Introduction
JEJURI, the foremost centre of the worship of Khandoba in Maharashtra, is some thirty miles to the south-east of Poona. It can be approached both by rail as well as by road. While the road leads one right into the heart of the village the railway station is more than a mile away from the village. The name of the station is Jejuri and is on the Poona-Bangalore track of the Southern railway. Usually bullock carts or bullock tongas are available at the station to take a visitor from the station to the village or the other way round. But as the route is lined by shade-giving trees and is not a very long one pilgrims prefer to walk down the distance.
If of course, the visitor has a good deal of luggage with him he would have to depend on the local transport available. Some dharma-shalas are there and some of the temple-priests act as kshetro-padhyayas and entertain guests; but the darshan of the deities of the kshetra can be finished within one day and unless the visitor has to perform some navas rites etc. it is usually a one day trip from a place like Poona. The water supply at the place is scarce and this difficulty makes a longer stay rather inconvenient.
Author - Madhukar Shripad Mate
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