Laxmi Narasimha Temple is situated at small Dhom village near Wai in Satara district, on the banks of Krishna River. This temple is a popular pilgrimage place for several people from Maharashtra and Karnataka. It is said to have been built by the Pandavas originally. In front of the main entrance, there is a "Nandi '' resting on a giant turtle in the lotus shaped pond. Lord Narasimha here is in its two forms. One is in angry form tearing Hiranyakashipu’s stomach, and the other one is in mild form, with Laxmi on left lap thus deriving the name "Laxmi Narasimha ''. The temple has two statues of God Narasimha on a raised platform in Garbha Griha. Narasimha is a significant iconic symbol of creative existence, hope, victory, and destruction of evil.
उग्रं वीरं महाविष्णुं ज्वलंत सर्वतोमुखम्।
नृसिंहं भीषणं भद्रं मृत्युमृत्युं नमाम्यहम्।।
(I bow down to Lord Narasimha who is highly ferocious and brave and the emanation of Lord Maha Vishnu. He is full of effulgence, terrific and auspicious and the death of death)
Amazing architecture of the temple is mesmerising. Lotus pond is made out of black basalt stone which is locally available. The craftsmanship of the pond is perfect and unparalleled. Tortoise is in the centre of the pond and the Nandi Mandap, with Nandi in it, is on the back of the tortoise. The style of columns and the arches symbolise typical Maratha style of architecture that have been developed in the period of Peshwas.
The lotus, tortoise and the Nandi are extensively found in ancient Hindu structures. But this temple has the most exclusive and creative arrangement where all these three together make one extremely appealing sculpture. Moreover, the pushkarini (pit) inside this lotus automatically fills up with water that circulates below the temple. When this pushkarini (pit) is filled with water, it gives an illusion as if the tortoise is floating on the water, with the Nandi mandap on its back!
This beautiful temple is said to be the only temple in Maharashtra that of Narasimha. The date of its reconstruction has not been precisely noted but the construction could probably be in the Peshwa regime.
The devotion and architecture make this place very significant in spite of being so small and located remotely. We need to respect and preserve such combinations.
The columnist is Principal of SMM College of Architecture, Nagpur and specialises in Bharatiya Architectural Heritage
- Dr Ujwala Chakradeohttps://organiser.org/author/dr-ujwala-chakradeo/
- Dr Ujwala Chakradeohttps://organiser.org/author/dr-ujwala-chakradeo/
- Dr Ujwala Chakradeohttps://organiser.org/author/dr-ujwala-chakradeo/
- Dr Ujwala Chakradeohttps://organiser.org/author/dr-ujwala-chakradeo/
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