Divine Uddhav Mahaaraaj Math, Mulaher, Baaglaan, Naasik

‘Ras-Kreeda’ is the symbol of the boundless love between Gopi and Krishna. It is said that there are three places in the country where Lord Krishna himself performed the Ras-Kreeda. These include Mathura, Dwarka, and ‘Mulher’ in Nashik. The Ras-Kreeda festival is celebrated at the Uddhav Maharaj Math in Mulher on the night of Kojagiri Purnima in the presence of thousands of devotees. This ceremony, which holds religious, historical, cultural, and social significance, has a tradition spanning 400 years.

Uddhav Maharaj’s original name was Shivba. He was born in the year 1646. Having lost his parents at a tender age, he was raised by his maternal uncle who lived in Mulher. Since childhood, Shivba had an inclination towards devotion to Krishna, but his uncle did not approve of this devotion. Consequently, on the day of the Ras-Kreeda festival held at the Math of Kashiraj Maharaj in Mulher on Kojagiri Purnima, his uncle locked him inside the house. Legend has it that recognizing the plight of his beloved devotee, Lord Krishna himself appeared before him and showed him the Ras-Kreeda. After this incident, Shivba’s significance began to grow in the region. When Samarth Ramdas Swami visited Mulher in the year 1660, he recognized Shivba’s true nature and named him ‘Uddhav’ as a devotee of Krishna. From then on, Shivba became known as ‘Uddhav Maharaj’. After receiving the grace of Kashiraj Maharaj, he dedicated himself to religious and social work. Due to the vision given by Saint Dnyaneshwar Mauli, Uddhav Maharaj wrote the scripture ‘Swatmabodh’, and according to the vision of Saint Eknath, he wrote the ‘Bhakti Prakash’.

It is said that Lord Rama himself, in the guise of a Bhil, bathed Uddhav Maharaj in the holy waters of the Bhagirathi. Since then, the Bhagirathi appears here every 12 years. As a contribution to Uddhav Maharaj’s social work, Emperor Aurangzeb had granted him four villages as a fiefdom. In the year 1722, on the Ashwin Shuddha Purnima (Kojagiri), Uddhav Maharaj took Samadhi at Mulher. The sect of this Uddhav Maharaj has spread across the country, and the Math in Mulher is considered the only main Math of the Uddhav Swami sect in the entire nation.

After the Samadhi of Uddhav Maharaj, his disciples built a temple for him. This site is located in a scenic area adjacent to the village of Mulher. The temple is a two-story wooden structure. The entire temple appears to stand on wooden pillars in a hall that is open on all three sides. This temple has no walls. It has been constructed using only wood. In the front part of the assembly hall lies the Sanjeevan Samadhi of Uddhav Maharaj. Behind this Samadhi site is the idol of Uddhav Maharaj, and behind that are the carved black stone idols of Shri Lakshmi and Narayan.

There are many ancient trees in the temple premises. Among them is a Jasmine tree planted by his disciple after the Nirvana of Uddhav Maharaj (in the year 1722). The flowers of this very tree are offered on the Samadhi of Uddhav Maharaj. Apart from this, there are temples of Hanuman and Ganesh in the temple premises. It is said that Samarth Ramdas Swami stayed here for six months. The idol of Hanuman here was installed by him.

The Ras-Kreeda festival celebrated every year on Ashwin Shuddha Purnima (Kojagiri Purnima) at the Uddhav Maharaj temple is a major event here. Uddhav Maharaj’s guru, Kashiraj Maharaj, started this festival here in 1640. Thereafter, Uddhav Maharaj continued that tradition. The festival begins with the decoration of the ‘Ras-Chakra’. A wheel of about 25 feet in diameter is made in the open space in front of the temple and woven with the help of ropes. It is decorated with banana leaves and marigold flowers. All the present devotees chant ‘Uddhav Maharaj Ki Jai’ and hoist this wheel onto the Ras-Stambh (Ras pillar). This wheel is the ‘Mandala’. It is believed that under such a Mandala, the Gopis played Ras-Kreeda with Krishna in Vrindavan. This ‘Ras-Chakra’ is considered a symbol of that Mandala.

During this festival, Rangolis are drawn on the road from the village to the temple. The temple and its surroundings are attractively illuminated. This performance continues from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM. During this time, 105 verses in various Ragas are sung under the ‘Ras-Chakra’. These include traditional rare classical Ragas. All these verses are in Sanskrit, Hindi, Gujarati, and Ahirani languages. The festival concludes the next morning after the Bhairavi, when the ‘Ras-Chakra’ is lowered from the Ras-Stambh. Thousands of devotees from Maharashtra, as well as Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, attend this ceremony. This festival, which holds religious, historical, cultural, and social significance, has been celebrated here continuously for centuries. One can visit the temple and have Darshan of Uddhav Maharaj’s Samadhi daily from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

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