![]() We can directly touch the feet of the Lord. It will lead to many small shrines of various bhaktas, then towards Lord Panduranga. We can have this mukha darshan any time without standing in the queue.įor padha darshan (to touch the Lotus feet of the Lord), there is an entrance which leads to the queue complex outside the temple. This posture reflects His pastimes in Pandharpur. He stands on a brick, with His hands resting on His hips. After climbing a few steps, we can see the slightly smiling, blackish-complexioned deity of Sri Vitthala, who is three and a half feet tall. Then a small shrine for Garuda and Hanuman. Next is a small hall where bhajans are performed. A small Ganesh shrine is present inside the temple as the first shrine. Pilgrims will first pray to the devotees and then enter the temple. The samadhi of Namadev and Chockamela is located at the entrance. The main entrance of Lord Vittala’s Temple is facing towards the Chandrabhaga or Bhima river. The black stone temple hosts the five-thousand-year-old self-manifested Deity of Lord Vitthala. The Pandurangashtakam stotra, a hymn attributed to Adi Shankaracharya of the 8th century, indicates that Vithoba worship might have already existed at an early date.Ī stone inscription dated 1237, found on an overhead beam of the present Vithoba temple, mentions that the Hoysala king Someshvara donated a village for the expense of the bhoga (food offering) for “Vitthala” In particular, several alternative theories have been proposed regarding the earliest stages, as well as the point at which he came to be recognized as a distinct deity. Reconstruction of the historical development of Vithoba worship has been much debated. His hands are placed on his hips and the expression of this posture shows that he is enjoying the bhajans of his devotees. The specialty of this temple is the position in which Lord Vittal is found. “Ba” is used to denote “father” in Marathi. The reason behind the brick will be explained later in this article. Another interpretation is that the word “Vitthala” is said to be derived from the Marathi word “Vit”, meaning brick. He is the shape of knowledge or the deity of knowledge. The “Vi” in Lord Vithoba’s name denotes knowledge and “Thoba” denotes shape. There is a short street that links this ghata to the eastern gate of the Vitthala temple. For the devotees of Vitthala, this river is as holy as the Ganges.Īlong the riverbank are fourteen ghatas, or bathing places. Because of the way the river bends as it reaches Pandharpur, it is known as the Candrabhaga (“crescent moon”). Some call it bhu-vaikuntha, “the spiritual world on earth.” Others call it Dakshina Dvaraka, the Dvaraka of the South. It is impossible to trace the original forms from which these derivatives have been evolved. It is referred to in ancient texts by various names such as Pandhari, Pandurangapur, Phaganipur, Pundarik Kshetra. Pandharpur is a large town on the banks of Bhima river, or Chandrabhaga as it is locally known.
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