Ghorwadeshwar tour

Sunday, January 16, 2005

Just came back from a tour to Ghorwadeshwar, a very fantastic place at very close distance from Pune.
We (me and Ayush) took the 11 am local from Pune upto Begdewadi. A 15 minute walk from here leads you to the beautiful caves of Ghorwadeshwar.

The bhatkanti-Maharashtra site gives following information about the place.

Significance

The caves are believed to have been created someting in the latter part of the 3rd century A.D.They comprise a series of halls that must have been prayer halls. An inscriptionin Brahmi script informs us that the cave were gifted to devotees by the grateful daughter of Chhapar, the disciple of Bhadantsigh. In memory of their parents, the girls, Sangha and Budha dedicated this place to pilgrims and mendicants. In 1981, devotees and concerned citizen around the area came together to form the Shri Ghorwadeshwar commitee, and the caves were converted into a Shiva shrine. Consequently, thousands of people from the neighbouring villages of Shelarwadi, Dhaman, Salumbre, Somatne, and peripheral areas flock to this place every Mahashivratri.


The shrine

There are 11 caves here. the architects of the caves seem to have made excellent arrangements for water, for there are as many as 28 tanks dug to store rainwater. Only one ' Chaityagruha ' or main prayer hall is accommodated, measuring 7.7 m. x 2.5 m. in height, is flanked by nine smaller rooms on three sides.
The original stupa has deteriorated beyond repair, but the top carved 'harmika' still hangs from the roof. At the semi circular base of the original 'stupa' sits the idol of Lord Ghorwadeshwar. It is here that the rock inscription in Brahmi script is seen.


All i can say, it is a must visit place. None should miss such great place.
Very soon, i'll post the photos of the same.

- Dinesh Finally completed this scribble at 6:58 PM  

1 people thought of commenting on this:

THANKS 4 GIVING SUCH NICE INFO ABOUT SUCH B'FUL PLACE. WILL BE WAITING 4 PHOTOS. I WILL PAKA GO THERE AS U SAID MUST VISIT PLACE.ACTUALLY I AM EAGER ALSO. ONCE AGAIN THANKS

Anonymous said...
Sunday, 16 January, 2005  

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