Tembe Swami (Sri Vasudevanand Saraswati) Temple Narasobawadi,Maharashtra

Tembe Swami Temple is located in Narasobawadi, a holy village in Shirol Taluk, Kolhapur District, Maharashtra. The temple stands on the sacred confluence of two rivers — Krishna and Panchganga — making the surroundings very peaceful and spiritually powerful.

The present temple dedicated to Sri Vasudevanand Saraswati (Tembe Swami Maharaj) was built in the early 20th century,
shortly after his Mahasamadhi in 1914, and completed within a couple of years, to honor the saint who lived and meditated here. Though the temple itself is about 100 years old, the location — Narasobawadi — has been a holy site for many centuries because of its association with Lord Dattatreya.

Deity Details

The temple is dedicated to Sri Vasudevanand Saraswati, a great saint and spiritual teacher of the Datta Sampradaya. He is believed to be a divine incarnation of Lord Dattatreya himself.
Inside the sanctum, you will find a beautiful lifelike idol of Tembe Swami Maharaj, seated in a meditative pose, radiating peace. Devotees also worship the nearby Padukas (holy sandals) of Lord Dattatreya, which are preserved in the main Shri Narasimha Saraswati Math at Narasobawadi.

Architecture

The temple follows simple yet traditional Maharashtrian temple architecture. It is built mainly with stone and lime, with a small shikhara (tower) over the sanctum. The inner hall has space for devotees to sit and chant bhajans. The temple walls display pictures and teachings of Tembe Swami Maharaj. The location by the river ghat adds to the temple’s charm — many devotees take a holy dip before entering.

History

Sri Vasudevanand Saraswati Maharaj, lovingly called Tembe Swami, was born in 1854 in Maharashtra and is revered as an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. He lived a pure and disciplined life as a sanyasi, he wrote and explained several important works, including commentaries on Shri Gurucharitra and other Datta Sampradaya scriptures, guiding countless devotees on the spiritual path. In 1905, he came to Narasobawadi, a sacred place at the confluence of the Krishna and Panchganga rivers, and stayed there for about 12 years. During this time, he performed daily worship, guided devotees, wrote important spiritual works, and started the tradition of Annadan (free food) for pilgrims. In 1914, he left Narasobawadi and went to Garudeshwar in Gujarat, where he took Mahasamadhi on 24 June 1914. His Samadhi Mandir is in Garudeshwar, but Narasobawadi remains one of the most important places where he lived and taught for many years.

Sthalapurana

According to the Datta Sampradaya tradition, Narasobawadi is the sacred spot where Shri Narasimha Saraswati (1378–1459), the second incarnation of Lord Dattatreya, lived for 12 years performing penance and guiding devotees.
Tembe Swami Maharaj, considered revered as a divine incarnation of Lord Dattatreya, meditated here, and it is said that devotees who pray sincerely at this place receive Lord Datta’s blessings to remove obstacles, cure illnesses, and attain spiritual progress. The presence of the two rivers is also believed to cleanse both body and soul.

He has authored around 19 books like Dwisahastri Gurucharitra (1889), Datta Puran (1892), Datta Mahatmya (1901), Saptashati Gurucharitra Saar (1904) and many more.

The holy book Shri GuruCharitra was not supposed to be read by women according to Maharaj. Hence, for women to gain knowledge of the book, he wrote The Saptashati Gurucharitra Saar, a short version of the Gurucharitra.

Vasudevanand Saraswati (Tembe Swami) and is usually observed in the month of August or September (according to the Hindu lunar calendar). On this day, special pujas, abhishekas, bhajans, and parayanas of the Datta Charitra are performed. Devotees gather in large numbers to offer prayers, listen to discourses on Swami’s teachings, and participate in annadanam (free food distribution). The temple is beautifully decorated, and the atmosphere is filled with devotional singing and chanting of “Digambara Digambara Sri Pada Vallabha Digambara.”