Mandhardevi Temple Pune

Mandhardevi Temple- Pune

Mandhardevi Pune Temple is located at
Narhe village on a mountain near Pune in Maharashtra.
This temple is dedicated to a goddess Kaleshwari Devi. She is fondly called Kalubai by the mainly Maharashtrian devotees.Goddess Kalubai is the Kulswamini (the mother god, in Marathi) to many families in the region. People take her blessings before carrying out something auspicious and important in their life.

Mandhar Devi Story

As per some folklores, Goddess Parvati became Kalubai to kill a demon.This legend is similar to the story of Goddess Kali

At the end of the Dvapara Yuga, there was a demon king named Ratnasura. He had a valiant army chief named Lakhyasura, who had propitiated Lord Shiva through severe penance. He got a boon from Lord Shiva that his clone would emerge from each drop of his blood if it is spilled on the ground.

Sage Mandavya was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. He was performing a yajna to please Lord Shiva. Because of the boon from Lord Shiva, the demons had become arrogant and were disturbing the yajna. Therefore, Mandavya Rishi did penance and propitiated Lord Shiva. He asked him to rid the earth from Lakhyasura, but Lord Shiva was helpless because he had given the boon to the demon. So, he advised the sage to pray to Goddess Parvati.

Therefore, the sage prayed to Goddess Parvati, and she took the form of Kalubai. When the goddess tried to kill the demon, many demons erupted from his blood drops. The goddess was clueless and did not know what to do. At that time, Goddess Satvai came to her help and told her to kill the demon at night and not let any drop of his blood spill on the ground.

Therefore, at midnight of Pausha Purnima, the goddess killed the demon and licked his blood before it could spill on the ground.

Although the temple is small, it has a magical environment and gives out positive vibes all the time.

The festival of Kojagiri Purnima, which occurs on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Ashwin (September –October) and marks the end of the monsoon season, is celebrated.Jagran Gondhal, which consists of an all-night vigil, songs, and dance in honour of the deity, along with puja, is performed in the temple premises during Navaratri.Another important festival celebrated at the temple is Mandhardevi Jatra, wherein the story of Kalubai Mandhardevi is depicted in a musical theatre form.