Ancient Sant Kurmadas Temple Laul, h. Madha, t. Solapur

The temple of Sant Kurmadas, a devoted follower of Lord Vitthala of Pandharpur, is located in the village of Lauul on the Kurduwadi-Pandharpur road. Kurmadas was physically challenged; he did not have feet beyond his ankles and lacked hands beyond his wrists. It is said that when he called out to the Lord while on his way to Pandhari, Pandharinath himself appeared before him. History records that Aurangzeb demolished many temples during that era; however, moved by the devotion of Sant Kurmadas, Aurangzeb ordered the renovation of this temple. Muslims also hold a place of honor among the temple attendants here.

According to the description in the sixteenth chapter of the Bhaktivijay scripture, Kurmadas was a resident of Paithan. Lacking palms and soles, he had to drag his body along the ground or roll over to move from one place to another. Yet, the name of the Lord was always on his lips. Once, in Paithan, Bhanudas Maharaj—the grandfather of Sant Eknath—was delivering a discourse on Hari-katha. People came from far and wide to hear his stories. Upon hearing about this, Kurmadas somehow managed to reach that place. Bhanudas Maharaj, through his discourse, shared the glory and information about the pilgrimage to Pandharpur with those present. He described the importance of the Ashadhi and Kartiki Wari so beautifully that a desire to undertake the pilgrimage to Pandhari was kindled in the heart of Kurmadas.

At that time, there were four months remaining until Kartiki Ekadashi. Kurmadas resolved that he must go to Pandharpur. In those days, there were no proper roads to Pandharpur, making the journey difficult even for those traveling on foot. For Kurmadas, who could not walk, the path was even more arduous. But his resolve was firm. Dragging his body and sometimes rolling along, he began his journey toward Pandhari. He would start his journey early in the morning, and by evening, whether there was a settlement or not, he had no choice but to camp wherever he was. Sometimes he received food, and other times he had to sleep hungry. In this way, after four months of extreme physical hardship, he reached the village of Lauul. The next day was Ekadashi. Pandharpur was seven kos away, but due to the long journey, Kurmadas’s body was covered in wounds. He realized that it was no longer possible to continue the journey; his body would not hold out. Therefore, he stopped a Warkari heading toward Pandhari and sent a message for Vitthala: “One of your devotees has reached very close to you to meet you, but he cannot come any further. Please come yourself to meet him.” He was certain that as soon as his message reached Vitthala, the Lord would come to meet him.

The next day, with his battered body, Kurmadas waited for Vitthala with his life force concentrated in his eyes. His prayers to the Lord continued. He kept saying, “I cannot reach you, but you will surely reach me. You will certainly grant a vision to a devotee who yearns for you.” The message he sent and his constant calls must have reached Vitthala, for it is said that Vitthala himself sent Dnyandev, Namdev, and Savata Mali to meet Kurmadas. Kurmadas was blessed by their visit, but his eyes were searching for the King of Pandhari. Recognizing the intensity of his devotion, it is said that Vitthala finally left Pandhari and came to Lauul for his devotee. He gazed upon the Vitthala who appeared before him, and it is said that he shed his mortal coil at the feet of the Lord.

It is said that the saintly congregation, Vitthala himself, and even the Chandrabhaga river appeared here to meet this supreme devotee. The well behind the temple is said to have plenty of water during the Ashadhi Ekadashi period. Warkaris claim that even if all the wells in the area dry up during a drought, water appears in this well as soon as water is released into the Chandrabhaga. Devotees believe that the Chandrabhaga river herself appears in this well to meet Kurmadas Maharaj.

The temple of Sant Kurmadas Maharaj is situated right next to the Kurduwadi-Pandharpur road. The temple is surrounded by a fortress-like wall on all four sides. One enters the temple’s assembly hall (sabhamandap) through a gate. Previously, this temple was built using stone, but in the new construction, the use of cement and modern tools is evident. There are cloisters (ovaris) on the sides of the assembly hall for the accommodation of devotees. The temple structure consists of an assembly hall, an antarala (vestibule), and a sanctum sanctorum (garbhagriha). In the sanctum, there are idols of Vitthala and Rukmini on a diamond pedestal (vajrapitha), and right in front of them is the samadhi of Kurmadas. To commemorate the meeting between Vitthala and Kurmadas in the village of Lauul, large fairs are held here on Kartiki and Ashadhi Ekadashi. During the Wari, a Mahaprasad is organized for the Warkaris. A unique feature here is that the management and maintenance of this temple are handled by Muslim, Maratha, and Brahmin families.

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