Ancient Shivswarup Narayan Dev Baba Sansthan Waki ​​Devachi, Kannada, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Upon entering through the tall, colorful gateway of the village of Vaki Devachi and proceeding a short distance, one sees the entrance to the Shivaswaroop Narayandev Baba Sansthan. Mounted on the upper part of this entrance are three small temples, and behind them, one can see the towering spires of the main temple in the distance, topped with a replica of the Garuda Vimana. This entire area is adorned with a cluster of temples established by Narayandev Baba. With its tall coconut trees and banana plantations, the area is blessed with natural beauty, and due to the various temples of gods and goddesses located here, it is also referred to as Devbhumi (Land of the Gods).

Narayandev Baba Ballal was a saintly figure of the modern era. Pandi, in the Khultabad taluka, was his native village. He was born there in the month of Margashirsha in the year 1932. His father was a devotee of Lord Narasimha, and it was from this that Baba was named Narayan. From his childhood, he was imbued with religious values and had a natural inclination toward spirituality. It is said that, as a result, he went to a cave in Dhareshwar, near Vaki Devachi, and performed penance for twelve years. Pleased by his penance, Lord Shiva blessed him. Thereafter, Baba came to Vaki Devachi and performed a Yajna. Local devotees recount that during this Yajna, Lord Shiva himself was present; he appeared in the form of a parrot and came to sit on Baba’s hand. Dhareshwar had appeared to Baba in the form of a saint, and from that day on, he attained Siddhi (spiritual powers). He also had a vision of Saint Dnyaneshwar Maharaj.

Another story told about Baba is that when he first arrived, no one believed that the Divine was pleased with him. To prove this, he performed a Homa and jumped into the sacrificial fire, yet his body remained completely unharmed. After this miracle, people’s faith in him was firmly established. Even after this, devotees continued to experience Baba’s divine miracles, and countless people from the surrounding areas were drawn to him. Religious festivals such as Bhajans, Kirtans, Pravachans, and Yajnas began to be celebrated here with great enthusiasm. With the intention that devotees should be able to have Darshan of various gods and goddesses in one place, Baba led the establishment of several temples here. These include the Amarnath, Lakshminarayan, Agni Narayan, Shesh Narayan, Balaji, and Surya Narayan temples. Previously, there was only a simple temple of Shiva here. Narayandev Baba would come here to perform worship and penance. Later, he renovated the temple and built a larger structure. The foundation day of this temple is 29 March 1979.

Entering through the ‘Shivaswaroop Narayandev Baba Gateway’ of the village, the first sight is this Shiveshwar Mahadev Temple. The temple is designed with a Sabhamandap (assembly hall), a Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum), a three-story spire above it, and a grand statue of the Garuda Vimana on top. There is a stone Nandi in front of the temple, and after climbing five steps, one enters the Sabhamandap. On the walls flanking the entrance to the Sabhamandap, images of the gatekeepers Jaya and Vijaya are painted. The Sabhamandap has a flat ceiling, and its pillars are connected by arched designs. Inside the Sabhamandap, there is another Nandi statue, which is large and carved from marble. In front of it, an iron lattice railing has been erected. Beyond this lies the Garbhagriha. On the entrance of the Garbhagriha, a statue of seven cobras with raised hoods in a semi-circular shape is mounted at the top. Inside, on a pedestal, is a stone Shiva Linga. Attached to the wall of the sanctum is a brass mask of Lord Shiva. Images of Narayandev Baba are placed on the walls. A unique feature of this temple is its glass decoration. The inner walls and ceiling of the temple are decorated with beautiful patterns created from glass of various colors and shapes.

The temple complex located in front of the Shiveshwar temple consists of a group of temples dedicated to various deities. Built on a high pedestal, this temple has an arched entrance. On both sides of the entrance, tall statues of elephants are mounted. Along the walls of the Mandap, there are square-shaped sanctums arranged side by side. Inside these are marble statues of Lakshminarayan, Shri Dattatreya, Shri Ram-Lakshman-Sita, Radha-Krishna, Goddess Annapurna offering food to Lord Shiva, Saint Dnyaneshwar, Kedarnath, and Vitthal-Rukmini.

Beside the Shiveshwar temple is the Amarnath temple. This temple is also built on a high foundation or plinth. The temple has eight steps. Flanking the wooden carved entrance are two stone lion statues. The temple’s Mandap resembles a large hall, and inside is a marble statue of Nandi. In the main Garbhagriha of the temple, there is a marble Shiva Linga. It is said that the Linga image on this pedestal is a replica of the Shiva Linga that forms naturally from ice in the Baba Amarnath cave in the Himalayas.

There are only a few Surya Narayan temples in Maharashtra. Some examples include Bhuleshwar in Mumbai, Narayan Chincholi in Pandharpur, Kasheli in Ratnagiri, and Parule in Sindhudurg. A grand temple of Surya Narayan has also been built here. The temple features a porch standing on two circular pillars decorated with glasswork. The entrance is tall and wide, with a circular arch above it. The design of the temple’s Sabhamandap and Garbhagriha is highly distinctive. The Garbhagriha is located in the center of the Sabhamandap. Inside, in a large marble shrine built on a high platform, is a marble statue of Surya Narayan seated on a chariot drawn by seven horses. Niches have been created in the walls of the Sabhamandap, in which statues and images of Gajanan Maharaj, Narmada Devi, Prajapita Brahma, Ganesha, and others have been installed. Additionally, there is a pedestal in the Sabhamandap containing a Trimbakeshwar Linga and Nandi. The Shiva Linga here is in the form of a Mukha-linga (with a face) and has a brass cobra with a raised hood over it. The Surya Narayan temple is also adorned with glasswork and various geometric shapes created from glass. The temple has a tall spire.

The Sheshnarayan Temple here is designed similarly to this temple. It is also adorned with glass decorations. At the entrance of the temple, there are statues of gatekeepers on both sides. One enters a large rectangular assembly hall through a wide, intricately carved wooden door. Statues of various deities are installed in the niches of the walls there. In the sanctum sanctorum, there is an idol of Sheshshayi Narayan. Directly opposite this is the Shri Balaji Temple. It is also decorated with glass inlay work. In the assembly hall of the temple, there are four circular pillars in the center. Large photographs of Narayandev Baba in various postures and depicting different events are displayed on the walls of the hall. In the inner sanctum, there is an idol of Balaji carved in black stone on a pedestal.

In the center of this entire temple complex stands the temple of Narayandev Baba. This Samadhi temple was built in his memory after Narayandev Baba attained Mahasamadhi on 28 August 2017, at the age of 93. This temple is built on a high circular platform. In its center is a circular sanctum. Surrounding it on all sides is a circumambulatory path supported by round carved pillars. The underside of the flat ceiling of this path is adorned with beautiful carvings. There are also carvings on the exterior walls of the temple. In front of the entrance, there is a small Tulsi Vrindavan. The doorway is square. It has a high threshold, known as a Mandarak. It features a semi-circular moonstone. On the lintel above the entrance, there is an idol of Lord Ganesha. In the sanctum, on a high pedestal, sits a large statue of Narayandev Baba in the Abhaya Mudra.

Every year, a grand Harinam Saptah is organized here on the occasion of the Punyatithi of Narayandev Baba. Programs such as Kirtan, Pravachan, and Bhajan are held during this time. Large-scale Annadan (offering of food) is also performed then. A major fair is held here on Mahashivratri. This fair begins eight days before Mahashivratri and concludes on Mahashivratri. Thousands of devotees attend the fair. Festivals like Guru Purnima, Gudi Padwa, and Navratri are also celebrated here on a large scale. Since the Shiveshwar and Amarnath temples are also located here, there is a large crowd of devotees every Monday.

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