Pavitra Mahadev Temple / Apurn Shivalay Babu Pet, Chandrapur, Chandrapur

Two sacred sites of Lord Mahadeva are famous in the Babupeth area of Chandrapur city. One of these is the vibrant Mahadeva Temple, while the other site, located close to this temple, is known as the ‘Incomplete Shivalaya’. The vibrant Mahadeva Temple dates back to the Bhonsle era. The special attractions of this temple are the eight-armed Ganesha idol and the three-legged Vamana idol, alongside the sacred Shivalinga. The Incomplete Shivalaya houses fifteen magnificent stone idols of various deities dating back to the seventeenth century.

Bapuji Vaidya, the Diwan of the Bhonsle-era Maharani Hirai, built this Mahadeva temple in Hemadpanti architectural style entirely out of stone in the Babupeth area of Chandrapur between the years १७०४ and १७१९. Ever since, it has been renowned as a spiritually vibrant sacred space (Jagrut Devsthan). It is a place of deep reverence for thousands of devotees in this region. The temple is shaped like a conch shell (Shankha). In front of the temple stands a large platform with a Garuda pillar about १५ feet tall, adorned with carvings of the Dashavatara (ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu). The temple architecture consists of a Mukhamandapa (front porch), Sabhamandapa (assembly hall), and Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). Although the front porch lacks elaborate carvings, the niches in the temple walls house ancient idols of Agni (Fire God), Yama, the deity of the South-West direction, Varuna, Nagas (Serpent deities), Goddess Annapurna, Sri Ganesha, Vayu (Wind God), Kubera, the North-East direction, and Indra.

The idol of Nandi is placed in the center of the assembly hall. Of the niches on either side of the sanctum entrance, one houses an eight-armed Ganesha, and the other a three-legged Vamana idol. A unique feature here is that instead of a Ganesha idol, a Kirtimukha is carved upon the lintel above the sanctum entrance. The assembly hall features an octagonal ceiling. Inside the sanctum sanctorum lies a Shivalinga carved from a single piece of monolithic black stone, and some idols are also placed in the wall niches of the sanctum. Due to the unique acoustic architecture of the sanctum, the sounds of conch blowing and Omkara chanting echo clearly. A temple dedicated to Sri Ganesha is situated right next to the Mahadeva Temple.

Alongside the festivals celebrated annually during Maha Shivaratri and Shravani Somwar, the Bail Pola festival is also grandly celebrated here. Due to its distinctive architecture and unique idols, this temple has been declared a protected monument by the government. Considering the deep devotion of the devotees toward this temple and the growing number of visitors coming for Darshan day by day, the Government of Maharashtra sanctioned a fund of ₹ १,५८,००,०००/- (One Crore Fifty-Eight Lakh Rupees) in March २०२४ for the development of the surrounding area and for the convenience of visiting pilgrims.

Located at a walking distance of १० minutes from the Mahadeva Temple in Babupeth, behind the Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering, lies the Incomplete Shivalaya. The highlight of this place is the colossal idol of Dashamukhi Durga. This magnificent idol measures as much as २६ feet in length, १८ feet in width, and ३ feet in thickness. It has १० faces, १० hands, and १० legs. This is the largest of all the idols here and rests directly on the ground. Besides this, there are a total of १५ other idols, including a distinctive Linga and a grand Nandi before it, Matsyavatara (Fish incarnation of Lord Vishnu), Mahishasuramardini, Kurmavatara (Tortoise incarnation), an elephant, Sri Ganesha, Maruti, Kalabhairava, Mahadeva, Digambar Shiva, Garuda, and Dvarapalas (gatekeepers). All these idols are ४०१ years old. A replica of the Durga Devi idol from this site is preserved in the museum at Nagpur.

According to historical records, in the १७th century, during the reign of King Dhundya Ramshah, a wealthy devotee of Lord Shiva named Raiyya Komati wished to build a grand temple dedicated to Lord Shankara here. For this purpose, he commissioned a uniquely magnificent stone Shivalinga. A grand idol of Nandi is also placed facing this Shivalinga. Additionally, as mentioned above, he brought master artisans from various parts of the country to carve the other temple idols. His intention was to construct the temple after all these idols were ready; however, he passed away before that could happen. Consequently, the grand Shivalaya remained incomplete. Ever since, this sacred site has been called the ‘Incomplete Shivalaya’. As no one assumed responsibility for the temple after Raiyya’s passing, these idols remained neglected for hundreds of years. Currently, all these idols and the surrounding premises are under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Department; however, devotees and tourists can visit the site to view these ancient sculptures.

Sacred History & Spiritual Significance

This sacred temple stands as a testament to deep spiritual devotion, ancient architectural grandeur, and rich local cultural traditions.

Temple Sanctum & Architecture

The sanctum sanctorum houses the divine idol consecrated according to ancient Vedic traditions, surrounded by serene courtyards and traditional temple architecture.

Sacred Darshan Gallery