Divine Renuka Mata Temple Patur, Patur, Akola

Renuka Mata of Mahur is one of the three and a half Shakti Peethas of Maharashtra. This Goddess is an incarnation of Goddess Parvati. Scholars state that Elamba (Ellamma), Ekvira, Yamamba (Yamai), Lajjagauri, Jogulamba, Bhudevi, Matangi, and Santeri are all forms of Renuka Mata. There are temples of Renuka Mata in many places across the country. One of them is the Renuka Mata Temple in Patur, known as the ‘Prati-Mahur’ of Vidarbha. Here, Renuka Mata resides on a high, picturesque hill on the banks of the Suvarna (Bordi) River. Countless devotees who are unable to visit the Renuka Mata temple on the Mahur fort come here to seek the Goddess’s blessings.

Renuka Devi is Bhudevi. The word Renuka means the Earth made of dust. According to mythological legends, Renuka is the wife of Sage Jamadagni. In the ‘Renuka Mahatmya’ scripture, her character story is narrated as follows: In ancient times, King Renu, also known as Prasenjit of the Ikshvaku dynasty, ruled in the Kanyakubja country. When he performed the Kanyakameshti Yajna, a daughter was born from the sacrificial fire. Her cradle name was Kamali. As the daughter of King Renu, she came to be called Renuka. After she grew up, King Renu arranged her Swayamvara at the Bhagirathi region, where she chose Sage Jamadagni as her husband. This couple had five sons: Rumanvat, Sushena, Vasu, Vishwavasu, and Ramabhadra, also known as Parashurama.

Renuka used to bring water required for her husband’s daily worship from the Tungabhadra river in an earthen pot. One day, the Gandharva Chitraratha was playing in the waters of the Tungabhadra. Seeing him, Renuka’s mind was distracted for a moment. After Sage Jamadagni understood this incident through his inner vision, he ordered each of his sons to behead her. The first three sons refused to commit matricide. However, Parashurama immediately obeyed his father’s command. The head of his mother, which he severed, fell into a tanner’s water tank. Seeing his obedience, Jamadagni was pleased and asked him to seek a boon. Then, he asked for the boon of bringing his mother back to life. To this, Jamadagni replied that it was now impossible because the head he had severed had fallen into an impure place, and it was not desirable to attach it back to her torso. However, from then on, people would worship her head by the name of Ellamma, and her torso would be known as Bhudevi. This story of Renuka Mata is well-known. In the ‘Mahabharata’, it is said that Renuka was born from a lotus, and Renu was her brother and Somapa was her father. Whereas in the ‘Kalika Purana’, it is stated that Renuka was the daughter of the King of Vidarbha.

In Patur, Renuka is worshipped as the Gramadevata (village deity). The legend of the temple here is that the Goddess had existed on the plateau of this hill since ancient times. About 200 years ago, Dinanath Maharaj Kulkarni, a devotee of Dattatreya, came here from Gangapur (District Kalaburagi, Karnataka), a pilgrimage site for Dattatreya devotees. At that time, he had a vision of the Goddess residing near a Hivar tree on the hill. Thereafter, he built a small temple for the Goddess. Over time, the area of this hill came under the control of the Attarde family. They renovated this temple and also built small temples of Shriram, Shrikrishna, and Dattatreya in the vicinity. It is said that this temple was renovated in 1976. To reach the Renuka Mata temple situated on the high hill, one has to climb 256 steps from the foothills. Initially, there was a footpath here. Later, a staircase path was constructed. For the convenience of the young and the elderly, stainless steel railings have been installed on both sides of these steps. While climbing the steps, one first gets to see the Samadhi of Dinanath Maharaj Kulkarni. On the way, there are also Hanuman and Ganpati temples. After climbing the steps, one enters the temple courtyard. The greenery and cleanliness of this hill make the surroundings feel serene. In this courtyard, there is a Deepastambha (lamp pillar) in front of the temple, and there are benches everywhere for devotees to sit.

The structure of this temple consists of a Sabha Mandap (assembly hall) and a Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). In the semi-open Sabha Mandap, the Garbhagriha is designed leaving a circumambulation path in the front. There is a sculpture of Ganpati on the lintel of the entrance to the Garbhagriha. To the right of this entrance is a large image of the Goddess. On the Vajrapitha in the Garbhagriha, there is a distinctive idol of the Goddess in an attractive arch. This idol is from the neck upwards. The vermilion-smeared idol has a crown on its head, silver eyes, and a nose ring. There is a canopy over this east-facing idol of the Goddess. There is an attractive white-colored Shikhara over the Garbhagriha of the temple. It has a two-tiered Amalaka and a Kalasha.

In the courtyard around the main temple, there are temples of Mahadev, Shrikrishna, Shriram, and Shridattatreya. A panoramic view of Patur city can be seen from this hill. From the hill, one can see the Nanasaheb Wada (temple) to the north and the Shahbabu Dargah to the south. At the foot of the hill is the Gayatri Devi temple, and nearby is the Tape Hanuman temple. Devotees believe that Renuka Mata fulfills their vows. This area is always bustling with crowds of devotees coming to fulfill their vows. The number of devotees visiting for darshan is higher on Tuesdays. Various festivals and celebrations of the Hindu religion, including Ram Navami, Datta Jayanti, and Krishna Janmashtami, are celebrated here with great enthusiasm. Many Dindis (pilgrimage processions) going to Shegaon also halt here. Sharadiya Navratri Utsav is the biggest festival here. During this festival, various religious programs are organized for all nine days. During this festival, Aarti is held at 6:30 in the morning and at 8:00 at night. Hundreds of devotees from areas like Akola, Wadegaon, Balapur, Malegaon, and Barshi Takli attend this Aarti.

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