Shree Siddheshwar Mahadev Mandir (Devsthan) Rajgurunagar,Pune,Maharashtra

Originally known as Khetaka, Rajgurunagar (Khed) is located 43 km from Pune on the bank of the Bhima River. It is also the birthplace of Śivarāma Rājaguru, a revolutionary figure in the Indian independence movement, who assassinated British police officer John Saunders along with Bhagat Singh and Sukhadev on December 17, 1928. In honour of Rājaguru, the village was renamed ‘Rajgurunagar’. Today, the Rājguru’s house is a state-protected monument. The city also boasts a tomb and mosque built in 1630 CE by Nizam-era Sardar Dilāvar Khān, recognised as a monument of national importance due to its architecture. The village is also a part of the Navanātha Jhuṇḍī route of the Nātha sect and is home to temples such as Siddheśvara Temple, Kedaresvara, and Khandoba.

Shree Siddheshwar Mahadev Mandir

The premises of the temple are stunning, surrounded by lush greenery and the sounds of birds chirping. The Bhāgīrathī Puṣkaraṇī is home to fish and turtles, creating a very soothing atmosphere.

The present-day temple of Siddheśvara was built on March 4, 1725 CE, by Trimbaka Śeth, an ancestor of resident Kāśikara Madhve. The construction of Bhāgīrathī Kuṇḍa (Puṣkaraṇī) in front of the temple was completed on October 12, 1735 CE. To the west of the tank is the Dharmaśālā (a building devoted to a religious or charitable purpose), 58 feet long and 8 feet wide. Lamp pillars were later built by the Cavān, Sāṇḍabhor and Thigale families of Khed in front of the temple. Nānā Faḍanavis also built two Dharmaśālās near the temple. In addition to the main temple structure, visitors can also see Tulasī Vṛndāvana, Samādhīs, and small temples within the temple complex.

Architecture

The north-facing Siddheśvara temple has a nandīmaṇḍapa, mukhamaṇḍapa, sabhāmaṇḍapa, antarāla, and garbhagṛha. The nandīmaṇḍapa in front of the temple houses a Nandī and is supported by four pillars with a beautiful bell hanging from the ceiling. Following the nandīmaṇḍapa, we come across the mukhamaṇḍapa-like architecture featuring six stone masks on the upper part of the structure. A Kīrtimukha and an animal face adorn it, with two carved Śarabhas on either side. The mukhamaṇḍapa has two pillars and some niches as well. enter the sabhāmaṇḍapa, which has a simple door adorned with a carving of Gaṇeśa and a Kīrtimukha on the threshold. Four common pillars support the maṇḍapa’s ceiling.