Hidden Stories: A Pune temple where Rajmata Jijamata, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj once prayed

Indian Express

2 days ago

At Someshwar Temple in Pune's Pashan, a fortress-like wall separates the outside world from the realm of the gods. In this Hindu month of Shravan, lakhs of devotees step in through the thick, wooden doors of the temple to spend time with the divine.
'On August 18, the last Monday of Shravan, we expect 10,000-20,000 people,' says Popatrao Jadhav, chairman of the Shri Kshetra Someshwar Devasthan Trust. The temple is bustling, and the gates stay open from early morning to late evening.
'A majority of the devotees are regulars. In the mid-17th century, Rajmata Jijamata, the mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was a regular. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a child, and Rajmata Jijamata would bring him here to pray. It was she who was instrumental in carrying out the renovation of the temple. Since then, the temple has been maintained as a heritage structure,' says Jadhav.
Black stone and a discovery of gold coins
The Someshwar Temple, which is spread over 3.5 acres, is believed to be 900 years old. Popat says that its earliest history is lost in time. Located beside the Ramnadi, with three gates, the temple is dedicated to Shiva, but the imposing complex contains several other shrines to Ganesha, Maruti and Bhairavnath. A giant banyan tree, a deepmala or tiered lights that tower at 40 ft, and a yajna mandap are among the other sites.
The temple is built of black stone, which creates an imposing character. The architecture is in the Hemadpanti style, named after Hemadri Pandit of the Yadava dynasty, in which black stone and lime, rather than mortar, are used to construct interlocking masonry.
Devotees make their way to the main temple, where the sanctum stands below the ground level. Most families get their darshan from a distance, from a white domed hall at a higher level where wall art depicts armies on horses engaged in war. This is where history merges with myth, and devotion holds supreme.
The Swayambhu Shivalinga, i.e. a shiva linga that has occurred naturally and was not created by human hands, gives the temple its reputation of being jagrut (the deity is believed to be residing within the idol) and wish-fulfilling.
Popat says, 'During the Peshwa era, Shivram Bhat Chitrav Swami discovered some gold coins, and gave these to Nanasaheb Peshwa. According to the wishes of Chitrav Swami, Nanasaheb Peshwa carried out renovation work at Someshwar Temple.'
Sculpted stones depict fading figures. 'There is a lot of history in the temple. We find that the devotees are interested in understanding our connection to the past,' says Popat.
After ritual prayers are over, a number of devotees make their way to a permanent exhibition of temple models from across India, such as Shri Somnath Jyotirlinga in Gujarat and Shri Mallikarjun Jyotirlinga. 'These are the 12 jyotirling that were installed in 2015 so that devotees can get a glimpse of these pilgrimage sites,' says Popat. For a deeper contemplation, the temple has a hall where one can meditate.