Nrusimha Navratrotsav: 450-yr-old tradition of Vid
| Date :30-Apr-2020 |
Idol of Nrusimha in an ancient temple at Mehkar in Buldana district.
By Rajendra Diwe :
‘Nrusimha Navratrosav’, the nine-day festival of celebrating birth anniversary of Lord Nrusimha the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu is the unique tradition in Vidarbha region. Mehkar, a tehsil place in Buldana district has an ancient Nrusimha temple. This temple is following the tradition of celebrating Navratri in the month of Vaishakh from Vaishakh Shuddha Shashti to Vaishakh Shuddha Chaturdashi since last 450 years. This year, the festival has been started from April 29 and will continue till May 6. According to Adv Ramgnath Maharaj Pitale, the fourth Gurupeethadhish of Sansthan, “During the Nrusimha Navratri, the idol of Nrusimha is decorated daily with the deity of particular day.
Many religious programmes are being held every year. This year, the entire country is observing Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. The public programmes of Nrusimha Navratrotsav are cancelled but the religious programmes will continue as per the traditions.” There are 11 ancient Nrusimha temples across the world mentioned in puranas. As per the legend, Lord Nrusimha was appeared for the first time in Multan (now in Pakistan). Bhakta Pralhad had offered food to Nrusimha in Mehkar. There is also a reference in Purana that when Lord Rama was travelling from Ayodhya to Lanka, He stayed in Mehkar and gave darshan to King Meghankar of Mehkar in the form of Lord Nrusimha.
Lord Rama had also assured King Meghankar to stay in Mehkar permanently. This is the reason, people recite Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra in Mehkar’s Nrusimha temple. The annual report of Director General of Archeology in India by Sir John Marshall published during 1918 has a reference of the idol of Nrusimha in Mehkar along with the ancient Dharmashala. ‘Shwashanand Mauli’ is a biographical account of Swami Shwasananda alias Sant Balabhau Maharaj Pitale. The book mentions history of the ancient idol of Lord Nrusimha.
It says, “There was an ardent devotee of Lord Nrusimha named Shyamraj Pitale staying in Nagpur. In 1569, Lord Nrusimha told Shyamraj Pitale in dream that He was imprisoned in the small underground tunnel in Mahankavati town (present Mehkar in Buldana district) and you should dig the place and remove my idol from that place.” Accordingly, Shyramraj Pitale came from Nagpur to Mehkar in search of the idol. He had excavated the ground in Malipeth. A beautiful idol of Lord Nrusimha made in Hemadpanthi sytle appeared from the ground. The tunnel is still present in Mehkar. According to some indologists, it is the oldest idol in the city belongs to the 4th century A.D. Pre Vakatak Period. After 12 years, in 1581, Shyamraj Pitale had performed Pranpratishthan of this idol in his house in Mehkar and started worship. Even today, the devotees recite ‘Narhari Shyamraj Maharaj Ki Jai’ during the festival. Sant Balabhau Maharaj Pitale was born in the ninth generation of Pitale family to Pralhadpant and Kashibai on Jyeshtha Shukha Tritiya Shake 1810 or 1883 AD. He was the great Saint and devotees used to call him as an incarnation of Nrusimha. Saint Balabhau Pitale is known as Aum Brahmi Shwasanand Saraswati. He had followed the tradition of celebrating Nrusimha Navratrotsav and the same is continuing since last 450 years.