Pataleshwar

The Pataleshvara Temple ( also Panchaleshwar Temple or by its location Bamburde temple called ) from Pune in the Indian state of Maharashtra is the oldest (extant) temple in the city. He joins in the many of the basaltic rocks ( Deccan Traps ) hewn cave sanctuaries on the Deccan Plateau ( Ajanta, Ellora, Karli, Bhaja, Bedsa and others).

Location

Formerly the temple was outside the city limits; Today it is located near the center of Pune at the Jangli Maharaj Road, one of the main streets of the city.

History

Although no building inscriptions or other written sources exist, it is now believed that the temple dates back to the middle of the 8th century, the Rashtrakutas, the bang out also Kailasa Temple at Ellora from the rock, and perhaps also the sides of the fortress hill of Daulatabad could bring in their present form. Perhaps because of a crack in the rock Sanctum ( garbhagriha ) the construction work was discontinued after a few years.

Temple

Ordination

Pataleshvara is one of the many epithets of the Hindu god Shiva; it means " Lord of the Underworld ".

Architecture

The fully carved out of the basalt rock rock temple has an unusual architectural design: it consists of a rectangular covered courtyard with a central circular shrine to Nandi, the mount ( vahana ) of the Hindu god Shiva. The shrine rests on 12 powerful and totally free decor columns with a square cross section, the complete top with fighters drives. Dealing in the interior of the shrine is slightly lowered with respect to the ground level.

Sculpture

In the middle of the square central area formed by four pillars, a stone Nandi bull resting on a shaped pedestal; his head is aligned with the lingam back and his neck is garlanded with bells chains. Another Nandi kneels on a pedestal in the entrance area in the east side of the courtyard directly in front of the lingam. The smooth polished and of a - added in later times - enwound king cobra brass black lingam of God rises in a unadorned Cella ( garbhagriha ).

Nandi bull

Second Nandi Bull and Shiva Lingam

Double pillar Gallery

Others

The temple is visited daily by faithful who, in the presence of Brahmins hold here their puja ceremonies in which the lingam is doused with water or milk and decorated with flower petals.