| Temples & Legends Of
Maharashtra |
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| Temples & Legends Of
India |
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KOLHAPUR-MAHALAKSHMI |
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| A fact laving a
direct bearing on the iconographic aspect and also on the cult rites once practised in
this temple, is the existence of a sculptured ‘Shri Yantra’ on one of the wills
of the temple in the mandap. This Yantra formed an important part in the ritual worships
of the Shakti sect. It is carved in a dark corner of the temple and more often than not
the visitor misses it. This is a tell-tale carving and indicates clearly the Shakti
acharas and worships. An interesting structural arrangement is noteworthy in connection
with the orientation of the image. The images generally face either the north or the east.
Here it faces the west. There is a small window in the western wall and one a year, when
the sun sets at the exact west its rays fall on the face of the image through this window.
This period Lists for three days, each time, the 21st, of the
months of March and September. It is considered an extremely auspicious sight and on all
the three evenings the temple is thickly crowded by people eager to have a glimpse of tie
beautiful image bathing in the golden rays of the setting sun.
The impression of disorder arising out of the great hotchpotch -congregation of refugee
images that one used to get a decade ago is now greatly relieved by the systematic
clearance work undertaken by the management. At the same time it is to be pointed out that
the existence of all sorts of shops right under the roof of the Garuda mandap is
distinctIy unharmonious with the peaceful and pious atmosphere that one expects in such a
famous shrine. It is a cheap encroachment on the dignity of the kshetra. |
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