Prasanna Shree Baralinga Temple / Gautam Tirtha masa, Hadgaon, Nanded

The village of Tamsa holds a special place in the historical and cultural glory of Nanded district. The history of this village is directly connected to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. On the riverbank in the village, the samadhi of Netaji Palkar, the Sarnobat of the Maratha Empire, the Baraling Mandir, Gautam Tirtha, Hanuman Mandir, and other structures stand as witnesses to history. Among these, the Baraling Mahadev Mandir, which is associated with the Ramayana period, is a revered place of worship for thousands of devotees in the region. The ‘Bhaji-Bhakri’ fair held here is widely famous throughout Marathwada. Devotees have a deep faith that the awakened Mahadev here grants their wishes.

This temple, built in the Hemadpanti style with stone masonry, is said to date back to approximately the twelfth to thirteenth centuries. Some scholars believe it belongs to the Yadava period. The legend associated with this temple is that after Ravana abducted Sita, Lord Shri Rama, saddened by the separation from Sita, set out towards Lanka with his army of monkeys in search of her. On the way, they stopped at this temple. After having darshan of the twelve lingams here, they realized that their provisions had run out. Therefore, He instructed the monkey army accompanying Him to gather wild vegetables from the forest. At this very time, to arrange for water, Shri Rama struck an arrow into the ground, creating the Gautam Tirtha. The monkeys gathered twelve types of vegetables from the forest, cooked them in the Baraling Mandir premises, and Shri Rama Himself partook of the meal with the entire army. Since then, to this day, the tradition of celebrating this ‘Bhaji-Bhakri’ fair on the second day after Makar Sankranti has continued. According to the villagers, written evidence of this fair dating back approximately two hundred years has been found.

A welcome arch is located some distance from the temple. In front of the temple is a spacious open ground. This is where the famous fair is held. In the temple’s spacious, paver-block-covered courtyard, there are seats for devotees to sit. In the courtyard, an open-style rangamandapa with a Gajaprishtha (elephant-back) shaped tin roof supported by iron pillars has been erected. Adjacent to the rangamandapa is the building for the prasad distribution center. During the fair, ‘Bhaji-Bhakri’ prasad is distributed through approximately eight windows here. In front of the temple is a platform, and on it stands a lamp pillar about twelve feet high.

The temple’s structure comprises a sabhamandapa (assembly hall), antarala (vestibule), and garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). The entrance to the sabhamandapa is intricately carved, and there is a sculpture of Ganesha on the lalāṭabimba (lintel). The sabhamandapa has four rows of intricately carved pillars. The outer pillars are integrated into the walls. The enclosed sabhamandapa has ventilators for light and air. In the sabhamandapa, a black stone idol of Nandi is seated on a vajrapiṭha, while a Shivlinga is beside it. The Shivlinga has a large lingam stone in the center, surrounded by twelve smaller lingam stones. It is because of this Shivlinga that the temple is known as Baraling Mandir. Further ahead is the antarala, and beyond that, the garbhagriha. The entrances to the antarala and garbhagriha have intricately carved dvārashākhās (doorjambs) and sculptures of Ganesha on the lalāṭabimbas. The garbhagriha is deeper than the ground level. In the garbhagriha, a Shivlinga is located in the center on the ground. There is a hollow around the shāluṅkā (base) of the Shivlinga, which fills with water during the monsoon. A copper snake holding a canopy is placed over the Shivlinga, and a copper abhishekapatra (vessel for ritual bathing) holding a stream of water is suspended from the ceiling. The ceiling of the garbhagriha has a circular shikhara (spire) with four tiers. The first lower tier of the shikhara is octagonal, while the upper three tiers are circular. The fourth tier of the shikhara tapers upwards. At the apex is an āmalaka, and above it, a kalasha (finial).

The ‘Bhaji-Bhakri’ fair, held on the second day after Makar Sankranti, is the main annual festival here. During this time, approximately thirty quintals (three thousand kilograms) of vegetables are cooked. Along with this, sixty to seventy thousand bhakris are prepared. Around fifty to sixty thousand devotees attend the fair to partake of the ‘Bhaji-Bhakri’ prasad. Devotees believe that consuming this prasad cures ailments. In addition, all festivals and celebrations such as Mahashivratri, Shravan Maas, Kartik Pournima, Kojagiri Pournima, Dussehra, Diwali, etc., are celebrated in the temple. Various religious programs are organized in the temple during all festivals.

Near the Baraling Mandir, in the southeast direction, there is a carved stone tank called ‘Gautam Tirtha’. This tank, approximately forty-one feet long and thirty-nine feet wide, has a depth of about twelve feet. There are steps to descend into the tank. It is said that Shri Rama created this tirtha by striking an arrow into the ground. Gautam Rishi’s ashram was located at this very spot, and due to Gautam Rishi’s curse, his wife Ahilya had turned into a stone here. There is also a legend that Ahilya was freed from the curse by the touch of Shri Rama’s feet. Here, there is a small temple of Gautam Rishi and Ahilyadevi. The temple houses black stone idols of Gautam Rishi and Ahilyadevi. In front of them, on the ground, is a Shivlinga. Ancient samadhis are found in the courtyard of this temple, and ancient temple ruins are scattered in the surrounding 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