26th April 2024, Friday - 6


 

After a peaceful start to our day with two nearly empty temples, we were ready for a bit more hustle and bustle. Our next stop was the Jejuri temple, a famous pilgrimage site in Maharashtra, located atop a hill at an elevation of around 720 metres. The temple is dedicated to Khandoba, a powerful tribal deity believed to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Khandoba is also the kuladaivata, or family god, for many families in the region.

We reached the location around 9 20 AM. And the mini trek to the temple took around 15 minutes. While we did encounter a line for about 90 minutes, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. We got to observe the local people and learn a bit about their customs. Inside the temple, we found a magnificent idol of Khandoba – a warrior mounted on a horse. Devotees here worship Khandoba with offerings of turmeric, leaves, and vegetable-based naivedhya. Flowers and turmeric are particularly popular offerings, and the devotees even throw turmeric into the air! This unique custom gives the entire temple complex, including the steps leading up the hill, a vibrant yellow hue.


 

Our unique temple visit with its turmeric-washed walls left us invigorated and ready for a well-deserved breakfast. We stopped at Morya Misal Pav, a popular local eatery, and most of us dove into their signature Misal Pav. Let me tell you, there's nothing quite like a steaming cup of tea after a delicious serving of Misal Pav – pure bliss!


 

Refueled and ready to explore further, we set off for our next destination: the Mayureshwar Temple in Morgaon. Here, Lord Ganesha is worshipped as Mayureshwar, the "peacock-rider." Built by the legendary Maratha king Shivaji himself (or so legend says!), the temple is known for its intricate carvings and peaceful atmosphere.


 

Unfortunately, by the time we reached Morgaon, the Pune summer sun was in full swing. It was close to 12:30 pm, probably the hottest part of the day. To top it off, parking near the temple was impossible. We ended up parking a few blocks away, which meant a walk of about 350-400 meters on scorching hot asphalt. Thankfully, perhaps due to the heat, the temple itself was practically empty. We enjoyed a peaceful darshan and made a quick retreat back to the cool comfort of our air-conditioned car.

During darshan time we observed the floral arrangements on the Lord’s idol which was very similar to the one we saw earlier at Chintamani.

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