Sunday 6 August 2017

Narayani Dham, Lonavla

Narayani Dham, Lonavla

The Narayani Dham temple is located near Lonavla, in Tungarli village and is visible from the Mumbai Pune expressway on the right side, if you going towards Pune. You can leave the highway at the Khandala exit and proceed towards Pune on the old Mumbai Pune highway. It is spread out on acres of land and looks elegant and imposing. The structure surrounding the temple is built in Rajasthani style of architecture and looks pretty in pink colour. The temple itself is constructed in white marble. There is excellent staying arrangement at the temple complex and also in the surrounding village of Tungarli. There are rooms available in the temple complex which are clean and tidy. There are very beautiful, well maintained gardens surrounding the main temple, and we liked the rose garden in particular. Ample space for parking is also available. There is a small gaushala near the temple which is also kept clean. In the evening, the colour fountain is put on, and the lighting looks very beautiful. On the left side, is the area where good breakfast as well as lunch-dinner is served at nominal rates. It is better to get the coupons for the same, in advance and come within time, to avoid missing the strict timings or you will be disappointed on missing out on authentic home made Gujarati/Rajasthani fare.

Main temple – The main temple is constructed in white marble and is very well decorated and designed. Before going up the temple steps, you can remove your footwear below the temple and wash your feet before climbing up. The main temple is quite similar to the Birla temples. Upon climbing up the stairs you enter into a huge hall, where you can either stand, sit on the white marble or sit on the plastic chairs kept on the periphery of the huge hall. The ceiling is quite high and grand designs adorn it. The central idol is of goddess Narayani, and a sense of calm descends upon you, in her benevolent gaze. The idol is adorned with jewels and ornaments and is peaceful to look at. The main idol is flanked by idols of Lord Ganesha on one side and Lord Hanuman on the other. You can spend as much time as you want, in their presence and are sure to shed all the stress of your worldly life and face the daily challenges with a renewed vigour.

It’s a must visit place located so very near Mumbai or Pune.

Yatindra Tawde

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