Tulja Bhavani Temple

Shri Tulja Bhavani Temple is located in the town of Tuljapur in Maharashtra’s Osmanabad district. Situated about 293 km away from Pune, Shri Tujha Bhavani Temple is one of the most revered and prominent temples in Maharashtra. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Bhavani Mata and is one of 51 Shakti Peethas. A Shakti Peetha is a place associated with Shakti or the Goddess of Power.

Built in 12^th century CE, Shri Tulja Bhavani Temple has been mentioned in the ancient Skanda Purana. Goddess Tulja Bhavani is the family deity of the royal Bhonsle dynasty, whose most illustrious progeny is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. She is also the family deity of several other families in in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire visited this temple before every battle to seek the blessings of Goddess Bhavani Mata. It is believed that it was Goddess Tulja Bhavani herself, who gave him the mighty ‘Bhavani Sword’.

Shri Tulja Bhavani Temple’s main entrance is named after Sardar Nimbalkar. The other two entrances are named after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s father Raja Shahaji Maharaj and mother Rajmata Jijabai, respectively. Inside the temple’s sanctum sanctorum is a 3-foot tall idol of Goddess Tulja Bhavani that is believed to be ‘Swayambhu’ or self-manifested. The beautiful idol is adorned with exquisite jewels from head to toe and is covered in silken attires. Goddess Tulja Bhavani has eight arms holding weapons and bearing the head of slain demon Mahishashur. The temple itself is clean, well-maitained and has a divine and peaceful atmosphere.

The temple complex also houses the shrines of Lord Dattatreya, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Annapurna Devi, Goddess Aadishakti and Shri Markandeya Rishi. In addition, the premises contain a ‘yagna kunda’, a few holy ‘teertha kundas’ and two libraries named after Sant Dynaneshwar and Sant Tukaram, respectively. Every day, the temple priests perform sacred ‘pujas’, ‘artis’ and ‘abhisheks’. The festivals of Navratri, Dussera and Kojagiri Pornima are celebrated with great fanfare at this temple. The temple is crowded with devotees on weekends and on auspicious occasions or festivals.