Eknath Maharaj Temple (Paithan)

History

Maharashtra Tourism notes Paithan as the dwelling place of Saint Eknath Maharaj with a 500-year-old temple attracting pilgrims.

The town is also known for Paithani saree weaving alongside its Godavari ghats.

Stories

The saint who made Marathi a language of devotion

Eknath (about 1533 to 1600) was a Warkari saint, philosopher and poet, a devotee of Vitthal, and is often seen as a spiritual successor to Dnyaneshwar and Namdev. He was born in Paithan, and little certain is known about his life. His works include the Eknathi Bhagavata, a Marathi version of the Bhagavata Purana, and the Bhavarth Ramayana. He is also remembered for nearly 300 devotional songs called bharuds.

Nath Shashti at the Godavari

A samadhi shrine of Eknath stands at Paithan on the Godavari. Every year in the month of Phalguna, around March, the Paithan yatra, also called Nath Shashti, is held in his memory. The day marks, by tradition, the time when Eknath left his body in the Godavari by taking a jala samadhi. Pilgrims gather at the town for the observance.

Pratishthana, a capital older than the saint

Paithan, once called Pratishthana, was the capital of the Satavahana dynasty, which ruled from the second century BCE to the second century CE. It is one of the few inland towns named in the first-century Greek text, the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. The town is still known for Paithani silk saris with gold or silver borders, and is regarded as a town of saints.

Good to know

Eknath Maharaj samadhi temple — Maharashtra Tourism heritage listing

Godavari river town in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district

Paithani weaving heritage nearby

Getting there

Nearest airport: Aurangabad (~56 km). Paithan is on the Godavari south of Aurangabad via state highway; MSRTC buses connect.