, Saptashrungi is generally regarded to be a half Shakti Peetha. However, the official site of the temple declares it as a complete Shakti Peetha. The three presiding deities of the Goddess-oriented scripture Devi Mahatmya in the Saptashrungi are considered a combined manifestation of the three goddesses which are equated with Mahalakshmi of Kolhapur, Mahasaraswati of Tuljapur, and Mahakali of Mahur.

The Devi Bhagavata Purana mentions Saptashringa hills as a Shakti Peetha. However, no other major religious scriptures accord the Saptashrungi temple this status.

The presiding goddess of the temple is also known by other names as Saptashrungi (“(goddess) of seven hills”), Saptashrunga-nivasini (“one who resides on Saptashrunga – the seven hills”), Saptashrunga-mata (“the mother-(goddess) of Saptashrunga”). The suffix Devi (goddess) may be added to the first two names. She is also known as Brahmasvarupini (“one who has a form of Brahman“). The goddess is reported to have appeared from the kamandalu (water-pot) of the creator-god Brahma.

The Goddess had taken the form of Durga (exalted in the Devi Mahatmaya) and slew the buffalo-demon Mahishasura, who troubled the universe. After that, the Goddess is believed to be settled here. As the Goddess took form here and resided at Saptashrungi, it is considered the original location of the Goddess.

Shiva carrying the corpse of Sati Devi

This temple is one among the 51 Shakti peethas located on the Indian subcontinent and is a location where one of Sati‘s limbs, her right arm is considered to have fallen when grief-stricken and agitated Shiva was carrying her dead body around the world on his shoulders, and Vishnu had cut her body into pieces with his Sudarshana Chakra. The story behind this event is that King Prajapati Daksha, father of Sati (the incarnation of Goddess Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva), was performing a yagna (yagna is defined as a Hindu fire ritual sacrifice when deities of the Vedic times like Agni, the fire god, and others were invoked by offering oblations such as ghee (clarified butter), milk, grains and so forth) called as Brihaspatirityadi. Sati (also called Shakti) who was Lord Shiva’s wife, attended the function without invitation. Daksha who was not fond of his son-in-law, as he considered him a mendicant, purposely did not invite him for the yagna, while he invited all other gods. Sati felt deeply insulted by the slight shown by her father towards her husband whom she had married out of deep love. Even then she decided to attend the yagna uninvited by her own father. When she went there, her father compounded the insult by totally ignoring her presence and vilifying Shiva. Sati felt deeply humiliated and hurt, and then in frustration, she jumped into the yagna fire and committed suicide. When this news was conveyed to Shiva, first he sent his assistant to the site to enquire and take revenge. Shiva also came to the yagna site and created a furor. In a state of grief and anger, he put Sati’s dead body on his shoulders and started wandering around the universe. Looking at this grave situation, Brahma and Vishnu decided to intervene and bring back Shiva to his normal self. It was then decided that Vishnu will follow behind Shiva, and with his, Sudarsha Chakra cut Sati’s dead body into pieces. Thus Vishnu cut her into 51 pieces (108 pieces are also mentioned in many Puranic texts) as Shiva traveled around the world and these fifty-one body parts of Sati fell at different locations in the subcontinent, and all these places came to be known as Shakthi Peethas (abode of goddess Shakthi or Durga). Her right arm fell on the Saptashrungi hills and the place became holy, and a Shakthi Peeth came to be established here.^[8]

It is also said that when the demon king Mahishasura was creating havoc in the forests, the devatas and people urged Durga to kill the demon. Then the 18 armed Saptashrungi Devi took the form of Durga and slew Mahishasura, and since then she is also known as Mahishasura Mardini. Mahishasura was in the form of a buffalo. At the foot of the hill, from where one starts climbing the steps, there is the head of a buffalo, made in stone, which is believed to be of demon Mahishasura.

In the epic Ramayana war, when Lakshmana was lying unconscious in the war field, Hanuman came to Saptashrungi hills in search of medicinal herbs to restore his life.

Saptashrung mountain was a part of the forest called Dandakaranya mentioned in the Ramayana. It is mentioned that Lord Rama, along with Seeta, and Lakshmana had come to these hills to pray to the goddess and seek her blessings.

In the hill of Markandeye, named after Sage Markandeya, there is a cave that is said to have been the abode of the sage. This hill is located to the east of Saptashringi and a deep ravine divides the two hills. While staying in this cave, Markandeya is believed to have recited Puranas (Hindu scriptures) to entertain the Devi.

Another local myth is that a tiger resides in the garbagriaha (sanctum sanctorum) every night and keeps a watch on the temple but goes away before sunrise.

Yet another myth is that when a person was trying to destroy a beehive, the Devi appeared before him to prevent the act.

Many other recent narratives are extolling the divinity of the goddess, which are also linked to Shirdi Sai Baba and his devotees. In one such narration, a priest of Vani village known as Kakaji Vaidya who was working in the Saptashrungi Temple was quite disturbed by the miseries of life around him and he, therefore, appealed to the goddess to give him peace of mind and relieve him from all worries. Pleased with the priest’s devotion to her, the goddess appeared to him in a dream and told him to go to the Baba to set his mind at rest and in peace. As the priest was then not aware of which Baba she meant, he thought it was the Shiva at Trimabakeshwar temple and so he went there and offered worship to Shiva and stayed there for a few days. In the process, he still did not get the feeling of peace and his restless mood continued. He came back to Vani village disheartened. Then, every day after taking bath in the morning he offered prayers to Shiva Linga by reciting the Rudra mantra from the Yajurveda, for many days. He still did not get peace of mind. He then went back to the Mata temple and appealed to her to give relief to his restless mind. That night she appeared in his dream and told him that the Baba she meant was Sai Samarth of Shirdi and that he should go there. The priest did not know the whereabouts of Sai Baba. Sai Baba through his divine psychic perception realized the need of the priest and so he sent his most loving devotee Madhavarao to meet the priest and bring him to his presence. Coincidentally, Madhavrao had also gone there at the advice of Baba to also offer two silver breasts to the goddess as his mother had forgotten to fulfill her vow of gifting the silver breasts to the goddess. When Madhavarao went to Vani village the priest met him and came to know that he had come from Shirdi to offer the silver breast to the goddess. The priest was very pleased, and also for the first time felt the peace of mind. He then took Madhavarao to the temple where the silver breasts were placed at the feet of the goddess in the sanctum as a fulfillment of his mother’s vow. The priest then came to Shirdi with Madhavarao and had darshan of the Sai Baba and stayed there for 12 days and felt very peaceful. He then returned to Vani.

Saptashrungi Devi Temple on top of hill range

Kurma at Saptashrungi Devi Temple

Saptashrungi Temple is a two-storied shrine with the Devi enshrined on the top floor. The Devi image is carved in a cave at the base of a sheer scarp rock face.

The Devi is said to be swayambhu (self-manifested) on a rock on the sheer face of a mountain. She is surrounded by seven (sapta in Sanskrit) peaks (shrungain Sanskrit), hence the name: Sapta Shrungi Mata (mother of the seven peaks).

The iconography of the Saptashrungi goddess is that of the Mahalakshmi of the Devi Mahatmya. The goddess is eighteen-armed (ashta-Dasha bhuja), inaccurately sometimes described as ashta-bhuja (eight-armed). The image is about 8 feet (2.4 m) tall and appears saffron in color, as it is covered with sindoor. As described in the Devi-Mahatmya legend, the goddess was gifted various weapons to slay Mahishasura. She holds these in her arms: the trishula (trident) of Shiva, the Sudarshana chakra of Vishnu, the shankha (conch) of Varuna, the flames of the fire-god Agni, the bow and arrow of Vayu, the vajra (thunderbolt) and ghanta (bell) of Indra, Danda (cudgel) of Yama, akshamala (a string of beads) of Daksha, kamandalu (water-pot) of Brahma, the rays of the sun-god Surya, the sword and shield of Kali, the parashu (ax) of Vishvakarma, the wine-cup of Kubera, gada (mace), lotus, lance and pasha (noose).

The Devi is decorated with a high crown (like a papal tiara), and a gold nose-ring, and gold necklaces which are the ornaments used every day. Her attire is in the form of a robe with a blouse, which is changed with new dresses every day. Before she is dressed for worship she is religiously given a formal abhisheka or bath; warm water is reported to be used for two days a week. The courtyard in front of the temple has a trident or Trishula decorated with bells and lamps. There are other precious ornaments of the goddess which are normally kept at Vani in safe custody but are used to decorate the deity on special festival days. The Devi’s image is painted bright red with ochre called sindoor, which is considered auspicious in this region; however, the eyes are not touched by the color but are made of white porcelain, which shines very brightly.

A portico like structure, an addition made to the main shrine of the goddess is attributed to the Satara Commander-in-Chief and the plain structure at the beginning of the last century. Subsequent additions were made by the Chief of Vinchur.

The temple has undergone renovations recently also with the creations of many facilities. The facilities created at the shrine consist of over 500 steps cut into the rocky slopes of the hill, from above the road point, leading to the temple entrance, a community hall, a gallery for devotees to form queues and have orderly darshan of the goddess. The steps were built by Umabai Dabhade in 1710 AD. The steps are also seen with figures of Rama, Hanuman, Radha and Krishna, Dattatreya, and of a tortoise at a few places on many temples dedicated to Durga or Mata.

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

It is said that there is one flag that is said to be hoisted at the top of the mountain where Saptashrungi Devi’s temple is situated. It is said that the headman of the village of Burigaon climbs up the hill on Full Moon day in April. On that day, at sunrise in the morning, he hoists a flag. The path which he used to climb up and down is kept a secret. It is also said that any person who tries to know this route will lose his eyesight.

During the descent from the temple complex, there is a cave on the Mahonidri Mountain, which according to the local myth is from where the goddess Saptashhringi, after defeating the demons, disappeared.

Worship

Illuminated view Saptashrungi temple at night

The most important festival of the Saptashrungi temple is Chaitrotsav, “the Chaitra festival”. The festival starts on Rama Navami (the ninth lunar day in the bright fortnight of the Hindu month of Chaitra) and culminates on Chaitra Poornima (full moon day), the biggest day of the festival.^[15] The festival is also attended specifically by childless women making vows seeking blessings of goddess for children. About 250,000 attend the festival on the final day and as many as 1 million gathers on the last three days of the nine-day festival. The devotees come from the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Many devotees also walk all the way from Nashik (60 kilometers (37 mi)), Dhule (150 kilometers (93 mi)), and other towns.^[16] Devotees often circumambulate (see pradakshina) the whole hill. Hindus generally circumambulate the deity or the sanctum, however since the goddess’s icon is carved on the hillside, the whole hill has to be circumambulated. The goddess is bathed (see abhisheka) with panchamruta (panch meaning five and amruta meaning nectar of immortality), a mixture of usually honey, sugar, milk, yogurt, and ghee, every day during the festival. On a penultimate day (the fourteenth lunar day), the goddess’ banner is worshiped and then paraded through the village in attendance of the village head-man (gavali-Patil) of Daregaon village and finally hoisted on the hill peak at midnight. On the last day, devotees visit the hilltop to take darshan (pay respects to) of the holy flag. This ceremony is reported to be held at least since the 15th century. Devotees who used a Navas (vow) fulfill it during the festival.

On this occasion grain, flowers, coconuts, money or ornaments are the offerings made to the deity. After the daily service of Abhishek (ritual bath) to the deity with water brought from the Surya kund, offerings of kheer made by boiling rice, milk, and sugar are made to the goddess. Cakes made of flour and butter are known as turis are also offered. All the offerings, except the ornaments, are then taken away by the Bhopas, who are the hereditary guardians of the temple.

In Ashwin (Hindu calendar month) Shukla Paksha Dashami a big Utsav (festival) is held at this place. Dussera and Navaratri are major festivals in the temple when, for nine days, the temple is flocked by thousands of devotees. According to the Hindu Lunar Calendar followed by the temple, Tuesday and Friday and the eighth, ninth, and fourteenth days are particularly special days for offering pujas (worship) to the goddess. Other festivals celebrated are the Gudi Padwa, Gokulashtami, Navratrotsav, Kojagiri, Laxmipujan, Harihar Bhet, and many more, which are attended by a large number of devotees.

A typical shop selling saris, red Kumkum in bottles, flowers, coconuts, and prasad in packets.

The rituals followed by the devotees are in the form of offering coconuts and silk cloth and also Sari and Choli (blouse) to the goddess. Other traditional offerings made to the deity are eyes made of silver and making a circle of Kumkum inappropriate design around the inner ambulatory passage of the Goddess during Navratra. The Saptashati, which is the biography of the goddess, with seven hundred verses, is also recited by many devotees.

The Kathar or Kutadi community of Maharashtra while observing the Pachvi ceremony, after delivery of a child in the family, offer worship to their family deity Saptashrungi and also offer a sacrifice of a goat following this they hold the naming ceremony of the child on the 12th day.

Gondhal, an ancient folk dance-drama is presented before the deity by devotees belonging to Gondali, Bhutye, Aaradhi, and Naik communities. Gondhalis who perform the Gondhal dances is also invited to perform the Gondhal during weddings and many major family festivities. The Gandhi performance, usually held at night, is accompanied by singing with the accompaniment of cymbals, small drum, Sambal and Tuntune, or a single string instrument.