Bhimashankar Temple is a Jyotirlinga shrine located 50 kilometres from Pune in the Khed taluka (alias Rajgurunagar). It is located in the Ghat region of the Sahyadri Mountains, 127 kilometres from Shivajinagar (in Pune). Bhmshankar is also the source of the Bhima River, which flows southeast and joins the Krishna River near Raichur. Trimbakeshwar near Nashik and Grishneshwar are the major shiva shrines of Maharashtra state.

According to the Shiv Mahapuran, once upon a time, Brahma (the Hindu God of creation) and Vishnu (the Hindu God of protection) disagreed about creation. Shiva pierced the three worlds as the jyotirlinga, a massive, never-ending pillar of light, put them to the test. Vishnu and Brahma went their separate ways to find the end of the light in either direction, searching downwards and upwards. Brahma lied, claiming to have discovered where it ends, while Vishnu accepted defeat. Shiva appeared as the second pillar of light and cursed Brahma, saying that He would have no place in ceremonies while Vishnu would be worshipped forever.

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Shiva has 64 forms, which should not be confused with Jyotirlingas. Each of the twelve jyotirlinga sites is named after the presiding deity, who is thought to be a different manifestation of Shiva. At all of these sites, the primary image is a lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolising Shiva’s infinite nature.

Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna in Andhra Pradesh, Mahakaleswar in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath in the Himalayas, Bhmshankar in Maharashtra, Viswanath in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Triambakeshwar in Maharashtra, Vaidyanath in Jharkhand and many more….

The temple’s stone bull Bell

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The Bhimashankar temple is a fusion of old and new structures in the Nagara architectural style. It demonstrates the superiority of the skills attained by ancient Vishwakarma sculptors. It is a modest yet graceful temple that dates back to the 13th century, while Nana Phadnavis built the sabha mandap in the 18th century. Nana Phadnavis built the shikhara. Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the great Maratha ruler, is said to have endowed this temple to facilitate worship services. The sanctum is on a lower level, as with other Shiva temples in the area.

Even though this structure is relatively new, the shrine Bhimashankaram (and the Bhimarathi river) have been mentioned in literature dating back to the 13th century CE. Tryambakeshwar and Bhimashankar are said to have been visited by Saint Jnaneshwar. In front of the temple is a one-of-a-kind (Roman-style) bell. This bell features an image of Mother Mary and Jesus. Chimaji Appa presented this large bell (Brother of Bajirao Peshwa I and uncle of Nanasaheb Peshwa). Chimaji Appa collected five large bells on May 16, 1739, after winning a war against the Portuguese from the Vasai Fort.

He offered one at Bhimashankar and the others at Menavali near Wai in front of a Shiva Temple on the banks of the Krishna river, Banshanker temple (Pune), Omkareshwar Temple (Pune), and Ramalinga temple (Pune) (Shirur).

Also Read, Chanderi Fort Trek: Explore a Dangerous Trek of Western Ghats

Surroundings

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At the height of 1034 metres, there are Buddha-style carvings of Amba-Ambika, Bhootling, and Bhimashankar in the hills of Manmaad near Bhimashankar. Bhimashankar is distinguished by a large bell in the Hemadpanthi structure built by Nana Phadanavis. Hanuman Lake, Gupt Bhimashankar, the origin of the River Bhima, Nag Phani, Bombay Point, and Skshi Vinayak are all nearby attractions. Bhimashankar is a 130.78 km2 reserved forest area designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1985.

Because it is part of the Western Ghats, this sanctuary is rich in floral and faunal diversity. There are numerous birds, animals, insects, and plants to be seen. In the deep woods, a rare animal is known as the Malabar Giant squirrel, also known as “Shekaru,” can be found. The Bhorgiri fort is not far from Bhimashankar.

Other shrines and temples

Near the Bhimashankar temple, there is a shrine known as Kalmaja. Kalamaja is a Goddess who is associated with the Kalamb tree. She is a local tribal Goddess, and many stories have been spawned due to Hinduism’s influence on this region.

The Mokshakund Thirtha is located behind the Bhimashankar temple and is linked to the rishi Kaushika. The Sarvathrtha, Kusharanya Thirtha – where the Bhima river begins to flow eastward – and the Jyanakund are notable.

Transportation

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Manchar is one option for getting to Bhimashankar from Pune. Another route is via Wada from Rajgurunagar (alias Khed).

By car, Bhimashankar is 74 miles or 127 kilometres from Pune. Private cars and cabs travel from Pune to Khed (Rajguru Nagar), Manchar, Taaleghar, and the Bhimashankar temple. State buses leave from Pune every day and take more than five hours. Buses run to and from the temple daily during the Mahashivaratri festival, when there is a large fair. It is reachable via Karjat on the Central Railway’s Pune-Mumbai section. There is no proper road connecting Karjat and Bhimashankar, and only devotees who wish to walk to the temple during festivals use it.