Audumbar Datta Temple is in a small Village near Sangli in Kolhapur district Maharashtra. The place is alson known as Shri Datta Kshetra.
Audumbar Datta Mandir
Audumbar Datta Temple ot the Audumbar kshetra is famous for the shrine of Lord Dattatreya, which is located on the banks of the Krishna river.
It is supposed to have been constructed in commemoration of Narasimha Saraswati Swamy, a famous saint and the second incarnation of Dattatreya.
His magnificence is lauded in Gangadhar Saraswathi’s Shree Guru Charitra.
All Lord Dattatreya devotees regard Shree Datta Kshetra Audumber with the same reverence as other Lord Dattatreya sites such as Ganagapur and Narsoba Wadi.
The temple has been built on the riverbank. It was created on the behest of their teacher by the disciples of Sahajanand Maharaj, a follower of Brahmanand Swami.
The divine abilities of the deity are said to be so powerful that if those possessed by spirits are maintained in the premises for a few days, they are entirely cured.
The shrine of Bhuvanesvari is located on the opposite bank. The idol is made of black flint stone and is exquisitely carved.
Audumbar Tree
Audumbar is where Swamy left his padukas.
The term comes from the fact that this area is overgrown with audumbar trees.
This is a glorious location where individuals are endowed with knowledge and are set free from their difficulties.
This area has become overgrown with audumbar trees.
Maa Bhuvaneswari devi Temple is situated on the other bank of Krishna river where a poor Brahmin boy was blessed.
Audumbar Datta Temple Story
So What is the history of Audumbar Datta Temple?
The story is told in Shree Gurucharitra’s adhyaya 17. Narasimha was born in 1304 to an impoverished Brahmin couple, Madhava and Amba.
Even after his thread ceremony, he was unable to recite any of his teachings and was subjected to a barrage of insults from his elders and professors.
So he left his home and travelled to Audumbar on the Krishna’s bank, where he prayed to Maa Bhuvaneswari for three days and nights without eating.
But the goddess was unmoved by his sever penance, which included cutting off his tongue and placing it at her feet.
The goddess felt sorry for him and instructed him to travel to Audumbar and worship to Narasimha Saraswathy swamy.
Taking the command, the boy walked to Sri Guru and fell at his feet. He gained the Swamy’s blessings and went on to become a scholar.
According to a vision given to Sage Bramhanand of Girnar by Lord Dattatreya, he located and named this celestial holy location Audumber, where Datta Avatar Narasimha Saraswati conducted Chaturmas Anushtan (four holy months).
After the identity of Narasimha Saraswathi was revealed, thousands of devotees began to converge to the location for darshan. When the sage was about to leave at the end of Chaturmasa, the people asked him to stay.
The outer mandap has been renovated recently. The shrine is situated at a nice spot on the banks of the river Krishna.
Devotees can have Nijaroopa darshan of swamy padukas in the mandir in morning hours.
Rudrabhisheka is performed to padukas at about 7 to 8 a.m. and the padukas will be covered with alankara after abhisheka.
How to reach Audumbar Datta Temple Sangli Maharashtra
By Rail
- The nearest railway stations to Audumbar are Kirloskarvadi and Bhilawadi. Palus taluka also provides rickshaws and vehicles for rent.
- Sangli railway station is 26 km from Audumbar. From Sangli railway station to Audumbar, auto rickshaws and private cars are accessible.
By Bus
- Audumbar is only 12 kilometres away from Palus Bus Station.
- Buses to Audumbar are available from Sangli Bus Station, which is 25 kilometres away.
By Road
- Around 350 Kms from Mumbai and will take around 7 hrs
- Around 50 Kms from Kolhapur and will take around an hour
