Shree Trivikram Temple Ter, Dharashiv, Dharashiv

The village of Ter has remained a puzzle for historians and the archaeological department for many years. It is indeed surprising for a village to retain its importance as a trade or power center for a thousand years or more. Furthermore, the ancient temples here grant this village significance as a religious center as well. Saint Gora Kumbhar transformed this village into a hub of religious revolution. In this area, baked bricks from approximately two thousand years ago are still found today, which are so light that they float on water. The Trivikrama Temple, constructed using bricks and wood in this very village, is ancient and famous.

There is ample evidence that Ter has been a village or city with human habitation since the fourth century AD. This has been proven through archaeological excavations. Records from the second-century Greek geographer Ptolemy, as well as records from dynasties like the Chalukyas and Shilaharas, are sufficient to establish the antiquity of this city and the Trivikrama Temple. Around the twelfth century, a grand gathering of saints was held in the courtyard of this very temple, led by Saint Gora Kumbhar. On this occasion, Saint Namdev Maharaj performed a Kirtan. Following this, a tradition began where no carpet is laid under the feet of the Maharaj performing the Kirtan, a practice that continues to this day.

Prabhakar Deo, in his book ‘Temples of Marathwada’, has stated that this temple dates back to the fourth century. According to historian and archaeological scholar Percy Brown, this temple should be from the fifth century. Vincent Smith from Ireland, who wrote on Indian history, has estimated that this temple dates back to the eighth century. Nevertheless, all archaeologists agree that this is the most ancient temple in Maharashtra.

This temple is located in an open field next to the Gram Panchayat office. There is a sturdy fortification around the temple. It appears to be as old as the temple itself. One enters the temple courtyard through an entrance in the fortification. The temple faces east and is situated on a foundation that is more than half-buried in the ground. In front of the temple is a high platform with seven steps to climb. On the left side of the platform, there is a Garuda idol inside a canopy (Meghadambari) featuring four ornate pillars, a wall at the back, and a dome-shaped spire above. The spire is topped with an Amalaka and a Kalasha. To the right of the canopy is a square Tulsi Vrindavan. There is an idol of Maruti in a niche within the Tulsi Vrindavan. To the right of the Tulsi Vrindavan is the small Pindeshwar Temple. Inside the temple, there is an east-facing Shiva Linga, and on the back wall, there are idols of a five-hooded Naga, Ganapati, and Parvati. The temple has a four-sided roof, with smaller spires at all four corners of the roof, topped with Amalakas and Kalashas. In the center of the roof is a large Amalaka topped with a Kalasha.

There are four steps in front of the entrance to the assembly hall (Sabhamandapa) of the Trivikrama Temple. The walls are built of bricks. The door frames and shutters of the entrance are made of wood, and there is a triangular arch at the top. The assembly hall has four rows of four ornate wooden pillars. The brick-built pillar bases are somewhat wide. The pillar shafts are square at the bottom and octagonal at the top. At the top of the pillars are square brackets, followed by corbels, beams, and the roof. The ceiling between every four pillars is octagonal and ornate. In the center, there are circular carvings. The pillars, brackets, corbels, beams, and roof are all wooden. It is estimated that this wooden inner hall (Gudhamandapa) may have been built at a later period. There is another entrance on the right side of the enclosed assembly hall. The outer pillars of the assembly hall are embedded in the walls. The walls are made of baked bricks. In the center of the floor in the assembly hall, there is a sacrificial pit (Yajna Kund).

In front of the assembly hall is the vestibule (Antarala). Here, there are two pillars on both sides in front of the entrance to the sanctum (Garbhagriha). These pillars have corbels and beams above them. The corbels are ornate and designed to create an arched shape on the underside of the beam. The wooden door frames of the sanctum entrance are simple and feature vertical edge carvings. The structure of the sanctum is like a Chaitya hall. Since it is lower than the assembly hall, one has to descend four steps to reach it. The sanctum measures 26 feet by 12 feet. Due to the Chaitya-like structure of the sanctum, it is suggested that it was originally a Buddhist temple and was later converted into a Hindu temple. The ceiling of the sanctum is elephant-back shaped (Gajaprishtha). The height of the ceiling here is about twenty feet.

In the sanctum, there is a stone idol of Trivikrama Vishnu on a Vajrapitha. One leg of the idol is down, and the other is raised at a 90-degree angle, parallel to the ground. At the feet of Vishnu are the idols of King Bali, his wife, and the demon guru Shukracharya. Lakshmi is seated at the other foot of Vishnu. The outer walls of the temple feature pillar carvings. The roof of the assembly hall is flat, and the sanctum’s roof is elephant-back shaped. Outside the temple, along the walls of the assembly hall, there are platforms. In the courtyard, next to the temple, there is a raised platform under a Neem tree. Programs like Kirtan and Bhajan are organized on this platform. Festivals like Dussehra, Diwali, Kartik Purnima, and Bali Pratipada are celebrated with great enthusiasm in the temple. Many scholars visit this place to study this primordial temple of Maharashtra and to observe the woodwork here.

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