page_title: Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur / Description
caption_attribution_description: English: This is the temple of Mahalakshmi in Kolahpur city and is a famous pilgrimage center in Maharashtra, India தமிழ்: மகாராட்டிரத்தின் கோலாப்பூர் நகரில் அமைந்திருக்கும் மகாலட்சுமி கோவில்.
context_page_description: The Shri Ambabai Temple of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, India, is one of the most famous temples of Hinduism of the state. Kolhapur and the temple is located on the banks of the Panchganga River, it is about 230 km south of Pune.
context_section_description: Temple of the goddess Ambabai was built during Chalukya reign. Mounted on a stone platform, the murti of the crowned goddess is made of gemstone and weighs about 40 kilograms. The image of Mahalakshmi carved in black stone is 3 feet in height. The Shri Yantra is carved on one of the walls in the temple. A stone lion (the vahana of the goddess), stands behind the statue. The crown contains an image of the Sheshnag, the serpent of Vishnu.
  In her four hands, the deity of Mahalakshmi holds objects of symbolic value. The lower right hand holds a mhalunga (a citrus fruit), in the upper right, a large mace (kaumodaki) the mace of Vishnu with its head touching the ground, in the upper left a shield and in the lower left, a bowl (panpatra). Unlike most Hindu sacred images, which face north or east, the deity faces West (Pashchim). There is a small open window on the western wall, through which the light of the setting sun falls on the face of the image for three days around the 21st of each March and September.
  There are a number of other shrines in the courtyard to the Navagrahas, Surya, Mahishasuramardini, Vitthal-Rakhmai, Shiva, Vishnu, Tulja Bhavani and others. Some of these images date back to the 11th century, while some are of recent origin.  Also located in the courtyard is the temple tank "Manikarnika Kund", on whose bank is a shrine to Visweshwar Mahadev.
caption: Shri Ambabai Temple, Kolhapur.
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