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Ambajogai (Beed )

The city of Ambajogai has got a very rich historical, literary and cultural heritage. The land has been made holy by the presence of several religious spots and the touch of many great saints, seers and literary personalities.

Yogeshwari Temple
The temple of the goddess Yogeshwari is situated on the western bank of the river Jayanti which flows through the city. The architecture of the temple is of Hemadpanti style. The temple has got a big main entrance which faces the East, in which a 'Nagarkhana' – place for musicians – exists. A minaret for lighting lamps – 'Deepmal' – stands before the main entrance. On entering into the temple complex through the eastern entrance, one sees one high and four smaller towers and the Hemadpanti temple itself. The higher tower is adorned with pictures of gods and goddesses.

Hattikhana or the Bhoocharnath Cave
Hattikhana or the Bhoocharnath cave is a spacious cave carved on the flat plain on the banks of the river Jayanti, about 400 meters on the north-west of the Yogeshwari temple. The main hall – sabhamandapa of the cave is of 90 feet x 45 feet. The stone sculptures of four huge elephants can be seen at the entrance of the main hall, which have earned the hall its name i.e. Hattikhana. In the center of the spacious 30 x 30 feet front yard, we come across a huge sculpture of a Nandi – Lord Shiva's vehicle which wears a necklace made of tinkling bells – ghungrus. An inscription on the rock, cut in the year 1066 was found here. The inscription mentions the name of the Rashtrakuta king Mahamandaleshwar Udayaditya. The inscription mentions the name of the cave as Bhoocharnath, and a donation made towards it.

Jain Cave
Another cave, by the name of Jain leni (cave) stands nearby on the other bank of the river, which is also carved on the ground level. Here, at the front of the east-facing main hall stand two huge images of elephants, and inside the 'sabhamandap' we come across an image of Mahaveer.

Vaishnav Cave
Vaishnav leni stands adjacent to Jain leni, which houses attractive statues of Lord Vishnu reclining on his traditional bed of Sheash-Naag, his vehicle Varaha, Veerbhadra Dattatreya and Ashta-Bhuja devi.

Memorials of Dasopant
Well-constructed edifices of 'samadhis' (memorials) of the saint-poets Dasopant, Mukundraj and Narasimha are to be seen here. There are two small Shiva temples such as Shri Sidhhalinga and Shri Mallikarjun. All these edifices add to the sanctity and holiness of the surroundings.

Mukundraj's 'samadhi'
Ancient Marathi poet Mukundraj's 'samadhi' is situated in a cave on the north-west of the city along the slope of one of the mountains of the Balaghat ranges. The flow of the river Jayanti can be seen meandering on the east. Mukundraj wrote his well-known book, Viveksindhu at this spot.

Around 500 meters ahead of Mukundraj 'samadhi', we come across a most beautiful, scenic spot, Butanath,which is an  ideal spot for meditation and penance on the confluence of the rivers Vanganga and Jayanti.

Temple of goddess Renukai
On the north-west of Yogeshwari temple, there is a Hemadpanti temple of the goddess Renukai, with the up-turned – urdhwamukha –'shendari-tandala' – image of the goddess.

Sakaleshwar temple
On 300 meters north of Renukai temple, there is a Hemadpanthi Sakaleshwar temple set in the mountains.  There are beautiful sculptures on the exterior of the temple. A rock-inscription of  Kholeshwar, donating the 12-column temple, has also been found here.

 Amaleshwar temple
On the north-east of Ambajogai, at the distance of 2 km,  Amaleshwar Hemadpanthi temple has been constructed on flattened ground, which exhibits excellent sculptures.

Nagzari Teertha
At the distance of 1 km on the east of Ambajogai, we come across a Nag-zari teertha, which emits a stream of water through a cow-mouth – 'gomukh' – throughout the year. There is a Nagesh Mahadeo temple beside.

Choubhara Ganesh temple
The Hemadpanti Choubhara Ganesh temple stands in the heart of Ambajogai, where there is a rock-cut inscription of Kholeshwar from CE1150.

Kholeshwar temple
The Hemadpanthi Kholeshwar temple stands on the north-east of the Yogeshwari temple. There is a rock-inscription of  Kholeshwar's daughter Laxmi from CE1162. Lakshmi built this temple in memory of Kholeshwar's son, Ramnarayana.

Ram temples
There are two Ram temples in the tradition of Shri Samarth Ramdas Swami's disciple, Kalyanswami.

Shri Shambhulingaswami Mutth (monastery)
There is a 'mutth' (monastery)  of Shri Shambhulingaswami of the Veerashaiva sect, in Ambejogai.

Distance from Aurangabad  : 225 km