Shri Tulija Bhavani Temple
Believed to be built somewhere in the 12th century, Tulja Bhavani Temple is an important Hindu pilgrimage center in Maharashtra. It is said that any mention of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is incomplete without the mention of his tremendous faith in the goddess Tulja Bhavani. Not on Shivaji, many royal families were firm believers of Tulja Bhavani. Besides, Tulja Bhavani is believed to be one of the ‘Shaktipeethas’ of Goddess Durga. Moreover, many royal families of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka are firm believers of Tulja Bhavani.
Inside the temple sanctum, a three feet tall granite idol of goddess Bhavani is gracefully adorned. The goddess has eight hands holding different attributes in each. The goddess is also known as Amba. To reach the main sanctum there are two entrances, Raja Shahaji Mahadwar and Rajmata Jijau. While entering the temple, tourists would come across Markandeya Rishi Temple and Yajna Kund.
History
The history behind the temple goes like this: to disturb the feelings of Hindus and provoke a battle, Afzal Khan destroyed the image of Tulja Bhavani. Therefore due to an act of retribution, Afzal Khan was killed at Pratapgad. The history of the temple is briefly mentioned in ‘Skanda Purana.
Architecture
The main entrance is called Nimbalkar Sardar. The two entrances are named after the parents of Shivaji Maharaj, Shahaji and Jija bai. There is a temple in front of the main temple dedicated to sage Markandeya Rishi and a Holy Firepit. Two libraries are located in the temple complex. Devotees take a dip in the shallow water tanks of’ Gomukh Theerth’ and’ Kallol Theerth’ before they reach the Sanctum. In the temple premises, there is a temple of Siddhi Vinayak, Amruth Kund, Aadishakti Matangadevi, Annapurna temple, and Datta temple. Goddess ‘ “self-manifested” idol consists of granite stone. This 3 ft high idol has eight hands holding the head and arms of the demon Mahishasura. Sometimes identified as Turaja, Tvarita and Amba are the goddess Tulja.
