Was able to visit the Shree Wagheshwar Temple at Wagholi, on the Pune-Ahmednagar Highway. The temple is located within a beautiful campus, trees and gardens, other historical structures and a well-maintained pond. One can see the temple from the highway and the campus is easily accessible from the crossroads near the turn-off.
The main temple has a splendid gopuram and detailed stone sculptures all around. The structure seems to be constructed entirely in black stone, and is thought to have been sourced from the nearby mines. The main temple sanctum has a most beautiful Nandi, in front of the entrance to the premises. Earlier photographs on the net show that it was painted all-white, and thankfully, that layer of oil paint has been removed and it is back to its glory.
The sanctorum within and the calming Shiva lingam is a must-visit for the pilgrim, and I was fortunate that I was able to, today, in spite of having driven past on many occasions. Today, 5 October 2023, I was the only person at the Sanctorum and was able to be blessed with a peaceful view and yet, as one could feel the energy, at the point of darshan.
The premises of the temple and the campus are properly maintained, and to top it all, surprisingly but fittingly, there was a woman bouncer (security personnel) in black uniform, keeping a strict watch on stragglers in the area around the temple sanctum.
The temple is now within the Pune Municipal Corporation limits since the inclusion of Wagholi in 2021. The name, Wagheshwar, and Wagholi, of course, is thought to be derived from the word "Wagh", meaning "tiger". An ancient structure informs that this area was historically known to be with the Maratha Sardar, Pilajirao Changojirao Jadhavrao.
First Draft - Bharat Bhushan, 5 October 2023
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