For many in Maharashtra, Shree Dattatreya is a very popular deity and the Datta Sampradaya includes many saints and devotees of Shree Dattatreya. In this context, Narasobachi Wadi or Nrusimha Wadi is an important place of pilgrimage of the Datta Sampradaya and well known for the Shri Narasimha Saraswati Swami Dattadeva Temple. Its religious presence is further personified due to it being located at the confluence of the rivers Krishna and Panchganga in the Shirol tehsil of Kolhapur district.

Shri Nrusimha Saraswati Gurumaharaj (1378−1458 CE) is the second ‘avatara’ (incarnation) of Lord Dattatreya. It is believed that Sri Nrusimha Saraswati had visited the Panchaganga Sagar, which is the confluence of five holy rivers viz. Siva, Bhadra, Kumbhi, Bhogawati and Saraswati, where they all meet and merge in the Krishna River. The temple of Amareshwar is situated here, which gives the place its name, Amarapur. Sri Nrusimha Saraswati stayed at Amarapur for 12 years during which time he achieved sainthood and performed several miracles which are described in the ‘Guru Charitra’. He also imparted spiritual knowledge to his disciples. As such, this place came to be known as Narsobachi Wadi. It is also believed that Shri Dattatreya himself stayed here in the form of his holy ‘padukas’ (slippers) situated below an Umber tree. A small shrine is built around the holy padukas.

The daily routine of worship starts at 4.30 am with the ‘kakad aaratis’. This ends at 10 pm after the complete recitation of the holy ‘mantras’. A palanquin is carried out every Saturday and on the full moon night of every month. Many festivals and events are celebrated throughout the year by the Devasthan Trust. Amongst them, Gurudwadashi, Dattajayanti, Shree Nrusimha Saraswati Jyanti (for seven days) and Shree Krishna Veni Utsav are those which attract devotees in large numbers. Accommodation is available in the ‘dharamshalas’ and rest houses at Narsobachi Wadi while good quality hotels, lodges and restaurants can be found in nearby cities like Sangli, Kolhapur and Miraj. Nasrobachi Wadi is located 407 kilometers from Mumbai and 257 kilometers from Pune. State transport buses are available from Pune and Mumbai to Kolhapur, Sangli and Miraj. The nearest railway station is at Jaisingpur.

Distance from Mumbai: 407 kms