| Temples & Legends Of
Maharashtra |
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| Temples & Legends Of
India |
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KOLHAPUR-MAHALAKSHMI |
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| In the distant
past, Brahma while engaged in Creation produced three 'manasputras’, Gaya, Lavana and
Kolha. All the three were extremely powerful and became practically invincible through the
blessings of their father and also of Shiva. The eldest Gaya and the next Lavana enraged
the gods, especially Indra and Yama, and Vishnu with the assistance of other gods killed
both of them. However, the gods consented to turn the spots on which they had fallen into
tirths, thus we have the Vishnugaya tirth. ‘The youngest brother Kolha, the monarch
of Kolhapur, decided to seek revenge of the death of his brothers, not through war and
bloodshed but by dislodging the gods from their positions with the power of his penance.
He took to the Kolhagiri hills and followed the austere routine of a tapasvin. His penance
increased his strength so much that Brahmadeva decided to lay at his feet the entire
Universe. Of course, the gods, had their own axe to grind. When Kolhasur left his capital
a demon by the name of Sukeshi had taken over. He was a great enemy of the established
religion and freely wrecked the temples and ashrams of the rishis.
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