Sopandev Samadhi Temple, Sasvad

Sasvad is a historical village. There are huge vāḍās (palaces) of the late Marāṭhā period and then there are beautiful temples such as the Saṅgameśvara, Cāṅgā Vaṭeśvara, Gaṇapatī temple, Mārutī temple, etc. All these buildings are excellent examples of late Marāṭhā art and architecture. 

Sopānadeva/Sopānakākā temple: Nestled on the bank of the Chambali River, within the heart of the village, stands the Sopāndeva temple. This sacred site is associated with the younger brother of the esteemed saint, Jñāneśvara. The temple is the starting point for the palanquin procession dedicated to Sopānakākā.

To the north of the temple, under the shade of a tamarind tree, lies the samādhī-śilā (tombstone). Locally revered as pādukā, legend holds that Sopānakākā entered his samādhī from this very spot. Every year, during the Vārī pilgrimage to Pandharpur, the palanquin of Sopānakākā sets forth from this temple. The temple is also the hub of festivities on Ekādaśī and other significant occasions. Particularly noteworthy is the Sañjīvana Samādhī Sohaḷā, a religious festival dedicated to Sopānakākā. This event is celebrated from Mārgaśīrṣa Vadya Aṣṭamī to Mārgaśīrṣa Vadya Caturdaśī. Enhancing the temple's serene ambiance are trees like auduṁbara (cluster fig), tamarind, and banyan, which dot the temple grounds.

The Sopānadeva/Sopānakākā temple

The Sopānadeva/Sopānakākā temple

Architecture: The plan of this building consists of ‘garbhagṛha-antarāḷa-sabhāmaṇḍapa- wooden maṇḍapa.’ This building is on a high plinth with a fencing wall from all sides.

Mukhamaṇḍapa: There is an attractive wooden maṇḍapa in front of the temple. It has six circular carved pillars. There are two giant square pillars. Apart from this, there are 10 square pillars on the sides. The circular pillars have carved designs. There are creepers, parrots, and some human figures carved on them. Above is the balcony. There is a picture of Śrī Kriṣṇa on the ceiling.

Sabhāmaṇḍapa: The entrance to the sabhāmaṇḍapa is not decorated. The sabhāmaṇḍapa is without pillars. There is another gate to the south of this maṇḍapa. There are two small temple-like devakoṣhṭhas in the sabhāmaṇḍapa. There is an image of Rāma-Sītā-Lakṣmaṇa in one of them, and an image of Viṭṭala-Rakhumāī is seen in the other. There are two small devakoṣhṭhas beside the main entrance. They contain images of Hanumāna and Garuḍa. The roof of the sabhāmaṇḍapa is pyramidal in shape.

Garbhagṛha: The entrance to the garbhagṛha is coated with silver sheets. On the dvāraśākhā, there is an engraving of creepers and flowers. The image of Gaṇapatī is on the lalāṭabimba. The samādhī (tomb) of Sopānadeva is in the center of the garbhagṛha. The samādhī is pyramidal in shape and covered with a silver sheet. A mask of Sopānakākā is placed on the samādhī. There is an image of Śrī Kriṣṇa in the devakoṣhṭha in the wall behind the tomb. A smaller image of Radhākriṣṇa is seen next to it. There is another door on the north side of the garbhagṛha. The vitāna of garbhagṛha is pyramidal. There are no pillars in the antarāḷa. Two devakoṣhṭhas are visible in antarāḷa. Presently those are closed with a door.

Exterior of the temple: The temple presents a simple, square exterior. Inside, a beautifully engraved toraṇa adorns the garbhagṛha, topped by intricate carvings of bilvapatras. To the north of the garbhagṛha, a gomukha is prominently displayed. The temple stands upon a foundational platform, or adhiṣṭāna. Its śikhara, showcasing the Marāṭhā architectural style, is unembellished in its circular design. Complementing the main śikhara are the subtler upa-śikharas, with the bilvapatra carving gracefully positioned below. The śikhara remains devoid of any other imagery.

Prakāra: Elevated on a high plinth, the temple might have originally been surrounded by platforms on all sides. Today, the northern and western platforms are preserved in relatively good condition. The northern wall features a mix of both ancient and contemporary structures. Niches in the western platforms are distinguished by their domed vitāna, engraved with floral motifs in various sizes. A gateway punctuates the temple's eastern fencing wall, providing a point of entry. This entrance is distinctly square in shape, and the uttarāṅga of the door is adorned with an image of Gaṇapatī and an engraving of bilvapatra. Elevated platforms greet visitors as they step through the door. The intricately carved designs on the raised platforms to the west further accentuate the temple's aesthetic appeal. Beyond the fencing wall, near the riverbank, lies a square water tank.

Entrance to the garbhagṛha

Samādhī (tomb) of Sopānadeva

Sabhāmaṇḍapa

The outer side of the temple

Prākāra (Fencing wall)

Images inside the temple: The temple's garbhagṛha houses exquisite images of Muralidhara Kriṣṇa and Rādhā-Kriṣṇa. In the portrayal of Rādhā and Kriṣṇa, Rādhā gracefully places her hand on Kriṣṇa's shoulder, while a snake hood-like carving adorns Kriṣṇa's head. The devakoṣhṭha of the sabhāmaṇḍapa features the divine trio of Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa. These dvibhuja figures stand in the samapāda position, with Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa each holding a bow. Their other hands are cast in the āśīrvāda mudrā, symbolizing blessings. Another devakoṣhṭha presents an image of Viṭṭala and Rakhumāī.

However, the temple's standout sculpture captures a pivotal moment from Jñāneśvara's life. It represents the event where Jñāneśvara, Nivṛttinātha, Sopānakākā, and Muktāī, seeking to humble the pride of yogī Cāṅgadeva, employed their yogic powers to animate a wall and ride it. In this detailed sculpture, Jñāneśvara, Nivṛttinātha, and Sopānakākā are depicted seated atop the wall, while Cāṅgadeva humbly sits at their feet. Additionally, a deity resembling Dutta stands in the foreground, surrounded by other celestial figures.

Jñāneśvara, Nivṛttinātha, Sopānakākā and Muktāī, while going to meet yogī Cāṅgadeva

Opposite Sopāndeva is the Mahādeva Temple in Bhūmij style śikhara

Sopānakākā

Paintings in the temple.

Modern paintings in the temple.

Other temples in the vicinity: To the south of the Sopānakākā temple once stood a Dutta temple, which has since been demolished during restoration efforts. It's unfortunate that the old Dutta temple was razed, such restoration activities should be meticulously executed under the supervision of the Department of Archaeology.

Directly facing the Sopānakākā temple is the Nāgeśvara temple. Notably, this temple lacks an antarāḷa. Its sabhāmaṇḍapa, devoid of pillars, has undergone restoration and is believed to originally have had a pyramid-shaped roof. The sabhāmaṇḍapa boasts an impressive acoustic effect; a soft whisper in one corner can be distinctly heard in the opposite corner. Outside the maṇḍapa, visitors can observe Nandī and an engraved stone, possibly a memorial stone. To the temple's north lies a Vṛṅdāvana. Additionally, the temple's rear wall features a carving of Capeṭadāna Mārutī. Based on architectural elements, this temple is likely from the 18th century CE, if not earlier. Its śikhara exhibits influences from the Bhūmīja architectural style, which is surprising for a 18th century temple.

Concluding Remarks: The Sopānakākā temple has long been an important pilgrimage center for the Vārakarī sect. This center's importance is reflected in this temple's grand construction. This temple is an excellent example to study the late Marāṭhā period art. Especially the floral engravings on the platforms and the decoration on the pillars of the wooden maṇḍapa in front of the temple are noteworthy.