Dhamankhel
Encyclopedia
Dhamankhel is a village situated at about 3 km from Junnar
Junnar
Junnar is a city with thousands of years of history in the Pune district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a taluka headquarter. Situated at the base of the Sahyadri mountains, it is around 100 km east of Mumbai and 94 km north of Pune...
city of Pune district
Pune District
Pune District is situated in Maharashtra state of India. Pune city is the district headquarters. In the last census on 2001, the total population of the district was 7,232,555, making it the fourth most populous district in India . Urban population comprises 58.08% of the total population...
. There is a famous Dhamankhel kulaswami khandoba
Khandoba
Khandoba, also known as Khanderao, Khanderaya, Malhari Martand and Mallu Khan is a regional Hindu deity, worshipped as Mārtanda Bhairava, a form of Shiva, mainly in the Deccan plateau of India, especially in the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He is the most popular family deity in Maharashtra...
mandir at dhamankhel village. It is family deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
of Konde
Konde
Konde is a name and surname found worldwide mainly in Africa, Asia, and USA. It is also found in Maharashtra state of India. Some of them belong to Maratha caste whereas some to other castes. In case of surname Konde with Maratha caste have originated from Konde Deshmukh.Konde Deshmukh is one of...
family in this village.
Dhamankhel is located at 19.19°N 73.88°E<
Five kilometers away from this village there are the Lenyadri
Lenyadri
Lenyadri represents a series of about 30 rock-cut Buddhist caves, located near Junnar in Pune district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Cave 7 is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to the god Ganesha. It is one of the Ashtavinayak shrines, a set of the eight prominent Ganesha shrines in...
caves which is one of Ashtavinayaka temple in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. Also about 3 kilometers away there is Shivneri fort a historic military fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
located near Junnar
Junnar
Junnar is a city with thousands of years of history in the Pune district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a taluka headquarter. Situated at the base of the Sahyadri mountains, it is around 100 km east of Mumbai and 94 km north of Pune...
.
Festivals celebrated In "SHREE MARTAND BHAIRAV KHANDOBA" Mandir.
Annually 4 festivals are being celebrated with great enthusiasm & bhakti.They are as follows.
1.CHAMPASHASHTI(Wangasat)
2.MAGH POORNIMA
3.CHAITRA POORNIMA
Champashathi is a Day when Lord KHANDOBA take a big sword (Khadag) is his hand to kill demon "MANI & MALYA" therefore he known as "KHANDOBA".This is a day when Lord Shiva took a AVATAR of SHRI KHANDOBA.
This celebration start from one week or 7 days before champashasti Day.Seven Day series known as "Saptah"where bhajans & Kirtans(enchanting of Lord Names)took place.Champashashti Day starts with a big Hoam & Havan at the temple place in the early Morning (4.00 A.M).Then holy bath of Lord KHANDOBA.
As soon as Hoam & Havan finished Aarti of KHANDOBA is perform(6.00 A.M).Then temple is open for the darshan to all devotees.
After that a Lord KHANDOBA is been placed in Palakhi & which is been moved around the temple which kept in the middle of the temple after moving for darshan purpose.Mahaprasad been given to all devotee after completion of "KALYACHE KIRTAN".All the day devotes organised "Jagaran & Gondhal" in the temple rooms.This is a very joyful & holistic day of every devotees life.
Magh Poornima is celebrated on the full moon day i.e.pornima of the Magh(Marathi calender month of the year as per English it generally come in between February or March month).Celebration starts with the holy bath of deity Shree Khandoba(Avatar of Lord Shiva to Destroy the demon Mani & Malla) in the early morning.After the pooja & other holy prathnas temple is open for darshan to all the people.Peoples from surrounding & long distance areas come for the darshan.
After that "HARTURE".Har( Har:Mala made up of flowers),flowers,Aggarbattis,Gulal,Bhandar etc.From the decided point(Generally from Valunj Baba Temple)this Harture starts.For Harture Bullock cart is decorated.Bullocks cart consists 4 bullocks is treated as "Rath" of deity.Yellow flags are put on the two sides of the bullock cart.People gather the occasion.special local music & dance(lezim) performed in front of Harture.Dance is performed till the harture reaches Khandoba Temple.
At 10.30 AM the main event starts.This is a very famous among all the people.People gathered from various places to view it.This is "Bullock Cart Racing"competition.Where four bullocks has to reach the final destionations within perticular seconds on runway.The Bullock Cart who complete the race with the least time will be declared as a Winner.This is very adventurous & interstresting race of bullock.We never find such kind of enthusiasum anywhere.This competition continues till night or sometimes next day too.While people enjoy the race otherside of temple devotees taking the darshan of Lord Khandoba.This is a day of enthisisum & happiness.
CHAITRA POORNIMA :
Getting there
One can reach Dhamankhel from MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
or Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
in the following ways:
- State transport buses are available for JunnarJunnarJunnar is a city with thousands of years of history in the Pune district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a taluka headquarter. Situated at the base of the Sahyadri mountains, it is around 100 km east of Mumbai and 94 km north of Pune...
from the Shivajinagar bus stand of Pune, KalyanKalyanKalyan is a city in Thane district of Maharashtra, and a major railway station lying at the junction of the north-east and south-east lines of the suburban Mumbai division of the Central Railway, 53 km north-east of Mumbai. Kalyan is also a major Taluka place, a tehsil of the Thane district...
ST bus stand in Thane districtThane DistrictThane is a district in northern Maharashtra state in western India. As of 2011 it is the most populated district in the nation. The headquarters of the district is the city of Thane. Other major cities in the district are Navi Mumbai , Kalyan-Dombivli, Mira-Bhayander, Bhiwandi, Ulhasnagar,...
and from the Mumbai Central bus stand of Mumbai. Dhamankhel is 4 km from Junnar. Jeeps and buses are available from the Junnar bus stand for travel to Dhamankhel. - On the Pune-Nasik Highway, Dhamankhel is 90 km from Pune.If direct bus To junnar is not available then you can reach at NarayangaonNarayangaonNarayangaon ,is a town in the Pune district of Maharashtra state, India.Narayangaon is one of the important towns in Junnar Taluka , popular for its natural beauty...
. From Narayangaon you can catch a bus . Also a mini bus facility is available from Narayangaon for every 15 minutes.