JNANESWAR MAHARAJ OF ALANDI 

THE TEMPLE

According to tradition, Jnaneswar attained samadhi in the presence of his numerous followers on the 13th day of the dark half of Karthik in Saka year 1218. There was no building of the present type then, When Eknath Maharaj edited the Jnaneswari after 300 years of his exit, he found out the samadhi and built a huge temple around it befitting the glory of the saint. Later many additions were made with donations and munificent endowments of princes and philanthropists. The present temple is quite impressive with the immensity of its dimensions and architectural grandeur. It has three imposing gates - Mahadwar facing the north, Ganesh Dwar facing west, Hanuman Dwar facing east built by Diwan of Nizam, Shinde, Deshpande and Peshwas. The halls and courtyards are quite huge and provided with many amenities for meditation, besides darsan. The Veena Mandap and Karanja Mandap are extremely beautiful and spacious. The hall enshrining the samadhi is bereft of images either on walls, or ceiling, except those of Vithoba and Rakhumai in a special niche in the wall just above the samadhi. The spick and span together with the tranquility pervading the entire shrine, bends the heads of the visitors and places before the mental eyes the sublime figure of Jnaneswar teaching the Advaitic philosophy.

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