Mahur, Maharashtra
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- Please see Mahur for other uses.
Mahur or Mahurgad is a religious place in Maharashtra, India. Mahur is said to be the birth place of Hindu Goddess Renuka, mother of Lord Parshuram. The three and half Shakti Peethas of Maharashtra are Tuljapur enshrining Bhavani, Kolhapur enshrining Mahalakshmi, Mahur enshrining Mahamaya, and Renuka and Saptshringi enshrining Jagadamba. Other Shakti temples in the state are those at Ambe Jogai and Aundh.
There are many temples in Mahur like Anusaya and Kalika temples. The most important one is the temple of Renuka Devi, which has a special place in the Hindu mythology. A big fair is held here every year on the occasion of Vijayadashami.
Mahur is said to be birth place of God Dattatreya. Dattatreya was born to Goddess Anusaya. There is an ancient temple of Dattatreya. Every year on Datta Pornima thousands of people visit Mahur.
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[edit] History
Mahur finds mention in the ancient Devi Bhagawatam as "Matripura", where it is mention as one of the famous pilgrimages.[1] In Devi Gita the final and most important chapter of the text, it is mentioned as one the important places of Shakti worship:
"Devi spoke:... I am now telling something out of My affection to My Bhaktas... Matripura in the Sahyadri mountain; here the Devi Renuka dwells..."[2]
For Muslims it is famous for the Dargah of Baba SonaPir, who is also konwn as Mohar-e-Rasool (Stamp of Prophet). In every fifth of the month a Urs has been conducted in Dargaah. Many people come from different parts of country to celebrate this occasion.
[edit] Geography
All three important temples — Renuka Temple, Dattatreya Temple and Anusaya Temple — are built on three mountain ranges. Mahur is surrounded by jungles rich with trees and wild life. There is teakwood trees everywhere. Peacocks, deer, black bears, panthers are very common in the jungle.
On one of the mountains is the ancient Mahurgad Fort constructed in the 12th century. Mahur was an important fort in ancient Berar history. It became a separate province in 1478 during the Bahmani Sultanate. It was a one of the Sarkar (then district) with 20 parganas (towns) in Berar Subah (state) in Akbar's rule.
[edit] Attractions
The main attractions in Mahur are Renuka Temple, Dattatreya Temple, Anusaya Temple, Devdeveshwar Temple, Parshuram Temple, Sarvatirtha, Matru-Tirtha,Bhanutirth, Hati darvaza, Bal samudra, Pandav Leni, Mahurgad Fort, Mahakali Temple (In the fort), Mahur Museum, Sonapir Dargah, Shaikh Farid Water fall, Palace of Raje Udaram. (Raje Udaram Deshmukh and later his brave wife RaiBagan (Royal Tigress) were the last rulers of Mahur.)
People who visit Mahur also visit Unkeshwar (50 km from Mahur; 15 km from Kinwat), which has natural sources of hot water. This sulphur-rich water is supposed to have medicinal value.
[edit] Devdeveshwar Temple
Devdeveshwari mandir belongs to Mahanbhav Panth, casically called a nidra sthan (sleeping place) of Jagat Guru Shree Dattatreya Prabhu. It is at elevated outskirt of Mahur town, 2 km from Mahur bus stand.
Daily Shree Dattatreya Prabhu will take nitya snan (daily bath) at meruwada talao (tank) in Mahur, bhiksha (the meal served to a sadhu or Indian monk) at Kolhapur, bhojan (lunch) at Panchaleshwar and get back to sleep in Devdeveshwar mandir Mahur (nidra sthan of God Dattatreya Prabhu). Jagat Guru Shree Dattatreya swami is a chiranjiv avtar (Immortal) so it is believed that even today Shree Dattatreya swami comes to sleep here.
[edit] Travel facilities
There are Maharashtra state transport buses that go from Nanded, Kinwat or Pusad to Mahur. Kinwat and Nanded are on the rail network and trains from Mumbai make a stop here. There are daily flights from Mumbai to Nanded.
Nagpur also has bus and taxi transport going to Mahur.
[edit] References
- ^ Devi Bhagawatam, Ninth Book, chapter XXXIV: On the description of the various hells, p. 939 Devi Bhagawatam, tr. by Swami Vijnanananda, (1921-22).
- ^ Devi Gita, chapter XXXVIII: The Vow and the Sacred Places of the Devi Devi Gita (Song of the Goddess), excerpt from the Srimad Devi Bhagawatam, translated by Swami Vijnanananda (Hari Prasanna Chatterji), 1921. "O King of Mountains! Still I am now telling something out of My affection to My Bhaktas. Hear. There is a great place of pilgrimage named Kolhapura in the southern country. Here the Devi Laksmi always dwells. The second place is Matripura in the Sahyadrî mountain; here the Devî Renuka dwells." Verses: 3-10.
[edit] External links
- Mahur, in Nanded Maharashtra Govt. Official website.
- Mahur Fort The Official Website of Maharashtra Tourism.
- Mahur map
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