Shree Mallikarjuna Temple Shirambe, Sangmeshwar, Ratnagiri

The Mallikarjun Temple in Shirambe village, located at the far end of Sangameshwar taluka in Ratnagiri district, is the only one of its kind in the district and one of the few water temples in Maharashtra. Surrounded by the waters of a lake that never dries up, the Swayambhu Shivling within this tiled-roof temple also remains submerged in water. Devotees believe that bathing in the waters of this lake cures skin diseases. The villagers also hold a firm belief that if a person bitten by a snake is tied to a pillar in the temple of the village deity located within the temple premises, the poison is neutralized within a short time.

The legend of the temple is that a farmer from Purye village, located on the border of Shirambe, worshipped Mahadeva and expressed a desire for a bountiful harvest from his field. By the grace of Mahadeva, there was a good crop of finger millet (nachni) in the field. After harvesting the crop, while measuring it with a payali (a traditional vessel formerly used for measuring grain) (Mode of transport) The farmer was measuring the finger millet (nachni) and carrying the grain to the granary in his house; however, no matter how much grain he removed, the heap of grain would not diminish. Even after filling the granary at home and distributing grain to the neighbors, the heap in the field remained the same. As the sun set and the heap of grain still did not finish, the farmer grew exhausted and, in a fit of anger, slammed his measuring vessel (payali) onto the heap. At that moment, it broke into two pieces. One piece fell in the village of Purye, which is famous as Nachandev. The second piece, which fell in Shirambe, transformed into a Swayambhu Pindi. Because he rose from the threshing floor and came to Shirambe, he came to be known as Mallikarjun.

One can reach Shirambe from Vahal village on the Chiplun-Savarde road. Located in the central part of the village, this temple is surrounded by a fortification made of laterite stones. The entrance gate of the temple is also constructed with laterite stones. A Kalash is carved onto the sturdy entrance gate. To the right of the entrance, within the temple courtyard, there is a small sacred pond (Kund). The fortification walls Inside, there is stone seating provided for devotees. In front of the temple, there are two small lamp towers (Deepmalas) and an intricately carved Tulsi Vrindavan. The Mallikarjun Temple here is situated in the middle of a pond measuring ૪૦ feet by ૪૦ feet. A small bridge has been built over the pond to access the temple. The pond is constructed using laterite stone. Water from the springs located to the south of the temple flows into the pond. The water level here remains constant throughout all twelve months and never dries up. Often, during droughts, the ponds and wells in the surrounding villages have dried up, but the water level here has remained stable.

It is said that when cleaning this pond, a prayer is offered to the Deity. Following this, the water flowing from the springs ceases. Once the cleaning is complete, another prayer is offered to the Deity, and the springs begin to flow again. When the water here reaches a specific level, it automatically flows into another nearby pond. There are many water snakes in this pond, and they are often seen resting upon the Shivling in the temple. Devotees believe that having darshan at such a time is sacred.

The reflection of this temple, which features 16 pillars on the exterior, looks beautiful in the water of the pond. The temple’s plinth, situated within the pond, is also made of laterite stone. The temple is structured with an open sabhamandapa (assembly hall) and a garbhagriha (sanctuary). This east-facing, tiled-roof temple features all wooden pillars. The assembly hall has two-foot-high half-walls, providing seating for devotees. Near the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum, there is an idol of Nandi carved from a single stone. To the right of the entrance, there are two idols of Lord Ganesha, one made of black stone and the other of marble, while on the right side, there is a stone idol of Lord Hanuman and a marble idol of Lord Dattatreya.

The sanctum sanctorum here is situated at a slightly lower level, and one must pass through a small wooden entrance to reach it. The Shiva Linga here remains more than half-submerged in water, as its level corresponds to the water level of the pond. It is said that this Shiva Linga is approximately ๑๔๐๐ years old, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had commissioned the construction of this temple by paying a special sum.

Adjacent to the temple are two temples: Gavdevi Vardandevi and Gavdevi Chandikai. Although both these temples have been modernized following renovations, the original form of the Mallikarjun temple remains unchanged. The Vardandevi temple consists of a sabhamandap (assembly hall) and a garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). The idol of the Goddess is made of stone, accompanied by idols of other deities, and a small Shivling on the right side. It is a belief among the villagers that a person suffering from a snakebite is tied to a specific pillar in this temple while drums are played. Water from the pond near the Mallikarjun temple is kept beside them. It is believed that shortly after this, the poison leaves the person’s body. Thousands of devotees visit to bathe in the pond and seek the blessings of Lord Mallikarjun during the deity’s festival in the month of Phalgun, on Mahashivratri, and on the Mondays of Shravan.

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