Khuldabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district): The Bhadra Maruti temple, located in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district (formerly known as Aurangabad district) in Maharashtra, attracts Hanuman devotees for the deity's unusual posture. Unlike elsewhere in the country, Lord Anjaneya is found here in a reclining or sleeping posture!
Only three temples in the country: Interestingly, Pawan Putra idols can be seen in a retiring position at only three places in the country. On the banks of Ganga, at Sangam, Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, and Jam Sawali in Saunsar Tehsil of Pandhurna district(earlier part of the Chhindwara district, before Pandhurna became an independent district) in Madhya Pradesh, are the only two remaining shrines where Anjani Suta is found lying down majestically.
Just four kilometres from the Ellora Caves: Incidentally, the Mahabala temple is merely about four kilometres from the world-famous Ellora Caves. Due to its unique composition in structure, the pilgrimage centre draws huge crowds, especially during auspicious occasions like Hanuman Jayanti and Ram Navami, apart from Tuesdays and Saturdays, and the month of Sravana.
Padyatra to have darshan: The nearby villagers have almost made it a religious practice to literally walk all the way to the temple, just to have darshan and to do puja-aarti. According to the temple authorities, the temple is crowded with believers on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Lord enthralled by the king's hymns! As per the local legend, this area was hitherto known as Bhadravati, for being ruled by King Bhadrasena, who also happened to be an ardent disciple of Lord Rama. King Bhadrasena was into the practice of singing devotional hymns praising Rama in a melodious manner to such an extent that Rameshta himself descended to enjoy the same, assuming a Bhava Samadhi, a restful yogic sleeping position! Following the king's request, the Phalguna Sakha concedes the prayers to settle down permanently to bless the devotees.
Discovered by Shri Swami Samarth Ramdas: However, there is also another folklore story interwoven linking with the history of Shri Swami Samarth Ramdas, a renowned saint and philosopher. As per this version, it goes to the credit of Shri Swami Samarth Ramdas in discovering the Pingaksha idol. Despite different timelines for both theories, there seems to be no disagreement between the two arguments here.
Statue hidden during the Mughal attack: It is also mentioned that the temple was completely destroyed by the Mughals during the medieval times. However, it is also secretly claimed that some people successfully kept the idol secretly for years together. A movement was started to relocate the murti to its original location, when the present temple built with marble stones came into being.
A blend of North and South: Thanks to the blend of typical North and South Indian styles of architecture, tourists from both regions take pleasure in rejoicing the same. Apart from the main shrine, a provision is also made for the temples of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita.
Comments
Post a Comment