For the devotees of Lord Shiva, his temple is like a spiritual retreat where they can forget themselves for some time and feel one with the divine. One such historically significant temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is Someshwar temple in Pashan, Pune. Being as much as 900 years old, Someshwar Temple Pashan is one of the oldest Lord Shiva temples not only in Maharashtra but in India. The good news is that the temple still stands tall in the heart of Pune and is visited by hundreds of devotees throughout the year. The temple visit is hassle-free and there are many facilities offered inside the temple for the devotees by the temple trust.
The Swayambhu Shiva Lingam
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The folklore about Someshwar temple tells about the pure and timeless bond between the supreme deity and the living beings on Earth. Whenever the devotees call their lord with utter love and devotion, the deity always presents himself in front of them. The folklore about the temple goes like this – about 700 years ago, there was a cow who used to sprinkle its milk over a snake hole in the forest. The caretaker cowherd spotted this and found himself wondering about it. That night, Lord Shiva appeared in his dreams and asked him to dig up the spot where the cow used to sprinkle its milk daily. When the cowherd dug up the place, he found a Shiva Lingam, which emerged from the ground. It was called ‘Swayambhu’ or self-originating Shiva Lingam, an illustration of Lord Shiva’s divine energy.
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The Story Of The Peshwas
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It is said that towards the end of the 18th century, Shivrambhat Chitraswami, a spiritual preacher of the Marathas, discovered a pot filled with gold coins, buried near the premises of the temple. He took the pot and handed it over to Peshwa Nanasaheb or Balaji Baji Rao, the 8th Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy. He put the money to the good purpose of renovating the temple. Today, the temple premise has Nanasaheb’s samadhi to honour his devotion to Lord Shiva.
Since ancient times this place has been worshipped as a ‘jagrut’ (awakened) place. It is believed that Rajmata Jijabai used to come to worship Lord Shiva from 1640 to 1650 AD. Shivaji Maharaj also used to accompany his mother. Later, in 1884, the temple was rebuilt, through public funding. The temple was renovated and the shining white marble columns were installed. The recognition and popularity of the temple grew so much that the elders of the village settled the disputes of the villagers through the miracles of God. There was also a time when the villagers performed religious shlokas and Maha Rudrabhishek to please the rain god and get rains. The present trust of the temple renovated the temple in 2012 to protect its old stone with slices of marble stone procured from Rajasthan.
The Architecture Of Someshwar Temple Pashan
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As you enter the Someshwar temple Pashan, you will instantly be awestruck by the beauty of the temple. It instantly catches the eyes of the beholder. You can easily imagine the grandeur and magnificence of the Someshwarwadi Temple in those days. Built in the Hemadpanti architectural style in black stone, about 900 years ago, the temple is built on the banks of the Ramnadi River, a tributary of the Mula River.
Someshwar Temple Pashan has a total area of about 3.5 acres. It has mainly three entrances – the main entrance is from Someshwarwadi; the second entrance is from the side of the Ramnadi river and the third entrance of the temple is from the western side of the temple. The walls of the temple are thick and give the temple a fortified structure. Once you enter the doorway of the temple, it leads to some stone stairs that look like ghat, which are stoned steps leading to a water body.
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Temple Timings And Entry Fees
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The darshan at Someshwar Temple Pashan is absolutely free for all the devotees. You can donate in the donation box if you wish to do so. The temple opens at 8 AM and closes at 7 PM on all days of the week.
Practical tips for devotees
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- It is important for men and women to be dressed in traditional clothes so that they can enter the inner sanctum and offer abhishek puja to Lord Shiva.
- You can buy flowers and prasad from shops outside the temple.
- On special days, there are special puja ceremonies organised in the temple.
- Every Monday in the month of Shravan, sabudana khichdi is offered to Lord Shiva as mahaprasad throughout the day and then distributed to the devotees.
- The temple offers morning and evening aartis (prayers) every day and occasionally organizes bhajans sung by female devotees.
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How to reach Someshwar Temple Pashan
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The temple is located in the heart of Pune and can be easily reached from Pune Junction Railway Station and Pune Airport. The railway station is about 10 kilometres away from the temple. Pune airport is about 17 kilometres away from the temple. One can easily get autos and taxis from the railway station and airport to the temple. If you are coming from Mumbai, the Mumbai-Pune expressway offers good connectivity to Pashan.
Further Read: 7 Best Temples In Pune
Experience the unique amalgamation of tradition and tranquillity at Someshwar Temple Pashan. The 900-year-old Lord Shiva’s temple is a true spiritual retreat in the heart of Pune. Your visit to the temple will be a soulful journey into Pune’s cultural legacy. Book your trip to Pune to experience the cultural and religious heritage of the city.
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Cover Image Credit: DesiBoy101 for wikimedia commons
Frequently Asked Questions About Someshwar Temple Pashan
What is the history of Someshwar Temple in Pune?
Someshwar Temple Pashan is believed to be a Swayambhu Lord Shiva temple. A cowherd found The Shiv Lingam under the ground after he saw a cow sprinkling its milk there. He saw Lord Shiva in his dream who instructed him to dig up the ground to obtain the Shiv lingam and place it in the temple.
How old is Someshwar Temple?
Someshwar temple pashan is believed to be about 900 years old. It was visited by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Rajamata Jijabai during his childhood. The temple was renovated at regular intervals by the Peshwas.
Is Someshwar Temple a Jyotirlinga?
Someshwar Temple is not a Jyotirlinga. It is believed to be a Swayambhu Shiva Lingam temple which was dug up from the ground by a cowherd, whom Lord Shiva gave instructions in his dream to do so.
What is the distance of Someshwar temple from Pune?
Someshwar temple is located in the heart of Pune. It is quite near Pune Railway station and Pune airport. The temple is accessible by road from all the key areas of Pune.
What is the architectural style of Someshwar Temple in Pune?
Someshwar temple Pashan is about 900 years old and is made in Hemadpanti architectural style in black stone.
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