Jyotiba Temple, Kolhapur, Maharashtra India

Jyotiba is a holy site of Hinduism near Wadi Ratnagiri in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra state in western India. The deity of the temple is known by the same name, and is held by the locals to be an incarnation of three gods: Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesha, and Jamadagni. An annual fair takes place on the full moon night of the Hindu months of Chaitra and Vaishakha.

Jyotiba is 18 km north-west of Kolhapur. According to the tradition, the original Kedareshwar temple was built by Navji Saya. In 1730, Ranoji Shinde built the present temple in its place. This shrine is 57 ft x 37 ft x 77 ft high including the spire. The second temple of Kedareshwar is 49 ft x 22 ft x 89 ft high. This shrine was constructed by Daulatrao Shinde in 1808. The third temple of Ramling is 13 ft x 13 ft x 40 ft high including its dome. This temple was constructed in circa 1780 by Malji Nilam Panhalkar.

Lord Jyotiba is the incarnation that destroyed Raktabhoj Rakshasa, and Ratnasur Rakshasa, thus liberating the region from tyranny.

The best time to visit the Jyotiba Temple, Kolhapur is during Chaitra Purnima which comes in April, when hundreds of thousands of devotees come to Jyotiba to participate in the annual fair. The festival actually celebrates the wedding of Jyotiba’s sister Yammai. Pilgrims perform a dance using Sasankathi which are long and decorated bamboo sticks some as much as 30 feet. In mythology, Sasankathi were erected in the memory of the wives of the demons who were killed by Jyotiba. The whole mountain becomes pink, thanks to the generous pouring of vermillion.