Pancharatneshwara Temple

Built out of a combination of brick and wood, the Pancharatneshwara temple looks like a house from the outside. It is believed that the linga at this temple derives its name from the fact that Lord Ram offered gold, diamonds, sapphires, rubies and pearls (known as Pancharatna – 5 gems) to the linga. On the full moon of Kartikka, the linga wears a silver mask wit five heads, apart from a few other days. Yajneshvar Dikshit Patvardhan built this temple in 1758. Except for the central gabhara, everything else has been converted in cloisters for the pilgrims to hire. A small Ganapati temple is situated in front of the temple, next to an ascetic’s monastery. A small, broken Shitladevi (known as the small-pox Goddess) idol is present about 20 ft from the Ganapati temple. According to belief, if a child had smallpox, the mother pours water over this idol for 14 days and on the 15th day, brings the child to the temple to weigh it against molasses or sweets, to be distributed to the people. This practice evolves from the story of Rambhat Gharpure, who broke the idol around 175 years ago. According to the story, Gharpure’s son died, in spite of Gharpure pleasing the Goddess and begging her to save his son. Enraged, he broke the hands and feet of the idol of the Goddess. Only illiterate people follow this tradition now. Built out of a combination of brick and wood, the Pancharatneshwara temple looks like a house from the outside. It is believed that the linga at this temple derives its name from the fact that Lord Ram offered gold, diamonds, sapphires, rubies and pearls (known as Pancharatna – 5 gems) to the linga. On the full moon of Kartikka, the linga wears a silver mask wit five heads, apart from a few other days. Yajneshvar Dikshit Patvardhan built this temple in 1758. Except for the central gabhara, everything else has been converted in cloisters for the pilgrims to hire. A small Ganapati temple is situated in front of the temple, next to an ascetic’s monastery. A small, broken Shitladevi (known as the small-pox Goddess) idol is present about 20 ft from the Ganapati temple. According to belief, if a child had smallpox, the mother pours water over this idol for 14 days and on the 15th day, brings the child to the temple to weigh it against molasses or sweets, to be distributed to the people. This practice evolves from the story of Rambhat Gharpure, who broke the idol around 175 years ago. According to the story, Gharpure’s son died, in spite of Gharpure pleasing the Goddess and begging her to save his son. Enraged, he broke the hands and feet of the idol of the Goddess. Only illiterate people follow this tradition now.