Located 54 km east of Pune near the Pune-Solapur highway, the Bhuleshwar temple guards many mysteries from the past. While the temple’s unique architecture makes it look like a mosque from a distance, the stone carvings here showcase important scenes from Ramayana & Mahabharata. Many unexplained mysteries like the disappearing of Prasad can be experienced here. You will be pleasantly surprised or in awe when you visit this temple.
Bhuleshwar temple’s history and architecture
The Bhuleshwar temple is perched on a hill fort called Mangalgad or Daulatmangal fort. Only a few parts of the ancient turrets (buruj) and walls (tatbandi) of this fort can be found here today. The actual time when the temple first came into existence is unknown. But people believe it to be constructed by the Pandavas (Pandavkalin). Later in the 13th century, King Krishnadevraya of the Yadava dynasty reconstructed this temple. Then it was enhanced by the Marathas, during their rule. The Bhuleshwar temple has been destroyed and reconstructed so many times that you will find additions from different centuries and rulers here. This makes it a complex piece of architecture to understand.
During the rule of the Marathas, this temple was often targeted by the Mughals. As it is located on a hilltop, it was a clear and easy target visible from long distances. To prevent these attacks Brahmendra Swami Dhawadshikar, spiritual guru of Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur and the Peshwas of Pune, suggested a clever idea of disguising it as a mosque. Thus, several minarets were constructed around the shikhara or pinnacle of this temple. And even today Bhuleshwar temple resembles a mosque from long distances. Nevertheless, the temple has faced several attacks from outsiders, which is evident from the mutilated or broken carvings inside the temple. The Mughals ruled from this place for a short period of six months. During this time they hid all the wealth looted from the wars at this temple, but they couldn’t retrieve any of it later.
I do not understand the logic or minds behind mutilating such beautiful sculptures, nor do I understand the hands that did this cruel act!
Bhuleshwar temple mysteries
The Bhuleshwar temple complex comprises 3 floors. But the bottom 2 floors are mysteriously closed for everyone. Only the 3rd floor of the temple is open for us. The temple falls under the archeological department of India and they have tried to excavate the bottom two floors of this temple. But they faced obstacles like their machinery stopped working or the team members fell sick. They soon gave up on the excavation efforts. And since then no one has tried to enter the bottom two floors of Bhuleshwar temple. Some locals even say that a massive treasure is hidden below the temple. But I guess we will never know!
The mystery of disappearing Prasad
Below the Shiva Linga of Bhuleshwar temple is an inverted Shivlinga (a cavity or hole). Inside this hole, there are 3 small Lingas depicting the merging of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Every day during Brahma muhurta ie. early morning around 5 am the local priest performs Puja rituals, puts the prasad of Peda (sweets) and bananas inside this cavity and then closes it. Later it is found that some or all of the prasad disappears.
This strange phenomenon has happened in this temple every day for the last 200 years. It is believed that God Shiva himself comes and eats our Prasad. Now let me remind you that this Shivalinga is located on the 3rd floor of the temple, and the bottom 2 floors are mysteriously closed. So who really eats this prasad? Nobody has solved this mystery yet. If you want to see this with your own eyes, you must visit the Bhuleshwar temple early in the morning and participate in this Puja ritual with the temple’s priest.
Bhuleshwar temple in mythology
In Hindu mythology, there is a beautiful story behind the formation of Bhuleshwar temple. The name Bhuleshwar translates to ‘the one who forgot.’ Once God Shiva was angry with Mata Parvati and went far away from Mount Kailash ie. their home. He came and sat in deep meditation at this hill of Bhuleshwar temple. To make God Shiva forget his anger and bring him back to Mount Kailash, Mata Parvati took the form of a beautiful maiden and danced at this place. Seeing her in this form God Shiva came out of his meditation, forgot all his anger, and went back to Mount Kailash with Mata Parvati. Even today you can feel the strong divine energies of Shiva and Parvati at this temple. And this is the reason why Bhuleshwar temple is an extremely sacred place (jagrut devasthan).
Story of the tilted head of Nandi
In the above story, when Mata Parvati comes to take God Shiva home, Nandi who was guarding Shiva tilts his head towards the right. He keeps one eye on Mata Parvati and another eye on God Shiva and waits in anticipation of what might happen next. This is exactly how you will find the Nandi statue inside the Bhuleshwar temple. This style of Nandi with his head tilted towards the right direction is found in several temples of western Maharashtra and south India. The large Nandi is placed inside an elaborate Nandi mandap, surrounded by 4 pillars. On the panels above the Nandi, there are several gods like Ashta Dikpal (guardians of eight directions), the Nava Grahas (nine planets), and more.
Artistic carvings in Bhuleshwar temple
As you climb a few steps and enter inside the temple, you might feel like you have entered inside some alternate reality or a magical world. This effect comes from the light and shadows inside the temple. Due to its strange and complex architecture, the temple is dimly lit. But the light falls in strange angles and patterns throughout the day, giving it a mystical feeling. Bhuleshwar temple gives a different experience at different times of the day and different times of the year. Photography inside this temple is exciting as well as challenging.
The carvings inside the temple represent the cosmos. While the Sabha mandap (outer halls) depict the Mrutyuloka or our world, the Garbhagriha (inner sanctum) depicts the Swargaloka or heaven. So when you enter the temple you are making a journey from the Mrutyuloka to Swargaloka, from earth to the heavens. Everywhere you look you are surrounded by the most beautiful sculptures. Several Apsaras, Gandharvas, and Bhargavas (dancers and musicians) are carved on the walls of the main inner sanctum. Moreover, some large panels depict important stories and events from Hindu mythology.
If I decide to cover every pillar and every tiny sculpture in this temple, it might take me years and years of study and I might even write it in a book. But at present, I will show you the 5 most eye-catching panels that you must see when you visit the Bhuleshwar temple near Pune.
- Ramayana Panel 1 – Ram and Bharat Meeting scene
- Ramayana Panel 2 – Ram chasing the golden dear
- Mahabharata Panel 1 – Bhishma Pitamaha on a bed of arrows
- Samudra Manthan Panel with 9 Ratnas
- Female forms of Gods – Vinayaki, Maheshwari, Kartikeyi, etc
Ramayana Panel I – Ram and Bharat Meeting scene
Ramayana Panel II – Ram and Laxman chasing the Golden deer
Mahabharata Panel – Bhishma Pitamaaha on a bed of arrows
Samudra Manthan Panel
Feminine form of Gods – Vinayaki, Maheshwari, Kartikeyi
Placed a bit higher than eye level, on the inner panels surrounding the Garbhagriha, or inner sanctum of Bhuleshwar temple, there are numerous beautifully carved figures. Look closely and you will notice that all of them are female. What is astonishing is that in these carvings is a female form of Shiva – ie. Maheshwari, accompanied by the female form of Ganesha – ie. Vinayaki and the female form of Kartikeya – ie. Kartikeyi. They are all placed high above our heads and it appears as if they are looking down upon us. We have heard about the Ardhanarishwara form of Shiva which is a merging of Shiva (Male) and Parvati (female). But this is something entirely different. These are Gods completely in their feminine form, and I havent seen anything like this anywhere in Maharashtra. I still don’t know the exact story or inspiration behind these carvings, and I am looking for answers too.
How to reach Bhuleshwar temple
If you are starting from Pune city, take the Pune – Solapur highway road. As you reach the Malshiras region, leave the highway and take a right. Bhuleshwar temple is perched on a hill, so you catch the first sight of the temple long before actually reaching the place. When I first saw the Bhuleshwar temple while driving from Pune, I instantly felt its energy pulling me towards it. It felt as if something inside the temple was calling me. It is difficult to explain in words, but you can visit the temple to actually feel its heavy positive vibrations yourself.
- Pune to Bhuleshwar temple distance: 54 km
- Bhuleshwar temple location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aqLAhruZhi14JvF36
- Climb of Bhuleshwar temple: There are around 200 steps that you must climb, to reach the temple. There is also an alternate road that takes you almost to the top, but you will still have to climb a few last steps. The climb is easy with a clear path and steps.
Other temples near Bhuleshwar temple
- Ramdara temple and lake
- Chintamani temple in Theur
- Temples in Jejuri
- Pandeshwar in Morgaon
