Mandhardevi Kalubai temple is near Wai ( Satara District,

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

, India). Located on a hill 4,650 feet above sea level, the temple, some 20 km from Wai, Satara, overlooks the picturesque

Pandavgad Pandavgad Fort) (also called Pandugad) ( Wai T; 17° 55' N, 73° 50' E; RS. Wathar, 20 m. SE;), 4177 feet above sea level, lies four miles north-west of Wai. The fort is conspicuous over a low spur branching east from its southern angle. From a ...

Fort and

Purandar fort Purandar Fort is a mountain fort in Pune district in the Western Indian state of Maharashtra, India. The fort stands at above sea level in the Western Ghats, to the southeast of Pune.Survey of India - Scale 1:50K Map sheet number 47F/15 The ...

. Devotees attribute miraculous properties to a ''grove'' around the shrine. Local lore has it that the temple is more than 400 years old but no definite date on the construction is available. The title of the land is in the name of Lord Mandeshwar and Kaleshwari Devi. Most of the year there is little tourist traffic. The nearest primary health centre is six kilometres away and a major hospital is at Satara town. The idol of Kalubai sports two silver masks and silk finery. The masks are carried in a procession by members of the Gurav family, seen as the hereditary custodians of the shrine. Members of this family take turns to conduct rituals.

Kalubai Jatra pilgrimage

The temple is popular among Hindus who undertake the annual Kalubai Jatra pilgrimage over a ten-day period every January. The main event is a 24-hour-long festival on the day of the full moon that includes animal sacrifices to the demons of goddess whom she killed. The goddess is offered nivad of

puran poli Puran poli is an Indian sweet flatbread that is popular in South India and the state of Maharashtra. It is also known as puran puri, holige, obbattu, bobbatlu, poley, bakshamulu, and boli. Names The various names for the flatbread include ...

(a sweet) and

curd rice Curd rice or yogurt rice is a dish originating from India. The word "Dahi (Curd), curd" in Indian English refers to unsweetened plain yogurt. It is most popular in the South India, South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana an ...

. The religious event usually draws more than 300,000 devotees. The annual fair is in honour of Kaleshwari Devi, fondly called Kalubai by the faithful. Over 300 devotees died during the pilgrimage in a

stampede A stampede () is a situation in which a group of large animals suddenly start running in the same direction, especially because they are excited or frightened. Although the term is most often applied to animals, there are cases of humans stamped ...

in 2005.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mandhardevi Temple In Mandhardevi Shakti temples Hindu temples in Maharashtra Tourist attractions in Satara district

Kalubai Jatra pilgrimage

See also

References