Pune Revisited - Chaturshringi Temple on Friday

I know I sound lame for going back to Pune again and again but I did much closer view of the city to narrate about it. This is about a weekend exploration guide to Pune. If you are from Pune, feel free to criticize me.

Background to our planning: AM was staying in Pune and over the weekend I had been to see him. We stayed at the JW Marriott (Senapati Bapat Road or SB Road) and our planning/directions were from this as source/destination.

Friday Evening plan:

When I was coming from Pune Station to Senapati Bapat Road, I noticed a landmark - Chaturshringi Temple and had made a mental note to visit the same. I was meeting AM after couple of weeks and had loads to catch up on. So we wanted the evening to be simple and non stressful. The hillock is just a walk away and awesome place to laze, catch up of events that we missed.


The presiding deity of the temple is Goddess Chaturshringi, also known as Goddess Ambareshwari. She is also considered as the presiding deity of the city of Pune. The temple is maintained by the Chaturshringi Devasthan Trust. Every year a fair is held at the foothills on the eve of Navratri. Thousands of people gather to worship the Goddess Chaturshringi.

The legend associated with the temple is that, once there was a rich and prosperous merchant named Durlabhsheth Pitambardas Mahajan who was an ardent believer of Goddess Chaturshringi and visited all Her temples everywhere. But as he grew older, he could no longer travel and this hindered him from visiting the temples. Then one night the Goddess Chaturshringi appeared in his dream and told him, "if you can not come to me, I will come to you & stay near you." She told him to come to a mountain situated in the North-West of Pune & dig there. The place as described by the goddess was traced out and miracle happened as he found a natural statue of goddess (swayambhu devi). He constructed the temple at that place and this is the same temple which was renovated time to time, which is the present temple.

Why it is must see: The view of Pune city lights in the evening just doesn't fail to amaze even the localites. Being friday, there were extra special decorations in the temple. The temple has best of both worlds - Traditional and hard core worshipers come here to pray and also couples with or without kids come here to take a walk around the beautifully laid steps and gardens, fountains, artifical water falls and ponds. Do visit to experience the magic of a lazy evening. If you are an ardent devotee or atheist wanting to have a fresh air this is the place.