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Harihareshwar has recently regained popularity as a destination for tourists and pilgrims, who come to see this ocean-side temple, which sits on a hill known as Harihar, or Pushpadri. The temple is in reasonably good condition, having been renovated in 1723 by First Bajirao Peshawa, but the same cannot be said for the roads leading to the town, which are quite treacherous to drive. The challenging route to Harihareshwar is then repeated by a challenging parikrama route around the temple, described below. While the date Harihareshwar Temple was originally built is unknown, historical evidence shows that Ramabai, Senior Madhavrao Peshwe's queen visited here to worship Hari Hareshwar, praying for the good health of her ailing husband.
Harihareshwar Temple Harihareshwar is bordered on one side by the Bankot creek, and on the other side by the Arabian Sea. The Bankot is the confluence of the Savitri River and ocean. A beautiful cypress grove adds greenness to the seaside environs. The town is surrounded by four holy hills, which represent Visnu, Brahma, Siva, and Parvati: Harihareshwar, Harshinachal, Bramhadri, and Pushpadri. Harihareshwar is often referred to as Dev-ghar, or 'House of God', because the temple sits to the north and is said to have been blessed by Lord Vishnu. The sacred River Savitri enters the sea from Harihareshwar.
Sanctum Sanctorum The Harihareshwar Temple grounds have Gayatri Tirth, Sita Sansar, Vishnu pad, Pandav Tirth, and 101 Kaurav Astitv. When entering through the wooden door of Harihareshwar Temple, devotees are greeted by murtis of Lord Ganesh and Garuda, who stand to the left and right, respectively, of the sanctum entrance.
Inside the sanctum sanctorum is the Sri Trimurti-linga. Elsewhere in the temple complex, a large murti of Mahesh is found.
Temple Pradakshina
Parikrama around the Harihareshwar temple is considered a sacred duty by devotees visiting the holy site. The walk encircles around the temple and traverses alongside its four attendant hills. The pradakshina route can be quite challenging and even dangerous at high tides, when the ocean surges up over parts of the parikrama route making it impassable.
Gayatri Mukh The temple is located at the top of a hill, and the parikrama path descends right down to the Arabian Sea, traversing the rocky shore at places. As you enter the pradakshina area, there is a Gayatri Tirth on the right side. Some 70 steps cut into the laterite rock lead down to the shore, below. Walking down the section of the hill known as Vishnugiri, one comes to the Shuklateertha, which is nearby a number of other teerthas (ponds) that are named in the Puranas. These include Gayatri, Shool, Chakra, Naag, Gautam, Kamandalu, Kaamdhenu, Gauri and Pandavteertha. Pandav Teertha is where the Pandavas performed the Pind Daan rite in honour of their father. Thousands of devotees come to this place each year to offer Pind Daan to their departed family members.
Parikrama Path The parikrama path first goes around the temple, then climbs the hill directly behind it, proceeding down to the sea, along the shoreline, then back up to the temple. The pathway winds up and down some 200 feet.
The waves have cut small caves and niches into the rocks here. At one such cove, sweet water flows back out of one of the crevices each night. Just above this spot, there is a natural 'Aum' formed in the rock. There are many beautifully carved sculptures carved into the rock along the route, and in one of the ancient caves resides a Shivaling.
Ocean-carved Cave Other Area Temples There are a number of notable temples in and around Harihareshwar, including the twin temples of Shri Kalbhairav and Shri Yogeshwari temples. Next to a water well called Brahma Koop there are temples dedicated to Ganesh and Hanuman. Many other temples are found in the local villages of Bagmandala, Agar and Kolmandla, which all sit along the Bankot creek. The Jeevaneshwar, Swayambhu Shivpind, Laxmi Narayan, Rameshwar, and Bharadhkol Vitthal temples are nearby. Many were built in the Peshwa style, and there are a number of beautiful wooden pillars found here.
Linga Worship Paraphernalia Part 2 - Pushkar, Rajasthan Part 3 - Chinch & Asotra, Rajasthan Part 4 - Eklingji, Udaipur, Rajasthan) Part 5 - Vasantgarh, Rajasthan) Part 6 (Rajasthan: Bijoila, Mewar; Chandravati, Sirohi; Kiradu & Sevadi, Jodphur) Part 7 (Khokhan, Himachal Pradesh) Part 8 (Tihri-Uttarsal, Himachal Pradesh) Part 9 (Una, Himachal Pradesh) Part 10 (Dudhahi, Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh) Part 11 (Gaya, Bihar) Part 12 (Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh) Part 13 (Alampur, Andhra Pradesh) Part 14 (Kaleshwar, Karimnagar, Andhra Pradesh) Part 15 (Sampradaya Acarya - Lingampally, Andhra Pradesh) Part 16 (Manthani, Andhra Pradesh) Part 17 (Gurramguda Village, Andhra Pradesh) Part 18 (Tirusulam, Tamil Nadu) Part 19 (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 20 (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 21 (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 22 (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 23 (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 24 (Syncretistic Forms of Lord Brahma) Part 25 (Thirupachur, Tamil Nadu) Part 26 (Pancheshti/Pancheti, Tamil Nadu) Part 27 (Pallavaram, Tamil Nadu) Part 28 (Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu) Part 29 (Mandagappattu, Tamil Nadu) Part 30 (Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 31 (Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 32 (Thirumukkoodal, Tamil Nadu) Part 33 (Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu) Part 34 (Thirunaraiyur, Tamil Nadu) Part 35 (Thirunaraiyur, Tamil Nadu) Part 36 (Thiruvengadu, Tamil Nadu) Part 37 (Thiruvelliyankudi, Tamil Nadu) Part 38 (Kuthanoor, Tamil Nadu) Part 39 (Lalgudi, Tamil Nadu) Part 40 (Kulithalai, Tamil Nadu) Part 41 (Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu) Part 42 (Thirupattur, Tamil Nadu) Part 43 (Pullamangai, Tamil Nadu) Part 44 (Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu) Part 45 (Sri Rangam, Tamil Nadu) Part 46 (Tanjore, Tamil Nadu) Part 47 (Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu) Part 48 (Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu) Part 49 (Darasuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 50 (Thirukkannapuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 51 (Malayadipatti, Tamil Nadu) Part 52 (Thiruvadi, Tamil Nadu) Part 53 (Thirukandiyur, Tamil Nadu) Part 54 (Thiruparangundram, Tamil Nadu) Part 55 (Kodumudi, Tamil Nadu) Part 56 (Thottiyam, Tamil Nadu) Part 57 (Nallur, Tamil Nadu) Part 58 (Kanniyakumari, Tamil Nadu) Part 59 (Purusha Sukta - The Hymn of Creation) Part 60 (Kottakkal, Kerala) Part 61 (Thirunavaya, Kerala) Part 62 (Triprayar, Kerala) Part 63 (Kodakkal, Kerala) Part 64 (Chottanikkara, Kerala) Part 65 (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala) Part 66 (Thiruvallam, Kerala) Part 67 (Tulunadu to Ur - Proliferation of Brahma Cult) Part 68 (Lord Brahma and Abrahamic Cult) Part 69 (Kolar, Karnataka) Part 70 (Mullur, Karnataka) Part 71 (Somnathapur, Halebid & Belur, Karnataka) Part 72 (Sringeri, Karnataka) Part 73 (Palli, Udupi, Karnataka) Part 74 (Brahmalingeswara - Kanajaru, Karnataka) Part 75 (Brahmalingeshwara - Maranakatte, Karnataka) Part 76 (Brahmalingesvara Temples, Karnataka) Part 77 (Brahmalingesvara Temples, Karnataka) Part 78 (Aihole & Badami, Karnataka) Part 79 (Lakkundi, Karnataka) Part 80 (Sravanabelgola, Karnataka) Part 81 (Kambadahalli, Karnataka) Part 82 (Jain Brahma Yaksha Temples, Karnataka) Part 83 (Savadi, Karnataka) Part 84 (Shimoga and Megunda, Karnataka) Part 85 (Lord Brahma in Buddhism, Karnataka) Part 86 (Brahma's Prayers for Creative Energy) Part 87 (Mangalwedha, Maharashtra) Part 88 (Harihareshwar, Maharashtra)
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