Information of Tulja Bhavani Temple, Tuljapur, Osmanabad, Maharashtra

The temple of Tulja Bhavani can be described as a Shakti Pitha out of the total 4 present in Maharashtra and 51 all over in India. Shakti Pitha denotes the most powerful religious place. The temple was erected for the worship of Lord Bhavani. She was a goddess of supreme power as believed by the local inhabitants. Tulja Bhavani temple can be sited at a distance of 45 kilometres from Solapur at Tuljapur in the district of Osmanabad of Maharashtra. History suggests that the temple was a creation from the 12th century AD.

Tulja Bhavani Temple Religious Significance

Goddess Bhavani was said to be the most significant goddess of Maharashtra. Her deity is very traditional and pious for the worshippers. It is believed that the goddess can be witness to the most faithful and ardent followers of this temple. Many worshippers got their wants fulfilled upon visiting the temple as told by the inhabitants of Tuljapur. For these reasons, the idol of the goddess Bhavani is beautifully decorated and eagerly adored. The goddess is being worshipped four times in a day which includes the morning aartis, Abhishek (holy bath of the goddess), Dhup aartis and Shejarti (night sleep songs). All these rituals of the temple are controlled by the two prime priests of the temple named Palikar (Marathi) and Upadhay (Brahmin). All the donations and charities donated to the temple are under the command of the District Collector.

Tulja Bhavani Temple Mythology & History

According to the sources, the temple has a legendary story about itself and the goddess Bhavani. In the ancient period, this place was hugely destroyed by the repeated attacks of an evil named as Matanga. Not only the individuals but also the gods were worried about his cruel activities. Each and every individual were bounded by the evil powers of Matanga so they cannot went to Brahma for help. Later, all the gods decided to worship Mother Goddess Shakti (the goddess of power) to get free from the bondage of this evil. Goddess Shakti along with the Mataas (Sapta) formed together to defeat that demon. The Mataas are Varaahi, Brahmi, Vaishnavi, Kaumaari, Indraani and Sambhavi. All of them formed inside one body as a result of which they became a super power and powerful than Matanga. Finally, Matanga was destroyed and everyone breathe a sigh of relief. Goddess Shakti thus became the reigning goddess of this place which marked the establishment of this temple.

However, sources also told about another story about the temple. It suggests that another demon lived here in the form of a buffalo (Mahisha). This demon was also defeated in the hands of Lord Bhavani. After defeating the buffalo formed demon she resided in the mountains of Yamunachala. This place where she took abode in the hills is the present residence of the Tulja Bhavani Temple.

Tulja Bhavani Temple Architectural Significance

As the Tulja Bhavani Temple is placed above the mountain ranges of Sahyadri it looks as a heaven's place from the foothills. Due to its elevation, visitors have to cross some decorated steps on way to the temple. The main deity of goddess Bhavani is an astonishing site for most of the visitors. It is an image made of granite stones having a height of three feet. It consists of eight arms holding different weapons in different hands. It also has the head of the killed cruel demon Mahishasura in one of her arms. Moreover, several pictures of goddess Bhavani can be witnessed in the walls inside the temple.