Kankaleshwar Mandir is a popular Hindu temple located in the city of Beed in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism, and is considered to be one of the holiest pilgrimage sites in the region.

Kankaleshwar Temple is a Shiva temple built in the middle of an 84-meter square lake in Beed, Maharashtra state, India. The temple stands on the banks of the river Bindusara on a ledge of 1.52 meters in height. The government needs to pay serious attention to the fact that the temple area is getting polluted due to the negligence of the administration.

History of Kankaleshwar Mandir

The Chalukya King Vikramaditya (VI) built this temple in the 10th to 11th centuries. This is a Dashavatari temple. Women of the Chalukya period used to participate directly in the battles.

There is a sculpture of fighting women on the temple. It bears the impression of Greek sculpture. The temple also has the sculpture of Aryanath and Neminath, two Tirthankaras of Jainism. The temple is shaped like a starfish and there is another sanctum sanctorum under the temple pavilion.

It has been closed for five hundred years. Kankaleshwar temple was closed for many years. There was a khanqah. Further, Nizam’s cabinet decided to ban the Mahashivratri fair as well. The Nizam appointed a priest named Shambuwa Pathak to conduct the worship in the temple by issuing a government order.

It took 1915 to break this dilemma. Revolutionary youth Purushottam Godse, without begging the Nizam, broke through the police and consecrated the Pindi of the Kankaleshwar temple. On September 17, 1948, i.e. Hyderabad Independence Day, this temple was truly liberated. A legend is told of Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesha being pleased. In the lower part of these dvarshakhas are shown dasi and Nidhi holding kumbh and chauri. On the front of the main sanctum sanctorum is a Ganesha idol.

Architecture and Design

The Kankaleshwar Mandir is known for its stunning architecture and design, which is a perfect blend of the traditional and the modern. The temple is built in the Hemadpanthi style of architecture, which is a blend of Jain and Hindu styles.

The main sanctum of the temple houses the Shivalinga, which is believed to be a self-manifested one. The temple also has several smaller shrines dedicated to various deities, including Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman, and Goddess Durga.

The temple has a beautiful entrance gate or 'Mahadwar', which is adorned with intricate carvings and sculptures. The temple also has a large courtyard, where devotees can sit and meditate.

Kankaleshwar temple is facing west and the temple has a mukhpandap, an ardhamandap behind it and a Talvinyas which is a spaced sanctum sanctorum connected to this mandap on three sides. All these three sanctum sanctorums are of similar size and their Talvinyas are star-shaped. The mandap of this temple is octagonal in shape. There are two pillars or a pair of pillars on the four main directions and four upadishas of the mandapa. These sixteen columns have a domed roof. This roof is made up of circular rings that get progressively smaller. The ceiling has floral carvings and ornamentation. At the center of the roof is a lotus at the top.

The structure of the pillars in the mandap and the sanctum sanctorum is of a square base and at some distance above the square base there is an octagonal, square, and circular square pillar and a kickahast on the circular part of the pillar respectively.

The outer part of the temple has different layers, and the lowest layer is decorated with frame carvings and the uppermost layer is decorated with kirtimukhas. The shrines on the bhadra of the outer part of the temple house Shakti, Brahma and the deities of the Shiva sect. The ten incarnations of Vishnu and Ashta-Dikpala are shown above in the thigh on the Mandovar.

The doorway to the sanctum sanctorum of the Kankaleshwar temple is of the Panchashaka type and is decorated with lotus, flowers, and vyala

Festivals and Celebrations

The Kankaleshwar Mandir is known for its grand celebrations of various Hindu festivals. The temple celebrates Maha Shivaratri, which is considered to be the most important festival of Lord Shiva. During this festival, the temple is decorated with lights and flowers, and special prayers are held throughout the day.

Another important festival celebrated at the temple is Navratri, which is dedicated to Goddess Durga. During this festival, devotees come to the temple to offer prayers and seek blessings from the goddess.

Apart from these festivals, the temple also celebrates other important Hindu festivals, such as Diwali, Holi, and Janmashtami.

Kankaleshwar Mandir is a beautiful and holy place of worship that attracts thousands of devotees every year. The temple is not just a religious site, but it also has historical and cultural significance. If you are visiting Beed, do not miss the opportunity to visit this magnificent temple and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.

Maharashtra is moving towards modernity today, but it is imperative that we do not forget our past. We shall discover our great heritage of different cultures, traditional occupations, traditions, architecture, various rites, temples, sculptures,

This water temple is located 200 meters east of the Bindusara River in the Beed. And it is well-known for its distinctive Hemadpanti composition, as well as the unique work of art created in the surrounding waters. The surrounding water adds to the beauty of the temple. As a masterpiece of architecture, the temple has become a famous place of study for archaeologists. Devotees come here to take blessings of Lord Shiva. The construction of the ancient intact pillars of the temple captivates the mind. The linear liveliness of the sculptures and the intact stone pillars are the hallmarks of this temple, when we look towards the intact stone pillars, we got forget every tension here.

As per the local story, the stones of the pillars are brought from Kailash Mountain, where Lord Shiva Lives. It is a privilege for devotees to see the temple bathed in moonlight on a full moon night. Every full moon night people enjoy the moment when the moon scattered its light in the water as well as on the temple. It shows the best view to keep in mind. When we enter the temple, one has to cross a small stone bridge across the Aquarius to reach the temple.

The devotees were very restless while crossing this bridge. Also, another local story about the narrow bridge is that the pillars used for the bridge are too much long pillars on this ground. The mind is very happy to see the sculptures around the temple. The construction and characteristic structure of the temple as a whole amaze everyone. Jal Kumbha always has a supply of clean water, which is another feature here. And the water level in the pond does not rise in the rainy season and does not decrease in the summer.

People say no one knows the deepness of the water here. The underwater life is as rich here as the outdoor life. Many aquatic animals can be seen in this Aquarius. Like fish, crabs, and turtles, these aquatic animals will be found here in the water. Happiness comes out from a different perspective when anyone sees the temple bathed in sunlight at Sunset because sunset bathed the Temple in its shining rays.

Address: Kankaleshwar Temple, Tt. Beed, Distt. Beed. 431122
Dhule-Solapur National Highway No. 211