Exploring Aadishakti Aai Ekvira Devi Temple: Your Spiritual Guide with The Lagoona Resort As It’s Centre

Aadishakti Aai Ekvira Temple is a temple that is situated near the Karla Caves near Lonavala in Maharashtra, India. Today we will go exploring Ekvira Devi Temple and its surroundings like Karla Caves, Kondhane Caves, Shree Narayani Dham Temples and what could be your cheap resorts in Lonavala that you could stay at.

Aadishakti Aai Ekvira Devi Temple:

Ekvira (also can be spelt as Ekveera) is a Hindu Goddess, regarded as a form of Goddess Parvati, Yamai and Renuka Devi. It is said that Renuka Devi appeared in front of Pandavas during their exile, and asked them to build the temple in her honor overnight.

The temple is located in Lonavala and is on top of the Hill where you have to ascend about 500 steps to the top. It is surrounded by Karla Caves. Karla Caves is currently protected by the archeological department. While the main Goddess is Ekvira, she is accompanied by the statue of Jogeshvari Devi.

The Darshan timing for Ekvira Devi Temple is between 5 AM to 12 PM in the morning and 4 PM to 9 PM in the evening. A Maha Aarti is performed between 5 AM to 7 PM. Female devotees can wear sarees, salwar-kurtas and other traditional Indian clothing, while men can wear dhoti, kurta-pyjama, pants and shirts, t-shirts and other traditional clothing.

Karla Caves:

Karla caves, also known as Karli caves, Karle caves or Karla cells are an ancient Buddhist Indian Rock-Cut Caves at Karli near Lonavala. It is just about 10.9 kilometers away from Lonavala. Other caves in the area include Bhaja Caves, Patan Buddhist Caves, Bedse Caves and Nasik Caves. It takes approximately 2 to 3 hours to complete a whole visit. The shrines were developed over the period from the 2nd century BCE to the 5th century CE. The oldest cave shrine is believed to date back to about 160 BCE.

The Karla cave complex is built into a rocky hillside around 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Pune, with large windows cut into the rock to light the cave interiors. There are altogether 16 caves in the group, with 3 of them being Mahayana caves. 

The main cave, called the Great Chaitya cave, or Cave No. 8, features a large, intricately carved chaitya within a prayer hall, dating back to 50-70 CE.This Great Chaitya cave, the largest in South Asia, was probably constructed between 50 and 70 CE according to the paleography of the various donatory inscriptions.

It is thought that the chronology of these early Chaitya Caves is as follows: first Cave 9 at Kondivite Caves, then Cave 12 at the Bhaja Caves and Cave 10 of Ajanta Caves, around the 1st century BCE. Then, in chronological order: Cave 3 at Pitalkhora, Cave 1 at Kondana Caves, Cave 9 at Ajanta, which, with its more ornate designs, may have been built about a century later, Cave 18 at Nasik Caves, and Cave 7 at Bedse Caves, to finally culminate with the “final perfection” of the Great Chaitya at Karla Caves.

Aadishakti Aai Ekvira Devi Temple, Kondhane Caves:

The Kondhana Caves are located in the small village of Kondhane, 33 km (21 mi) north of Lonavala and 16 km (9.9 mi) northwest of Karla Caves. This cave group has 16 Buddhist caves. The caves were excavated in the first century B.C. The construction on wooden patterns is notable. One can reach the cave by descending from Rajmachi village.

Cave number 1 is, Chaitaiya Caves They face north-west, and the first to the south-west is a Chaitya-cave of very considerable dimensions, being 66.5 feet from the line of the front pillars to the extremity of the apse, 26 feet 8 inches wide, and 28 feet 5 inches high to the crown of the arch. 

Cave number 2 is Vihara, A little to north-east is No. II., a Vihara, of which the front of the veranda is totally destroyed except the left end. This verandah was 5 feet 8 inches wide and 18 feet long, with the unique number of five octagon pillars and two antae.

Cave No.3 is a plain Vihara with nine cells, much ruined, especially in front, but it had probably three doors. No.4 has a row of nine cells at the back of what now looks like a natural hollow under the cliff. Beyond them is a tank, now filled with mud, then two cells under a deep ledge of over-hanging rock, and, lastly, a small cistern.

The cave has only one inscription on the front of the Chaitya, which gives information about donors.

Conclusion:

Visiting these places in Lonavala is easy. You can visit Lagoona Resort at any time and we make sure that you can feel luxury at an affordable rate. So to visit from Ekvira Temple to Karla Caves to Kondhane Caves, make sure you can visit it all today while you stay at Lagoona Resort.