Sunday, June 21, 2009

Plight of soothing Sangameshwar

Colorful sky at Sangameshwar temple near Tulapur in Pune
Off state highway 58, at outskirts of Pune city in Maharashtra state, is a hamlet Tulapur.Historically known as Nagargaon acquired name of Tulapur due to Shahji, ancestor of Maratha king's Shivaji and Sambhaji.
However, more than this feat, place is witness of one of the brutal historical events.

Sangameshwar ghat near Tulapur in Pune

Sangamner, in Tulapur, is a quiet and remote junction of three rivers - Bhima with its subsidiaries Bhama and Indrayni rivers.

Sangamner is more than junction of three rivers, it offers a special subtle experience of unifying with nature and overflowing peace.

Sangamner is a quick nature escape for tourists and citizens for traffic crazy Pune city.Drive to Tulapur / Sangamner is pleasant without traffic with lush greenery and hillocks along.


Visitors, tourists and devotees would certainly enjoy God Shiva's Sangameshwar temple near Tulapur.
Reason is ...
Sangameshwar temple is non-commercial with hardly any visitors yet impressivle maintained and well architected temple.Its picturesque location at junction of three rivers surrounded with big green trees and carefree wandering squirrels, chirping birds and flocks of white Cattle Egret birds makes it generous donor of overflowing peace, calm and more ...

Befitting the name, visiting Sangamner is a truely unifiying experience where an individual automatically gets unified with beauty of nature and divine force
behind it - God Shiva.

Shiva Temple at Sangameshwar near Tulapur in Pune
Sangameshwar temple offers a comprehensive escape package to Photographers.
God Shiva's Sangameshwar Temple is built of solid stones which immediately instills strength and sense of awe with its ancient looking architecture.
Since Sangameshwar temple is lesser known, its isolated location is a great option for tourists looking to be in cradle of nature and peace.
For urban animals and working professionals of Pune, its shortcut to uninterrupted and overflowing peace

Temple is maintained by small village community now known as Shivale. Every individual enjoying Sangameshwar owes deeply to this devoted community for
resurructing and maintaining Sangameshwar.

Reason is ...
Opposite the Sangameshwar temple is grand statue of Maratha king Sambhaji Maharaj.
Brave Sambhaji Maharaj, son of great King Shivaji Maharaj, died one of the most heart wrecking and inhuman death.

Sambhaji Maharaj at Sangameshwar near Tulapur in Pune

What caught my attention was title of Dharamveer (Brave protector of religion)? King Sambhaji chose to martyr his life to protect his religion, people, culture but refused to change religion even after continous torture by hands of Mogul
empire.

A very disturbing event witnessed by otherwise calm Sangamner.

Entire history is recorded on http://www.hindujagruti.org/news/4404.html

Samadhi of Sambhaji Maharaj at Sangameshwar near Tulapur in PuneRemains of Dharmveer Sambhaji are stored safely in dedicated secured structure as shown in above photo.

Directions : About 1 hr drive from Pune city area.
Option 1: SH60 From Nagar Road, left onto SH 58.
http://maps.yahoo.com/#mvt=m&lat=18.671916&lon=73.995195&zoom=14&q1=bhima%2520river%252C%2520pune
Option 2: NH-50 Nashik Road right on SH-58 crossing popular town of Alandi where Saint Tukaramji use to live.
Due to isolation no signs one can easily miss the Sangamner. Sangameshwar temple of God Shiva, however, is good and reliable landmark of this lesser known place. Tourists will find very few visitors in the temple.
Time to visit:
Almost anytime except, since Alandi (place where Saint Tukaram lived) is nearby, for 3-4 days around June 15 when lakhs of devotees of Saint Tukaram and Dhyaneshwar participate in Palkhi procession involving walking hundreds of kilometers across cities to follow the trail of two enlightened Saints who blessed city of Pune.

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