Harihareshwar Temple – A Temple With Both Shiva And Vishnu As Single Idol

Harihareshwar Temple is located in the town of Maharashtra and is considered as one of the oldest temples in Maharashtra. It is located about 2 kilometers from Pune. It's a temple town, so there are hundreds of temples here and there.

The actual temple for both the gods, can only be time inside the temple but there are idols outside that you can see. The temple was built by Mahadji Scindia 200 years ago.

But what makes Harihareshwar stand out is the Harihareshwar Temple, where both Shiva and Vishnu are depicted as single idol. This is unique in all of Maharashtra, not just in Harihareshwar.

The Harihareshwar Temple is not only one of the most important temples in India but also one of the oldest in the country. According to the Pritzker Prize winner Dorothy Norman, the art work at this temple is “unsurpassed in India”.

History

It is believed that Lord Shiva performed penance at this place. It is also said that Lord Vishnu was doing penance here when Lord Brahma came to test his devotion. Both Venkateshwar and Lord Shiva are worshipped at this temple as a single idol. The idol is known as Harihara, a combination of both Vishnu and Shiva.

The temple was built by Chalukya rulers in 12th century A.D. Later it was renovated by Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj in 1700 A.D. There are many legends associated with Harihareshwar Temple one of them being that King Mahabali had worshipped here for salvation from his sins.

Architecture Of  Harihareshwar Temple

Harihareshwar Temple is a beachside temple situated at the Harihareshwar beach in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. The temple is known for its unique decoration and architecture as it has a single idol of both Lord Shiva and Vishnu. The idol of Lord Shiva is placed on the left side of Lord Vishnu which is an unusual practice in Hinduism.

This unusual statue of God Harihareshwar was installed by devotees some two centuries ago. The statue was first fixed at the place where the shrine now stands, a short distance away from the shore. After some time, due to heavy waves hitting against the statue, it broke into two pieces. It was then that Lakshmana Kulkarni volunteered to carry one piece to the present site. In order to preserve it, he worshipped it for three days and then installed it here. To this day, his family carries out poojaa (prayer) rituals in honour of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu every day.

The "Harihareshwar" Temple is a beautiful temple in India, where both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are worshipped as one idol. History says that Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu have a single idol here which means both the Hindu gods reside at this place together. The temple looks very simple from outside but when you enter it, you will get to see some amazing architecture there. The beautiful combination of different architectural styles makes this temple so unique and attractive.

The main entrance of the temple is facing towards North-West direction. You can find many small temples outside this temple complex which also makes it more beautiful. There are four doors in this temple complex on all the four directions which makes it easy for devotees to reach inside easily. There are two big towers in the front and back side of main idol where you can climb up to see the entire view of the surroundings from top level.

How To Get To Harihareshwara Temple

Harihareshwara Temple is one of the ancient temples and is located in the village called Harihareshwar. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The idols of both the gods are present in a single Shivling making this temple one of its kind.

Tuljapur, which lies at a distance of around 112 km from Aurangabad and about 60 km from Jalna, is well-connected by road with all major cities of Maharashtra. Tuljapur can be reached through Pune as well as Aurangabad. Once you reach Tuljapur, you can easily hire a taxi or private vehicle to reach Harihareshwar.

Other than that you can also reach Harihareshwar via local state transport buses which run between Aurangabad and Tuljapur on a regular basis. You can take buses or trains to reach these places. The nearest railway station to this place is Manmad Junction (55 km). From here you can take an auto rickshaw or taxi to get to the destination. If you choose train as your public transport then you will have to reach Manmad first and then move on to another mode of transport from here.

Other Places Of Interest Close To Harihareshwar

Harihareshwar temple is situated on the banks of river Koyana.

This place is also popular for its medicinal hot water springs. The water from these springs contains many minerals and salts that are very beneficial for health. These springs are considered to have medicinal properties by many people.

Some other places to visit near Harihareshwar are Bhaja Caves and Bhandardara. There are two caves at Bhaja which belong to 2nd century BC. Bhandardara is a place where the beautiful lake is located amidst the hills.

This lake is surrounded by thick forest and this makes it an ideal place for trekking, camping and boating. The best time to visit this place is during monsoon as there are many waterfalls that attract tourists from all over India during this season.

Meeting your favourite deity has always been a challenging task. Especially those who are hard to please. But the meeting process of Harihareshwar Devling is different from that of other temples. This temple depicts the unity of two deities, Shiva and Vishnu as one single idol. A temple going beyond the mythology. This is an ultimate example of peaceful co-existence amongst Hindus and different communities. Harihareshwar, also shares its history with multiple communities including Muslims and Jains.