NB Twitter Scan | Palasnath Mandir, a Submerged Heritage That Needs To Be Preserved

There are many temples around the world that are believed to offer a sense of peace and tranquility to visitors. These temples are considered sacred spaces where individuals can find solace and connect with their inner selves. The serene atmosphere, architectural beauty, and spiritual practices conducted within these temples contribute to the sense of peace they provide. One such temple is Palasnath Mandir!

 

 

Located near Palasdeo village in Indapur Taluka of Maharashtra state, on the banks of river Bhima, Palasnath Mandir is dedicated to Bhagwan Shiva and Bhagwan Vishnu. It dates between the 9th and 11th century which was built by the Chalukya kings. The temple is built in the Hemadpanthi style and the Shikhar is built in the Saptabhumij style, with a space and a small dome in the Shikhar where 6–7 people can sit and perform havan and pooja. This is a rare sort of Shikhar seen in temples in these places.

 

Today, the Shiv linga has been relocated to a new temple and we can see the old temple and several veergals covered in mud and grime from bird’s nests, with the craftsmanship being washed away by water.

 

 

What is more fascinating about this temple is that it is submerged heritage! This temple was submerged after the Ujani dam was completed in 1978 on the river Bhima. It holds a storage capacity of 110 TCM. It is one of the biggest reservoirs in Maharashtra, supplying water for drinking and irrigation purposes to the districts of Pune, Solapur and Ahmednagar. The Palasnath temple thus went underwater after the erection of Ujjani dam and later it was seldom seen only in the years 2001, 2013, 2016 and now in 2021.

 

 

 

In rainy seasons mostly due to the heavy floods, the village flows away, but the temple gets sunk in the water. Despite being submerged in the water, the intricate carving on the pillars & shikhara of the Palasnath Mandir is still intact.

 

How to reach: After arriving in Palasdeo, we first witness the new village that was built after the previous one was flooded. After traversing this hamlet, we arrive at the backwater of Ujani, which is a short distance of approximately 2 km, and from there, it takes a 5-minute boat ride to the temple. Also, there is a Ram temple around 10–15 minutes away in the water, and this temple is also submerged in Ujani’s water.

 

So, visiting the place which is a beautiful archaeological and architectural temple with the most photogenic species all around, one should experience this unique blend of spirituality, history, and natural beauty.