Vithoba Temple
Pandharpur, Italy
The Vithoba Temple, officially known as Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir (Marathi: श्री विठ्ठल-रूक्मिणि देऊळ Kannada: ಶ್ರೀ ವಿಠ್ಠಲ-ರುಕ್ಮಿಣಿ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ) is a Hindu temple in Pandharpur, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the main centre of worship for Vithoba, a form of the god Vishnu, and his consort
Rakhumai. It is one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of Vaishnavate tradition. The temple was built by King Vishnuvardhana (Bittideva) of Hoysala Empire between 1108 and 1152 CE upon being convinced by the historical figure Pundalik. Also, there is an inscription in the temple, of a Hoysala King Vira Someshwara dating back to 1237 CE, which grants the temple a village for its upkeep. It is the most visited temple in Maharashtra. The Warkaris start marching from their homes to the temple of Pandharpur in groups called Dindi (procession) to reach on Aashadhi Ekadashi and Kartiki Ekadashi. A dip in the holy river Chandrabhaga, on whose banks Pandharpur resides, is believed to have power to wash all sins. All the devotees are allowed to touch the feet of the idol of Vithoba. In 2014, the Vithoba Temple became the first in India to accept women and people from lower castes as priests. Although parts...
Listen to the audio guide for Vithoba Temple Free on WIP — starts by itself when you arrive, even with the screen offNearby
- Pandharpur cinema