Pavitra Mahanubhav Panth Temple Pohicha Dev, Beed, Beed

The Mahanubhav Panth, which advocates for equality by renouncing discrimination, emerged some time before Saint Dnyaneshwar. The greatness of this sect is described as, “The path of those endowed with brilliance is the Mahanubhav Panth.” Senior scholar Sh. Go. Tulpule notes that this sect, originally known as ‘Parmargi’, was first addressed as ‘Mahanubhav’ by Saint Eknath Maharaj. The period from 1194 to 1282, the era of Chakradhar Swami, is considered a time of glory and prosperity for Maharashtra. At that time, the Yadavas held power over Maharashtra. Every place sanctified by the presence of Chakradhar Swami later became famous as a pilgrimage site. Among these, the temple at Pohicha Dev in Beed district is recognized as a place sanctified by the footprints of Chakradhar Swami.

This site, marked by the footprints of Chakradhar Swami, dates back to the thirteenth century. A legend is prevalent regarding this place: in ancient times, there was a water kiosk (panpoi) at the entrance of this village where a market used to be held. Once, Chakradhar Swami, while wandering, came to this village and sat near the water kiosk to rest. At the same time, a cobbler, part of a couple who had come to sell goods in the market, was mesmerized by the divine radiance of Chakradhar Swami. He sat absorbed at the feet of the Swami. His wife grew tired of calling him, but he did not move from his place. Finally, frustrated, she demanded a divorce. The cobbler agreed to this and said, “Swami is the witness to this matter.” At that very moment, the Swami bestowed his grace upon the cobbler and departed from there. This disciple, however, became completely equanimous. The upper-caste people of the village began to worship him as a Guru. One day, when the secret of him being a cobbler was revealed, the villagers buried him alive as a death sentence; however, the next day, people saw him sitting on his seat again. When they dug up the place where he was buried, the cobbler was found alive just as before. Even the flowers in the garland around his neck had not withered. Considering this a miracle of the Swami himself, the people accepted him as a Guru. The place where this miracle occurred is this Pohicha Dev Sansthan Temple.

A paved road is available to this temple, which is located near the village. There is a spacious parking lot in front of the temple, and the temple courtyard is paved with paver blocks. Here, one can see a flagpole bearing the white flag of the Mahanubhav Panth. There is a water kiosk in the courtyard, and it is customary to purify oneself there before entering the temple for darshan. The structure of this temple consists of a front hall (mukhamandap), an assembly hall (sabhamandap), and a sanctum sanctorum (garbhagriha). There are five steps leading up to the front hall, which is elevated above the courtyard. Safety railings are installed on both sides of the steps. In the front hall, there are two square pillars in the front, supporting a roof.

Further ahead is the entrance to the assembly hall. Since the entrance to the assembly hall is higher than the front hall, there are seven steps in front of it. The wooden door frames of the assembly hall are carved with floral patterns, and the entrance has ornate wooden shutters. The assembly hall has two more doors on the right and left sides. The enclosed assembly hall has ventilators for light and air. A nagara (drum) is kept along the wall in the assembly hall. The assembly hall has square pillars in the walls, and the roof is supported by beams resting on them. Further ahead, in the assembly hall itself, a semi-open sanctum sanctorum has been constructed using stainless steel railings. In the center of the sanctum is a rectangular platform. This is the place marked by the footprints of Chakradhar Swami. The platform is covered in silver and surrounded by a stainless steel railing. On the platform is a mask of Chakradhar Swami. Against the back wall of the sanctum, there is an idol of Shri Krishna in a shrine (makhar) on a vajrapitha. The idol, adorned with beautiful clothes and ornaments, wears a silver crown on its head. A peacock feather fan is kept on the side. There is a square spire (shikhara) on the roof of the sanctum. At the top of the spire, there are two amalakas placed one above the other. There is a silver finial (kalash) on the amalaka.

The birth anniversary of Chakradhar Swami, Chaitra Shuddha Chaturdashi, is celebrated with great enthusiasm in the temple. This is also called ‘Davanaparva’. Apart from this, Akshaya Tritiya, Gokulashtami, Dattajayanti, and Govind Prabhu Jayanti are the main festivals here. During all festivals, bhajans, kirtans, discourses, scripture readings, and mahaprasad are organized in the temple. Many devotees from the surrounding areas come for darshan on these occasions. The day begins at 4:00 AM with the chanting of the Lord’s name. In the evening, community scripture reading is performed. On Thursdays, full moon days, new moon days, etc., there is a large influx of devotees at the temple.

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