Historic Vaijnath Temple Vaijnath, T. Karjat, Raigad

Situated at the foothills of the Sahyadri range and along the banks of the Pej River in Karjat Taluka, the Mahadev Temple at Vaijanath is a place of immense historical and geographical significance. This beautiful temple is nestled in a landscape adorned with natural beauty. The village derives its name, Vaijanath, from this very temple. A unique feature of this temple is that the Shiva Linga here is said to have arrived floating along with the river water. The fair held here every year on Mahashivratri is the largest fair in the entire taluka.

Information regarding the name Vaijanath of Mahadev is found in the 28th chapter of the Kotirudra Samhita of the ‘Shiva Purana’. According to this, the Lord of Lanka, Ravana, performed severe penance to please Mahadev, but Mahadev did not appear. Ravana then ignited a fire in a pit, installed an image of Mahadev there, and resumed his penance. When he still did not succeed, he began to cut off his own heads one by one and offer them to Mahadev. After offering nine heads into the sacrificial fire, just as he was prepared to sever his tenth head, Mahadev appeared before him. Ravana requested Him to accompany him to Lanka. Mahadev, pleased, granted Ravana immense strength and entrusted him with a Shiva Linga. Mahadev imposed a condition that this Shiva Linga must not be placed on the ground anywhere during the journey. While heading towards Lanka, Ravana handed the Shiva Linga to a cowherd. The boy waited for some time and then placed the Shiva Linga on the ground, where it became permanently fixed. This place later became famous as ‘Vaijanath’. In the ‘Bhakti Kosh’ by Vidyavachaspati Shankar Abhyankar, further light is shed on this name. According to this, the cowherd who placed the Shiva Linga on the ground was actually Shiva’s son, Ganesha, who had assumed the name ‘Vaiju’. It is from this name, Vaiju, that Mahadev received the name ‘Vaijanath’.

The temple, located on the banks of the Pej River, is surrounded by a protective wall. Through the entrance in this wall, one enters the compact, paved courtyard of the temple. In the center of this courtyard stands the Nandi Mandapa. Inside the Nandi Mandapa is a beautiful white marble statue of Nandi. The Nandi Mandapa is topped by a square, tapering shikhara with a kalasha. Beside the Nandi Mandapa, in front of the main temple, stands a beautiful deepmala (lamp tower). During festivals, lamps are lit on this deepmala using coconut shells. The temple structure consists of a semi-open mandapa, followed by an enclosed sabhamandapa and the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). One descends a few steps from the Nandi Mandapa to enter the main hall. The door frames of the sabhamandapa are adorned with intricate carvings. On the lintel of the entrance, there is a statue of Ganapati flanked by two attendants holding chauris. The sabhamandapa is designed with a circumambulatory path leading to the garbhagriha. In front of the entrance to the garbhagriha, on a raised platform, stands an unbroken black stone statue of Nandi, with a tortoise sculpture in front of it. On the front walls of the garbhagriha, in niches on both sides, are statues of Ganapati and Lord Krishna playing the flute. The door frames and doors of the garbhagriha are covered with ornate metal sheets. In the center of the garbhagriha, in a sunken area, lies the swayambhu (self-manifested) Linga of Vaijanath Mahadev. This Linga is covered with a metal sheet. In the niches on the wall behind the Linga are statues of Shankar and Parvati. Additionally, the temple houses statues of Shri Ram-Lakshman-Sita, Radha-Krishna, and the Goddess.

Although the old temple has been renovated, the original, beautiful, wooden carved pillars have been preserved in the Hanuman temple located near the deepmala. The craftsmanship on them is exquisite. Even after hundreds of years, these pillars remain in excellent condition. A dam has been built across the Pej River flowing through the temple premises to store water. Behind the temple, there is a ghat with 24 stone steps leading down to the riverbed. Near the ghat is an old, square stone well. Across the river, there is a water canal running parallel to the river. The surroundings are truly enchanting during the monsoon and winter seasons.

It is said that approximately 150 years ago, Shri Vaman Maharaj resided at Vaijanath. In the early part of his life, he undertook many pilgrimages. Later, he began living in the Vaijanath temple premises. Devotees built a math (monastery) for him in the vicinity of the temple. Subsequently, his circle of disciples in the taluka gradually grew. He passed away in the year 1892. At that time, his samadhi was built right here. Since then, programs are held every year on his punyatithi (death anniversary). This three-day festival of Sadguru Vaman Maharaj, from Magh Shukla Trayodashi to Purnima, is famous in the surrounding five villages. Festivals are also held on Tripurari Purnima and Kojagiri Purnima. The fair held here on Mahashivratri is considered the largest in the taluka. For devotees, the temple is open from 6 in the morning until 7 in the evening. There is a bhaktaniwas (pilgrim accommodation) facility for devotees coming from outside the area.

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