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In
this renowned Vishnava Kshetna, Mother Rukmini enjoys pre-eminent place along
with Bhagavan Vithal, whose sway over mass and class is beyond description in
Maharashtra. The Panduranga temple is fairly a big one built in the heart of the
town, on the bank of Chandrabagha, a tributary of river Krishna. It is surrounded
by a high sturdy wall with entrances, adorned with towers. It stands on a high
plinth occupying 370 feet east-west and 170 feet north west. Mother Rukmini gives
darsan only after her Lord Panduranga's. So let us enter and proceed to avail
his darsan first. The chief entrance-Mahadwara with a flight of twelve steps
faces east and is called the Namadev gate, named after a great thirteenth centuries
representing the members of Namdev's family. The first figure holding tambourine
in hand is that of Namdev.
Crossing the Namdev gate, we enter a roofed passage with
Nagarkhana on it. It has three rooms on either side, housing the images like
Ganesh etc. This is called Mukti Mandap. Ascending half a dozen steps again, we
enter a spacious quadrangle with long aisles.
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