Ancient Kanakaditya Temple, Kasheli, Rajapur, Ratnagiri

The ancient Shri Kanakaditya Sun Temple, located at Kasheli in the Rajapur taluka of Ratnagiri district, is considered one of the few prominent Sun temples in the country. The festival held here from Magh Shuddha Saptami (Ratha Saptami) to Magh Shuddha Ekadashi is regarded as one of the major festivals in the Ratnagiri district. During this time, the Kalikadevi of Adivare arrives at Kasheli for a four-day visit to meet Kanakaditya. It is the firm belief of devotees that any wish made to this deity is fulfilled within a year.

The legend of the temple states that approximately 800 years ago, there were 12 Sun idols representing the 12 months, situated in different postures, in a Sun temple at Prabhas Patan near Somnath in Gujarat. In 1293 AD, when Alauddin Khilji invaded Saurashtra, the priest of the Sun temple, to prevent the desecration of the idols, loaded one Sun idol onto a merchant’s ship sailing south from the port of Veraval in Kathiawar. After departing, the ship stopped near the seashore at Kasheli. Despite tireless efforts, the ship would not move from that spot. Eventually, sensing that the idol of Aditya on the ship wished to reside there, the merchant brought the idol and placed it in a cave on the shore. Only then did his ship proceed further.

Some days later, the Sun deity appeared in a dream to a sun-worshipping woman named Kanaka from Kasheli and said, “I am in the cave on the seashore; build a temple in the village and install me there.” Following the vision, Kanaka, along with the villagers, searched the seashore and found the Sun idol in a cave on the cliff. Thereafter, Kanakabai, with the cooperation of the villagers, built a temple and installed the Sun idol within it. Because the deity came to Kasheli due to Kanaka’s devotion, the temple was named Kanakaditya. The cave on the cliff by the Kasheli seashore where this idol was found is known as ‘Devachi Kholi’ (The Deity’s Room). This cave is at a height of about 15 feet and has an area of 400 square feet. Devotees can still visit this cave today.

The Kanakaditya temple is located in the heart of Kasheli village, constructed of laterite stone with a tiled roof. The temple is surrounded by a fortification wall, and one enters the temple courtyard through an entrance gate. There is a Nagarkhana (drum house) on the second floor of the two-story entrance. The entire temple courtyard is paved with laterite stone, giving the temple premises a beautiful and clean appearance. Along with the main temple, there are shrines dedicated to Ganpati, Shri Aryadurga, Shri Shankar, and Shri Vishnu. There is also an old-style well, the water of which is used for the temple’s rituals.

The structure of the Kanakaditya temple consists of a Sabha Mandap (assembly hall), Antaral (vestibule), and Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). The temple is built on a plinth slightly elevated from the ground. One enters the Sabha Mandap by climbing five to six steps. The wooden pillars in the Sabha Mandap feature distinctive carvings and floral designs. Every two pillars are connected to each other by an arch. The ceiling of the Antaral is carved with images of various deities and mythological scenes, such as the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean). The idol of Agni-Narayan here has seven hands, three legs, and two faces. Above the entrance of the Garbhagriha, there is a wooden sculpture of Sheshashayi Vishnu. Beside Vishnu are Garuda and Lakshmi. There are sculptures of Dwarapalas (gatekeepers) on both sides of the door.

In the Garbhagriha, there is an approximately one-meter-tall idol of the Sun deity, Kanakaditya, carved from black stone. Although this well-proportioned, smooth, and polished idol is usually covered with many garments and ornaments, its full form can be seen during the Kakad Aarti. The idol stands in a ‘Sthanak Samabhanga’ posture, with weight distributed equally on both feet. The idol is adorned with a crown, silver eyes, Makara-kundala (earrings), a necklace, a thick Yajnopavita (sacred thread) resting on the left shoulder, a waist belt, and rings on the toes. Figures of seven horses are carved on the pedestal of the idol. On the left and right sides are the figures of the female attendants Usha and Pratyusha. Behind the idol is a silver Prabhaval (halo).

Two festivals are held annually at the Kanakaditya temple. The Ratha Saptami festival is celebrated for five days from Magh Shuddha Saptami to Magh Shuddha Ekadashi. For this, a special invitation is extended to Kalikadevi from the nearby village of Adivare. As her companion, Bhagwati Devi from Adivare also arrives here. During this time, the mask of Kalikadevi is placed next to Kanakaditya. Thousands of devotees from Maharashtra, as well as Belgaum, Hubli, Dharwad, Ujjain, Bhopal, and Indore, come for this festival. It is said that Nana Shankarshet, known as the architect of Mumbai, had made a vow to this deity for the birth of a son. After his wish was fulfilled, he built the Sabha Mandap of the temple and also gifted the copper sheet for the temple spire.

According to historical records, hearing of the fame of the Kanakaditya temple’s priest, Govind Bhat Bhagwat, the Shilahar King of Panhalgad came here for a holy sea bath during the festival of Sankranti. There was a copper plate (Tamrapat) in the temple describing how he had gifted a village as an endowment to Bhagwat to cover the expenses of feeding 12 Brahmins daily in the village. This 750 to 800-year-old copper plate, consisting of three sheets, is currently kept in a bank locker for security reasons.

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