India is the diverse country where people of different religious beliefs stay together with contentment and celebrate each festival with harmony, thus we call it a cohesive state in spite of variety in their origin. Amravati is the seventh largest city of Maharashtra having famous temples, which deliver the city with a special tinge of beauty as well as spirituality. We can get people of different religious beliefs here and so the city has dressed itself with different religious shrines. Let us take a round of different temples here.
Amba Devi Temple, which is one of the ancient temples in India, is about 400-500 years old. It is situated near Gandhi Chowk.
Previously the place was surrounded by forest.
The temple is also counted in the list of historical temples. According to Madhukar Saraf (who has been serving in the temple for 32 years) – Pandit Janardhan Swami, a “Shukla Yadurbedi Brahman” of “Dwapur Yug”, was the founder of the Amba Devi Temple.
Swami used to do his own work in the family and then cross the river (turned into a nullah now) and offer his prayer to Amba Devi before having his food and water. There is an adjacent temple of Renuka mata, who had been discovered by Swami from the well (according to the vision of Ma Amba that came to Swami of intense praying of the goddess, who told that Renuka mata is her sister and should be worshipped with equal importance), which is situated beneath the temple. Previously these two temples were situated on two different sides of the river.
According to the mythology, the entrance of the temple is organized in such a way that pilgrims will first offer worship to Amba mata and then to Renuka mata. And there’s another mythological story: from this temple Lord Krishna eloped with Rukmani on the very day of her wedding through a small tunnel which still lies beneath the temple and visitors are prohibited to visit it. During Navratri the place is hugely crowded and the festival is celebrated in a great manner.
Over 14-15 pandits from all over India come and indulge in “abhisekh-havan –pujan- bhajan- kirtan and bhog vitaran”. People from all over the country, irrespective of their different religion, caste, sects and origin come and enjoy the colourful navratri and participate in different cultural functions near the temple with unity.
Besides Amba devi temple the Sai Mandir in Sai nagar is another pious shrine to visit. Established in 1968 by Late Narayan Das Chandak, Dashera, Ram Navami Utsav, are celebrated here widely and thousands participate and join in the 9-day function which leads to the Maha Prasad distribution.
The Gurudwara established by the Sikh Sabha is situated in Rajapeth, which is about 50-60 years old where rituals like Guru Nanak’s birthday, Guru Gobind Singh’s birthday, Guru Arjan devji, Vaishakhi is celebrated by the sikhs as well as people from the other religions who participate in their bhajan and kirtan, which leads to the distribution of the Kada Prasad and langar.
Vithhal Mandir, which is another temple situated in Amba Gate s 70 years old where Lord Sri Krishna-Radha, Ram-Sita-Bajrangbali,Lord Shiva are worshipped every day. Aashadhi is the famous festival celebrated by the people here in July besides Aashadhii Kartik Ekadashi, Gyani Ishwar Maharaj Punya tithi, shri Krishna Jayanti, Ram Navami.
The Jain temple situated in Sakarsath is 150 years old where all the 24 tirthankars of Jainism are worshipped and it was established by the Jain samaj. Presently it is taken care of by Gokul Chandji Bothra. Mahavir Jayanti is the most famous festival, which is celebrated widely and it leads to ‘path, bhajan, archana, puja’. Around 500-600 people participate in it and this leads to Julus. Other places like Lord Balaji temple, which is situated at Vasant square, as well as Lord Shani temple, and the Bhaktidham in Rallies plot are worth a visit.
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