Sangam Mahuli / Kshetra Mahuli, Satara - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 5 km from Satara Bus Station, Sangam Mahuli and Kshetra Mahuli are two sacred villages situated at the confluence of Krishna and Venna Rivers in Satara district of Maharashtra.

Sangam Mahuli is one of the popular pilgrimage places to visit in Satara. The other side of the river Krishna is called Kshetra Mahuli. These villages earlier were part of Aundh Princely State. Kshetra Mahuli was the birth place of Ramshastri Prabhune, the famous spiritual and political adviser of the fourth Peshva Madhavrav (1761-1772 CE). Mahuli was the place of meeting between the last Peshva Bajirav (1796-1817 CE) and Sir John Malcolm just before the Anglo-Maratha war was declared.

There are 2 well known temples around the convergence of the rivers - Vishweshwar and Rameshwar. Sri Kashi Vishweshwar Temple is situated in Sangam Mahuli and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple was built in 1735 CE by Shripatrao Pant Pratinidhi. This land was donated by Shahu Maharaj to Shripatrao Pant Pratinidhi, as a Brahman dakshina. Pant Pratinidhi donated the land to another Brahmin, Anant Bhat Galande.

Vishweshwar Temple was built in Hemadpanth style of architecture on the banks of River Krishna. The temple has a sabhamandap, an antarala and garbhagriha. The temple plan measures 50 feet in length and 20 feet in breadth built with basalt stone. The presiding deity Lord Shiva appeared as a lingam in the sanctum sanctorum. The sculptures inside the garbhagriha are very beautiful and very neatly carved. The walls leading to garbhagriha have niches with idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Parvati. There is a 60 feet tall lamp-post carved out of a single stone with provision for placing oil lamps. There is a Nandi temple with exquisitely carved dome at the entrance of the temple.

Rameshwar temple is situated opposite to Vishweshwar Temple on the other side of Krishna River at Kshetra Mahuli. This temple is also dedicated to Lord Shiva and is quite small compared to the Vishweshwar Temple. The temple has a nagara style shikhara built with bricks and lime. Here the main Shivlingam is beautiful and is surrounded by water. Visitors need to cross the bridge on Krishna River to reach the Rameshwar Temple. The sabhamandap houses the idols of Lord Ganesha and Parvati. There is a Nandi mandap with a very ornately decorated Nandi idol. There is also a tall stone deepasthambha in the complex.