Pavitra Narayan of Garmatha / Temple of Gharambhata, Guhagar, Guhagar, Ratnagiri

From the time of the Shilahara kings to the Peshwa era, the village of Guhagar has held the status of a special pilgrimage site. A beautiful confluence of devotion and natural beauty can be witnessed here. Once considered remote, this village is now prospering due to its famous pilgrimage sites and tourism. In this prosperous land lies the ancient Narayan temple of Gharambhat (Garamath). The deity is renowned in the region as the one who alleviates the suffering of those who seek refuge and provides immediate relief from the pain of snakebites and scorpion stings.

In the Vyadeshwar Mahatmya, this shrine is mentioned as Garamath and Gharambhat Narayan. According to the text, in ancient times, a great ascetic suffering from an illness performed rigorous penance here to please Lord Krishna. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Krishna restored him to perfect health. Since then, this place has been famous as a site for liberation from all ailments. A Brahmin with the surname Ghare established a monastery here and consecrated an idol of Krishna. From that time, the tradition of worshiping Krishna began. Subsequently, this place became known as Gharemath or the temple of Gharambhat. Later, the name Garamath became more prevalent than Gharemath.

‘The deity who keeps control over great poisonous diseases resides here. The glory of this Garamath deity, who removes the pain of those who surrender to Him, is famous among the people. From the moment people seek refuge in this deity, they are freed from sins, diseases, and the agony of snakebites or scorpion stings. The place where this Narayan of Garamath is present is a blessed Parashuram Kshetra, and those humans who worship the Garamath Narayan are also blessed. May the Lord of Lords, Bhagwan Garamath, who possesses eyes and a face like a blooming lotus, and who holds the Kaumodaki mace, lotus, conch, and discus, protect this entire universe from harm,’ is the reference to this temple in the Vyadeshwar Mahatmya manuscript written by the poet Vishwanath in the year 1637. This confirms that this place must be very ancient.

The temple of Gharambhat is situated in a secluded and nature-rich area at a short distance from Guhagar village. In the spacious premises of the temple, there is a large, built-up pond where colorful lotuses bloom. This is a two-story tiled temple built on a pedestal approximately 3 feet high. The temple structure consists of an open Darshan Mandap, a Sabha Mandap, and a Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). One enters the Darshan Mandap by climbing four to five steps. The Darshan Mandap has half-walls made of dressed stone about 2 feet high, with stone benches built for sitting. The entire construction of the temple uses dressed stone and wood. The Sabha Mandap here is like those in traditional old-style temples; however, the highly intricate and unique craftsmanship on its four large wooden pillars is considered the pride of this place. Such wood carving is rarely found in the temples of Konkan. 

The entrance to the Garbhagriha is arched and carved with vines, flowers, and an image of Lord Krishna playing the flute at the top. Inside the Garbhagriha, there is an unbroken stone idol of Narayan, approximately 3 to 3.5 feet tall. Exquisite carvings can also be seen on this idol. The beauty of the idol is further enhanced by the golden-colored crown and ornaments. The deity wears a crown on his head, earrings, a necklace, a waistband, and among his four hands, the upper right hand is in a blessing posture, the lower right holds a conch, the upper left holds a mace, and the lower left holds the Sudarshan Chakra. At the feet of Narayan, there is the deity Garuda on the right and Goddess Lakshmi on the left. This temple has historically been owned by the Khare family. It has now been adopted by the famous Vyadeshwar Devasthan here.

Next to this temple is a temple of Ganpati. The structure of this Ganesh temple is similar to that of the Gharambhat temple. It consists of an open Sabha Mandap, an Antarala, and a Garbhagriha. The Garbhagriha here houses a seated idol of Ganpati, with Riddhi and Siddhi on either side. A royal decree (Sanad) is available stating that the Peshwas used to provide five rupees annually to the Khare family for the rituals at the Gharambhat shrine. Later, the British also maintained this decree in the name of the late Shivram Govind Khare (born 1846 and died 1896). A grand festival is celebrated here on Krishna Janmashtami (Shravan Vadya Ashtami). Devotees can visit the temple daily from 6 AM to 9 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