History:

is a significant Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vitthala (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) and his consort, Rukmini, situated in the holy city of Pandharpur in Maharashtra. It is one of the most popular and important pilgrim destinations for devotees in the region. Every year there is a huge celebration during the month of Ashadha (June–July), when thousands of pilgrims called Varkaris from different parts of Maharashtra assemble in Pandharpur to take part in the 'Palkhi' festival. Every ekadashi (eleventh day) of a month, a large fair is also held in Pandharpur. It is one of the best temple in Maharashtra which you must visit.

Facts:

1. The Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple of Pandharpur in Maharashtra is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Rukmini. 2. The temple is one of oldest pilgrimage sites in India, and has been a popular destination with devotees since the 8th century AD. 3. The temple is the center of Lord Virbhadra's puja on every Ekadashi day of the month. 4. The temple was built in the 13th century by the Yadava King Ramchandra of Devagiri. 5. The temple walls are adorned with intricate sculptures of Lord Vishnu, Goddess Rukmini and many other deities. 6. Every year, thousands of devotees gather around the temple during the annual Vitthala Rathyatra festival to take part in the celebrations honoring Lord Vishnu and Goddess Rukmini. 7. The temple complex also contains several other important shrines, including temples dedicated to Shri Dattatreya, Shri Radha-Krishna and Shri Renuka-Ganpati Devi. Here are some facts about the Maharashtra temple.These facts will help you understand why it is oldest temple list of the best temples in Maharashtra

Worship Method:

The worship method at the Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple in Pandharpur is a mix of ancient temples and rituals, as well as modern Hinduism. On special days, people come from far and wide to perform traditional puja and prayers to Vitthal and Rukmini, Lord Krishna's spouses. The temple offers special puja services for devotees with a priest presiding over the event. For daily worship, devotees offer incense, flowers, and small amounts of water to the deities. The priest then invokes a mantra to invoke the energy and blessings of Vitthal and Rukmini. Afterwards, devotees can perform arati (waving of a small lamp of ghee) and ring bells as a sign of devotion. The temple also has special palkhis (silver idols of Shiva and Rukmini) that are carried across the town throughout the year, accompanied by singing and dancing. This is a very important part of the local culture and devotion to the deities. This most visited temple in Maharashtra

Opening Timing:

The temple is open daily from 4:00am to 9:00pm. top temples in Maharashtra

How to reach:

Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple-Pandharpur is located in the city of Pandharpur, in the Solapur District of Maharashtra. The nearest airport to the temple is the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, which is around 300 km away from Pandharpur. Pandharpur is well connected by rail with regular trains to the major cities such as Solapur, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, etc. The nearest railway station is Pandharpur Railway Station. The temple is well connected by road with regular buses available from Solapur (70 Km), Kolhapur (131 Km), Pune (202 Km) and other cities. There are regular State Transport buses and private buses available from Mumbai, Pune and other cities to Pandharpur. Taxi/Cab services are also available to reach the temple. famous temples in Maharashtra