The Bhimashankar Mandir

The Bhimashankar Mandir (also known as Bhimashankar or Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga) is a Shiva mandir situated in its eponymous village, Bhimashankar, in Pune district of Maharashtra. It is a key pilgrimage centre and one of the 12 Jyotirlinga in the world. The temple’s Shiva lingam is one of the three Jyotirlinga of Maharashtra.The mandir is situated on a mountain. It is 110 kilometers away from Pune. The temple’s vicinity has rare plant and animal species.The mandir is located in Khed taluka, in the Bhimashankar forest range.The Bhima River originates from the Bhimashankar village, and the hills of the Manmad village are present near it, there are old rock carvings of the God Bhimashankar, Bhootings and Amba-Ambika on these hills.According to Namdev, a saint in the medieval era, Saint Jnaneshwar went to Tryambakeshwar and then Bhimashankar. Namdev himself has also visited this place.The temple is built in the Nagrara style, which combines traditional and modern designs. The temple hall was constructed during the 18th century by Nāna Phadnavis of Peshwa. The Gopura-shikhara of the temple was built by Nāna Phadnavis. The village of Kharosi was granted to the temple by King Shivaji. The daily religious observance was funded through the financial resources which derived from the people of the area.He offered one here at Bhimashankar and the others in Menavali, near Wai, in front of a Shiva temple on the banks of the Krishna River, the Banshanker Temple in Pune, the Omkareshwar Temple in Pune, and the Ramlinga Temple in Pune (Shirur).The shrine is linked to the legendary asura known as Tripura. The story goes that Tripura did penance, and Brahma, delighted with Tripura’s penance, manifests and grants him three wishes. Tripura demanded that he be invulnerable to the gods, devils, yakshas, and gandharvas. His three “puras” should be unbreakable, and he should be able to travel anywhere in the universe. All his desires were fulfilled. Tripura embarked on a conquest to subjugate three Loka. Indra, the deity associated with the heavens, was also vanquished. Indra made the decision to seek blessings from the deity Shiva and performed penance. Shiva made a vow to annihilate Tripura.On the peak of the Sahyadri hills, it is said that Shiva assumed the form of “Bhīmā Shankara” at the behest of the Gods, and the sweat that spilled from his body after the battle is said to have formed the Bhimarathi river.The architectural style of Bhimashankar is characterised by the use of the Nagara style, which is commonly found in northern India. The building style has some similarities to the Hemadpanthi style, which is common in the Deccan region. It is claimed that the old temple was built on a Swayambhu Shiva Linga.Furthermore, it can be seen that the Ling is located precisely in the center of the Garbhagriha (Sanctum sanctorum) of the temple. The garbhagriha and antarala are constructed using indigenous stone in the Indo-Aryan architectural style, which is also commonly found in Jain temples. The pillars and door frames of the temple are covered with intricate carvings of deities and human figures.In addition to the Bhimashankar Mandir, devotees also take darshan of the deities of temples present in the vicinity. There is a shrine for Siva Ganams, Shaakini and Daakini, who assisted Shiva in the battle against the demon Tripurasur.There are other temples near the main temple, such as Kamalaja mata, who is an incarnation of Goddess Parvathi and who aided Shiva in his battle against Tripurasur.Behind the Bhimashankar temple is Mokshakund Tirtha. The custom is to take a bath in the kund before proceeding to the temple. The kund is the result of Maha-muni Kaushika’s legendary penance here. Additionally, there are the Jnyankund that Dattatreya created and the Sarvatirth connected to the goddess Bhashitadevi. Kusharanya tirth is located to the south of the temple, and it is from here that the Bhima River begins to flow eastward.A minor shrine dedicated to Lord Shani can be seen within the temple’s grounds.The “Shani Temple” is situated within the main complex of the Bhimashankar temple.Between the two pillars in front of the “Shani” shrine, there is an enormous antique Portuguese church bell. Behind the temple, there is a narrow walk that goes to the riverbanks. Outside the temple, there is a large area of forest that is sometimes broken up by forts on the mountains nearby.Jyotirlingas are sacred shrines of Lord Shiva; it is believed that Lord Shiva himself visited these places and hence they have a special place in the hearts of devotees. There are 12 of them in India.Jyotirlinga means ‘column or pillar of light’. The ‘stambha’ symbol represents that there is no beginning or end.When Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu had an argument about who was the supreme god, Lord Shiva appeared as a column of light and asked each one to find the ends. Neither could do it. It is believed that the places where these columns of light fell is where the jyotirlingas are located.Set amidst dense forests filled with a variety of flora and fauna, and lakes and mountains, the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is a popular destination for nature-seekers as well as pilgrims.The Bhimashankar temple is a testament to the skills of the Vishwakarma sculptors. It was built around the 13th century. Structures such as the shikhara (spires) were added by Maratha empire statesman, Nana Phadnavis, in the 18th century.The Maratha ruler, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is also believed to have facilitated worship here through his endowments.Special features of Bhimashankar TempleIt is believed that the ancient shrine was built around a swayambhu linga i.e. a linga that originated on its own. The linga is exactly at the center of the floor, in the temple’s sanctum. There are intricate carvings of divine and human beings on the pillars, and doorframes of the temple. You can also see scenes from mythology depicted here.There is also a shrine for Lord Shaneeshwara inside the temple. A statue of Lord Shiva’s mount, Nandi, can be found at the entrance of the temple as is common in Shiva temples.According to one legend, a demon called Tripurasura performed penance in the Bhimashankar jungle to please Lord Shiva and ask him for the gift of immortality. Lord Shiva was pleased with his devotion and granted him immortality on the condition that he would use his power to help the local people. Tripurasura agreed with Him. However, over time, he forgot his promise and began to harass both humans and the gods. When the gods begged Lord Shiva to do something to stop the ensuing chaos, the Lord prayed to his consort Goddess Parvati. Both of them appeared as Ardhanari Nateshwara and killed Tripurasura, after which peace prevailed.According to another legend, in the Dakini forests on the ranges of the Sahyadri Mountains lived an asura (demon) named Bhima with his mother Karkati. He was, in fact, the son of Kumbharkarna, the younger brother of King Ravana. When he learnt that Lord Vishnu had killed his father in his avatar as Rama, he was furious. He vowed revenge and performed severe penance to please Lord Brahma.In return, Brahma blessed him with immense strength, which he used to terrorize the world. He imprisoned an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, Kamrupeshwar and demanded that he pray to him instead of Lord Shiva. When Kamrupeshwar refused to do so, Bhima raised his sword to destroy the Shivalinga. That is when Lord Shiva appeared before him and reduced him to ashes. The place where Lord Shiva manifested himself is the spot the Shivalinga is believed to be now.Interesting facts about Bhimashankar JyotirlingaBhimashankar has been declared a wildlife sanctuary; it is a reserved forest area, and as it is part of the Western Ghats, it is rich in flora and fauna.The state animal of Maharashtra, the Malabar Giant Squirrel, is a rare animal found here.While Bhimashankar is accessible round the year, at 3,500 feet above sea level, it would be best to visit it post monsoon as it experiences heavy showers in the monsoon period. You can also visit it in the winter months; so August to February is a good time for a visit. It would be ideal to visit this divine destination during Mahashivratri.