12th century Bhavani Bhavani main temple Temple history Tulja Bhavani Temple here was built in the 12th century CE. The Goddess is said to be
swayambhu` ("self-manifested" or "that which is created by its own accord"). There is a "
yagna kund" (holy
fire pit) in front of this temple.
Idol of Goddess Bhavani in the temple The tandla (idol) of Goddess Tulja Bhawani is three-feet tall and made of granite, with eight arms holding weapons, and bearing the head of the slain demon
Mahishasura. Devotees bow in devotion upon seeing the finely shaped, tandla of the self-manifested goddess, which is adorned with vermilion, ornaments, and decorations.
3 Entrances Sardar Nimbalkar entrance and related temples The main entrance of the temple bears the name of
Sardar Nimbalkar. •
Markandeya Rishi Temple: Inside the entrance, there is a temple dedicated to the sage
Markandeya Rishi on the right. •
Tulja Bhavani Temple: After descending the stairs from the Sardar Nimbalkar entrance, one sees the main Tulja Temple. •
Gomukh Theerth and
Kallol Theerth (
Kalakh): After alighting from the stairs, there is "Gomukh Theerth" on the right side and "Kalakh", also known as "Kallol Theerth" on the left side. Before entering the
sanctum sanctorum of the Goddess, devotees take a dip here in these
theerths (shallow tanks of holy water). •
Adi Maya Adi Shakti temple: This temple
Adi Maya (Mahadevi) is located on the right side of the main entrance and to the north of the main Tulja Bhavani temple. The
pooja ([prayer) is performed here first, before the pooja of Tulja Bhavani. The priests of this temple belong to the Mahar community. •
Siddhi Vinayak temple: Situated on the left side of the main entrance of the complex.
Shahaji entrance and Jijabai entrance The other two entrances are named after the parents of
Chhatrapati Shivaji, the founder of the
Maratha Empire, his father
Shahaji and his mother
Jijabai. There are two libraries named, Shree Santh Dnyaneshwar Dharmik Library and Shree Tukaram Dharmik Library respectively. Chhatrapati Maharaja Shivaji was reputed to frequently visit this temple to seek blessings.
Other temples in the complex •
Aadishakti Aadimata Matangi Devi temple: Temple of Goddess
Matangi, a
tantric manifestation of the goddess
Saraswati, is another distinct shrine within the Tulja Bhavani temple complex. The priests of this temple belong to the Mahar community. •
Annapurna temple: A temple of
goddess Annapurna is also present in the main complex. •
Datta temple: Also on the premises. •
Yamai Devi temple, elder sister of Goddess Tulja Bhavani : Since there is also a temple of Yamai Devi within the Tuljapur temple complex itself, devotees are able to have the darshan (sacred viewing) of both divine sisters in one place, which is considered a religious convenience. Another temple of Yamai Devi is in
Aundh in
Satara district 215 km west of Tuljapur. Since the Aundh Yamai Devi temple is considered the original seat (Mulpeeth) of the Yamai Devi, many devotees after visiting the Tulja Bhavani temple at Tuljapur, continue the tradition of visiting Yamai Devi at Aundh or one of the twelve prominent sub-shrines of the goddess Yamai located at Mardi (Solapur district) 35 km northeast of Tuljapur.
Temple management The day-to-day affairs of the temple are looked after by the trust which is headed by the
District Collector. The board of trustees include the deputy collector, the member representing Tuljapur in
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (MLA), the town Mayor (Nagaradhyaksha), and the
Tahsildar (subdistrict revenue officer).
Pilgrim numbers As of 2025, 150,000,000 pilgrims visit the temple every year. ==Rituals==