Lakshminarasimha Temple

Mavalange, Taluka Sangameshwar, District Ratnagiri

There are approximately thirty-two famous temples in the state dedicated to Lord Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Among them is the Lakshminarasimha Temple at Mavalange in Sangameshwar taluka of the Konkan region. Located on a sloping terrain surrounded by dense foliage on all sides, the deity in this ancient temple is said to date back about one thousand eight hundred years. The uniqueness of this idol is that it does not depict the usual four-armed form seated in a cross-legged posture. Here, Goddess Lakshmi is seated on the left thigh of Lord Narasimha. Because of this, the temple is renowned as the Lakshminarasimha Temple.

According to temple legends, a Brahmin named Narsimbhatt Satyavadi, originally a resident of the banks of the Godavari River, was an ardent devotee of Lord Narasimha. Towards the end of the eleventh century, he came with his family to Mavalange near Dhampuri in Konkan. Following a divine vision granted by Lord Narasimha, he decided to settle right here. At that time, he discovered an idol of Lord Narasimha under a tree. He built a hut-like temple on that very spot and consecrated the idol. In due course, his son, the second Narsimbhatt, obtained the village of Sangameshwar as an Inam (grant) from King Vijayarka of the Shilahara dynasty of Kolhapur. Later, his son Krishnaji displayed great valor serving under Vijayarka’s son, King Bhoja, structured the settlement of Sangameshwar, and having secured the village of Mavalange as an Inam, built a large temple here.

In the year sixteen thirty-seven, Krishnaji’s descendant Keshavnayak constructed a stone dome, a wooden sabhamandapa (assembly hall), and the surrounding courtyard for this temple. The temple was renovated in the year nineteen ten. On that occasion, a Mangalore-tiled roof was erected over the sanctum. In nineteen thirty-eight, Ganesh Mavalankar from Ahmedabad rebuilt the temple with the assistance of Ratnagiri contractor Raosaheb Sitaram Nana Surve . Records show that this cost four thousand five hundred rupees. The temple was inaugurated on November twenty-two, nineteen thirty-eight, following a convention held here.

Mavalange can be reached from the villages of Tural and Golavali near Sangameshwar on the Mumbai-Goa Highway. Upon descending a paved pathway made of laterite stone on a slope along this path surrounded by dense foliage, one enters the temple complex. The architecture of the temple consists of a two-tiered sabhamandapa, an antarala (vestibule), and a tiled garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum). The temple stands on a two-foot-high plinth. The sabhamandapa is semi-open in nature, flanked by kakasnas (stone seating benches along the sides). A staircase on the left side of the temple leads to the second floor of the sabhamandapa. This assembly hall was likely constructed in front of the temple at a later date. The doorframe of the antarala features intricate carvings, with an image of Lord Ganesha positioned on the lalatabimba (center of the lintel). The beams resting upon the large pillars inside the temple showcase distinctive artistic craftsmanship . In the antarala, to the right of the entrance of the garbha griha, there is an idol of Lord Ganesha, and to the left, a Shivlinga

. Inside the garbha griha stands a wonderfully crafted and captivating idol of Lord Lakshminarasimha carved from a single piece of monolithic black stone. Atop the head of the deity rests a delicately and exquisitely carved kirit-style crown. At the center of the crown is a kirtimukha. The deity has fierce eyes, two tusks protruding from the mouth, and wears a Vaijayanti mala (garland) around the neck. Both wrists, upper arms, and ankles adorn Shindeshahi toda (traditional Maharashtrian heavy metallic bangles and anklets). The lower right hand of the idol rests on the knee, while the upper right hand holds the chakra (discus). The upper left hand holds the shankha (conch), and the lower left hand supports Goddess Lakshmi, who is seated on His left thigh. This idol is seated upon the coils of Sheshnaga (the divine serpent). The tail of Sheshnaga is visible near the feet of the idol. Standing behind, Sheshnaga forms a protective canopy over the deity. As is traditional, a Shivlinga is carved on the crown of the deity’s head.

The prabhavali (arch) behind the idol depicts the Dashavatara (ten avatars) arranged from left to right . In the Matsya avatar, half the form is aquatic and the other half is that of Lord Vishnu. In the Vamana avatar, He holds a staff and a kamandalu (water pot). The idol of Lord Krishna is four-armed, holding the shankha, chakra, gada (mace), and padma (lotus). The Buddha avatar is depicted in a meditative posture. The Kalki avatar is shown riding a horse with a sword in hand, setting out for battle. The idol of devotee Prahlada is crowned and shown in a reverent, folded-hands posture. Notably, the Matsya and Kuruma avatars are depicted in human form. The entire divine form is seated upon a yogachakra. Seated on Narasimha’s thigh is Goddess Lakshmi, dressed in a traditional nine-yard saree (nauvari), her hair styled in the distinct Maharashtrian khopa (traditional bun) fashion. Tucked into her hair are flowers of Ketaki and Kewra. Her ornaments are in the Marathi style: a bindi, a nath (nose ring) in her nose, kudya (earrings) in her ears, a vajratik around her neck, a two-cup mangalsutra, and a necklace consisting of sixty-four gold coins. This adorned Yogalakshmi’s right hand denotes her as the goddess of wealth, and she holds a lotus flower in her left hand

. Lord Lakshminarasimha of Mavalange is the presiding deity of twelve surrounding villages. The responsibilities of conducting daily worship of the deity, lighting the nandadipa (eternal oil lamp), and maintaining the cleanliness and hygiene of the temple are distributed among these twelve villages. Arrangements for the intercalary month (Adhik Mas) have also been organized accordingly. The festival of Narasimha Jayanti is celebrated in the temple during the month of Vaishakha. During the festival, programs such as worship, Trikala Ekadashini, naivedya (food offerings), lalit, kirtan, and bhajan are held. Continuous chanting of the divine name (nama-sankirtana) takes place on Ashadh Shukla Ekadashi, and a festival of lights (deepotsav) is celebrated on Tripuri Pournima. Renowned for swiftly answering the prayers of His devotees, this deity is the family deity (kuladevata) of families such as the Mavalankars, Sardesais, Desais, Govilkars, Lalits, Deshmukhs, and Sapres

. Mavalange is the native village of Dadasaheb Mavalankar, the first Speaker of independent India’s Lok Sabha, as well as Riyastakar G. S. Sardesai, who meticulously documented the history of the Marathas.

Useful Information:

• Located sixteen kilometers from Sangameshwar and fifty-five kilometers from Ratnagiri
• ST bus service available for Mavalunge from Devrukh
• Private vehicles can reach up to the temple pathway
• Accommodation and breakfast facilities are not available in the area
• Contact: Shantanu Sardesai, Trustee, Mob. 9850888001