YOU KNOW ALL STATES DESTINATION IN ONE BLOG

Jyotiba Temple – It Is Family Divine Being Of The Scindias Of Gwalior

with 0 Comment


JYOTIBA TEMPLE


AT


KOLHAPUR




If ever you go to Kolhapur, the one place that you must include in your travel itinerary is Jyotiba, the holy shrine of Lord Kedarnath up in the hills near the bustling city with its true Maratha flavour. 
It is not for nothing that Jyotiba is called the ‘The King of the Deccan’. Throughout the year the deity draws devotees in huge numbers. Also, it is known for being the family deity of the Scindias of Gwalior.
Jyotiba temple is an important Hindu religious destination located at an altitude of 3124 feet above sea level in the Panhala range of Maharashstra. It is believed that the main deity the Jyotiba is formed from the souls of three Primary Gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Legendery stories tell that Jyotiba is formed to kill the demon Ratnasur.
The shrine of Lord Kedarnath has its faithful across not just Maharashtra but also Goa and Karnataka. Close to the Panhala Fort, it can be reached within half-an-hour from Kolhapur, situated as it is at a short distance of about 20 kilometers north-west of the Mahalakshmi Temple.

 The original name of the hill that hosts the shrine is Ratnagiri, which is now called Wadi-Ratnagiri. Ancient as it is, the temple of Jyotiba has been renovated three times till date and the present reconstruction was carried out in 1730 CE by the ancestors of the Scindia family of Gwalior.

The original deity is in ‘Shivlinga’ form and known as Kedareshwar. The Bhairav idol, Kedarnath or Jyotiba, was an addition in time. The deities that are important along with that of Jyotiba are those of Yamai and Chopadai.

 It is said that this shrine was under the control of the Nathpanthis for a long time. Mythology has it that this Bhairav was brought from North India and installed at Wada Ratnagiri by the goddess Mahalakshmi in order to kill Ratnasura, a demon.

The Jyotiba hill has 12 ‘jyotirlingas’ installed around the main Kedareshwar shrine and for many this is one of the main pilgrimage destinations. It is said that these jyotirlingasfrom all over India were installed here by Kedarnath or Jyotiba himself. An annual fair of Jyotiba takes place on the full moon night of the Hindu months of Chaitra.

Distance from Mumbai: 377 kms.


Jyotiba is 18 km north-west of Kolhapur.
Contact Details:
Shri Kshetra Jyotiba Dongar,
Taluka Panhala,
Dist - Kolhapur



Total Pageviews

Featured post

Gandhi Museum - It Leads The Pictorial Gallery Depicting A visual Biography Of Gandhi ji

GANDHI MUSEUM AT MADURAI Gandhi Memorial Museum at Madurai has been built and organised by Gandhi Smarak Nidhi. There are am...

MOST FAVOURITE PLACES