46-528: Shirala also called Battis [32] Shirala is a town and tehsil in Sangli District , India , away 60 kilometres west of the district headquarters, Sangli and about 350 kilometres from Mumbai , capital of Maharashtra state . It is particularly known for its Hindu festival of the snake god. Shirala is a town located in western Maharashtra , India's most prosperous state. During the Rashtrakuta period
92-544: A langar and provide a free meal to pilgrims who visit. The Gurkhas of Nepal take their name from Gorakhnath. Gorkha , a historical district of Nepal, is also named after him. A cave exists in Gorkha with his paduka (footprints) and an idol. Every year, on the day of Baisakh Purnima, a celebration known as Rot Mahotsav takes place in the cave; it has purportedly been celebrated for the last seven hundred years. According to William Northey and John Morris, legend states that
138-452: A bad thing for that family. Hundreds of hours of searching produces seven or eight snakes per group if they are lucky. These snakes are then stored in a big circular earthen pot with a smaller circular earthen pot placed on the top opening. Finally a cloth is used to cover the top and is tied with a rope. These pots are usually hung outside house. Every morning till the actual festival, these snakes are taken out of their earthen pots and fed with
184-554: A complex of 51 small temples, all from the Satvahana period. You will find the Kamal Bhairao temple, partially hewn from hard Basalt rock perched on the edge of a steep cliff. The entrance to the temple is through a narrow trench. According to the 2011 census Sangli District has a population of 2,822,143, roughly equal to the nation of Jamaica or the US state of Kansas . This gives it
230-414: A disciple of Machendra by name Gorakhnath once visited Nepal and retired to a small hill near Deo Patan. There, he meditated in an unmovable state for twelve years. The locals built a temple in his honour there. Dang valley of Nepal, located in the south-west of the country close to India, is regarded as one of the historically significant place for the disciples of Gorakhnath for over 1300 years. As per
276-558: A life as an exponent of ideas of Kumarila and Adi Shankara that championed the Yogic and Advaita Vedanta interpretation of the Upanishads. Gorakhnath considered the controversy between dualism and nondualism in medieval India as useless from a practical point of view. According to Banerjea, He emphasised that the choice is that of the yogi, and that spiritual discipline and practice by either path leads to "perfectly illumined samadhi state of
322-603: A professor of Religious Studies known for his studies on Yoga and music, "the connections between Goraknath, the Kanphatas and Hatha yoga are beyond question". According to Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair, a professor in Asian languages and cultures, the Gorakhnath orders were operating free community kitchens in Punjab before Guru Nanak founded Sikhism. Gorakhnath shrines have continued to operate
368-474: A ranking of 137th in India (out of a total of 640 ). The district has a population density of 329 inhabitants per square kilometre (850/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 9.18%. Sangli has a sex ratio of 964 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 82.62%. 25.49% of the population lived in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 12.51% and 0.65% of
414-406: A rat or frog. This feeding is called Dav Pajane or feeding dew to a snake. On the day of festival, the snakes are displayed in a huge procession. The procession begins with the blessings of the village goddess Amba-bai. 70 to 80 groups and organisations take part in this procession. In the morning before the procession snakes are taken to few neighboring homes so that women in those homes can worship
460-557: Is a Hatha Yoga Sanskrit text attributed to Gorakhnath by the Nath tradition. According to Feuerstein (1991: p. 105), it is "one of the earliest hatha yoga scriptures, the Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati , contains many verses that describe the avadhuta " (liberated) yogi. The Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati text is based on an advaita (nonduality) framework, where the yogi sees "himself in all beings, and all in himself" including
506-556: Is a district of Maharashtra state in India. Sangli city is the district headquarters. It is bordered by Satara district , Solapur district to the North, Karnataka state to the South-East, by Kolhapur district to South-West and by narrow portion on the East side to Ratnagiri district . It is present on the southern tip of Maharashtra. The district is 31.11% urban. Sangli and Miraj are
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#1733084693394552-507: Is a popular tourist destination, with the peak tourism season from August to February. The most popular tourist activity is hiking to the top of a hill in the sanctuary, from which one can see the Krishna River flowing through fields of sugarcane and grapevines. Also in the area are numerous shrines to Shiva which were built during the Chalukya dynasty, and Kundal is the region around Sangli, was
598-645: Is a temple in Vadukku Poigainallur, Nagapattinam , Tamil Nadu which specifically houses his Jeeva Samadhi . According to one account, he spent much of his youth in the Velliangiri Mountains , Coimbatore . There are various other shrines honouring Korakkar , including ones located in Perur , Thiruchendur and Trincomalee . Korakkar Caves are found in both Sathuragiri and the Kolli Hills , where he
644-547: Is about 350 km. from Mumbai . State transport and private buses daily run between Mumbai and Shirala. Kolhapur is the nearest city, which is 60 km. away. Kolhapur is connected to Mumbai through daily trains. Pune is connected to all major Indian cities through daily flights and trains. If you are visiting Shirala for Naag Panchami (Snake festival) only, a day trip from Pune is possible. Recently court has banned catching of snakes due to animal (snake) abuse cases as rough handling of snakes can result in their death. Battis Shirala
690-536: Is also a temple of Gorakhnath in the state of Odisha. The Gorakhnath Math is a monastery of the Nath monastic group named after the medieval saint, Gorakhnath (c. 11th century), of the Nath sampradaya. The math and town of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh is named after him. The monastery and the temple perform various cultural and social activities and serve as the cultural hub of the city. The monastery also publishes texts on
736-412: Is at Tuljapur, Usmanabad. Shri-kshetra (religious place) Audumbur has a temple dedicated to Shri-guru-Datta. 16°51′36″N 74°34′12″E / 16.86000°N 74.57000°E / 16.86000; 74.57000 Gorakhnath Gorakhnath (also known as Goraksanath (Sanskrit: Gorakṣanātha ), c. early 11th century) was a Hindu yogi , mahasiddha and saint who was the founder of
782-478: Is composed of 10 talukas, listed below with their populations at the 2011 Census: Kundal is near Veerbhadra Temple Hill. This temple has 300 years of history. Kundalis a pilgrimage centre for the Digambar Jains , with thousands of Jains visiting each year. There is a temple built in the memory of Maharaja Jaising. Kundal is surrounded by hills, including Zari Parshwanath. Water from the trough cascades near
828-434: Is famous for its annual Nag Panchami Snake festival , which is attended by hundreds of thousands people. In shirala, a day approximately two weeks before the festival, farmers clean their cows and bulls, decorate them and feed them with special food; villagers go snake-hunting, after getting kaul (permission) from Goddess Amba Bai by placing a flower on her head. If the flower falls, voluntarily on left side then that family
874-571: Is located in the western part of Maharashtra. It is bounded by Satara and Solapur districts to the north, Bijapur District (Karnataka) to the east, Kolhapur and Belgaum (Karnataka) districts to the south, and Ratnagiri District to the west. Sangli District is situated in the river basins of the Warna and Krishna rivers. Other small rivers, such as the Warana River and the Panchganga , flow into
920-410: Is not allowed to catch snake that year. It is believed that only natives of Shirala are allowed to catch the snakes. Snakes (including the venomous Indian King Cobra ) are tracked by their body marks in the soil. The ground is dug up carefully and the snakes are captured in such manner that they should not get hurt. A lot of care is taken so that snakes are not hurt as if they are hurt it is considered as
966-428: Is noted to have practised his sadhana. Like his colleagues, the 18 Siddhars , Korakkar wrote cryptic Tamil poetry pertaining to medicine , philosophy and alchemy . He was one of the first to use cannabis in his medicinal preparations for certain ailments; as a result, it gained the name Korakkar Mooligai (Korakkar's Herb). The Bengali Hindu community in the states of West Bengal , Tripura , and Assam , and
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#17330846933941012-590: The Nath Hindu monastic movement in India . He is considered one of the two disciples of Matsyendranath . His followers are known as Jogi , Gorakhnathi , Darshani or Kanphata . He was one of nine saints, or Navnath , and is known in Maharashtra, India. Hagiographies describe him to be a person outside the laws of time who appeared on earth during different ages. Historians agree that Gorakhnath lived sometime during
1058-784: The River Krishna . Land in the region is suitable for agriculture. Sangli district has distinct kind of environment. Eastern talukas of Shirala, Walwa, Palus are famous for high rainfall and floods. 2005 floods submerged many villages like Dudhondi, Bhilawadi , amnapur, Punadi, Khed, walwa etc. Western talukas are famous for drought and tanker driven drinking water supply systems. But recent projects like Tembhu-Mhaisal yojana, Takari prakalp ( located in takari town & water lifted & stored in Sagareshwar wildlife sanctuary area), Vita water scheme (located in Dudhondi and Ghogoan village) are changing
1104-477: The 13th century. Grierson, relying on evidence discovered in Gujarat, suggests the 14th century. Gorakhnath is referenced in the poetry of Kabir and of Guru Nanak of Sikhism , which describe him as a very powerful leader with a large following. Historical texts imply that Gorakhnath was a Buddhist in a region influenced by Shaivism, but then converted to Hinduism, championing Shiva and Yoga . Gorakhnath led
1150-757: The States and jahagirs belonging to Patvardhans, and Dafles which came to be merged during the post-independence period. Kundal , the region around Sangli, was the capital of the Chalukyas . Kundal is an ancient village, around 1,600 years old, and also an important Jain pilgrimage site. Its ancient name was Kaundinyapura. Kundal has also been the home to freedom fighters like Krantisinha Nana Patil, Krantiveer Captain Akaram (Dada) Pawar, Shyamrao Lad, Captain Ramchandra Lad, G.D. Lad, Shankar Jangam and Hausabai Jangam. Sangli District
1196-596: The area put up temporary tents on small streets of town for the entire day. Fresh vegetables, meat, fish and other goods including clothing are sold in this market. Recently, a dozen of small-scale agro-industries have been set in Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area near Shirala. With special economic concessions offered due to remoteness of the area, the MIDC has attracted number of investors in relatively short time. Shirala
1242-785: The capital of the Chalukyas. Kundal is a historical place. Chandoli Tiger Reserve is famous for animals like tigers, hyenas, foxes, wolves, and peacocks. Prachitgad is an ancient fort in Chandoli Tiger Reserve. Also Dandoba Hill station, Chourangi nath hill station, Banurgad, Shukacharya, Machindrahad fort, Revansiddha temple are famous tourist attractions in Sangli District. The Sagareshwar sanctuary has much religious, cultural and archaeological significance. The sanctuary derives its name from an ancient famous Shiva temple that attracts many devotees. It actually consists of one large temple and
1288-689: The country Bangladesh have a sizeable number of people belonging to the Nath Sampradaya , named as Nath or Yogi Nath , who have taken the name from Gorakhnath. They were marginalised in Medieval Bengal. Romola Butalia , an Indian writer of Yoga history, lists the works attributed to Gorakhnath as including the Gorakṣaśataka , Goraksha Samhita , Goraksha Gita , Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati , Yoga Martanda , Yoga Siddhanta Paddhati , Yogabīja , Yogacintamani . The Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati
1334-483: The first half of the 2nd millennium CE, but there is some disagreement about which century he lived. Estimates based on archaeological and textual evidence range from Briggs' estimate of the 11th to 12th century to Grierson's estimate of the 14th century. Gorakhnath is considered a Maha-yogi (or "great yogi") in Hindu tradition. He did not emphasise a specific metaphysical theory or a particular Truth , but emphasised that
1380-518: The idol of Mahaveer . Two caves house the idol of Mahaveer and the images of Rama , Sita , and Lakshman . Samav Sharan, a large open space on top of another hill, is considered holy by the Jains. They believe that Mahaveer gave sermons to his followers here. Another village, Dudhondi (sharing a boundary with Kundal), is famous for Shiv-Bhavani temple. This is only second temple with idols of Maratha king Shivaji and goddess Bhavani in Maharashtra. First one
1426-534: The individual phenomenal consciousness.". The hagiography on Gorakhnath describe his appearance on earth several times. The legends do not provide a birth time or place, and consider him to be superhuman. North Indian hagiographies suggest he originated from northwest India ( Punjab , with some mentioning Peshawar ). Other hagiographies in Bengal and Bihar suggest he originated from eastern region of India ( Assam ). Available hagiographies offer varying records of
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1472-467: The largest cities. The second oldest industrial township like Kirloskarwadi (Palus) is also located in Sangli district. Industrialist Laxmanrao Kirloskar started his first factory here. It is known as the sugar bowl of India due to its high sugarcane productivity. Sangli district is one of the most fertile and highly developed districts in Maharashtra. The district is very popular as a political powerhouse in
1518-511: The legend, the king of Dang named Ratnaparikshak was initiated by Gorakhnath in the valley's forest and later became a famed siddha called Ratnanath, and built a temple. Ratnanath travelled across the sub-continent to spread the teachings of Hatha yoga . In the Siddhar tradition of Tamil Nadu , Gorakhnath is one of the 18 esteemed Siddhars of yore, and is also known as Korakkar . Siddhar Agastya and Siddhar Bhogar were his gurus . There
1564-460: The movement's expansion happened under the guidance and inspiration of Gorakhnath. He produced a number of writings and even today is considered the greatest of the Naths . It has been purported that Gorakhnath wrote the first books on Laya yoga . In India there are many caves, many with temples built over them, where it is said that Gorakhnath spent time in meditation. According to Bhagawan Nityananda ,
1610-478: The next 12 years. Shirala is famous for one of the eleven Maruti temples built by Marathi saint Samarth Ramdas . This 17th-century temple is located about 200 feet away from main bus station of the town and is visited by many devotees on Saturdays. The town has a fort build by great Maratha warrior, Chhatrapati Shivaji . Currently, it is maintained by forest services office of town. Sangli District Sangli district (Marathi pronunciation: [saːŋɡli] )
1656-562: The origins of Hatha yoga with the Nath yogis, in particular Gorakhnath and his guru Matsyendranath . According to British indologist James Mallinson , this association is false. In his view, the origins of hatha yoga should be associated with the Dashanami Sampradaya of Advaita Vedanta (Hinduism), the mystical figure of Dattatreya , and the Rāmānandīs . While the origins of Hatha yoga are disputed, according to Guy Beck,
1702-518: The philosophy of Gorakhnath. A shrine existed at the site from older times which was converted into a mosque by Ala-ud-din Khilji. A smaller shrine was built by Nath Sampraday's followers at a later time. Later additions were made in 18th, 19th and 20th century by devotees and yogis of the order. The math is situated in a Muslim majority area and is a centre of syncretism among devotees and visitors from diverse communal background. Some scholars associate
1748-477: The population respectively. Hinduism is followed by 86.47% of district population. Islam is second largest religion in Sangli district followed by 8.49% of district population. There are significant Jain minorities of 3.1% in Sangli city. Languages of Sangli district (2011) At the time of the 2011 Census of India , 85.97% of the population in the district spoke Marathi , 5.09% Kannada , 4.73% Hindi and 2.38% Urdu as their first language. Sangli District
1794-606: The region was ruled by Shilaharas . (from 765 to 1020) Shirala comes from word " Shilahara ".The prefix ‘battis’ is the number thirty-two (32). It is said that thirty-two small villages surround this larger town. Historically, Battis Shirala has been major market. The major source of income for people in this town is from agriculture. Since this place is capital of tehsil or taluka, large numbers of people are employed in various government offices, schools, colleges, banks, hospitals and other service industry. A couple of agriculture-based industries (sugar and starch) also contribute to
1840-551: The samadhi shrine (tomb) of Gorakhnath is at Nath Mandir near the Vajreshwari temple about one kilometre from Ganeshpuri, Maharashtra , India . Legends state that Gorakhnath and Matsyendranath did penance in Kadri Temple at Mangalore, Karnataka. They were also instrumental in laying Shivlingam at Kadri and Dharmasthala. The temple of Gorakhnath is situated on hill called Garbhagiri near Vambori, Tal Rahuri; Dist Ahmednagar. There
1886-600: The search for Truth and the spiritual life is a valuable and normal goal of man. Gorakhnath championed Yoga , spiritual discipline and an ethical life of self-determination as a means to reaching samadhi . Gorakhnath, his ideas, and his yogis have been popular in rural India, with monasteries and temples dedicated to him found in many states of India, particularly in the eponymous city of Gorakhpur . Historians disagree on when Gorakhnath lived. Briggs estimates 11th to 12th century, while Abbott argues that Baba Farid documents and Jnanesvari manuscripts place Gorakhnath in
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1932-602: The snakes. The snakes that were caught before the festival, are released at the same place from which they were caught. Myth is one of the families in Shirala use to worship snake murti. When one of the Navnatha ( Gorakhnath ) visited their place, he gave them permission and blessing to catch actual snake and worship it. Shirala has Gorkhnath Temple. Once in 12 years all the followers of Nath panti ( Nath Sampradaya ) visit Shirala and leave one of them behind to take care of this temple for
1978-447: The spiritual descent of Gorakhnath. All name Adinath and Matsyendranath as two teachers preceding him, though one account lists five gurus preceding Adinath, and another lists six teachers between Matsyendranath and Gorakhnath. Current tradition has Adinath placed with Shiva as the direct teacher of Matsyendranath , who was himself the direct teacher of Gorakhnath. The Nath tradition states that it existed before Gorakhnath, but
2024-463: The state. It has provided many politicians and bureaucrats and is often referred to as the Heaven of Farmers . Sangli (Lok Sabha constituency) The district of Sangli is a recent creation, being made as late as in 1949. It was then known as South Satara and it has been renamed as Sangli since 1 May 1960. It is partly made up of a few talukas which once formed part of the old Satara District and partly of
2070-421: The town’s economy. Water supply for drinking and agricultural purposes is available from Morna Dam, Shirala located 5 kilometres from town. The tehsil has large area under thick forests due to heavy monsoon rains. It provides patronage to variety of wild life in ‘Chandoli abhay-aranya', a national forest. The town holds weekly farmers market on every Monday (aka "Monday Bajar"). Farmers and small vendors from
2116-545: The water landscape of these talukas. These water projects are located on river Krishna. Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located at the meeting of three Tehsils of Sangli district: Kadegaon, Walva and Palus. The wildlife sanctuary is man-made; it is an artificially cultivated forest without a perennial supply of water, and most of the wildlife species were artificially introduced. It has an area of 10.87 km . The sanctuary
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