MOTHER BHAVANI OF TULJAPUR

THE KOLLALA THIRTHA

According to legend, this temple was built by Viswakarma at the behest of Brahma. After completion, Brahma made this kshetra holiest by bringing the waters of the holier rivers for the holy dip by the bhaktas to purge of sins. So he summoned all the rivers of the Bharat without exception to come through under ground and join the kund, dug there. They did as bid. They came in great haste and collected there with unprecedented tumult; seeing their jubilant furore, Lord Brahma named the thirtha as Kallola thirtha - an appropriate name. On account of the merging of all the sacred waters, their efficacy is such that they have curative and purificatory powers. A dip emancipates, particularly in the Maghamasa. Visitors invariably take bath and observe rite as guided by the priests there.

After this point, there is a further descent of another 15 feet that takes into the second prakara. Here in addition to thrithas, there are many shrines and mandaps for several deities. Among the thirthas, the Gomukh Thirtha deserves mention. From the stone image of a cow's head, lying at a height of six feet, water flows down constantly coming from the Mankavati thirtha lying far off. It goes by the name of Dhara thirtha supposed to contain the waters of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. 

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