| Click on the links below to read the blogs on the next days of this trip: | Before Lunch | After Lunch |
| Day 01: Pune to Solapur (via Mankeshwar) | Journey from Pune to Mankeshwar. | Mankeshwar Mandir. |
| Day 02: Kudal Hattarsang & Naldurg | Shree Sangameshwar Devasthan, Hattarsang Kudal. | Naldurg Fort, Khandoba Temple in Mailarpur, Bori (kurnur) dam mini waterfall. |
| Day 03: Solapur to Pune (via Velapur) | Solapur bhuikot , Siddheshwar Temple, Solapur Municipal Corporation. | Temples of Velapur: Ardhanarinateshwar temple, Khandoba temple, Maruti temple, Old Chalukya era Temple, Chalukya era Shri Naath Temple. |
We planned this unusual trip to Kudal Hattarsang, Dharashiv & Solapur for the long weekend of Ganesh Visarjan in Sept 2025. We were looking for places which were not crowded due to the festivities.
We started from Pune at around at 10:00 am . We stopped for brunch at Hotel Shree Leela World Cuisine Veg Restaurant in Uruli Kanchan. It is not a pet friendly hotel. BUt since we have been visiting this restaurant frequently, the owner allows us with pet when there are few customers or no customers. We relished a simple dal khichdi and masala papad. Post lunch, we continued the journey and reached Mankeshwar at 4:30pm. The road to Mankeshwar via Bhigwan backwaters has amazing views. The road is in very good condition and there was no traffic.
Mankeshwar temple is located in Bhoom taluka of Dharashiv district in Maharashtra. The neighbourhood of the temple is extremely filthy. One may park on the road (near the fields) and the temple is just a one minute walk from it. Otherwise one can get the cars upto the temple. There are 4-5 shacks next to the temple. Washroom facility is not available.
The temple is situated on the banks of the Vishvarupa River, this temple dates to the period between 1100 and 1150 CE. An inscription found within the temple premises records a donation made by Yadava king Singhanadeva III, confirming the antiquity of the temple.
According to one legend, the Chalukya king Daksha installed a ruby shivlinga here, from which the deity came to be known as Mankeshwar. Another legend states that the temple was built by demons in a single night and disappeared at dawn.
The temple has a star shaped base. The temple is divided into three main parts i.e. entrance, mandapa and garbhagriha. It stands on a plinth approximately three feet high, comprising layers such as the adhapada, kani, and various decorative mouldings. This temple is constructed in the Hemadpanthi style of architecture. It is constructed in black stone without the usage of cement / mortar or any other binding material. It stands on the basis of interlocking elements.
It has various bands of carvings on the plinth and the walls. The lower most band on the walls has a series of elephants carved on it. There are bharvahak carvings on the column capitals.
The enclosed sabhamandapa has four rows of four carved pillars each. The outer row of pillars is embedded in the walls. Rising from pillar bases, these columns display a variety of geometric forms—circular, square, hexagonal, and octagonal—and are adorned with sculptures and carvings of geometric patterns, foliage and flowers, animals and birds, serpents, and various deities.
One pillar bears a sculpture of Vishnu in his Varaha (boar) incarnation, while another features Venugopala. In this sculpture, the four-armed Lord Krishna is shown playing the flute, with a conch and discus held in the two rear hands. At the centre of the sabhamandapa is a rangashila raised a few inches above the floor, with pillars at its four corners.
The entrance to the antarala ahead of the sabhamandapa has seven dvarashakhas. These include dvarapala and dvarapalika figures at the lower level, and above them foliated scrolls, vyala bands, human figures, and columnar motifs. The lalatabimba bears an image of Ganesha, with shikhara sculptures above it. The mandaraka features a chandrashila topped with a carved kirtimukha. On three sides of the antarala are three sanctums (garbhagrihas). The entrances to the main, right, and left sanctums each have five dvarashakhas, with dvarapala and dvarapalika figures below and decorative scrolls, human and vyala bands, and column motifs above. Each lalatabimba bears an image of Ganesha, surmounted by shikhara sculptures.
The main garbhagriha lies about eight feet below the level of the antarala. One descends ten steps to enter it. Inside, a Shivapindi is installed on the floor, above which an abhisheka vessel with a water spout is suspended from the ceiling. Beside the Shivapindi stands a brass trident. The right-side garbhagriha also contains a Shivapindi, while the left-side sanctum is empty. All three sanctums have decorated ceilings.
You can access the temple from only one direction, and the circumambulatory path runs along the outer side. It is open and not enclosed. The garbhagriha lies below the plinth level, requiring visitors to descend a flight of steps in near darkness before reaching the Shivalinga. The garbhagriha itself is a large chamber, faintly illuminated by light filtering in from the mandapa.
There are a total of 109 sculptures on the temple’s mandovaras, and the total number of sculptures in the temple complex is 347.
In front of the temple stands a Yadnya Mandapa—an elevated platform that likely once had a flat roof and contained a Yadnya Kund.
According to legend, seven temples originally surrounded the main shrine. Most of these were destroyed by Emperor Aurangzeb during his Deccan Campaign (1681–1707). A significant portion of the temple material was taken to the nearby Paranda Fort and reused in the construction of its walls and other structures, while the remaining fragments now lie scattered as ruins around the shrine.
After visiting the temple, we continued the journey to Solapur. While driving through farmlands, we came across water spreading bunds which looked like miniature waterfalls.
The weather was gloomy and we couldn’t feel the heat.
We reached Solapur by 7:00 pm and checked into Hotel Center Point. We had booked a larger room having a single bed and a double bed. The hotel is pet friendly in the true sense. The staff was very friendly with our pet. There is ample open space (fenced and protected) near the parking area where pets can be taken for a walk.
After having a steaming hot cup of black tea, we went downstairs to have chat at the shacks next to the main gate of the Hotel Center Point.
The day ended with a peaceful sleep at Hotel Center Point.
To read the next blog on Day 02: Kudal Hattarsang & Naldurg click here
Where did we stay ?
Where did we eat ?
Hotel Shree Leela World Cuisine Veg Restaurant (pets may be allowed on request)
