The Someśvara temple is in Pimpri-Dumala (18° 46' 32.02" N; 74° 13' 13.51" E). The literary meaning of the word Dumala is "two-owned village." It is 06 km from the famous Aṣṭavināyaka site Mahāgaṇapatī of Ranjangaon and 54 km from Pune city. There are two temples in the village; Someśvara and Rāmeśvara. Now, the Rāmeśvara temple is ruined. Only some pillars and images are scattered around Someśvara temple and near stepwell No. 2. There is another renovated temple (sometimes in the Marāṭhā period) with ruined material of the old temple situated beside stepwell No. 2.

The Someśvara temple is in good condition and lies on the foothill of the hillock. It bears beautiful sculptures, which are yet to be studied in detail. The main Shrine is dedicated to Shiva. It has rare sculptures of Nātha-Siddhas, Śaiva and Śaktī, which are important sources to know the socio-religious scenario of contemporary society.

The Someśvara temple

The architecture of the Someśvara temple

The shrine has a Garbhagṛha (sanctum), Antarāḷa (vestibule), Gūḍha maṇḍapa (Assembly Hall) and Nandī maṇḍapa.

The ground plan of the Someśvara temple.

Garbhagṛha (sanctum)

The sanctum is square on plan and at the sub-surface level. It measures 2.70 cm X 2.70 cm. It contains a Śiva liṅga with the yoni in the centre. There are two benches on the western and the northern walls above the floor level. Sanctum is simple in its architecture, with four pilasters on each corner and a plain corbel-like ceiling in the centre. The sanctum lacks decorations except for one elephant and flower sculpture on one of the pilasters. There is a large water storage stone jar near the Śiva liṅga. A brass image of the later period of Śiva has been kept on the bench of the rear wall.

A Śiva liṅga with the yoni

Dvāraśākhā (Doorways)

The doorway of the sanctum is of pañcaśākhā type and consists of latā śākhā, vyāḷaśākhā, stambhaśākhā, naraśākhā and puṣpaśākhā. The vyāḷaśākhā is with seven vyāḷas, such as siṃha vyāḷa, śuka vyāḷa, gaja vyāḷa, kinnara, siṃha vyāḷa, meṣa vyala can be seen. The peḍyā of the śākhā has a Surasundarī, a Śaiva dvārapāla and again a Surasundarī and on the corner is a Caurī bearer. They are standing holding objects such as flowers, gadā and phala etc. The square uduṃbara of the door has two brackets of flowers on the mandāraka. The lalāṭabimba has seated down Gaṇeśa . There are five miniature shrines on the uttarāṅga part with depictions of geometrical motifs and floral designs instead of any deities. There should have been a candraśiḷā of the temple, but it is now covered with modern tiles. There are three other doorways to enter the gūḍha maṇḍapa. They all are of pañcaśākhā type. They have the same śākhā pattern as the doorway of the sanctum. The entrance on the northern side missed the uttarāṅga due to the temple's renovation.

The doorway of the sanctum

Antarāḷa (vestibule)

The antarāḷa is a primarily closed passage from the sanctum to the gūḍha maṇḍapa, which is square on plan, measuring 3X3 m. The antarāḷa is terminated from the maṇḍapa by two pilasters on each side at the entrance. It has two bhadrā niches on both walls, which are now empty. There is an image of three hooded serpents between Pilaster and northern bhadrā. The vitāna of antarāḷa is simple. The antarāḷa has two pillars on both sides and large images of dvārapālikās/Surasundarī depicted on the eastern side. Both are remarkably similar in their decoration and ornamentation. They are adorned with highly ornamented karaṇḍamukuṭa and other minutely crafted jewellery and remarkable drapery.

The antarāḷa

Gūḍha maṇḍapa (Hall)

The gūḍha maṇḍapa is square on the plan. Including the exterior portion, it measures 9.70 X 9.70 meters. It consists of twelve pillars and pilasters. Twelve pillars stand on the square platform. Out of twelve pillars, the four pillars at four corners are more significant than the others. Pillars are square on plan with projections and consist of three prominent parts; stambha pāda, stambha madhya and stambha śīrṣa. The stambha pādas are plain, stambha madhya are decorated with stylish petals and stambha śīrṣa is made up of square and disc-like lintel as well as ghaṭas. The four more enormous pillars at four corners are decorated with images and kīrtīmukhas, and the other pillars are comparatively plain. The nāgabandhas can be seen in the capital, a typical feature of Yādava architecture. However, there is also the possibility that this tradition continued after the decline of Yadavas. The nāsi and the upper block are decorated with kīrtīmukhas and narrative panels. The main four pillars and eight pilasters have cobra-headed capitals. The pillars contain images of various kīrtīmukhas, fighting scenes, musicians and dancers, floral designs and other images. The pilasters contain floral and geometrical designs. The ceiling of the maṇḍapa stands on the capital of the main four pillars. The ceiling starts with a square slab. There are eight other separate vitānas to the ceiling.

The gūḍha maṇḍapa

The exterior of the Shrine

The exterior part of the Shrine consists of adhiṣṭhāna, jaṅghā and śikhara. An essential feature of the exterior part of the temple is an arrangement of sculptures on the jaṅghā.

The exterior part of the Shrine

Adhiṣṭhāna/Pīṭha

The adhiṣṭhāna of the Shrine consists of various mouldings, it starts with a plain slab upon which the padma moulding is seen, and on it, sharp kaṇī moulding is caught between the two deep receding fillets. It is followed by another Padma moulding with a sharp tooth-like drop-projection. On top of this, Padma moulding is depicted, from which the pīṭha terminates into the jaṅghā.

Jaṅghā

The jaṅghā of the Shrine is a beautiful part of the temple. It is decorated with pilasters, lozenge rosettes, a band of kīrtīmukhas and other images. Jaṅghā bears a variety of sculptures of gods, goddesses, Surasundarīs and Nātha ascetics. There are decorated Devakoṣṭhas (Bhadrā niche) on the three sides of the jaṅghā portion of the main Shrine. Three sculptures each have been placed in the niches of the devakoṣṭhas, i.e. Cāmuṇḍā on the North, Śiva on the West and Bhairava on the South. On the top of the jaṅghā, an eave with Padma moulding is seen.

Śikhara (spire)

The original śikhara is no longer extant at present. A modern śikhara of the bricks was constructed later after renovation in 1977 CE.

Nandī maṇḍapa

The Nandī maṇḍapa is situated in front of the temple. It faces towards the interior of the main Shrine. The maṇḍapa consists of four pillars on the four corners. Two Nandīs are located in the centre of the maṇḍapa, which faces west. The pillars are renovated, and only the pillars' square bases seem original.

The iconography of the Someśvara Temple

There are iconographic representations of various deities such as Śiva, Śaktī and Viṣṇu, including Nātha-Siddhas, Surasundarīs and secular sculptures. There are more than 100 images of the jaṅghā portion and pillars of the Shrine. The images are documented and described clockwise along the circumambulatory path. Some of the identified images are mentioned below-

Śaiva deities

Representation of Śiva and his various iconographic forms have been much favoured in the temple because of its affiliation with the worship of Śiva. The god Śiva is represented in various iconographic forms like Kevala Śiva, Bhairava, Liṅga form and Ādinātha.

Keval Śiva: The usual form of Śiva is seen on the western bhadrā niche of the Shrine, and he appears in the forty-eighth position from the pradakṣiṇāpatha. The four-handed Śiva holds a damaru in the upper right hand and a trident in the upper left. The lower right hand is in abhaya mudrā with akṣamālā, whereas the lower left holds a bījapuraka. He wears a karaṇḍa mukuṭa, karṇa kuṇḍala, hāra, udara bandha, yajñopavita, kaṭi vastra, valayas and nupura. Nandī is seated as a mound below the Śiva.

Keval Śiva

Naṭarāja: Naṭarāja is placed in the sixty-fifth position on the jaṅghā. There is only one image of this type. The deity is four-handed with a lower right hand in abhaya mudrā, an upper right hand holding an unknown object (pāśa?), an upper left-hand holding agnī and a lower left in a dancing pose. He is adorned with kiriṭa mukuṭa, karṇa kuṇḍala, hāra, yajñopavita, udara bandha, kaṭi vastra, valayas and nupura. Nandī is depicted seated at the foot of Naṭarāja.

Bhairava: Bhairava is one of the most preferential and fierce forms of Śiva. There are four images of Bhairava in the temple, and they appear in the first, ninth, thirty-fifth, thirty-seventh and ninetieth positions. The thirty-fifth image of Bhairava from the pradakṣiṇā path is in devakoṣṭha. Hence the four-handed nude Bhairava is with a ḍamaru in his upper right hand and a khaṭvāṅga in the upper left hand; his lower right and left hands hold a dagger and kapāla respectively. He is ornate with simple mukuṭa, karṇa kuṇḍala, nāga hāra (cobra as garland), valayas, wristlets and naramuṇḍa mālā. A dog, symbolising his vehicle, accompany the image.

Bhairava

Another image of Bhairava standing in the dvibhaṅga pose first from the pradakṣiṇāpatha is two-handed. He is holding a sword in his right hand, and the left hand holds a kapāla/begging bowl. He is ornate with a forehead band, hāra, karṇa kuṇḍala, valayas, nupura, mekhalā and naramuṇḍa mālā. The ninth image is probably of Bhairava. He is depicted nude with his right hand holding a dagger and kapāla in his left hand. He is adorned with karṇa kuṇḍalas, nupuras and waistbands. Thirty-seventh and ninetieth-standing images of Bhairavas are comparable in the same pattern.

Harihara (?): The iconographic presentation of Harihara is unusual as it has not been depicted with four hands and vertical classification; instead, it is depicted with the amalgamation of different symbolic presentations by holding the ḍamaru and trident in the upper-shouldered hands and with the abhaya mudrā and mace in the lower shouldered hands. There is only one image of this form in the temple depicted on the northern part of the temple on jaṅghā, and the position of this image is seventy-ninth. He is adorned with a kiriṭa mukuṭa, karṇa kuṇḍala, hāra, valaya, kaṭi vastra and nupuras. His face is mutilated.

Bhṛṅgī (?): Bhṛṅgī is a great devotee of Śiva. He appears in the sixty-second position. He is shown in skeleton form with elongated earlobes. He holds a dagger in his right hand and a bowl in his left hand. He is adorned with a kaṇṭha hāra, a headband and a loincloth.

Vetāḷa (?): Vetāḷa is a king of ghosts and spirits or demons. He appears in position number forty-five. He is shown nude, with bulging eyes and a skeletal body with a phallus. He holds the dagger in his right hand and the bowl in his left hand. He is adorned with headgear, karṇa kuṇḍalas, wristlets and nupur. His appearance is in terrible form.

Vetāḷa (?)

Nātha-Siddhas or Nātha yogīs

There are about 26 images belonging to Nātha Saṃpradāya. This is a rare phenomenon in the iconography of temples elsewhere in Maharashtra. Several images are identified as yogīs of the Nātha Saṃpradāya, i.e. Gorakṣanātha, Matsyendranātha, Ādinātha, Ghanṭapa and Virupākṣanātha. These images appear in the twentieth, twenty-second, twenty-fifth, fifty-ninth and seventy-eighth positions. Some images of Nātha yogīs have their symbols; others are difficult to identify. All images are generally adorned with elongated earrings, yajñopavita, loin clothes, etc.

Vaiṣṇava deities

There are only two images of Vaiṣṇava depicted on the jaṅghā and pillar portion of the temple.

Viṣṇu (Keśava): The thirty-ninth image is of Viṣṇu. He is standing in samabhaṅga with the śaṅkha in the upper right, chakra in the upper left, gadā in the lower left and akṣamālā in the lower right hand is not clear. He has a headdress of kiriṭamukuṭa and is adorned with the earring, a necklace, yajñopavita, mekhalā, udarabandha, valayas, kaṭi vastra and nupur. This image is a Keśava form of Viṣṇu.

Viṣṇu (Keśava)

Vidāraṇa Narasiṃha: The image of Narasiṃha is seen on the west side of the pillar of antarāḷa. The image is in sthānaka posture. Narasiṃha is depicted slaying the stomach of Hiraṇyakaśyapu by taking him on his lap. Narasiṃha is four-handed. The lower two hands are tearing the demon's stomach, and the upper hands are raised without any attributes. He is adorned with the karaṇḍa mukuṭa, karṇa kuṇḍalas, hāra, yajñopavita, valayas and nupur. Two devotees are standing on both sides of the Narasiṃha. One of them is probably Prahlāda.

Images of Sūrya

Two standing images of Sūrya have been found. One image appears in the sixty-eighth position. In this image, god is standing with lotus buds in both hands. He is wearing karaṇḍa mukuṭa, karṇa kuṇḍala, yajñopavita and kaṭi vastra. He stands on the chariot drawn by seven horses. Another image appears in the seventeenth position and also holds lotus buds. He is adorned with the usual ornamentations like, kiriṭa mukuṭa, ear ornaments, necklaces and kaṭi vastra. He is shown with a yogī.

Sūrya with Virupakshanatha (?)

Gaṇeśa

In the Someśvara temple, several images of Gaṇeśa are seen. Images are seen on the lalāṭabimba of all the doorways, on the jaṅghās, on the pillar and hero stones placed on the exterior wall of the temple. There are all eight images of Gaṇeśa seated in Ardha-paryaṅkāsana. Apart from these, there are another three loose images of Gaṇeśa in the outskirt area of the temple. One of them is the largest among all the eleven images of Gaṇeśa. Unfortunately, it is mutilated, dumped into the river by the villagers. One of the images in the southern part (jaṅghā) of the garbhagṛha appears in the twenty-ninth position. He has four hands with the paraśu in the upper right and aṅkuśa in the upper left hand, modaka in the lower left hand, and the lower right hand holding the bhagna danta (broken tooth). He is adorned with the karaṇḍa mukuṭa, Kantha hāra, valayas, nāga bandha/udara bandha, and nupuras. He is shown in lalitāsana. The antariya is prominent. The god is associated with his vehicle, mūṣaka. His trunk is turned towards his left. Other images of Gaṇeśa are depicted in almost the same above mention pattern. Images on jaṅghā appear in the fifth, seventy-fifth and eighty-second positions. They all are depicted without a mouse. Images of lalāṭabimba are two-handed except the image of lalāṭabimba of the southern doorway.

Gaṇeśa

Śaktī images

Temple has many forms of Śaktī images representing the goddess's fierce and peaceful aspects.

Cāmuṇḍā: Images of Cāmuṇḍā are seen on the northern Bhadra niche of the jaṅghā portion and the northern portion of the right pillar of the antarāḷa. The first image of Cāmuṇḍā appears in the sixty-first position. The goddess shows her ferocious face. She has been depicted in dancing form with ḍamaru in the upper right and khaṭvāṅga in the upper left hand. The lower left-hand holds a kapāla, whereas the lower right-hand holds a dagger. She is adorned with a karaṇḍa mukuṭa, karṇa kuṇḍala, hāra, valaya, nāga bandha on breast, naramuṇḍa mālā, mekhalā and nupuras. She looks like an old lady with dangling breasts; her organs are bony. She is dancing on a dead body whose head is kept towards the right side. Another image of Cāmuṇḍā is on a pillar of antarāḷa. She is also in a dancing pose, but a dead body is not depicted in this image. Two persons on both sides are shown with a dagger. One of them is shown in a skeletal form on the left side. One devotee is in a seated position shown on the left side of the Cāmuṇḍā. The four-handed goddess holds attributes in the same manner as the earlier image of Cāmuṇḍā.

Cāmuṇḍā

Other Goddesses

Three images probably belong to the goddesses. These images appear in the forty-first, fifty-eighth and eighty-first positions. All images generally adorned with mukuṭa, karṇa kuṇḍala, stanahāra, valaya, bāhu valaya, kaṭi vastra, nupura and mekhalā. It is difficult to identify them. The forty-first image is depicted with a lotus in the right hand, and a mirror in the left hand could be of Parvati. She is standing in a dvibhaṅga posture. Fifty-eight images are depicted with mace and fruit. However, the eighty-first image is with a lotus and fruit. Probably these images are of Lakṣmī.

Surasundarīs (Celestial women)

Various types of Surasundarīs have been depicted in the Someśvara temple. They are mainly on the jaṅghā. The dominant categories which Surasundarī represent especially are Putravallabhā, Darpaṇā, Woman and monkey, Woman and snake, Marīcikā, Jayā, Cāmarā, Candrāvalī, Mṛdaṅgavādaka Mardalā, Veṇuvādaka and Padmagandhā. These Surasundarīs have been mentioned in ancient texts like 'Śilpaprakāśa' (Baumer et al., 2005) and 'Kṣirārṇava'. These Surasundarīs have adorned and beautified the temple with their beauty and various poses. However, it may be noted that they follow the same pattern of dresses and adornments and can only be differentiated based on their postures. There are many conjectures about why Surasundarīs were considered an essential part of sculptures on temple walls. Śilpa texts suggest that Surasundarīs served a decorative function (Kanitkar, 2013, p. 110).

Darpaṇā: The position of this image is eight in the sequence. She is shown holding a mirror in her left hand near the shoulder while her right hand is touching her hairdo. Her right leg is crossing her left one. This sculpture is jewelled with karṇa kuṇḍala, hāras, Stana hāra, valayas, bāhu valayas, mekhalā and nupuras. The fiftieth image also resembles the Darpaṇā.

Padmagandhā: Padmagandhā is placed in the fifteenth position. She is in a standing pose and slightly bent towards her left. She holds a lotus bud in her left hand and a fruit in her right hand. She is wearing karṇa kuṇḍala, stana hāra, mekhalā, nupura and valaya.

Toraṇā (?): The sculpture appears in the forty-fourth position. She is standing in a dvibhaṅga pose with joined hands above her head. A snake is depicted around her thighs. She has worn ornaments like karṇa kuṇḍala, Stana hāra, valaya, nupur and high-heeled footwear. She is standing nude.

Candrāvalī: The position of the Candrāvalī is forty-ninth. She is standing straight-legged with both hands in Namaskāra mudrā. She holds bījapuraka in between both hands. She is wearing karṇa kuṇḍala, hāra, stana hāra, valaya, mekhalā, kaṭi vastra and nupura.

Woman and Snake: The fifty-first standing image holds a snake in her right hand. She is adorned with valayas, wristlets, karṇa kuṇḍalas, lower garments, a necklace and stana hāra.

Woman and Monkey: This image is placed in the fifty-seventh position. She is standing in pratyālīḍhāsana. She raised her right hand to chase away the monkey and kept her left hand near her waist to protect her from the monkey. A monkey is depicted at her right as snatching the robe. She is adorned with valayas, Stana hāra, wristlets, kaṭi vastra and nupuras.

Putravallabhā: An image of the Putravallabhā appears in the sixty-third position. She is standing in an ardhāsana pose and holding a baby in her left arm. She is adorned with karṇa kuṇḍala, hāras, stana hāra, valayas, mekhalā and nupuras. However, the mother's affection for her child is reflected through it. Baby has also worn karṇa kuṇḍala, lower garments, kamarbandha and wristlets.

Jayā: The position of this image is sixty-seventh. The image is standing, holding a lotus bud in her right hand and the pot in her left hand. She is wearing karṇa kuṇḍalas, stana hāra, valaya, mekhalā and nupuras.

Marīcikā: The position of this image is seventy-seventh. She is standing on both legs and slightly bent on the waist. She holds a bow in her left hand and an arrow in her folded right hand. She wears karṇa kuṇḍalas, hāras, stana hāra, valaya and, mekhalā.

Cāmarā: Cāmarā appears in the eightieth position. She is in a standing pose. She is holding a cāmarā in her right hand, but it is mutilated. The fruit is in her left hand. She is wearing karṇa kuṇḍala, hāra, stana hāra, skandha mālā, valaya, mekhalā and nupura.

Mṛdaṅgavādaka Mardalā: The sculpture of this image appears in the eighty-fourth position. She is standing with crossed legs. She is carrying mṛdaṅga. Her right hand is busy beating mṛdaṅga, and her left hand is kept on it. She is wearing ornaments like karṇa kuṇḍala, graiveyaka, stana hāra, valaya, mekhalā and nupura. An excellent hair lock can be seen behind.

Veṇuvādaka Mardalā (?): The eighty-fifth image is of Veṇuvādaka mardalā. She is playing the flute. Both of her hands are engaged in playing the flute. She is adorned with karṇa kuṇḍala, valaya, nupur and mekhalā.

Nartakī: An image of Nartakī is seen in the eighty-sixth position. She lifted her right hand and kept it on her head, and another hand was placed near the chest in mudra. Her legs are crossed. She is adorned with karṇa kuṇḍalas, Stana hāra, valayas, mekhalā and nupur.

Mohinī or Vijayā: Mohinī or Vijayā is always portrayed in an āliṅgana mudrā with her male partner. This sculpture is in the seventh position. Female is adorned with karṇa kuṇḍalas, stana hāra, valayas, mekhalā, kaṭi vastra and nupuras. Male adorned karṇa kuṇḍalas and lower garments.

Other Surasundarīs

There are some miscellaneous Surasundarīs which cannot be categorised as such. Either their hands are mutilated, or the objects in them are. So they cannot be identified. The ninety-fourth and fifty-second images could be of Bhāvacandrā and Śukasārikā, respectively. Śukasārikā is holding a bunch of mangoes, but here parrot is absent. She is shown full of ornaments and kīrtīmukhas. It seems that sculptors have taken artistic liberty in some places.

Surasundarī

Surasundarī

Other images

Childbirth (prasūta): Lady is shown delivering childbirth in the tenth position. She is adorned with karṇakuṇḍalas and nupuras. This could also be an image of Mother Earth because, in several temples of Deccan, she has shown with a snake, a crab-like creature instead of a child. These images may indicate the concept of the mother of all living beings on Earth. These types of images we found in the Mahādeva temple at Karjat, Mahādeva temple at Umarad-Deshmukh, Mallikarjuna temple at Loni-Bhapkar, Mahālakṣmī temple at Jagaji, Bhairavanātha temple at Kikali. Sometimes this image is shown beside a man who has tied his phallus. Representation of both images may symbolise fertility and potency. These images also indicate tantric influence or connection. This type of scene is to be seen in the Kāśī Viśvanātha temple at Ambajogai in Beed district and the Mahādeva temple at Narayanpur in Basava Kalyan district of Karnataka (Deglurkar, 2004).

A man with phallus: This image appears in the eleventh position. This depiction of a man who has shown with a long phallus tied with rope and allowed in his shoulder with the help of a stick. The rope is tied with the front portion of the phallus and the back portion of the testis. Same images are shown in various temples of Maharashtra, like temples of Loni-Bhapkar in Pune district, Jagaji in Osmanabad district and Parli in Satara district. There is another broken image of an erected phallus on the jaṅghā portion. It appears in the fourteenth position. These images indicate its tantric affiliation. There is a tradition among some ascetics that they tie their penis with sticks and rope. Probably this is the ancient representation of this tradition. Such a type of depiction is rarely found elsewhere.

The human image on praṇālaka/load bearer: Interestingly, there is a human image lower portion of the praṇālaka, and it is placed above the level of garbhagṛha. It shows could be the different phenomena of religious practices. An image below the praṇālaka is shown as a bearing load of praṇālaka.

Decorative Motifs

Vyāḷas: Various forms of vyalas are depicted in the temple. They are seen on the dvarashakas. They are in standing postures. Kapivyāḷa, siṃhavyāḷa, gajavyāḷa, vṛṣabhavyāḷa, ajavyāḷa, kharavyāḷa also manuṣya vyāḷa has been noticed.

Kīrtīmukhas: A significant variation can be seen in the kīrtīmukhas depicted on the pillars and elsewhere. They are decorated with various depictions of deities, animals, birds and other motifs. There are a lot of other decorative features which are worth to be considered.

kīrtīmukha

Hero stones: Three hero stones are placed along with the renovated temple. One of them has an image of Gaṇeśa with Śiva Liṅga. This is the rare example of Gaṇeśa with Śiva Liṅga on the hero stones. Apart from the above images, there are several other images on the temple which are not identified due to their mutilated form or unknown iconography.

Step wells

Two beautiful step wells are situated on the west side of the village. One is about 10 metres far away from the southern doorway of the gūḍha maṇḍapa of the Someśvara temple. Another step well is located approximately 100 metres away from the Someshwar temple towards the north side. Stepwell No.1 is measured at 11.70m X 12.15m. There is one opening for the wall facing the southern doorway of the gūḍha maṇḍapa. We can see some pilasters and rows of diamond shape designs in the well.

Stepwell No.1.

Stepwell No.2 is relatively larger than Stepwell No. 1. It is measured 19 m X 19 m and has a small pillared shrine towards the south. There are two openings to the well facing east and south. The maṇḍapa of the renovated Shrine measured 3.15m X 4.28m. There is one stone seat located in this maṇḍapa, probably for Yajña Varāha. There is the same type of seat in step well No. 1. Architecture of these wells is similar and seems to be contemporary of the temples.

Stepwell No.2

Loose images of Pimpri-Dumala

More than twelve loose images of different gods are placed near the temple. Amongst these, Images of Viṣṇu of different forms are essential. According to the villagers, some images are initially from the ruined temple area of step well No.2, after the recent renovation they carried out and kept near the Someśvara temple. Presently all images have been kept near the Stepwell of the Someśvara temple.

Keśava: Two images of the Keśava form of Viṣṇu are on the temple's premises. One image is kept near step well No.1, and another is seen north-western corner of the gūḍha maṇḍapa. The first image is bigger and more elaborate than the other images. Keśava holds a conch in the upper right, cakra in the upper left, mace in the lower left and lower right hand in āshīrvāda mudrā. He has a headdress of kiriṭa mukuṭa and is adorned with earrings, a necklace, yajñopavita, mekhalā, valayas and nupur. Garuḍa(?) and other devotees are seen respectively right and left side of Keśava. The Daśāvatāra panel is carved on the top border of the image. This image has been kept on the decorated platform with human figurines. Recently, it has been renovated partially by the villagers. This image should belong to the ruined temple of Rāmeśvara. Another image of Keśava is also the same in the pattern but smaller than the first image and has two attendants on both sides.

Keśava

Saṃkarṣaṇa/Vāsudeva: This image has been placed near the well and the image of Yajña Varāha. Holding mace in the lower right hand, conch in the upper right hand, and upper and lower left are broken. This image is similar to Saṃkarṣaṇa or Vāsudeva. He is adorned with kiriṭa mukuṭa, earrings, a necklace, mekhalā and nupuras. This image has two attendants on both sides.

Adhokṣaja/Viṣṇu: This image is also near Yajña Varāha. It holds the conch in the upper left and cakra in the lower left hand, and the upper and lower right hands are broken. The attribute pattern of this image is similar to the image of Adhokṣaja or Viṣṇu. He has two attendants and has kiriṭa mukuṭa, earrings, mekhalā and nupuras. This image is in a bad state of preservation.

Mādhava: This image is placed near the priest's room. It has a cakra in the upper right, a conch in the upper left and a padma in the lower left hand. The lower right hand is missed. This seriation of attributes belongs to Mādhava. This image is adorned with earrings, a necklace, mekhalā and valayas. The legs of this image are missing. Apart from these, there were other broken images of Viṣṇu, but villagers submerged them in the river. There is also a high possibility that twenty-four forms of Viṣṇu were installed there in puśkaraṇīs.

Śeṣaśāyī Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa: This form of Viṣṇu is shown reclining on the coils of seven hooded Śeṣa. The hoods and the right end of the slab are partially broken. The image is highly eroded and, at present, in a bad state of preservation; therefore, many details are unintelligible. The upper portion of the slab is also partially broken.

Viṣṇu-Nārāyaṇa is depicted as having four hands. The lower right hand is folded and kept near the heart. The upper right hand is supporting his head. The left hand is holding a discus near his head, and the next left hand is holding a mace with its but towards the feet. The right leg was stretched out, and the foot was in Lakṣmī's lap. The left one folded and kept across the right knee. The ornaments are traceable on this much worn-out image are the kiriṭa mukuṭa, earrings reaching his shoulders, a necklace, armlets, wristlets and a lower garment. His right leg is in Lakṣmī's lap. He is two-armed and massaging the foot of Nārāyaṇa. The image of Lakṣmī also worn out and partially mutilated but is to be seen shown as wearing a necklace. Near the canopy, there are three figures of devotees. The upper portion of the slab from the right to the left side has a depiction of Daśāvatāras. Same image can see in the partially rock-cut step well of Nāgeśvara temple at Pabal in the same district.

Yajña Varāha: The legs and the snout of the image are mutilated. Depicts the Yajña Varāha as squatting on his four legs. There are bands on the body of the Varāha. The three bands on the body and the band around the neck of the Varāha bear the small images; all are seated in sukhāsana, four-armed, the lower two are in abhaya and varada mudrās and the upper two holding some elongated objects. On each ear of Varāha is carved a deity in a similar posture. The snout is partially broken. These types of quite similar images we can see elsewhere in the same district at the Mallikārjuna temple of Loni-Bhapkar (Dandawate et al., 2004), Cakreśvara temple at Chakan and Narasimha temple at Charthan in Parbhani District.

Yajña Varāha

Kūrma/Tortoise: There is one broken Kūrma image near the step well. This is a pedestal or seat on which an icon is seated or standing. It has the face and feet of a tortoise. We can see a similar image at the Cakreśvara temple at Chakan.

Gaṇeśa: There are two images of Gaṇeśa. One is kept in the gūḍha maṇḍapa of the Someśvara temple. Moreover, another embodiment is placed in a modern temple in the village. These two images of Gaṇeśa are identical to those of the Someśvara temple. It seems that these images originally belonged to the Someśvara temple only.

Sūrya: One broken image of Sūrya is identifiable by the depiction of seven horses near the priest's room.

Bhairava (?): This image looks weathered. It is seated in lalitāsana. With the help of attributes like khatvāṅga and kapāla, we can say he is Bhairava. It has earrings, a necklace and armlets.

Discussion

The temple is not attested with any epigraphical record. However, architectural and iconographical studies suggest that the Someśvara temple seemed to be constructed when the religio-cultural, economic and political scenario was not stable and favourable. The architectural features such as its ground plan and elevation, iconographical characteristics such as physiognomy, grace, naturalism and fluidity of the icons, and geometrical and floral designs appear to be fourteenth-fifteenth century CE construction. The displacement of three hero stones and the freshness/texture of the wall suggests renovation two or more times. Śaivaite deities have a good share in the iconographic scheme of the temple. The appearance of Gaṇeśa in crucial locations indicates the importance and popularity of his worship. It may also be noted that Mahaganapati temple, a famous Gaṇeśa shrine at Ranjangaon, is only five km from the Someśvara temple. Shakti worship was also prevalent in this region, as authenticated by numerous sculptures of various goddesses such as Cāmuṇḍā and Pārvatī. Among minor deities, the worship of Sūrya and Narasimha was also quite popular.

Someśvara temple at Pimpri-Dumala also has some different features than other temples of Maharashtra. The jaṅghā is full of sculptures, including Nātha-yogis and Siddhas. This is a rare phenomenon of iconography. It is one of the few known medieval temples in Maharashtra where we come across beautiful and rare images of Nātha yogīs, which denotes the prevalence of the Nātha Saṃpradāya in this region. Images of Ādinātha, Matsyendranātha, Gorakṣanātha, Virupākṣanātha and other sculptures of yogīs indicate that the Nātha-Siddhas were honoured ascetics. As mentioned above, this temple should have been built in the 14th-15th century CE, i.e. Bahamanī period. Nātha Saṃpradāya was also popular among Bahamanīs in the Maharashtra region (Maharashtra State Gazetteers 1972). A few images from Bhuleshvara (about 60 km away from Pimpri-Dumala) temple in the same district resembles the iconography of Nātha-Siddhas. Thus, there is a high possibility that Nātha-yogis worshipped these temples.

There is also the possibility that some images among ascetics could be of Kāpālikas and Kālamukha-Pāśupata traditions. Loose images such as Yajña Varāha, Śeṣaśāyī Viṣṇu, Kūrmavarāha and typical pattern of step wells resembles other temples and step wells of this region and elsewhere in Maharashtra. It shows contemporary art and architectural activities in the region. Thus, loose images of the Rāmeśvara temple seem older than the Someśvara temple. A great variety of Surasundarīs, kīrtīmukhas and floral, geometrical designs make this temple remarkable. Step wells located near the temple throw light on the water management system and its association with the temples in the medieval period.

References

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Dandwate, P., Gajul, B.S. & Joshi, P.S. (2004). Bhumija temples with Brick Śikhara at Loni Bhapkar and Palasdev in Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute, Vol. 64/65 (2004-2005), pp.147–15.

Deglurkar, G. B. 2004. Sursundari (In Marathi). Pune: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

Deglurkar, G.B. 2004. The portrayal of the Woman in the Art and Literature of the Ancient Deccan. Jaipur: Publication Scheme.

Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency. 1885. Poona. Bombay: Government Central Press.

Kanitkar, K. (2013). Ambarnath Shivalaya. Published by Dileep Kanitkar, Thane.

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Kunte, B. G. (1972). Maharashtra state gazetteers, History-part II-Medieval period. Bombay: Directorate of Government Printing, stationery and Publications, Maharashtra state.