KARHEPATHAR TEMPLE - KHANDOBAS BENIGNTY

After praying to him in the main of temple, we proceed to Karhepather lying far off atop the hill, but connected by a path with the usual dipmalas and arches on the way. As we proceed, we stop at a spot called Ghodeuddan - a sacred spot from where Khandoba jumped to save one of his devotees. It has a story interesting. Tradition says that there was an ardent devotee who visited this temple daily. As he grew old he felt the ascending too difficult, and one day he actually collapsed on the way. He wailed bitterly and prayed soulfully. Khandoba the asritaparijata at once rushed to the spot on his white horse and assured him that he would thenceforward dwell on Gad-Kot lying lower for his easy worship. So saying he jumped from this spot to reach GadKot. The old man hastened to the spot and found two swayambhu lingas there and began his daily worship with reduced hardship. So practically the Kare-pather is more ancient than the Gad-Kot shrine. A shrine is much smaller in size than the one seen. Like its counterpart, it contains a portico, mandap and garbhagriha. Here the image of Lord Khandoba is installed in a niche on the western' wall. It reveals in sitting pose with legs crossed and the hands holding the customary sword, trisula, dhamaru and bowl. It is here on the same pedestal installed the heads of the demons- Mani and Malla as prayed for. Down below this images lie the two lingas representing the Lord and his consort. As in the other shrine, here also there is Rangashila used for bhajan programmes and also images of Hanuman, Rama, Siva, etc.

Location : The temple lies in Jejuri, accessible by four wheelers from Pune, Maharastra.

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