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Phede
- Parasurama Mandir
Odd it sounds that this ancient temple was erected with the munificent funds of a Muslim lady, whose faith in the Hindu
scriptures and belief in Parasuram's spiritual powers not only enabled her to retrieve her fortune, but blessed the Hindus
with a unique place of worship. The background is quite gripping and opens the eyes of the skeptics that steadfast faith and
answer devotion blesses anyone, anything, ardently prayed for.
Origin
Of The Temple
Now listen to the origin. In the late eighteenth century itself, the Parasurama's image was installed here by one devotee
named Parachura living in Guheswar. Prior to this, only a black round topped stone was adored by a cow Herd and it was
called Swayambhu. The cow-herd found his cow emptying its udder everyday over a black stone lying at the exact spot
where the archamurti is now installed. Attributing it to the divine sport of the Invisible Lord, he circulated the news to his
dearer and nearer. People used to throng and worship it and they were getting their petition heard, and hurdle, crossed. Just
at this time Lord Parasuram appeared in a dream to a devout bhakta and said that he had been abiding in that place over
centuries and instructed him to offer worship to tiding over the problems. The cow-herd's observation and consequent oil his
propagation lent support to the divinity present there. As people's devotional fervour gained momentum, a small mandir was
built and the adorers were lifted. A fine temple came into being later with a miracle that established firmly the eternal
presence of Bhagawan Parasuram and his compassion to liberate tile sokarthis from the ever threatening doom of the
Nemisis.
Muslim
Lady's Devotion
A certain wealthy Muslim lady' belonging to Adilshah's dynasty of Rijapur, once dispatched ship-loads of merchandise to
Arab countries. She was informed in a week's time that a formidable gale that developed in the sea all on a sudden and
caused incalculable loss to the Flotilla and its whereabouts were not traced. The agitated lady made a tearful appeal to Lord
Parasuram to save her from perdition; for, she had the occasion to learn that in the past parasuram cow down an advancing
sea with his mighty bow. She vowed to build a temple for him, if her property reached the destination safely. And lo! with a
mere wave of hand, the gratified Lord tamed down the hurricane and made the costly merchandise reach those men for
whom they were sent for. The news elated the lady infinitely and forthwith she began building a pretty shrine towards the
redemption of tier vow. After completion and knowing the queer origin, both Muslims and Hindus started visiting. and offering
ritualistic worship with great pomp.
As its spiritual eminence mounted higher and higher, it brought luminaries from religious and political worlds. The reigning
Maharasti-a princes endowed the temple lavishly and special sanads were passed for conduct of regular worship. The great
Maharastrian ruler also visited the temple and filled its coffers with his liberal offerings. Later Brahmendra swamy, a recluse,
drawn by the divinity of the place, settled down here and carried on renovation and expansion programme with the financial
support of philanthropists. His influence in several circles of higher-ups including the ruling class added a new glittering
chapter to the temple legend. The whole campus was given a face lift. Alas! he was made to retreat due to the hatred of
Siddis of Janjiru under whose jurisdiction the temple came then. The feudal lords' animosity to Hinduism stood in the way of
further growth. But later one pious devotee by name Shiva 13hat with the help of julaji, an influential Maharastrian admiral,
opened another chapter. He made the ruling prince of Maharastra release a sanad called Bhargava to collect two rupees
per village for its maintenance. When this was stoutly opposed from some circles, a collection of one anna per head from
every village in the vicinity was ordered and even this also was made optional in 1847 by the then Governor of Bombay,
when further complaints were made to him. The temple gradually grew in all dimensions with the hundi collections and
donation front the philanthropists. It is now an independent, grandly built shrine possessing all the component parts and
particularly with an imposing Mahadwar adorned by a drum-house atop heralding the glory of the temple and its mulavirat
Parasuram - a unique incarnation of Lord Srimannarayana.
It lies at a distance of 7 km Chiplum, near Satara on the Central Railway, accessible by bus from Chiplum, one of the famous
towns of Maharastra.
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