The year was 1290 . A crowd had gathered around a clearing, where broken down pillars marked the presence of an ancient temple, now long gone. A young boy, just 14 years old, leaned against one of those pillars, deep in thought. Then, he began speaking, and the crowd fell silent, listening to his every word. He spoke without any notes, translating the Bhagavat Gita, from Sanskrit, which only the pundits knew, to the language everyone in the village knew and spoke – a variety of Prakrit which developed into the Marathi language. Even as he spoke, one of the men in the audience realized how momentous this event was, and how important this composition would be. He began writing down the words the young boy spoke, and this composition was named by its author and composer, the Bhavartha Deepika – the enlightening meaning (of the Bhagavat Gita). Now, the ancient, holy text, was no longer restricted to the pundits, but accessible to all, understood easily by them, composed as it was, in their...

All the buses and jeeps drop you at the Bhakta Niwas, built by the Devasthan for the convenience of pilgrims. It has basic lodging facilities, with small and big rooms, but only common bathrooms for the whole floor. The premises and the toilets are surprisingly clean, considering that the charge for a whole family (up to 10 people) is around Rs.150.There is also another Bhakta Niwas, recently built, for people who like to be comfortable, even during a pilgrimage. Here, the rooms all have attached bathrooms, and there are also large rooms for groups. The charges here start from Rs.250. Both the complexes have a vegetarian restaurant on the premises. The food is both cheap as well as tasty.
The Swami Samarth Samadhi Devasthan, the temple housing the Samadhi is a small and neat place, calm and tranquil, transporting one back to the days of yore when the swami was alive. If one reaches the temple before 11:30 AM, one can perform Abhishek and puja of the Padukas of the Swami for as little as Rs.25 per person. It is worth it, as one is allowed into the sanctum sanctorum, and can see the Samadhi and the Padukas up close. After 11:30, the Padukas are decorated and kept for viewing only.
In and around Akkalkot, there are other minor places of interest like the ashrams and samadhis of various disciples of Swami Samarth. These places are not as popular as the main temple, but are worth a visit simply because the places have been maintained quite well, and are exactly as they used to be, and one can still feel the atmosphere that comes from years of meditation and penance. The best way to visit all these places is to hire a local auto driver as a guide. The chaps are only too happy to take one around the village for 50 Rupees.

The Arms museum


All in all, Akkalkot is worth a visit, whether or not one is spiritually inclined.
Somehow I missed this post, I used to pray to this saint before , as they have this picture in saibaba temple and also I remember reading abt him in Swami rama 's living with himalyan masters . Feel so blessed to have read about the ashram, thanks so much for writing :)
ReplyDeletecan u pls tell me where swami rama had mentioned abt swami samarth?...
DeleteSomehow I missed this post, I used to pray to this saint before , as they have this picture in saibaba temple and also I remember reading abt him in Swami rama 's living with himalyan masters . Feel so blessed to have read about the ashram, thanks so much for writing :)
ReplyDeleteHi...
ReplyDeleteGood info... V r planing our tour to dis place. Dis info wil definitely help me. Thanks.
U can add by giving info of good places to stay overnight at Akkalkot..
Thanks Amit! Its been over 6 years since i visited, so am sure there will be lot more options now...
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