Saptashrungi Mata Temple at Vani, Nashik

Saptashrungi Devi is Amba Mata, she is located at Vani a area muggy the city of Nashik in the disclose of Maharashtra. This place is one of the 51 shakti peeths in India & Pakistan.

Saptashrungi Mata Temple, Vani

The state of Maharashtra is the quarters to four of these peeths, they are namely

*Saptashrungi Devi at Vani, Nashik.

*Tulja Bhavani at Tuljapur

*Amba Bhavani or Mahalakshmi at Kolhapur.

*Renuka Devi in Mahur village in Nanded District.

The devi is carved concerning the subject of a stone cliff concerning top of the mountain Saptashrung at an altitude of 1230 meters above sea level. The carving is eight feet high and is carved upon a single stone twist. Devi a weapon held in each of her eighteen arms. Sapta-Shrungi means Seven Beauties, these are a chain of Seven mountain peaks and for that defense the make known Saptashrungi identifies considering Durga Devi who resides here. In general Durga Devi likes to reside upon top of the mountains so one of here names is Parvati (of the mountains). The temple is located at N 20 23 28.6; E 735425.1, it nice of sticks to the cliff where the Devi is carved. There is a road, which goes taking place to and altitude of 1150 meters, from here there is flight of 470 stairs, which goes right taking place to the shrine. The temple is taking into consideration ease related when the city of Nashik past own occurring transport buses.

One of the definitely important books that was composed at this place is the Devi Mahatmaya or Durga Saptashati which is section of the Markendeya Puran. Sage Markandeya wrote this book.

SWAYAMBHU SHRI GANESH MANDIR

Today I am writing this blog about a SWAYAMBHU SHRI GANESH MANDIR close to my native in Sangli district. Since my childhood I have been staunch follower of this temple. The interesting fact about this Ganesha Temple is that the Ganesha Idol here is not the installed one, but instead has come out of the ground. It has gradually kept rising above the ground. From few inches of height during my childhood, now it has risen to some 2 and half feet above the ground. This is very much reason as why this is being called Swayambhu Shree Ganesh.

Over the years it has earned fame and reputation for fulfilling the desires of thousands of people in Sangli district and surrounding areas. It has been worshiped as being "Navasacha Ganapati". This means "Wish-Fulfilling Ganesha". People visits this temple in huge numbers on every Tuesdays, Ganesh Chaturthi, Vinayak Chatuthi, Sankashti, Anagarki, Ganesh Jayanti etc.

This temple is located in small village called "Antri Khurda" in 32 Shirala Taluka of Sangli District in Maharashtra state. This is somewhere around 25 kms from Peth Naka on NH4 on en route to Kolhapur.

From Mumbai/Thane/Pune, one can travel up to Peth Naka and take sharing vehicle or ST bus to reach to Shirala town and from their take another sharing vehicle or ST bus to reach to Anti Khurda. To travel up to Peth Naka, one can take ST buses, Private Luxury buses from Mumbai/Thane/Pune going to Sangli, Kolhapur, Karnataka. There are certain buses right up to Shirala as well.

To book a private luxury bus ticket to Peth Naka / Shirala, please call on 022 - 2345 9745 or drop a message in the comment box.

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Datta Peetha Parikrama (Path Completing Lord Dattatreya Powerful Places)

Immortal Incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, Lord Dattatreya has transformed various places into holy places by virtue of the work he has carried out through his different incarnations (Datta Sampradaya). All these holy places represent great significance and values bestowed by Datta Sampradaya. One can experience very strong holy vibrations full of Datta Satvik Vichar and great parampara of Datta Lineages.

Following are the few of the very important Datta Peethas you should pay visit to in your lifetime:

• Gangapur in Karnataka State- Second Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Shri Nrusinh Saraswati"
• Nrusinhpur ("Narsobawadi") in Maharashtra- Second Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Shri Nrusinh Saraswati"
• Suchindram in Tamil Nadu State - Vishnurupi Lord Dattatreya
• Audumbar -  Second Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Shri Nrusinh Saraswati"
• Pithapuram - First Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Sreepada SreeVallabha"
• Kuravpur - First Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Sreepada SreeVallabha"
• Akkalkot - Third Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Shree Swami Samartha"
• Mangalwedha - Third Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Shree Swami Samartha"
• Markandi in Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra state- Third Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Shree Swami Samartha"
• Dattatreya Ghat or Datta Guha in Himalayan Ranges - Lord Dattatreya
• Girnar in Gujarat - Lord Dattatreya
• Nagalpuram near Tirupati - Vishnurupi Lord Dattatreya
• Senthalpangalam in Tamil Nadu state
• Prayag in Uttar Pradesh
• Sompuram in Andhra Pradesh
• Chandradronagiri
• Datta Peetha of Mysore
• Shirdi in Maharashtra - Anshik(Partial) Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Saibaba"
• Shegaon in Maharashtra - Anshik(Partial) Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya "Gajanan Maharaj"

Completing the visit to the above Datta Peethas marks the completion of Datta Peethas' Parikrama and one achieves the ultimate enlightenment in his life and he becomes free from birth cycles.

Shree Ganesh Temples (other than Ashtavinayaka)

It is largely assumed that Lord Ganesha's existence is mainly in Maharashtra state in India. However along with the Ashtavinayaka temples at Morgaon, Siddhatek, Pali, Mahad, Theur, Lenyadri, Ozar, and Ranjangaon places in Maharashtra, there are other 13 other famous holy places of Lord Ganesha across India. These 13 Shree Ganesha places are as follows:

1. Omkar Ganesh Temple in Prayag, Uttar Pradesh
2. Dhundiraj Ganesh Temple in Kashi - It is said that Lord Shiva himself installed the Shree Ganesha Idol here.
3. Bottom of Himalaya near Kashyap Sarovar (Lake) - Kashyap Rishi (Sage) who was the founder of Kashmir installed Shree Ganesh Idol here
4. Kalamb, Dist. Yavatmal, Maharashtra State, India - King of God Lord Indra installed Shree Ganesha Idol here to get free from curses of Gautami
5. "Shami Vighnesh" temple near Nagpur in state of Maharashtra - This is also known as Adhasa
6. On the bank of Narmada river  near ancient Avanti Nagar - Planet Mars installed this Ganesha idol here. But there is no further reference available about this temple
7. Bhalachandra Ganesh Temple, Parbhani, Maharashtra- Moon once ridiculed Ganesh and got curse from Ganesh. To get rid of this curse, Moon had to pray Ganesha. For this purpose Moon installed Ganesha Idol at this place near Parbhani in Maharashtra state. This place is also called as "Mansal Kshetra"
8. Vidnyan Ganesh - Lord Dattatreya also did Ganesh poojan. For this he had installed this Ganesha idol which is known as Vidnyan Ganesh. This place is on the bank of Godavari river near Jalana in Maharashtra state
9. Jaleshpur Ganesh Mandir - This temple in at Jaleshpur in West Bengal. In the course of time, the significance of this holy place is lost.
10. Ganesh Temple at Vijaypur - Like Jaleshpur, even this temple at Vijaypur in Andhra Pradesh has lost it significance.
11. Padmalaya Ganapati Mandir - This temple is at Erandol, Jalgaon District in Maharashtra. This half Shree Ganesh Peeth. There are two and half Shree Ganesha Peeths in India. Here Krantivirya and Shankha had installed this Gan.esha Idol.
12. Ashapurak Ganesh Mandir - This Ganesh Mandir in on Jalana-Beed road at Tapalgaon. Bhrushundi Rishi (sage) had installed this Ganesha idol. There are few references which say this idol was installed by Yamaraj. Near Jalana only there is another Ganesh temple known as "Ganapatiche Rajur"
13. Shvet Vighneshwar Temple - Even after very hard efforts during Samudra Manthan, when Amrit could not be retrieved, Lord Shankar and Lord Indra installed the Shree Ganesha idol at Kumbhakonam. With Shree Ganesha's blessings, finally the Amrit could be retrieved. 

Apart from these 21 Ganesha temples (13 above plus 8 from Ashtavinayakas), there are 8 more incarnations of Lord Ganesha. All these 8 incarnations are on seashores of India. In Hindu dharma, they are also called as Dwardevata. Mostly Shree Ganesha had longer stay nearby Narmada river.

Hope this article helps in knowing more about Shree Ganesha and its different holy places and temples.

Pancha Mahabhutatmak Shiva Temples (Lord Shiva's Places full of Five Great Elements)

There are five Lord Shiva's Places (Temples) across India which offer the similar benefits of pilgrimages of twelve Jyotirlingas. These Shiva's places possess and illustrate each of five great elements called Panch Mahabhutas and hence they are called Panch Mahabhutatmak Shiva Places. Out of five, four are in Tamilnadu and one in Andhra Pradesh near Tirupati. It is said that human body is comprised of these panch mahabhutas i.e. great elements. These five panch mahabhutas are Earth (Prithvi), Water (Jala), Fire (Agni), Wind (Vayu) and Sky (Akash). Not just human body, but the entire universe is made up of these five elements. It is also said that if we do pilgrimage of these 5 Panch Mahabhutaairtmak places, one by one all these elements in our body gets purified and our soul reaches the state of Enlightenment. This was the thought process of our ancestors and thats why they had mentioned about these pilgrimages which give the same fortune as that of doing pilgrimage of 12 Jyotirlings.


These five Shiva Places are as given below:

1. Shri Jambukeshwar (JalaLing): Godess Parvati has installed this Shivlinga beneath Jamun tree at the bank of Kaveri River. Hence this Shivlinga is famous as Jambukeshwar and also a JalaLing. Mata Parvati had established this Linga to worship Lord Shiva, as a token of this Temple Priests wears Saree, Mukut while performing day's first Puja (prayer) to pay respect and tribute the Mata Parvati. Kaveri river is also given the same importance as that of Ganga river. Festivals are performed and celebrated throughout the year. The Shivling is considered to be 2000 years old, yet you will find the temple and its surroundings as if they are developed in recent times. Temple is still in the good condition.
2. Chidambaram (AkashLing): Chidambaram temple is one of the most ancient temples in the Southern India. Here the Lord Shiva is in the form of Nataraj. The temple is spread in 39 acres of area. There are gopuras (monumental towers) in four directions. The gopur on the west is very special as there 108 mudras of dancing decorated on it. Temple is divided into five different parts. They are called Sabha. In the main mandir (temple) i.e. in Chitsabha part one can get Akashroop (Sky form) of Lord Shiva. In the main temple (Gabhara), one gets the darshan of Akashling. In gabhara you can view only Shivling and nothing else which is the characteristic of Sky (Akash). Again as Adi Shankaracharya had said "Chidanandroop Shivohm Shivohm, this saying is proved here at Chidambaram.
3. Shri Arunachalam (Agni Ling): Entire Arunchalam mountain is form of Lord Shiva. However there is a temple of Lord Shiva there. This is very ancient place. First mandap (Big Hall) has thousand pillars. In the main part (gabhara) there is AgniLing. Though it is called Agniling, it is actually made up of stone and not fire. To this few Tamil scholars maintain that probably there must be a volcano because of which it might have been named AgniLing. There is a good arrangement for stay at Tiruvannamalai. One can even stay at ShriRamanAshram as well. Just that you have inform and send letter to its manager. One can send their letter to "Shreeramanmaharshi Ashram, Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu".
4. Shree Ekameshwar (Prithvi Ling): Kanchipuram is the only mokshadayini (liberation from rebirth giving) city in southern part of India. There are two main parts of this city called Shiva Kanchi and Vishnu Kanchi. They are also called as Big Kanchi and Small Kanchi. This temple is in Shiva Kanchi. Ekambarnath or Ekamranath Shiva's temple is spread across big area. The main gopur (monumental tower, stambha) is 188 ft tall. This Shiva ling is not made up of stone instead it is made up from sand. Mata Parvati has made this Shiva Ling. It is big in size. Since it is made from Sand, it is considered to be of Prithvi tatva i.e. having earth element. Panchamrit or Jala abhisheks are not done to this Shivling. At the max, scents can be applied. Touch of water or liquid elements are strictly avoided here. This temple has three floors. Each floor has different types (sitting, slipping, standing) of idols of Lord Vishnu. 
5. SriKalahasti (Vayu Ling): This holy place is some 65 Kms from Tirupati. Due to road condition it takes about 3 hrs by road to reach this place. This temple is on the bank of river and it has four gopuras (monumental towers). This makes this temple very attractive.This temple is very big. This is very ancient temple at least 1000 years old. There are more than thousands small sized Shivlingas by wall side inside the temple area. In these lingas, there is one Shivling which is 1 ft tall and made up of Sphatik (quartz zone). Main Shiv Ling is very old and ancient. It is very tall in nature. On it, Shiva Sahastranaam is written in Telugu. This temple is also very famous for performing Rahu and Ketu grahas shanti pujas. This puja is also called as Kalsarpayog shanti puja.

Siddheshwar Temple, Solapur

The Siddheshwar temple is great divine place in Solapur city.

The Siddheshwar Temple was constructed by a devotee of Sri Mallikarjuna of Srisailam, Shri Siddharameshwar. The temple is located near the Siddeshwar Lake and has three gates situated in the cloister through which the inner courtyard can be reached.

Another feature of this temple is the garden that has a shrine dedicated to Saint Nalatwad. Other shrines in the temple complex are dedicated to Lord Vithoba and Goddess Rukmini.

There are many trains from Mumbai/Pune going to Solapur including Siddheshwar Express. One can travel by state transport as well as luxury buses to Solapur.

To book luxury bus tickets to Solapur or know more, please visitSonal Travels or call Mr. Vijay Mane on 022-2340 9745 / 9869554222.

Shri Mayakka Devi Temple CHINCHALI

Today I am sharing with you all information on Shri Mayakka Devi in Chichali in Karnataka State. Shri Mayakka Devi is Durga Mata, Ambika Mata herself. Though it situated at Chichli near Belgaum City of Karnataka state, majority of the devotees are from border districts of Maharashtra state especially from Sangli and Kolhapur districts. For many people in Maharashtra like me, she is "Mahervashin".

Mayakka devi is a Jagrut devi and her blessings make devotees happy.

Temple of Goddess Shree Mayakka Devi in Chinchli,Dist:Belgaum, State:Karnataka, Country: India. One can travel to Belgaum city and from there on one can take state transport bus, rickshaw, other vehicles to reach this place. The route is Belgaum-Chikkodi-Raibaug-Chinchali.

To book luxury bus tickets to Belgaum or know more, please visit Sonal Travels or call Mr. Vijay Mane on 022-2340 9745 / 9869554222.

Shri Kshetra Paijarwadi - Datta Avatari Chile Maharaj

Today I will be sharing information about another holy place and Datta Avatar near Kolhapur.

Shri Kshetra Paijarwadi is a holy place where Datta Avatari Mahapurush Chile Maharaj. Chile Maharaj is widely called as "Shri Satguru Datta Chile Maharaj". There is huge number of Devotees visiting this holy place mainly from Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Nasik and other parts of Maharashtra. Holy charan padukas of Maharaj are worshiped daily in the mandir. Devotees chants "Om Chile Datta" to seek blessings of Chile Maharaj.

The Temple architecture is also very interesting and attractive. It is of Tortoise's shape.

Paijarwadi is one of the Village in Panhala Taluk in Kolhapur District in Maharashtra State . Paijarwadi is located 3.8 km distance from its Taluk Main Town. From Mumbai & Pune, one can travel up to Kolhapur and from there on can take city bus, private vehicle etc. to reach the temple.

To book luxury bus tickets to Kolhapur or know more, please visit Sonal Travels or call Mr. Vijay Mane on 022-2340 9745 / 9869554222.

Jyotiba - Maharashtra's Kuldaivat

Today, I will be sharing information on Shri. Jyotiba who is Kuldaivat to many of Maharashtrians like me. This pilgrimage is in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. This Shri Kshetra is on the hill top near to Panhala. This hilltop is called "Jyotibacha Dongar". One can club this pilgrimage with other holy places in Kolhapur district. This pilgrimage can begin from Kolhapur. One can start with Shree Mahalakshmi Mata Darshan in Kolhapur city, followed by visit to Jyotiba, Narsobachi Wadi (Shri Kshetra Nrusinhwadi) in Kolhapur district.

If one decides to make visit only to Jyotiba and wants to stay in divine vicinity for 2-3 days, then he can either stay in Kolhapur city or at "Jyotiba Royale Resorts". This resort is on Jyotibacha Dongar (Hilltop) itself to give you both spiritual as well as scenic experiences. So you can imagine what could be my preference.

To know more about the Temple or doing online pooja bookings, please visit "http://www.jyotiba.in/".

To book tickets to Kolhapur, please get in touch with me at Sonal Travels on 022-2345 9745/ 9869554222.

Ramling - Miraculous Pilgrimage in Sangli, Maharashtra

I happened to visit Ramling Temple in Sangli district of Maharashtra recently. It is a very old and beautiful cave temple. The temple structure is very old and the main deity is a Shivalinga inside the cave. This Shivalinga is believed to be installed here by Sree Rama during his 14 year life in the forests. It is also believed that Shree Rama worshipped this idol at that time. Shree Rama with the strike of bow brought Ganga water on that hit top for Shivalinga abhishek. The caves are wet always with water dripping from the cave walls all the time. The quantity of water coming into the cave does not increase or decrease even during rainy seasons. The source of water could not be found out so far. Its the miracle done by Shree Rama and Shiv Shankar and hence called Ramling.

I feel blessed by visiting this place, suggest you all to seek blessings by visiting this amazing holy place.

It is some 14 kms from Kolhapur. To book tickets to Kolhapur, please get in touch with me at Sonal Travels on 022-2345 9745/ 9869554222.

Annavaram - Shri Satya Narayan Swami

I happened to visit this place in October 2011 during my visit to Pithapuram. This is that religious place where Shri Satya Narayan Swami appeared. In maharashtra and all other places in India, people are performing Satya Narayan Pooja atleast once in a year for happiness, richness, good family life. As mentioned above Annavaram is that holy place where the first Satya Narayan Pooja was performed and it is said that it is that holy place where if we perform Satya Narayan Bhagwan Pooja, we get complete blessings of Satya Narayan Dev as god has himself assured of his presence to listen to this pooja.

One should perform this Satya Narayan Pooja at least once in his life time. I did during my pilgrimage in October 2011. I suggest all god-believing people should do the same.

Annavaram is situated 32 Km from Pithapuram, 51 Km from Kakinada and 72 Km from Rajahmundry.

One can take Konark Express from Mumbai CST and get down at Rajahmundry and take another vehicle to reach there. One can club Annavaram pilgrimage with their holy visit to Pithapuram. You can also take flight to Vijaywada and from there on travel either by bus/vehicle or by train.

For more details on travelling from Maharashtra, you can write to me on vijaymane66@gmail.com or call on 022-23459745. 

You can also visit the official website of Annavaram Devasthanam at http://annavaramdevasthanam.nic.in/ to book for Poojas and other information.

Sriguru Gopal Baba Pithapuram - Dattatreya Lineage

Sriguru Gopalbaba is also called Nirgun baba. He is 140+ years. Few even say that he is 180+ years of age. He is supposed to be from same era that of Sadguru Gajanan Maharaj of Shegaon. Even one spiritual soul told me before my visit to his ashram in October 2011 that Gopalbaba and Gajanan Maharaj are one and the same.


During my visit in October 2011, I could actually get darshan of baba. Baba gave his blessings to me and family. He even gave his signature to us on 100 rupees note with his thumb expression on my company business card as his blessings. We felt so fortunate. There is a "Akhand Dhuni" in his aashram which according to baba's deciples, it is ignited by baba by inviting all 5 datta avataras together at that location.


The aashram is located at
Sri Gopal Baba Ashram. Pithapuram bypass road (bypass road), Pithapuram, Andhra Pradesh 533450

You can book luxury private bus upto Vijaywada/Hyderabad and take connecting buses/trains from there to Pithapuram. To book bus tickets from Mumbai please contact me at Sonal Travels on 022-2345 9745 / 9869554222.
You can travel by Konark Express and other trains and ge t down at Samalkot Junction and from their it is half an hour or 18 Km drive to the aashram.
One can take flight to Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh or Trivandrum in Kerala and from there on take train/bus to Pithapuram.

I feel blessed, I suggest you to be blessed as well. You will feel as if you are in one of the Datta Sampradaya temple/ashram.

Pandharpur Pilgrimage - Vithoba Darshan

Known as “Sourthern Kashi of India”, Pandharpur proudly hosts the “Kuladivat” of Maharashtra State- Shree Vitthal and Rukmini.

Also known by the other names, Pandurang or Vithoba it is supposed to be The Supreme God of The Universe for all the Maharashtrians and an incarnation of Lord Shiva and Vishnu.

It’s praises were sung and written by the most auspicious saints of Maharashtra- Saint Dnyaneshwar, Saint Tukaram, Saint Namdev, Saint Purandardas, Chikha Mela, Janabai and many others.

In the temple of Vithoba, “Pad-Sparsha-Darshan” is a special ceremony. Irrespective of caste any devotee can enter the sanctum sanctorum and can place his/ her head at the feet of Vitthal. The Bhagwat Dharma sect is followed in Pandharpur, with full spirit.

The river Bhima, better known as “Chandrabhaga” flows through the city. Large number of devotees walks from the whole of Maharashtra, to celebrate the “Ashadhi Ekadashi and Kartiki Ekadashi” twice every year. The palanquins (Palkhis) of various saints from different locations come together at Wakhri, 5 kilometers away from Pandharpur.

Although not religiously very crucial, certain daily rituals do form the routine of Bhaghwat Dharma, at Pandharpur. These signify the devotedness of the followers towards it’s deity. These rituals include Kakad Arati (Early Morning Prayers) , Mahapuja (Mega-Worship), Mahanaivedya (Food offering), Poshakh (putting the robe) Dhoop Arati, Padya Pooja, etc. All this is performed in main Vitthal temple. As one enters from Namdeo-Payri (The Step in memory of Saint Namdeo) and comes out of the Westward Exit (the Paschim Dwar) one crosses various other temples- as many as 25, in the same premise.

Ganesh Mandir, Garud Mandir, Ekmukh Dattatraya Mandir, Satyabhama Mandir, Kanhopatra Mandir to name a few.

Geographical and Traveling Information

From main Solapur city, Pandharpur is at a distance of 72 kilometers and is well connected by roads to practically every city in Maharashtra, railway track also exists. Pandharpur falls on Miraj-Kurduwadi-Latur track. From Solapur numerous local level transport buses commute to Pandharpur.

Major Activities

At Pandharpur, every Wednesday is regarded as an auspicious day and Ekadashi- auspicious day of the month. Four major festivals- Ashadhi Kartitki, Magh and Chaitra Ekadashis are yearly celebrated. Out of these, 1st two attract a crowd of about 8 to 10 lakhs.

Apart from these, the temple premise also celebrates Gudhi Padawa, Ram-Navami, Dasehara and Deepavali festivals.

Tuljapur Pilgrimage - Tuljabhavani Darshan

This is a temple town which rose to prominence during the Maratha regime and the goddess was a family deity of the Bhosle rulers. Chhatrapati Shivaji used to take her blessings for success in his military campaigns. It is believed that the Tulja Bhavani presented Shivaji with the Bhavani sword. Tuljapur is one of the holy place in Maharashtra in Osmanabad district. This place comes under the Marathwada region located 270 meter above sea level on the hills called as Balaghat. The name of this town was "Chinchpur" as this place is full of Tamarind trees, but, later on changed to "Tuljapur" after the name of Shree Tulja Bhavani. Now it is considered one of the main holy places in India. Lakhs of devotees from all over the country visit this place. The place has religious significance during the period of "Navratra". Pandharpur and Akkalkot are the other nearby places of religious significance.
There are various means and ways for coming to Tuljapur. But the main is by bus, by train or by air.
The pilgrims coming by bus:
The pilgrims coming from the southern part of the country, who are traveling by bus usually come to Naldurg ,a place located about 35 KM from Tuljapur. This place has two roads , one leading to Solapur , the other one to Tuljapur. The pilgrims coming from the northern part and the western part of the country usually come to Solapur, a place about 44 KM from Tuljapur or Osmanabad place about 18 KM from Tuljapur. The pilgrims coming from eastern part of the country usually come to Nagpur about 560 KM from Tuljapur Or Latur a place about 75 KM from Tuljapur.The frequency of buses from Solapur, Osmanabad and Naldurg to Tuljapur is about 10 minutes .
The pilgrims coming by train:
The pilgrims visiting Tuljapur by train must come to Solapur, the nearest railway station from Tuljapur. Solapur is about 44 KM from Tuljapur.
The pilgrims coming by air:

The pilgrims who would like to come by air must come to Pune the nearest airport from Tuljapur or To Hyderabad from there one can come to Tuljapur either by train or by bus.

Shirdi Pilgrimage - Sai Darshan

Shirdi is a town and falls under the jurisdiction of municipal council located in Rahata Tahasil in Ahmednagar District in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located at 19.77° N 74.48° E. Shirdi is accessible via the Ahmednagar - Manmad State Highway No.10, approximately 83 km from Ahmednagar and 15 km from Kopargaon. It is located 185 km east of the Western Seashore line (the Ahmednagar - Manmad road), which was at one time a very busy route. Shirdi is best known as the late 19th century home of the popular guru Shirdi Sai Baba.

Sai Baba of Shirdi (d. October 15, 1918), also known as Shirdi Sai Baba, was an Indian guru, yogi and fakir who is regarded by his Hindu and Muslim followers as a saint. Some of his Hindu devotees believe that he was an incarnation of Shiva or Dattatreya, and he was regarded as a satguru and an incarnation of Kabir.

The name 'Sai Baba' is a combination of Persian and Indian origin; Sāī (Sa'ih) is the Persian term for "holy one" or "saint", usually attributed to Islamic ascetics, whereas Bābā is a word meaning "father" used in Indian languages. The appellative thus refers to Sai Baba as being a "holy father" or "saintly father". His parentage, birth details, and life before the age of sixteen are obscure, which has led to a variety of speculations and theories attempting to explain Sai Baba's origins. In his life and teachings he tried to reconcile Hinduism and Islam: Sai Baba lived in a mosque, was buried in a Hindu temple, practised Hindu and Muslim rituals, and taught using words and figures that drew from both traditions. One of his well known epigrams says of God: "Allah Malik" ("God is Master").

Sai Baba taught a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others, charity, contentment, inner peace, devotion to God and guru. His philosophy was Advaita Vedanta and his teachings consisted of elements both of this school as well as of bhakti and Islam.

Sai Baba remains a popular saint and is worshipped mainly in Maharashtra, southern Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Debate on his Hindu or Muslim origins continues to take place. He is also revered by several notable Hindu and Sufi religious leaders. Some of his disciples received fame as spiritual figures and saints.

Transportation
Shirdi is located approximately 296 km from Mumbai in India. Private Airlines are available from Mumbai to Shirdi. Although Shirdi is not served directly by rail, trains run from Manmad station which is 83 km from the heart of Shirdi, alternatively from Kopargaon station which is 18 km from Shirdi, or Nashik city which is 119 km from Shirdi or Nagarsol. Daund railway station is 200 km from Shirdi.Buses and taxis ply from these railway stations and locations to and from Shirdi. Shirdi can be reached by bus from any of the following cities in Maharashtra State (India): Mumbai, Pune, Thane,Nashik, Akaluj, Dhule, Nagpur and Aurangabad. Air-Conditioned Car Rentals are provided by many private companies.

To book luxury bus tickets, please visit Sonal Travels or call Mr. Vijay Mane on 022-2340 9745 / 9869554222.

Shegaon Pilgrimage - Shree Gajanan Maharaj Darshan

Shegaon is a city and a municipal council in Buldana district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Geography
Shegaon is located at 20.7833° N 76.6833° E[1]. It has an average elevation of 275 metres (905 feet).

Gajanan Maharaj SansthanShegaon has acquired fame as a pilgrimage center because Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj lived there. Hindus consider Gajanan Maharaj a saint with miraculous powers. The origins of Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj are untraceable in history. Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj took "Samadhi" at Shegaon. Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj Temple is built on the Samadhi of Gajanan Maharaj at Shegaon. Sant Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan is the biggest temple trust in the Vidarbha region and is so called as "Pandharpur of Vidarbha". It attracts pilgrims from all over Maharashtra.

The Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan (Institution) Temple Trust runs the day to day affairs of the Temple; is headed by the Managing Trustees who normally comes from the line of Patil's. Trust runs many services in the spiritual, religious, medical and educational fields. In particular, it runs Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj College of Engineering (SSGMCE) a famous Engineering College in Vidarbha region.

Shegaon is now fast developing into a tourist spot with the construction of "Anand Sagar", a INR 3000 million project with landscapes, meditation room, water reservoir, and wonderful artifacts and sculptures.

Thursdays being the day of Gajanan Maharaj and week ends witness huge crowds from all over Maharashtra and it may take even 5-7 hours for darshan at Gajanan Maharaj Temple.

How to Reach:
Shegaon is located around 550 km east of the city of Mumbai and 300 km west from the city of Nagpur. It is located on Mumbai-Bhusawal-Nagpur route of the Central Railway of Indian Railways. From Mumbai several trains halt at Shegaon. Prominent being Vidarbha Express, Mumbai Howrah mail and express, Sewagram express, Nagpur-Pune express and Gitanjali express.

By road it is well connecting by neighbouring cities like Khamgaon, Balapur and Akola which are located on Hajira(Surat)- Dhule - Howrah(Kolkatta) National Highway 6

The nearest airports are at Akola, Aurangabad and Nagpur.

To book luxury bus tickets to Akola from Mumbai, please visit Sonal Travels or call Mr. Vijay Mane on 022 - 2340 9745/ 9869554222

Akkalkot Pilgrimage - Swami Samarth

Amongst the holy places of various incarnations of Lord Shri Datta Guru, the most praised one now a days is Akkalkot.

It is one of the leading communities with large number of followers of Shri Swami Samartha, of Akkalkot.

Believed to be an incarnation of Shri Dattatreya the name of this spiritual master, popularly called Swami Samarth, is a household word in Maharashtra and the region around.

As this Perfect Master chose to reside at a place called Akkalkot for 22 years where he took Mahasamadhi (left his mortal body) in 1878, he is also known as the Maharaj of Akkalkot, Akkalkot is situated in district Solapur of Maharashtra state of India.

• It is believed that Shri Swami Samartha appeared in Akkalkot in 1857. The temple of Shri Nrisimha Saraswati is of Dattatreya. So swami is believed to be the incarnation of Lord Datta.

• His full name was Sripad Shrivallabh. He resided in Akkalkot for around 23 years. Before he came to Akkalkot he was in Mangalvedha. But no one can tell where he came from.

The popular belief is that he came to Mangalvedha during 1838 and stayed there for 13 years. He used to stay in a farm there. From Mangalvedha he stayed at Mohol for five years, then he came to Solapur and finally to Akkalkot.

After he was sure that he had completed his worldly duties and had guided his disciples rightly, he decided to go for Samadhi. His disciple Chollapa accordingly began to make arrangements. Finally he took Samadhi in 1878.

• One account put forth by devotees asserts that after traveling in the Himalayas, the Swami sat in Samadhi for three hundred years in a dense forest. He became completely covered by anthills, and a large tree grew beside him. Once a woodcutter came to the forest and chose that particular tree for cutting. Laying his axe first to the anthill, he was surprised to see blood oozing from it. Pulling down the anthill, he discovered the Swami beneath it.

• Roused from Samadhi, the Swami declared the incident to be Divinely ordained as it was time for him to go into the world and continue his mission. The Swami is said to have then wandered for a hundred years, performing many miracles, before appearing in Akkalkot.

The Swami was unpredictable, appearing mad to many, and full of miracles. He loved his devotees with a great passion, and like other Adepts of the Crazy Wise style, he was paradoxically full of both human and Divine qualities.

Once, when asked who he was, he replied, "I am this infinite universe; I am everywhere. Yet my favorite resorts are Sakyodri, Girnar, Kasi, Mathapur, Karveer, Panchaleswar, Audumbar, Karanjnagar, Narasimhvadi, and Gangapur."

How to Reach:
This is 45 kms away from Solapur towards east. You can reach there by state transport buses. Shri Swami Samarth Maharaj of Akkalkot a Satpurush who was a devotee of Shri Dattatraya stayed in Akkalkot. This is a Taluka place. Thousands of pilgrims visits this holy place and take advantage of free food at Annachatra at this temple. This temple has become more and more popular and attracts more and more devotees.

Private Luxury Travel services are also available from Mumbai to Solapur.

To book luxury bus tickets please contact Mr. Vijay Mane at Sonal Travels, Crowford Market on 022-23459745/09869554222.

Ganagapura Pilgrimage

Shri Kshetra Gangapur, One of the most famous Dattatreya Peethas, is associated with Shri Narasimha Sarasvati Swami, an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. It stands on the bank of the river Bhima in Afzalpur taluka in Gulbarga district of Karnataka. This Nirguna Math is adorned with the Nirguna Padukas. The water of the rivers Bhima and Amaraja, especially at the spot of their confluence, are considered extremely holy.

How to reach Gangapur:

The Train Station at Gangapur is called as 'Gangapur Road'.

Mumbai to Ganagapur Rail Distance - 526 Kms Mumbai to 'Ganagapur Road' Rail 2nd Class Fare - Rs.232/- Mumbai to 'Ganagapur Road' Direct and most convenient Train is 1013 Dn L.T.T. Kurla Terminus - Coimbatore Express, which departs from Kurla Terminus at 10.10 PM & departs from Kalyan 11.15 in the night. It reaches Ganagapur at 8.08 in the morning next day. From 'Ganagapur Road' to Ganagapur City (town), where Datta Mandir is situated is around 30 minutes journey by road. Trax/Jeep/Sumo drivers charge Rs 15 Per Passanger It takes around 2 hours maximum for a family to perform Pooja/Abhishek at Ganagapur. Local people arrange for accomodation, bath and if required food also, on pay basis. Nearest City is GULBARGA : 40 Kms. Gangapur to Sholapur Distance: 94 km (approx.) Gangapur to Sholapur State Transport (S.T) bus fare - Rs.45/- Gangapur to Sholapur bus travel time - 3 hours. To book luxury bus tickets to Solapur, please visit Sonal Travels or call Mr. Vijay Mane on 022-2340 9745 / 9869554222.

Kuravpur Pilgrimage - Sreepada Sreevallabha

Shripad Shri Vallabha is considered as the first avatara (incarnation) of the deity Shri Dattatreya in kaliyuga. As per some of the experts he is supposed to have lived from 1320 AD to 1350 AD. He was born in Pithapuram, a town in Godavari district of state Andhra Pradesh.
ShriVallabha was the third son of Aappalaraja sarma and Sumati. After he left their house for Kashi-yatra (Kashi or Banaras or Varanasi Piligrimage), he stayed most of his life in Kuravpur (Kuravapura).




Life Story
Shripada srivallabha was born to Sri Appalaraja Sarma (of Aapastambha Shakha Brahmin) and Sumathi on Bhadrapada Sudha Chavithi( Ganesh Chaturdi). Going in to his birth secrecy, when Appalaraja Sarma family was preparing for the shraaddha (a yearly ceremony to pay homage to the departed soul), around noon time some Bhikshuk came for bhiksha. Before feeding the invited Brahmins, she fed this brahmin considering him as Dattatreya. Dattatreya became quite happy and offered her a boon. She asked for a son "knowledgeable like you" for which Dattatreya said "yes". She had before two sons, who were blind and lame and several others which did not live long. Dattatreya blessed her by saying that she will have world famous son who will be guru to all. Both husband and wife became happy to hear the blessings and she had Shripada. Shripada finished his studies of Vedas, Shastras etc by the age of Seven and after his "Upanayan" (Munja) he started lecturing on these. When he reached age of 16, his parents thought of getting him married. However, he said that he is married to only one woman "Vairagya-stree" (Vairagya means Dispassion, stree means Woman) and thus he should be called "Shriya-Vallabh". Thus the name "Shripada ShriVallabha". He left their home for Kashi-pilgrimage. Before leaving he made his two elders brothers who were blind and lame, as normal humans and asked them to take care of their parents. He left Pithapuram for Badarikedar towards North. After the pilgrimage, he went to Gokarna Mahabaleshwar in South. After sepnding 3 years at Mahabaleshwar he went to Shri Shaila mountain (Sri Sailam). After staying there for 4 months he finally settled in Kuravpur near Krishna river.

Kuravpur कुरवपूर

Shri Shripad Shrivallabha Dhyaana Sthaan at Kuravpur

Shripadji stayed here most of his life. It appears that this place must have been quite well habitated. The story of Vallabhesh Brahmin shows that the village must have been quite big enough to at least accommodate about 1000 Brahmins. Now (as of 2006AD) the population has reduced and there are lot many fields in between the temple and the village. The village is at one end of the island and the temple is at the other end. There are two, frequently used, routes to reach Kuravapur. One is via Raichur in Karnataka state and another one is via Makthal in Andhra Pradesh state. Either way one has to cross the Krishna river in a small elliptical boat (Putti or Theppa) to reach this island.
Via Raichur: Raichur is about 10 or 12 hours journey from Pune by train. At Raichur one can hire a bus/rickshaw towards ATKUR (40 km). At ATKUR one can hire a Putti to cross the Krishna river and reach Kuravpur. There is also a KSRTC bus service from Raichur bus stand to Atkur, which leaves for Atkur at 7:30 am, 10:30am, 1:30 pm, 4:00pm and 7:00pm. The 13:30PM bus ends at Atkur(village), the other buses end at the bank of Krishna.
Via Makthal: Makthal (Mahaboobnagar district, Andhra Pradesh) is 68 KM from Mahaboobnagar bus station and 168 KM from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Some buses from Hydrabad to Raichur, via Mahaboobnagar, stop at Makthal. Mahaboobnagar is connected by rail route also. One has to hire an auto or taxi (jeep) from Makthal to river bank(ask for Panchdev Pahad or Vithal baba ashram). River bank is 17 KM from Makthal. There are two locations on the river bank where Putti or small boats can be hired. One is Panchdev Pahad and another one is behind Vithal baba ashram (1KM from ashram). Number of boats near Vithal baba ashram are less.

Narsobawadi Pilgrimage

Introduction
The Shri Narasimha Saraswati Swami Dattadeva temple is situated at Narsimhawadi, Kolhapur in Maharashtra. Situated about 30 km from SANGLI, Narsobawadi is a holy place of pilgrim located on the banks of river Krishna. River Panchganga meets river Krishna at this holy place.Shri Datta refers to unity of the three gods, Brahma, the god of creation, Vishnu the god of sustenance, and Shiva the god of destruction. Alternatively, these stand for the three ‘gunas’ or qualities i.e.sattva, rajas, and tamas in people.

How to ReachBy road it is around 50 Kms from Kolhapur City in Maharashtra.The Nearest railway station form Narsobawadi is Jaysingpur. Regular State Transport Buses are available to Narsobawadi.