Jyotiba Temple

History

Maharashtra Tourism places Jyotiba at about 3,129 feet in the Sahyadri range above the Kolhapur plain.

The temple complex includes Kedareshwar and Ramling shrines noted on the state tourism page.

Stories

Jyotiba, who joined the goddess in battle

Legend says that Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva came together to take birth as the deity Jyotiba, who is described as part of sage Jamadagni's anger and the brightness of twelve suns. He is mostly regarded as a form of Shiva, which is why he is also called Kedareshwar.

The story goes that Jyotiba helped Mahalakshmi, the Ambabai of Kolhapur, in her fight with demons and destroyed Ratnasura and Raktabhoja. He then made this hill his home. Devotees picture him four-armed.

Shinde patrons and a Kedar craft tradition

A small shrine stood here earlier. Tradition says the original Kedareshwar temple was raised by Navaji Sayaji, called Kedar Baba, of Kival village near Karad. The present main temple is credited to Ranoji Shinde, who had it built in 1730 in black basalt.

The second Kedareshwar temple is credited to Daulatrao Shinde in 1808, and the small Ramling temple to about 1780, built by Malji Nilam Panhalkar. The hill stands roughly 3,100 feet above sea level, about 18 km from Kolhapur.

The hill that turns pink

A large fair is held on the full-moon night of Chaitra, and also in Vaishakha, when pilgrims arrive carrying tall decorated sticks called sasan kathis. Many groups from Maharashtra and beyond have long-standing places in the procession.

Devotees throw gulal, a pink powder, so the temple and slopes turn pink; the shrine is sometimes called the pink temple. Sunday is the day sacred to Jyotiba, so weekends are crowded.

Good to know

Hilltop Jyotiba shrine — Maharashtra Tourism

Chaitra Purnima fair tradition

Near Kolhapur Mahalaxmi and Panhala

Getting there

Nearest airport: Kolhapur (KLH). Road from Kolhapur via Gaganbawada; MSRTC buses operate on fair days.