Pataleshwar Caves
Pataleshwar caves houses the very popular Pataleshwar Temple and is located next to the Jangli Maharaj Mandir on the Jangli Maharaj Pune Road. The temple is made in the dedication of Lord Shiva and it’s a must visit if you are Lord Shiva Bhakt or a lover.
Carved out in 8th century in pune, this majestic temple is made out of basalt rock & is entirely dedicated to the powerful Lord Shiva. The attraction point & the popular point of this cave is the Nandi mandapa which is an umbrella shaped canopy supported by huge pillars.
Pataleshwar Cave temples which are 8th century caves are dedicated to lord Pataleshwar , God of underworld. It is located on Jungli Maharaj Road.It is belived to have been cut out from a single rock, the place has massive pillars, which are the grandeur of the temple caves. The shrine out there is dedicated to Shiva and the Nandi. This religious shrine on Jungli Maharaj Road, housed in caves, that dates back to 700-800 AD has rather grand statues of Nandi, Sita, Ram, Lakshman, Lakshmi, Ganesh and an over-sized shivalingam under its roof.
The attached museum is dim, dank and dusty and not worth wasting time over, apart from an exhibit that has made the Guinness Book of World Records – a grain of rice engraved with some 5000 characters.
Getting there:
Pataleshwar Cave temple is located in the middle of the busy thorughfare of Jangli Maharaj Road.one can take autorikshwa and reahout there. It is Open Daily from 8.00 a.m. to 5.30p.m.
The Pataleshwar Cave Temples is dedicated to Lord Pataleshwar- the God of Underwater and Lord Shiva. The design of these temples is similar to those of Elephanta Cave. It was constructed in 8th century and many of its stones date back to 700 to 800 AD. These temples are considered to be a part of the protected monuments category of Pune. The temple has ornate carvings on the black rocks present within it. It is also known for its museum which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The museum is known for the grain of rice which has 5000 characters inscribed on it.
The temple is located across the river in Shivaji nagar on Jangali Maharaj Road. The worshippers of Lord Shiva celebrate the Shiva Linga Pooja with much vigour. There are many worshippers who assemble outside the temple to offer their prayers and be a part of the celebration. The temple inculcates massive pillars, a Shiva shrine and a Nandi bull. The temple hence offers a peaceful and delightful historic as well as educational experience to all its visitors . Pataleshwar cave temple is a huge temple carved out of a single rock.
The Pataleshwar cave temple at Pune has an exotic arrangement of circular stone at the entrance. The entrance is a sight worth seeing, as it highlights acute sense of geometry of these architects. The temple also has a wide array of seating arrangement, including smaller rooms for the visitors.
There are beautiful statues of Sita, Rama, Laxman and a host of other Hindu Gods and Goddesses located in the cube-shaped room at the heart of the temple.These sculpture are mesmerizing but somewhat incomplete as it has elaborate design in the main worship area, the other parts of worship area is devoid of much beautification.
Beside the Pataleshwar cave temple of Pune, there is a museum which is enlisted in the Guinness Book of World Records. The museum exhibits a grain of rice that has around 5,000 characters inscribed on it. We also come across a temple dedicated to a Hindu ascetic adjacent to the temple.
The Pataleshwar cave temple of Pune, which remains open from 8 am to 5.30 pm in the evening, can be reached from any destination in Pune with the help of auto rickshaws.
Compiled by: www.placestovisitmaharashtra.com Team
