Thursday, November 18, 2010

Someshwar Mandir , Pune : A Photo Feature

Someshwar Mandir is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It houses a swayambhu Shivalinga, besides minor temples of other deities like Ganesha,Bhairoba,Hanuman.

Someshwar is a Shivkaalin mandir (17th century, built between 1640-50) and was said to have been patronised by Rajmata Jijabai saheb (mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji maharaj) herself.

It is said that the sabhamandap of the temple was built by funds donated by the Mughal commander Shaistakhan. 

Shivajis minister Hanumante also contributed to the temple and his samadhi exists near the temple. 

In the late 18th century, Shivrambhat Chitraswami, a spirtual teacher found a pot of gold coins buried in the temples precincts. 

He handed over the treasure to the Peshwa Nanasaheb who used it for the second 'jeernoddhar'(renovation) of the temple (besides other religious work) .

Today we find the samadhi of Chitraswami in these temple premises. 
Later, in 1974-84 this temple had its third 'jeernodhar'.

This temple can be accessed from Baner, near Aundh or also from Pashan.
The temple has a fortification . 

There is a lot of parking space outside the temple precincts. 

One sees a bust of Chatrapati Shivaji at one end. 

The road further leads to a recreational garden.

As one enters through the doorway , he has to climb down the stone stairs of a ghat like structure.

There are three temples lined before the entrance. One being a Ganesha temple, a Hanuman temple 

and a Bhairoba temple.

The tall 'deepamala' structure (40feet in height) is adjoined to the Ganesha temple and lies just behind it . The deepamala divides the Hanuman temple from the Ganesha temple.

The next structure is a sabhamandap, which separates the Ganesha temple from the Nandi mandap.

 After the Nandi mandap lies the ‘antarala’ (vestibule) and ‘garbhagriha’ (sanctum) structure. 

The Shivalinga lies at a lower level and there are stairs provided to access it.

In the temple premises one sees some smaller Shivalingas as well and a engraved stone slab that resembles a veergal (hero's stone).

There is also an old defaced Nandi lying in one corner, almost unnoticed.

The wall itself is a arcade like structure. Adjoined to the walls are also some rooms, probably habitated by the temple attendents.The spacious temple courtyard has a tulsi vrindavan (place for the sacred tulsi plant) and also a agnikunda (place for the spiritual pyre).

Someshwar temple is indeed a very serene and a beautiful place with a lot of history behind it, something many Punekars are oblivious of.

Text and photographs : Abhijit Rajadhyaksha

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