Of
the documents from the Maratha period, a majority deals, with either grants to the temple
or records of fulfilment of vows, navasas. Historically the most important are those
papers that show that the goddess had to desert her ancient abode during the Moslem rule.
This period seems to be pretty lengthy as a letter from Chhatrapati Sambhaji of the
Kolhapur branch (1723 A.D.) states that although several people bad risen to power and
fame during the Adil Shahi regime none had taken the trouble to restore the goddess which
was a refugee in the priests’ house, to her former seat. This means that the goddess
had to vacate her place not much after the Moslem rulers invaded the Deccan. Only after
the Maratha regime achieved a semblance of stability could she return to her ancient
shrine. This reinstitution took place on the Vijayadashmi day of the year 1637 Saka i.e.
26th September 1715, This no doubt was an extremely important
event in the history of this land. The triumphal re-entry of the great goddess, the Adi
Shakti, into her own house, marks as it were, the close of an era, an era in which the
fortunes of the religion had sunk to the lowest ebb. From that date onwards this
Adyantrahita, Sarvabhayaprada, Sarvasamshaynashini Mahalakshmi is worshipped and prayed by
thousands of devotees without hindrance or break. |
