Sevagiri Temple

Pusegaon, Taluka Khatav, District Satara

Due to the residence and Samadhi site of Saint Shri Sevagiri Maharaj, Pusegaon has attained the status of a pilgrimage center. Located on the banks of the Vedavati River, the Sevagiri Temple is a place of faith for many devotees. Every year, a grand ten-day fair is held here starting from Margashirsha Vadya Chaturdashi. The chariot procession celebrated on the occasion of Sevagiri Maharaj’s Punyatithi (death anniversary) is the main attraction of the fair. Millions of devotees come here for Darshan during this time.

As described in the Shri Sevagiri Mahatma, a Kshatriya couple and Shiva devotees named Amarsingh and Sushilamai lived in Junagadh, Rajasthan. One day, Shri Purnagiri Maharaj came to Sushilamai to ask for alms. As soon as the alms fell into his bag, he blessed her saying, “Kalyanamastu Putravatibhav” (May you be blessed with sons). He realized what was going on in the mind of the aging Sushilamai and said, “Mai, you will become a mother who will uplift the world. Two sons will be born to you. The elder son will become a Sannyasi and work for the welfare of the world, and the second son will lead a householder’s life.” This was the word of a Sadhu. “I will return here after seven years from today, and at that time, you must hand over your elder son to me,” said Purnagiri Maharaj before departing.

By the grace of God, after some time, Sushilamai was blessed with two sons. The elder was Shivsingh, and the younger was Jaysingh. Days were spent in the pampering and affection of the children. They did not even realize when seven years had passed. The day dawned, and Shri Purnagiri Maharaj appeared at Sushilamai’s doorstep. He demanded that the elder son be taken with him as a Sannyasi. Amarsingh and Sushilamai’s eyes filled with tears at the Maharaj’s words. The Maharaj consoled them and asked Shivsingh to come with him. Shivsingh bowed to his parents and took his final leave from them with tearful eyes.

Shivsingh gradually became absorbed in the company of Purnagiri Maharaj. After initiating him, the Maharaj renamed him “Sevagiri.” Sevagiri mastered the traditions and knowledge of the Dashnami sect. He performed the Char Dham Yatra along with his Sadguru. Through his pilgrimage, Sevagiri became aware of the situation of the entire country. He began to feel the happiness, sorrow, suffering, and pain in the lives of common people. One day, Purnagiri Maharaj took Sevagiri close and said, “Now you have attained knowledge. Although you have taken a human form due to past deeds, you are originally an incarnation of Dattatreya. You have taken birth to uplift the suffering souls. My task is now complete. You are now free. You must go to the Dandakaranya in the south and uplift the common people there. On the banks of the Vedavati River in Dandakaranya, there is a self-manifested (Swayambhu) Shiva Linga of Siddheshwar. You must go there and begin your avatar work. That will be your field of duty (Karmabhumi).”

As instructed by his Guru, Sevagiri Maharaj came to Pusewadi. The moment he stepped there, different expressions appeared on his face. Sevagiri Maharaj reached the riverbank. Wandering through the trees and bushes on the bank, he discovered the temple of the Swayambhu Shiva Linga. This is the awakened and Swayambhu Siddheshwar Temple in Pusegaon. Seeing the Siddheshwar Temple and the Swayambhu Shiva Linga, he realized that this was his field of duty. Thereafter, he decided to stay in the temple. Every day, rising at Brahma Muhurta, bathing in the Vedavati, and chanting mantras, he would worship Siddheshwar.

Due to the thoughts, penance, service-oriented nature, and the desire to uplift the ignorant people of Sevagiri Maharaj, his devotees began to increase. While the Maharaj’s work of public awareness was ongoing, one day he proposed to the devotees of the village that a Samadhi temple should be built, with a Dattatreya temple above it. According to the Maharaj’s wish, the villagers immediately started the actual work. Initially, the Maharaj had a stone-built underground chamber prepared for his own Samadhi during his lifetime, and above it, he had a stone sanctum with a pinnacle built for the idol of Dattatreya. The Maharaj himself used to help with the construction.

After all the work was completed, the Maharaj installed the idol of Shri Dattatreya in the sanctum. Thereafter, the festival of Datta Jayanti began here every year. On the day of Datta Jayanti, a community feast (Bhandara) was organized. At that time, the Maharaj’s disciples would come to the temple in large numbers with jaggery and other materials. All the women would come carrying rolling pins, boards, griddles, and spatulas. In this one day, a large quantity of lentil stuffing (Puran) was cooked here. After the Puja, Aarti, and cradle ceremony, the offering (Naivedya) was made to Dattaguru, and then the rows for the feast were set. The Maharaj himself would lovingly serve everyone. If someone’s cow or buffalo stopped giving milk, the villagers would go to the Maharaj and bring a packet of sacred ash (Bhasma). Then, they would give milk as before. The Maharaj would give a packet of Bhasma to the devotees who brought their problems to him. Even today, Vibhuti is given to devotees here.

After the Maharaj turned sixty-five, he began to observe silence more and more. The Datta Jayanti festival had just passed, and the Maharaj had begun to prepare for his departure. The Maharaj began to provide valuable guidance to all his disciples and devotees. Everyone’s hearts were saddened by the realization that the Maharaj would no longer be among them. Finally, that day dawned. On the day of Shivratri, Saturday, January 10, 1948, on Margashirsha Vadya Chaturdashi, the Maharaj performed the Puja of Shri Dattatreya and Shri Siddheshwar, took Samadhi, and merged his soul into the five elements through the power of his Yoga. Thereafter, the disciples and devotees placed the Maharaj’s body at the Samadhi site built according to his wishes.

Subsequently, from the following year, the villagers decided to hold a ten-day fair for Sevagiri Maharaj. For this, the Bhairoba fair that had been going on in the village for a long time was stopped, and the Sevagiri Maharaj fair began in Pusegaon from 1949. The farmers in the area where the fair is held do not take crops from their land at that time and keep the said space vacant.

The Sevagiri Temple is situated on the banks of the Vedavati River, right by the main road. Upon entering through the arched gateway, one sees several smaller shrines within the premises. In the sanctum sanctorum of the main temple, there is an idol of Sevagiri Maharaj, with an idol of Shri Dattatreya behind it. The Samadhi of Sevagiri Maharaj is located beneath the sanctum. Adjacent to the temple is the Siddheshwar Temple. Every year, on Margashirsha Vadya Chaturdashi, after the Rath Pujan is performed by the head of the monastery and other dignitaries, the image and Padukas of Sevagiri Maharaj are placed inside the chariot. A procession of the chariot, decorated with flowers and garlands of currency notes, is taken out through Pusegaon. A large number of devotees are present on this occasion.

The fair in Pusegaon sees a turnover of hundreds of millions of rupees. During the fair, a cattle market is held, where Khillari bulls are bought and sold for hundreds of thousands of rupees. Apart from this, a festival is also celebrated on Datta Jayanti. In the afternoon, free Mahaprasad is distributed to the devotees. Facilities for devotee accommodation and a hospital are also available here.

Useful Information:

• Approximately 35 kilometers from Satara city
• ST bus service available from Satara to Pusegaon every half hour
• Private vehicles can reach the temple premises directly
• Accommodation and breakfast facilities available in the area