Description

Mhaswad is the last village of Satara district, on the border of Solapur district. Mhaswad, 98 km from Satara and 27 km from Gondwala, has a beautiful temple of Siddhanath Mahadev built around the twelfth century.

The Yatra season in Western Maharashtra begins with the Yatra of Mhaswad itself. A temple of Siddhanath Mahadev is built in the strong fortifications. A stone elephant is placed facing the temple on a square in the stone pavilion. The ornaments carved on it are worth seeing. Locals say that this is a memorial to the elephant that Siddhanath saved from the Ganges.

The entrance of the pavilion is decorated with beautiful carvings. There are idols of Siddhanath and his wife Jogabai (Jogeshwari) behind a wooden mahirpi in the gabhara. Behind them is a brass effigy.

The original idol of Siddhanath is of Bhairava and the original idol of Jogai is of Parvati. There is a tunnel under this idol, which is said to have a Shiv Linga.

Traditions/Festivals: Dev Diwali consists of a festival to Mhaswad and on Diwali Padwa has been Ghatasthapana (Deity situated in mud pot for few days) of deity is and the deity gets married during the Tulsi vivah.

How to Reach

334 KM from Mumbai Airport via Pune, Shirwal, Lonand, Phaltan, Dahiwadi, Mhaswad
178 Km from Pune via Shirawal, Lonand, Phaltan, Dahiwadi, Mhaswad
139 KM from Kolhapur via Top, Peth Vadgaon, Ashta, Palus, Vita, Mayani, Mhaswad
350 KM from Goa via Belgavi, Kolhapur, Peth Vadgaon, Palus, Vita, Mayani, Mhaswad
86.6 KM from Satara Bus Stand via Satara-Pandharpur Road