Ambabai Temple, , Maharashtra India

Ambabai temple is to the west of the village. It has an enclosure on three sides and is built on an elevated ground with three arches in the front. The mandap is 1.85 m2 (20 ft. square). At its farther end, just near the gabhara there is a ling and nearby is a hole in the ground. A story is current about this hole It is said that a certain Brahman used to read pothi in the temple every morning and that a snake emerging out of this hole listened to it and gave the Brahman a mohar or gold coin each day. One day as the Brahman had to go out of the village on business, he commanded his son to perform the duty, telling him all about the snake. As usual when the snake turned back after delivering the mohar, the Brahman’s son tried to hit it with the intention of taking the whole store of mohars. But the aim missed and the snake never again appeared. Thegabhara lintel is decorated with an image of Ganapati and on its either side there are other images of deities carved on blocks of stone. The vestibule contains the image of Ambabai depicted as sitting on a full bloomed lotus. Outside the enclosure there is adipmal with a banyan tree nearby. On Nagapanchami day a fair is held in honor of the goddess. On this occasion live cobras are worshipped, The temple is a solid work in masonry.