Jyotirling Mahadev temple, Yavat

The town of Yavat is rich in historical architecture and art. Among them, the very dilapidated Jyotirliṅga Mahādeva temple, facing east and in the centre of the town (18º 28’ 36.1” N., 74 º 16’ 21.6” E), is worth noting. The close observations of the temple indicate that the original older temple was renovated during the Marāṭhā period. There are many architectural slabs of old temples lying behind these two temples.

Dilapadated Structure of the temple

Architecture: The temple's layout consists of nandīmaṇḍapa, gūḍhamaṇḍapa, antarāḷa, and garbhagṛha. Within the gūḍhamaṇḍapa, four full pillars stand upright, accompanied by two half-pillars that mark the entrance to the antarāḷa. These pillars lack elaborate carvings or decorations. Damaged sculptures of Viṣṇu and a Nāga are also present in the gūḍhamaṇḍapa. The Nāga sculpture may have associations with the concept of Kuṇḍalinī energy as mentioned in Haṭha-yoga texts. Hero stones are affixed to the walls of both the gūḍhamaṇḍapa and the antarāḷa.

The garbhagṛha houses a śivaliṅga and is characterized by its simplistic design, reflected in the unadorned doorjambs of both the garbhagṛha and the maṇḍapa. The exterior walls of the temple are similarly austere, with a horizontal hero stone adorning the southern wall of the garbhagṛha. Despite its historical components, the temple's superstructure seems to be of a more recent construction.

Viṣṇu

Nāga

Sculptures and Samādhīs: In the area preceding the Mahādeva temple, a platform hosts three ancient Nandī sculptures. The tradition of donating a Nandī sculpture as a votive offering accounts for the presence of multiple such sculptures in a single temple complex. Adjacent to this platform is a weathered sculpture depicting a couple, potentially representing Śiva and Pārvatī in an embrace. Additionally, a broken head sculpture adorned with a Kiriṭa crown and a halo is present, and it is generally considered to be an image of Viṣṇu.

Located behind the platform are a pillar designated for burning camphor and a Samādhī. This Samādhī features a four-line inscription written in Devanāgarī script. Close to the temple, there is also a late-medieval Samādhī made of bricks, embellished with Bilva leaf motifs rendered in lime. Unfortunately, this Samādhī has fallen into a state of disrepair due to the banyan and Neem trees that have grown over it.

Hero Stones: To the north of the temple, a selection of unfinished carved stones can be observed. These likely indicate that the material intended for hero stones was carved directly on-site, rather than being pre-carved and transported to the location. This adds a layer of historical significance to the site, suggesting an active local tradition of stone-carving.

A total of nine hero stones are situated within the temple premises. Two of these are particularly noteworthy; the first commemorates two heroes, while the second is a four-faced stone memorializing four heroes on its different facets. A hero stone with depictions of two heroes is located on the wall of the antarāḷa, and another is situated above the entrance to the garbhagṛha. Some of these hero stones date back to the Marāṭhā period and are embedded in the temple walls of the Pune district. The reason for their placement within the walls is not entirely clear. They might have been integrated into the walls either as structural elements during renovations or purposefully, to serve as long-lasting memorials commemorating local heroes.

Concluding Remark: The Jyotirliṅga Mahādeva temple is believed to have been initially built in the 15th-16th century CE and was later renovated in the Marāṭhā period. It is a significant temple that sheds light on the history of Yavat town.