Shree Swatantryalakshmi is the eight-armed mother Mata Bhagur, Nasik

“I shall either die fighting the enemy in an armed struggle for the independence of my country, or I shall emerge victorious like Shivaji Maharaj and perform the coronation of Swarajya upon the brow of my motherland,” this was the vow taken by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar at the age of 14 before the Ashtabhuja Mata in Bhagur. Due to Swatantryaveer Savarkar’s contribution to the freedom movement, this Goddess later came to be known as Swatantryalakshmi Ashtabhuja Mata.

The village of Bhagur, situated on the banks of the Darna River in the Nashik district, possesses an ancient history. In earlier times, the great sage Maharshi Bhrigu Rishi resided here. He was considered an expert in the science of architecture. It is believed that the Kalaram Temple in Nashik was constructed according to the Bhrigu Vastu Shastra. He authored several scriptures including the Rigveda, Atharvaveda, Bhrigu Samhita, Bhrigu Ayurveda Samhita, Bhrigu Smriti (Manusmriti), Bhrigu Gita (on Vedanta), Bhrigu Siddhanta, and Bhrigu Sutra. It is said that Bhrigu Rishi performed penance and established a Gurukul in this region of Dandakaranya, which is why this area was named ‘Bhargava’, which later evolved into ‘Bhagur’. Bhagur has been blessed with a rich heritage comprising the residence of Bhrigu Rishi, the era of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and tales of valor from the Peshwa period. The poem ‘Bhargava’, written by Savarkar about Bhagur, describes the greatness of the village. Due to the armed revolutionary movements, Bhagur was recorded as a ‘Damned Village’ in England.

Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar is recognized as the first Indian to publicly demand complete independence for India, even before Lokmanya Tilak sounded the bugle for the Swarajya movement. He is also known as the ‘Krantisurya’ (Sun of Revolution). Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was born on 28 May 1883 in the village of Bhagur. His ancestral mansion was located there. Father Because he was a Jahagirdar, people used to call young Vinayak the ‘Little Jahagirdar’.

Savarkar did not have the protective shadow of his mother for long. After his mother, his elder brother’s wife, Yesuvahini, showered him with maternal affection. Under her guidance, Savarkar began his education and started composing poetry. By the age of eight, he had read the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and all the historical books available in his home. For a competition in Nashik held on the occasion of Shiv Jayanti, Savarkar wrote a song about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He received a prize for that song from the hands of Lokmanya Tilak. From that moment on, he dedicated his life to the service of the nation. Inspired by the Chapekar brothers, he firmly resolved in his heart to become a revolutionary himself, and later, he established the Mitra Mela.

The ancestral home of Swatantryaveer Savarkar in Bhagur is currently the ‘Savarkar The Wada is still in good condition today. It is said that the great-great-grandfather of Vinayak Savarkar’s father, Damodar Savarkar, found the idol of Ashtabhuja Bhavani while driving away looters. This Goddess subsequently became the family deity of the Savarkar family. Previously, a goat sacrifice was offered to the Goddess, which led to the idol being kept in the Khandoba temple. However, following a divine vision received by Damodar Pant, the Goddess told him, “Take me home.” Consequently, this idol was brought to the Savarkar Wada. After the plague outbreak in 1898, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, along with his associates, took an oath before this Goddess in his home to liberate the country and plunged into the freedom movement. Since then, this Ashtabhuja Goddess has come to be known as Swatantryalakshmi.

After Savarkar plunged into the freedom movement, this idol was brought back to the Khandoba temple to be offered as a sacrifice to the Goddess. The spot in the Savarkar Wada where the Goddess was once consecrated can still be seen there today. Savarkar’s songs, composed in remembrance of this Goddess, such as ‘Jayo’stu te Shrimahanmangale, Shivaspade Shubhade…’ and ‘Ne majasi ne parat matrubhumila, Sagara pran talmalala…’ are famous.

This idol of the eight-armed Goddess Swatantralakshmi is beautiful. Currently, it is enshrined in the village’s Khandoba temple. In the sanctum sanctorum of this temple, there are shrines dedicated to Khandoba, Banai, and Mhalasadevi, while a Shivling is situated in the lower section. The idol of the eight-armed Goddess Swatantralakshmi is placed right in the center. The Navratri festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in this temple. On the first day, the Ghatasthapana is performed here after conducting rituals and worship. On the morning of Navami, the Goddess is bathed with Panchamrit. On the day of Dussehra, a procession of the idols of the eight-armed Goddess and Khanderao Maharaj is taken out in a palanquin. This procession goes to the Renuka Mata temple in the nearby Deolali Camp for the Simollanghan ritual and then returns to the village. Hundreds of devotees visit here for darshan during the Navratri festival.

The ancestral home of Swatantryaveer Savarkar in Bhagur has now become a national monument. The British had seized this house and auctioned it off. Maruti Rao Chavan purchased it from the British. Later, it was acquired by Panduba Chavan. Subsequently, the Central Government purchased it from them and transformed it into the Savarkar Memorial on May 28, 1998. In this mansion, the life story of Savarkar can be seen through rare photographs. It includes Savarkar’s birthplace and the prayer room where the idol of the eight-armed Goddess was installed. Additionally, his genealogy is displayed here.

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.