Ancient Brahspati Temple, Chauki, Hingana, Nagpur

The renowned and self-manifested Devaguru Brihaspati Mandir at Shri Kshetra Chowki in Hingna Taluka, Nagpur, is a vibrant and awakened shrine. Situated on the border of Nagpur and Wardha districts, it is said to be the only temple dedicated to Guru Brihaspati in Maharashtra. Brihaspati is revered as the Guru of all Devas. Consequently, the yatra held here on Guru Purnima is the largest in the taluka, drawing thousands of devotees for darshan at this auspicious time.

Although there is no definitive evidence regarding the exact period of the Brihaspati Mandir’s construction, some scholars believe that the ancient structures here date back to the time of the Pandavas. This entire area is covered by dense forest. To curb the theft of valuable trees and forest resources, as well as the illegal hunting of animals and birds, the Forest Department provided free homes to some tribal families here in the year एक हजार नऊशे पासष्ट. They were also given land for their livelihood, thus establishing their settlement. At the same time, the Forest Department also undertook the renovation of the Brihaspati Mandir here. To oversee this area, the Forest Department established a चौकी (checkpost) here. Since then, this village has been known as Chowki.

The legend of this temple recounts that Vidarbha is considered the central region of Bharatavarsha. During the age of the Pandavas, there was a kingdom in this area known as Ekachakra. Once, during their period of incognito exile, the Pandavas resided in the city of Ekachakra. At that time, a mighty demon named Bakasura lived in the forest nearby. He required one cartload of grain and one living man for his daily meal. The king of this region was despondent due to the suffering his subjects had to endure. All this came to the knowledge of the Pandavas, who were living in anonymity. They went to a high hill in the dense forest in the vicinity of this very city and performed austerities to Guru Brihaspati to find a solution to this problem. Seeing the penance of His devotees, Brihaspati manifested there and bestowed His blessings upon the Pandavas for the successful accomplishment of their task.

After receiving the blessings of Devaguru Brihaspati, Bhimasena took on the responsibility of confronting Bakasura. Bhimasena himself went to the forest where Bakasura resided, carrying a cartload of grain. A fierce battle ensued between them, in which Bakasura was slain, and the city of Ekachakra was freed from fear. The Pandavas spent a considerable part of their incognito exile at this holy pilgrimage site. Since then, the self-manifest Guru Brihaspati has been enshrined here in the form of a divine flame. are.

As per historical records, Raghuji Raje Bhonsale of Nagpur undertook the renovation of this sacred temple during the seventeen hundreds. Raghuji Raje Bhonsale the First graciously donated this hallowed precinct to Naga Gosavi (Nahang), thereby propagating the glory of this holy site far and wide. From that time forth, devotees began to journey from distant lands to behold the divine presence of Guru Brihaspati. During the period when Naga Gosavi resided here, Shyamgiri Maharaj served as a devoted priest in this temple, nestled within the dense forest, until the very last moments of his earthly life. Even today, his samadhi sthal (final resting place) is situated beside the temple. Subsequently, during the British Raj, Bhaskarrao (Patil) Gharpure, the Malguzar (landlord) of this area, undertook further renovations of this temple. Vitthalpant Somankar, also known as Kantopre Maharaj, initiated the tradition of observing a saptah (week-long devotional programme) here from Chaitra Krishna Shashti to Dwadashi, beginning in the year nineteen thirty. This sacred tradition continues to flourish even to this day.

Within the sanctum sanctorum of this temple, situated along the Keljhar-Sawali road, resides a self-manifested idol of Devaguru Brihaspati. This sacred murti is adorned with a silver crown, and an eternal divine flame burns ceaselessly beside it. Devotees offer their reverence not only to the idol but also to this sacred flame. The temple courtyard is spacious and houses a shrine dedicated to the Navagrahas. As Brihaspati is one of the Navagrahas, daily worship is offered to these celestial deities here. The Temple Committee organises Guru Purnima as a major festival, alongside other celebrations such as Kojagiri Purnima, Mahashivaratri, Hanuman Jayanti, and Guru Pushyamrut Yoga Pujan. Furthermore, a large number of devotees visit the temple every Thursday.

Along with various religious programmes, this sacred space also hosts anna-dāna (food donation), community weddings, and children’s spiritual and cultural camps (bāla-susaṁskāra śibir), among other activities. The temple committee has made arrangements for destitute elders to reside here. Devotees from Hingna taluka hold a special reverence for this temple, and it is customary to commence any new undertaking from this holy site. Even during elections, the campaign launch invariably begins here. The Government of Maharashtra has bestowed upon this temple the ‘B’ grade pilgrimage site status, and through the funds made available by this designation, numerous developmental works are being carried out here from time to time.

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