Omkareshwar Temple: Reminiscent of Marathas Architecture, Pune.

Omkareshwar means the Lord of the Omkara, representing the “Om” sound. Omkareshwar is one of the other appellations of Lord Shiva. On the banks of the Mutha River in Pune, Maharashtra, the renowned Omkareshwar temple was built under the supervision of Peshwa’s spiritual guru, Shivram Bhat. The entire construction lasted for twenty years (1740-1760). This famous temple is in Shaniwar Peth, Pune. Chimaji Appa, the younger brother of the celebrated Peshwa ruler: Bajirao Peshwa1, provided the funding for the temple construction. He was then the commander of the Maratha Armed Forces.  

This magnificent structure has elements of the Nagara style of temple architecture. The central dome is surrounded by eight smaller domes, rising like a Shikara. This holy place represents the Maratha style of building with a touch of Islamic type of elements and methods of design, such as the domes, rich rows of detailed columns, arches, short minaret like motifs, simple and distinguished shrines. The exposed surface of the dome is fashioned with Soapstone. There are carvings of Lord Ganesha with a straight trunk, Rishi Vyasa, Makardhwaj, Dattatreya Swamy, and four Keerthi mukhas. Black Basalt rocks were employed widely in building the outer walls of the premises. The architects of the Maratha empire utilized Black basalt rock in engineering their forts, temples, and other forms, as this rock is found extensively in the lush green vegetation of Sahyadri ranges in the Western ghats.

One can see the stupendous Nandi mandapa in the courtyard of the temple premises. At the time of the Panshet dam flash flood in 1962, the Nandi idol got carried by the gushing floodwater, and later, the locals reinstalled it in its original place. The structures of the columns in the premises were built in various shapes. One can encounter an Agni kund between the Garbhagriha aka, Sanctum Sanctorum and Nandi mandapa. ‘Garbhagriha’ implies ‘Garbha’ means Womb, and ‘Griha’ indicates Chamber / Room, so it is the place where the shiv linga is housed and maintained with sanctity. The entrance door of the Garbhagriha is adorned with the “Ganesh Patti”, which is an architectural hallmark of Marathas. According to the Peshwa records, sourcing of stones for sculpting the Shivling, was imported from the banks of the Narmada River. Devotees and priests immerse themselves in the bhakti of the god. The walls of Garbhagriha echo with the chants and the bhajans of the devotees during the time of pujas. This splendid temple complex also houses small shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Lord Shani, Lord Vinayaka, and Goddess Durga. Hindu festivals dedicated to Lord Shiva, such as Shravan Somvar, Kartika Paurnami, and Maha Shivaratri, are celebrated with great pomp inside the temple premise. 

There are samadhis of Peshwa Chimaji Appa, the younger brother commander of the Peshwa Army, and his second wife, Annapurnabai. It is believed that Annapurnabai committed sati after the demise of Chimaji Appa near the premises. During the freedom struggle for an independent nation free from British rule, great revolutionaries like Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar had arranged meetings and hatched plans to resist British domination. They used to assemble at a spot near the temple complex known as ‘Taalim’ where all of them aimed and discussed about Swatantra Bharat. 

In the vicinity of the temple complex, there is a natural spring backed up with rich groundwater resources. This perennial natural spring located on the North-East side, existed since the reign of the Peshwas. 

Omkareshwar temple is one of the most prominent and notable temples, teeming with rich culture, heritage, and architecture carrying on the Peshwa’s legacy. It is a must-visit destination for all those temple and history enthusiasts. 

Maps: Balgandharva Bridge, 233 Near, Chandrashekhar Govind Aapte Rd, Shaniwar Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411030.