Divine Sant Shankarswami Maharaj Institute Shiur, Vaijapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

In the village of Shiur, which houses the Samadhi of Saint Bahinabai—the only female disciple of the great Saint Tukaram Maharaj—there also lies the Samadhi of Saint Shankarswami Maharaj, a disciple of Saint Nilobaray, who himself was a disciple of Saint Tukaram Maharaj. This temple also contains the Samadhi of Shankarswami’s son, Narayan Swami Maharaj, making it a rare site where the Samadhis of both father and son are located in the same place. With the ancient and vibrant Ravaneshwar Mahadev Temple and the Samadhi temples of Bahinabai and Shankarswami, the village of Shiur in Sambhajinagar district has become a spiritual center for devotees.

Saint Nilobaray was born in the year 1635, during the time of Saint Tukaram Maharaj. He had met Saint Tukaram’s sons, Narayanbuwa and Kanhobakaka, and it was there that he mentally accepted Tukaram Maharaj as his Guru. Shankarswami Maharaj accepted the discipleship of such a great saint. Notably, Shiur is the birthplace of Nilobaray and also the site of Shankarswami’s Samadhi. He attained Samadhi here on the eighth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Margashirsha in the year 1725. In the year 1849, the villagers built his Samadhi temple at their own expense. Later, after renovations and restoration in 2013, the temple attained its current form.

Located in the heart of Shiur village, on the banks of a lake known as Pranita Tirtha, stands the 128-foot-tall Samadhi temple of Saint Shankarswami Maharaj. It is said that this is the tallest temple in the Marathwada region. The temple features a sloping, roof-shaped spire built in the Nagara style. On all four sides of this spire are prominent replicas of smaller spires, all adorned with intricate carvings. The temple has a two-tiered Amalaka (the section between the spire and the finial) topped with a Kalash. Gold paint has been used extensively in the temple’s decoration. Built on a high plinth, the temple is supported on all sides by gold-painted, ornate pillars. The walls feature large latticed windows with arched frames on the exterior. One enters the grand, two-story assembly hall (Sabhamandap) by climbing seven marble steps. Near the entrance of the assembly hall is a statue of a tortoise, followed by the two separate platforms housing the Samadhis of Saint Shankarswami Maharaj and his son, Narayan Swami Maharaj. In the open sanctum sanctorum adjacent to the assembly hall, there is a high platform with idols of Vitthal-Rukmini in the center. To the right of these idols are marble statues of Saint Tukaram Maharaj, and to the left are those of Saint Nilobaray.

The temple premises include the office of the Board of Trustees, accommodation for Kirtankars and Pravachankars, and a center for spiritual education. Additionally, there is a grand Kirtan hall spanning 40,000 square feet. Thousands of devotees attend the Kirtan ceremonies held here. Every year in August, the Shri Sant Shankarswami Maharaj Sansthan organizes the grand ‘Akhand Harinam Phirta Narali Saptah’. Since this Saptah is held in different villages of Vaijapur Taluka every year, it is known as the ‘Phirta Narali Saptah’ (Traveling Coconut Week). For this Saptah, large, waterproof tents are erected at the respective locations to accommodate thousands of devotees. Along with the dissemination of knowledge, a grand food donation (Annadan) program is also organized. It is said that Saint Shankarswami Maharaj started this tradition of Annadan in the year 1745, and today it has attained a magnificent scale. A unique feature of this Saptah is that Bhakris (flatbreads) for the food donation are brought from about 125 villages across the Vaijapur, Gangapur, Kannad, and Nandgaon talukas. Thousands of liters of Amti (lentil soup) are prepared at the site, and 111 sacks of sugar are used for the Mahaprasad. The cooking is done on two to two-and-a-half dozen hearths. Millions of devotees dine in rows, and often, the Amti is distributed using tractors.

Devotees from the surrounding areas participate in this Saptah in large numbers, and Kirtankars, Pravachankars, and Bhajan troupes from across the state offer their services here. The event concludes with the Kalya Kirtan. Another unique feature of this Samadhi temple is the continuous Veena playing (Akhand Veena Vadan), which has been going on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

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