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Pandeshwar Temple, Pune
Pune! A city known for its rich history and historical landmarks. Even after exploring this vibrant city for over 10 years, I still find hidden gems waiting to be discovered. The more I explore, the more I realize that there are so many places left unexplored. Today, I visited one such hidden treasure, the Pandeshwar Temple, located about 50 kilometers from Pune on the Jejuri-Morgaon road. This ancient temple is situated in the peaceful village of Pandeshwar.
Locals believe that the temple was built by the Pandavas during their time in exile. The most intriguing part of the story is that the Pandavas are said to have constructed the entire temple in just one night. What’s fascinating is that the temple still appears incomplete, perhaps a reflection of its hasty creation. It underwent renovations in the 18th century, and the intricate carvings and the Shivling inside are its most striking features, drawing the attention of visitors. Curious about this place? Let me take you through my experience of visiting the Pandeshwar Temple in this blog.
Pandeshwar Temple History
Pandeshwar Temple, a place dedicated to Lord Shiva. The lower structure, especially the sabhamandapa, showcases intricate black stone architecture from the 10th-12th century, made in the Hemadpanthi-Yadava style. But what stands out is the shikhara, built much later using lime and plaster. It’s a fine example of the Devali-Nagara style, featuring brightly painted windows and images of gods, set against the striking Meghdambari window design. The contrast in materials used in the sabhamandapa and the shikhara hints that this upper section might have been added or renovated during the 18th century.
The temple grounds have more to offer, including smaller shrines. There’s a Ganesha temple and others dedicated to Kunti and four of the Pandavas. Interestingly, the fifth Pandava, Arjuna, has his own temple at Nageshwar, located a few kilometers away from Pandeshwar.
The Pandavas Connection
I’ve always enjoyed exploring lesser-known stories behind places, and this temple didn’t disappoint. Local folklore says the temple was built overnight by the Pandavas during their exile, though most know this as hearsay. But when it comes to faith, these legends still hold a special place. The temple’s original architecture is attributed to the Yadavas, with later renovations showing the Maratha influence. Despite the architectural changes, the name ‘Pandeshwar’ still honors the Pandavas.
The story goes that during their exile, the Pandavas wanted to perform a maha-yagna, a grand ritual to invoke the creator of the universe, Lord Brahma. Bhima, the second eldest Pandava, was given the task of inviting Brahma, who was deep in meditation in the Sahyadri mountains. Bhima climbed the mountains and called out to Brahma, but there was no response. In his impatience, Bhima emptied Brahma’s kamandalu (a water vessel) over his head. The water flowed down and formed what is now known as the Karha River. While it’s unclear whether Brahma ever appeared at the yagna, the Pandavas took the presence of the river as a sign and built the temple on its banks, where it stands to this day.
Tucked away in remote villages along the Karha River, the Pandeshwar Temple is a hidden gem. According to folklore, the river itself was created from the water of Brahma’s kamandalu, and the river’s name, Karha, comes from ‘Kar,’ which is another word for the vessel. Whether you believe the legend or not, the villagers remain firm in their belief, making the temple’s history even more fascinating.
Journey to Pandeshwar Temple
Today’s weather was a mix of clouds, with the sun playing hide and seek, so I decided to go for a bike ride and explore a less crowded place away from Pune city. Sundays in the city are usually bustling with traffic and crowded at popular spots. I called my friend Aditya since it had been a while since our plans for a trip had been canceled. Thankfully, he was free, so I picked him up, and we set off on our unplanned adventure.
We rode through Bopdev Ghat, and on the way, we decided to visit Pandeshwar Temple, a place recommended by my friend Charan. Hearing that this temple was built by the Pandavas excited us even more. After about an hour of riding, we reached Jejuri Temple, and with the help of Google Maps, we continued our journey. The temple is located about 15 km from Jejuri on the road to Morgaon. The cloudy weather, cool breeze, well-maintained roads, and minimal traffic made our ride more relaxing.
As we arrived in Pandeshwar village, we asked the locals for directions to the temple, and they pointed us further outside the village. The road from the village felt like a maze, with narrow paths connecting various routes and lined with old houses and traditional wada structures. After navigating a few turns, we finally reached the Pandeshwar Temple.
Exploring the Historical Gem: Pandeshwar Temple
Once we parked our bike outside the temple’s main gate, a beautiful painting of Lord Shiva on the left side caught our attention. It immediately lifted my spirits and made me forget the stress of the journey. The temple is surrounded by trees on all sides, creating a serene atmosphere.
Inside the temple complex, we saw individual shrines dedicated to Sahadev, Bhima, and Yudhishthir, which was interesting as I had never seen temples dedicated to individual Pandavas before.
We reached the main entrance, where we were greeted by beautifully carved stone gatekeepers (Dwarpals) standing beside the door. The entrance was truly impressive, featuring a lovely design with intricate carvings and decorative niches. The style was influenced by the Yadava dynasty, with some designs taken from Gujarat. In the 18th century, the Marathas either rebuilt or greatly restored the shikhara, adding colorful lime plaster and images of different gods, creating a unique blend of architectural styles.
After admiring the intricate architecture of the entrance, we stepped inside the temple. The interior pillars displayed a mix of blue and pink hues, typical of the Yadava period, reminiscent of other temples I’ve visited, such as Bhuleshwar and Sangameshwar. However, the temple door was disappointing, as it had small openings that allowed us to glimpse the garbhagriha and the Shivling.
It was the largest Shivling I had seen in Pune, adorned with flowers, and the sound of Mahadev’s chants created a deeply devotional atmosphere. We offered our prayers and stepped outside to explore the surroundings.
In front of the temple, there’s a Nandi Mandapam featuring an idol of Nandi at its center and a small idol of Lord Ganesha in the left corner. This Nandi idol is unique, with its head slightly turned to the right. The mandapam has stairs leading to the top, offering a 360-degree view of the temple and its surroundings.
Behind the Nandi Mandapam, there’s a watchtower with stairs leading up, although some steps were broken. Villagers mentioned that from the top, you could see Jejuri Temple, the Karha River, and Bhuleshwar Temple. They also said the tower used to have a light, which left me curious about its purpose. If anyone reading this knows more about it, please share in the comments!
As I explored, I noticed several carvings on the tower’s top. I snapped some photos before continuing our adventure.
There’s also a structure beside the main temple that appears to be used for resting devotees and conducting havans. Though many of the carvings on this structure were worn and unrecognizable, they added to the temple’s charm.
I couldn’t help but smile when I noticed that, just like Romeo and Juliet or Laila and Majnu, some lovebirds had written their names on the ancient temple walls to immortalize their love. Isn’t it wonderful how we Indians never think about ruining the beauty of our historical temples? We need to realize that these aren’t just temples; they’re treasures of our history and culture that we should probably protect—so future generations can appreciate them instead of finding more names written on the walls!
Continuing our exploration, we reached the Mahaganpati Temple, where we sought blessings. Next to it is the temple dedicated to Mata Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas. I believe this might be the only temple dedicated to Mata Kunti in the world, making it a remarkable place. If you love historical sites and ancient temples, I highly recommend visiting Pandeshwar Temple.
After spending some time in the temple complex, I returned to the main temple for one last blessing from Lord Mahadev before leaving.
We spent about 30 minutes exploring the temple and realized we were both hungry; it was already 2 PM, and we hadn’t had lunch yet. I called our friend Charan, whose job site was on our way back, to see if he was available to join us.
We met him at Shakuntala Misal near Dive Ghat, where we enjoyed some tasty misal. It was the perfect way to fill our stomachs and celebrate the amazing journey we had. As we sat together, sharing stories and laughing, we thanked Charan for suggesting such a beautiful location. It felt great to end our day with good food and good company, making it a trip to remember!
Final Thoughts on Pandeshwar Temple
Visiting the Pandeshwar Temple was truly an enjoyable experience for me. The rich stories and legends surrounding the temple, combined with its beautiful architecture and peaceful atmosphere, made the trip unforgettable. I find it amazing to think about how this place has survived through the years, holding so much history within its walls. If you love discovering hidden gems like I do, make sure to add this temple to your travel list!
If you enjoyed reading this blog, I’d love to hear from you! Let me know by liking or commenting. And if you know of any other hidden gems worth exploring, please share them in the comments! Until then, happy exploring!
how to reach pandeshwar temple
To reach the Pandeshwar Temple, start your journey from Pune and take the Pune-Saswad-Jejuri-Morgaon road. After traveling approximately 13 kilometers, take a right turn that leads you toward Pandeshwar village. From that right turn, it’s about 5-6 kilometers inside the village to the temple. The roads are generally in good condition, and you’ll enjoy the scenic views along the way. Don’t hesitate to ask the locals for directions if you need help finding the temple.
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