Mahashivratri
Mahakal Puja
Pune's Ancient Gramdaivat & Kshetrapal
Shree Kalbhairavnath
The guardian deity of Kasba Pune for over seven centuries — a living tradition of faith at the sacred confluence of the Mula, Mutha and Nag rivers.
Pune's Ancient Gramdaivat & Kshetrapal
The guardian deity of Kasba Pune for over seven centuries — a living tradition of faith at the sacred confluence of the Mula, Mutha and Nag rivers.
About the Temple
"Kasbe Pune" is a settlement over twelve hundred years old. Here lies the sacred Triveni Sangam — the confluence of three rivers: Mula, Mutha and Nag. On the banks of this confluence stood an ancient holy tirtha called "Punyak". Over time "Punyak" became "Punavadi", which later became Kasbe Pune.
It is our tradition that wherever there is a village, there is a temple of Maruti and of Bhairavnath. A village was also laid out with a Chavdi, temples of Shankar and Ganpati, and gates (veshi). True to this pattern, Kasbe Pune had the Gaokos Maruti temple, the Bhairavnath temple close to the confluence, the Zambre Chavdi, the Kushavarta tirtha of the Trimbakeshwar temple of the Gramopadhyay Joshi family, Kasba Ganpati and Tukaidevi — and these structures still stand today.
Shree Kalbhairavnath is the awakened (jagrut) Gramdaivat of Pune. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Peshwas sanctioned an annual grant (varshasan) for the temple's oil and lamp wicks. The sanctum (garbhagriha) and the middle hall are of Hemadpanthi construction; the front assembly hall (Sabha Mandap) was built in 1920, for which the renowned artists Bal Gandharva and Hirabai Badodekar raised funds through their performances.
Through the Ages
Pune was a holy kshetra with sacred temples, but these structures fell to foreign invasions. At some point the Bhairavnath temple was demolished and the murti of Kalbhairavnath lay buried underground.
During the Shivaji era, Shri Ladkat — an ardent devotee of Kalbhairav — received a divine vision. He recovered this ancient murti of Shree Kalbhairavnath from the earth and re-consecrated it (pranapratishtha). The Hemadpanthi temple was rebuilt, and Kalbhairav was re-established as the Kshetrapal of the holy "Punyak", that is, Kasbe Pune.
Through Shri Rangoba Ladkat, a follower of Lokmanya Tilak, this Gramdaivat of Pune came into close association with leaders such as Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, N. C. Kelkar and Bhopatkar. In the pre-independence period the Shree Bhairavnath temple was a centre of political and social activity; it housed a talim (akhada) and, through melas, Bhairavnath inspired the youth of that era. Under the guidance of the late Balasaheb Mahadev Ladkat, the temple was renovated in 1993. The temple's management remains with the Ladkat family to this day.
The settlement of Kasbe Pune grows around the holy tirtha "Punyak" at the confluence of the Mula, Mutha and Nag.
Historians Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare, Shivbhushan Ninad Bedekar and Upadhyay Bindu Madhav Joshi examined the murti and dated it to about seven hundred years ago.
In the Shivaji era, Shri Ladkat recovers the buried murti and re-consecrates it; the Hemadpanthi temple is rebuilt. Shivaji Maharaj and the Peshwas grant a varshasan for oil and lamps.
The front assembly hall is built with funds raised through performances by Bal Gandharva and Hirabai Badodekar.
The temple is renovated under the guidance of the late Balasaheb Mahadev Ladkat.
Iconography
The murti of Shree Kalbhairav is extremely ancient. Kalbhairav rides a horse, with Bhairavi seated behind him. In place of a whip, Bhairavnath holds the Kalasarpa in his hand. The expression is serene yet resolute.
He holds a trishul in one hand and a damaru in another; with a third hand he supports Bhairavi while also holding the reins. This four-armed (chaturbhuj) murti has a dog at its base — the vahana of Bhairav.
Annual Celebrations
The Palkhi, the traditional Gada, the Chhabina procession and the Bhandara — these are the true utsav of Pune, preserved with deep devotion by the people of Kasba.
Mahakal Puja
Worship of the Nag, the serpent
Full-moon celebration of Devi Shakambhari
Grand Bagad and Palkhi procession
Spring festival of sandalwood (uti) adornment
Ghatasthapana on Ashwin Shuddha Pratipada; Chhabina procession
Palkhi procession of Shreenath Maharaj
Shree Bhairavnath Jayanti — the birth celebration
Darshan
Glimpses of the temple, the utsav and the Palkhi.
Plan Your Visit
Shree Kalbhairavnath Mandir Trust,
512, Kasba Peth,
Pune – 411011, Maharashtra, India
Daily 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Get in Touch
For darshan, abhishek, utsav participation, donations or any enquiry, please reach the Trust office.
Your contribution supports the daily puja, the annual utsav and the upkeep of this heritage temple. Donations to the Trust may be made at the temple office.
Contact for Donation Details
Scan the code to open kaalbhairavnath.org on your phone, or download it to print for the temple notice board and utsav banners.
