Visit to Godhaneshwar Temple

Hello everyone! 

My name is Sharang and through my YouTube channel iroguehermit and my blogs I intend to introduce you to the places I visit.

I was supposed to explore Rajmachi fort last weekend, however it was too late to do so and our rider group settled at visiting Godhaneshwar temple at the fort’s base. The group I usually ride with is TAG-The Avenger Gods, Pune. We gathered near Indira College, Wakad and after a brief introduction and exchanging niceties we headed off to our destination. Our ride began at 7.00 am.

It’s a highway from Wakad to Lonavala. From Lonavala to Godhaneshwar temple, the riding distance is around 15-20 kilometers. Beware! It’s an offroad ride on Kachcha road, filled with boulders, fine reddish soil and the bikes skid. 

We reached at the base of Rajmachi fortification and halted a while near Ganapati Maruti temple for a while, waiting for rest of the riders to join us.We reached near the temple. Have a look at the nearby hills and you can see the fortification on the hills.There is a small pond in front of the temple. Ramrao Naraynrao Deshmukh, the mamlatdar of Danda Rajpuri got this lake constructed in 1780.

There’s a small informative plank near the temple. As visitors, we need to be responsible towards maintaining the sanctity of this temple. This Hemadpanthi styled temple was constructed in 8^th century during the reigns of Satavahana. Rocks were cut and placed atop another and this is how it was built. They say that no mortar was used in the temple’s construction. There’s a water spout in the shape of Gomukha or cow’s face. It is said that the water flows from it and fills up the pit below it and from here it flows to the larger pit and then to the pond.This is the Shivalaya. I am guessing the rulers patronized Shaivism or worship of Shiva.The immediate surrounding is covered with still green vegetation with trees of wild fruits and berries.You can spot a statue of Nandi, the vehicle of Shiva at the entrance. It faces the entrance of the sanctum. There is a constructed pit at its back. Although the temple is dedicated to Shiva, just outside the sanctum, there are small idols of other deities as well.

Before entering the sanctum, you’ll have to ring the bell. I guess it is customary to do so. The believers say that ringing the bell creates sounds that helps one be attentive. It also creates positive vibrations in the atmosphere.

The sanctum is a very small room. It has Shivalinga installed inside it and Nagas made of metal hold their hoods atop the Shivalinga. Water drips onto it from a small pot hung from the ceiling. After the worship, it is a custom to take a few rounds around the temple and bring together both of your palms and perform Namaskar and place your forehead on the walls of the temple with reverence. I was fortunate enough to be allowed to enter the sanctum and take a video shoot.

Thanks to the vegetation and the shades of trees around, our offroad journey was eased a bit. Overall, it was a nice offroad riding experience.

 In your comments, do let me know how you feel about visiting this place. Subscribe my YouTube channel i roguehermit, stay updated on tweeter @i_roguehermit, read my blogs on iroguehermit.blogspot.in and follow my Facebook page I Rogue Hermit.

YouTube Video Link - https://youtu.be/DxXe1iBQllM

Visit to Karla Caves

Hello everyone!

I love to ride and explore places. With this blog, ‘iroguehermit’, I intend to reach out to people like you and introduce you to the places I visit.

Just recently I visited Karla caves; the largest of the Karla-Bhaje-Bedse caves complex situated near Lonavala and is merely 60-75 kilometers away from Pune. 

These ancient Indian Buddhist caves were carved from 2^nd century BC and its development continued till 5^th century AD. Karla caves were called Valukura during that time and since this place was on ancient trade route from Arabian Sea to Deccan plateau, these caves might have held much significance in the past. These caves are now protected monuments under the Archeological Survey of India. 

 

You will have to climb many steps to reach the caves and you may want to catch a few breaths on your way up.  Get an entry ticket of Rs. 15/-. If you are a foreign visitor, you will have to shell out Rs. 200/- though. A brief introductory text is available if you are inclined to know details. If you are inclined towards admiring the architecture and magnificence of the caves, head straight to the caves. At the entrance there is a tall pillar and its top is adorned with sculptures of lions facing 4 sides. Another pillar is destroyed completely.

The left and right side has sculptures of elephants and Buddha along with sculptures of couples. These are a bit bold poses and I feel beauty of human bodies were admired or rather celebrated. However, I always believed Buddhism advocated monastic livelihood and was for meditating monks who delved deep in search of keys of eternal happiness.

The outer walls have beautifully carved repetitive designer frames which look like windows to me. The carvings are extraordinarily fine and marvelous. There are inscriptions written in Brahmi and Greek on walls and pillars. I could also spot Swastika marked on a small portion. Swastika, in Indian culture is an auspicious symbol and spotting it on such an old structure means the symbol and its meaning was derived from Vedik or Sanatan Dharma. 

As I entered the chaityagriha or prayer hall, I realized that it is bigger than that of Bhaje or Bedse and has horse shoe styled wooden architecture at the ceiling. The stupa has a wooden roof covering its top. Each of the pillars inside the hall has beautiful sculptures on top and a few pillars have something written on them. The scripts are Brahmi and old Greek. There is also one pillar that has Devnagari script, which I believe to be carved much later. One pillar has stupa, replica of pillar from Sarnath, which is my assumption and another structure which I do not know about.

 Just outside the prayer hall, there are a few rooms that might have been used by monks for resting. A little farther, there are more small rooms on ground and first floor connected by narrow stairs.

An entire tour to the caves takes about 15-20 minutes. You may like to spend some more time here, if there is no crowd. I suggest you to visit the caves during monsoon when it is all lush green and the mesmerizing view at the top will make you spend some more time, may be meditating like an old and wise Buddhist monk.

Do let me know how you feel about visiting this place. Subscribe my YouTube channel i roguehermit, stay updated on tweeter @i_roguehermit, read my blogs on iroguehermit.blogspot.in and follow my Facebook page I Rogue Hermit.

Links are as below :

YouTube - https://youtu.be/2nC4o9oQ4MI

Twitter: @i_roguehermit
Blog: iroguehermit.blogspot.in
Facebook: I Rogue Hermit