Historic Renuka Mata (Katch Temple) Trimukhi Mahadev Temple Sonai, Nevasa, Ahilyanagar

Sonai village in Nevasa taluka, sanctified by the presence of Machindranath, Gorakshanath, and Chakradhar Swami, is considered religiously significant. It is said that Gorakshanath dropped a brick of gold in this village, and since then, the village has been named ‘Sonai’. The village houses the temple of Renuka Mata, which is famous as Renuka Darbar as well as the Glass Temple. Apart from this, there is also a 10th-century Trimukhi Mahadev temple here. Located near Shani Shingnapur, these temples in Sonai village are places of faith for devotees.

The legend of the Renuka Mata Temple is that in the year 1954, Renuka Devi appeared in a vision to Anna Swami Maharaj of this place and told him, “I am present in your ancestral land.”

Install Me there. Following this, when Anna Swami searched, he found the idol of Renuka Devi. As instructed by the Goddess, he built a temple at that site and performed the consecration of the idol within it.

This Renuka Devi temple is located at Belhekarwadi, in the area adjacent to Sonai village. At the entrance facing the temple, there is an approximately 8-foot-tall idol of Mother Durga. Upon entering the temple premises through the gateway, one sees two tall lamp towers (Deepmalas). These lamp towers, which are approximately 45 to 50 feet high, feature hundreds of small niches on their exterior, similar to the shrines found in temples. During festivals, these lamp towers are illuminated by lighting lamps within these niches. At the entrance of this two-story temple, there are two stone elephants on the outer side. One enters the main hall (Sabhamandap) after climbing a few steps. All the walls and pillars there are adorned with a unique type of small, colorful glass pieces. Because of this, the temple is known as the ‘Glass Temple’ (Kach Mandir). In the sanctum sanctorum, there is an idol of Renuka Devi in the form of a stone (Tandala). Along with the idol of the Goddess, there are also idols of the Water Deity, Serpent Deity, Kalbhairav, Saptayogini, Shri Dattatreya, and Vetal. For this reason, the Renuka Devi temple is famous as ‘Mata Darbar’. Many festivals are celebrated in this temple throughout the year. Among them, thousands of devotees visit here during the Vasantik Navratri, Guru Purnima, and Sharadiya Navratri festivals. In the temple courtyard, there is the Samadhi temple of Yogiraj Hansatirtha Swami.

It is said that the Trimukhi Mahadeva temple located in this very village of Sonai dates back to the Yadava period. The temple premises are spacious and adorned with many trees. In addition to this, there are temples dedicated to Someshwara, Gorakshanatha, and Shri Datta. A unique statue of Nandi is situated on the platform near the entrance of the east-facing main temple. The temple structure consists of a Mukhamandapa (entrance porch), Sabhamandapa (assembly hall), Antarala (vestibule), and Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). The pillars in the Sabhamandapa feature distinctive carvings. The Sabhamandapa is open, and such a design is referred to as a ‘Rangamandapa’. The seat of Chakradhara Swami is located in the Sabhamandapa. It is said that while propagating the Mahanubhava sect, Chakradhara Swami stayed in a cave here for 3 days. The sanctum contains a Trilingi Shiva Linga, which is a symbol of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahadeva. Furthermore, there are some hero stones (Virgal) in the temple premises. A festival is held here on Mahashivaratri. Every Monday during the holy month of Shravana, hundreds of devotees come to seek the blessings of Trimukhi Mahadeva.

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