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Maharashtra Parashuram Temple At Pedhe Near Chiplun
Lord Vishnu who is considered to be responsible for the action of protecting the world, according to Hindu mythology had taken ten incarnations to destroy evil and save His followers. Amidst these ten avatars, the sixth one is that of Parashuram, who was an ace warrior and there are only a few temples dedicated to Parashuram. One of them is in the town of Chiplun which is on the Bombay – Goa highway.
History
Parashuram was a sincere son and as per the story that prevails, he had supposedly slain his own brothers and mother because his father had asked him to do so. The father was pleased and when he asked him to request for a boon, Parashuram said he wanted to resurrect his mother. Seeing Parashuram’s love over his mother, his father agreed and his mother continued to live as Renuka Devi, who is a revered form of Shakti today.
The temple is almost 300 years old, and there are conflicting theories on who constructed it. However history mentions that Shivaji the famous Maratha ruler visited this shrine in 1490, so which means that this temple has been then ever since.
Architecture
The influence of Portuguese, Islam and Hindu styles of architecture are seen in this temple. The exteriors of this temple have very clearly been modified in the recent past. The temple has a stage like structure both in the eastern side and in the back, where music festivals were supposedly conducted andthe sanctum sanctorum where the main idol is installed. Overall this is a very simple construction that can be seen all over the temple.
How to Reach
By Air
Ratnagiri is the nearest airport and this is about eighty kilometers from Pedhe. From Pedhe there are a lot of taxis that take you to the temple.
By Rail
The Konkan railway’s Chiplun station is the closest to this temple. From there you can either take the buses or hire taxis to reach the Parashuram temple.
Local Transport
Pedhe is well connected to major cities like Bombay, Pune, Panvel, and Panjim. There are buses or taxis that are also available to get to this shrine.
Important Shrines
The Parashuram image in the sanctum sanctorum is four handed with war weapons like the bow and arrow and the battle axe. There are two idols of Kama and Kala on either side of Parashuram or to this day nobody knows the relevance of these figures. The other important shrine is that of Renuka Devi which is present outside the temple and this attracts a lot of visitors. There are shrines for Ganesha and Ganga as well.
Significance of the Temple
A cow is supposed to have been pouring milk before this temple was even discovered. Only after seeing that they discovered there was a Swayambu form of Parashuram there. Much later the idols have been created and placed in the temple. The temple is also said to have been the place where Parashuram created the pond by shooting five arrows. This pond called Banganga is still present in the temple.
Attractions
Closer to the temple, you have a lot of natural attractions like the Sawatsada waterfall, Guhagar beach which is unknown to a lot of tourists till date and Vashisity River Jetty. You can enjoy water sports and motor sports in these places and making your trip even more memorable. You can finish up the visit to the temple, and then go on to enjoy nature at these places.
Timings and Other Important Information
The temple is open from morning to evening with a small break in the afternoon. If you want special prayers to be offered then you can request for prior information and make necessary arrangements so that you can have a good darshan and puja performed here.
Weather and Time to Visit
Avoiding the monsoon months of June to August is better because the rains might come in way of enjoying the drive to the village and the temple. The water sports could also be disturbed as the force of the water might be more and this could prove dangerous for the tourists.
Accommodation
Good hotels are available in Pedhe and the pilgrims could book these and if you have driving facilities then you can even look for better hotels in Chiplun.
Tips for Devotees
This is a very old temple, close to 600 years plus, so it is really dark inside especially near the sanctum sanctorum. So, it is advisable to take torches to provide the lighting that you might need.
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