Top 5 Best Places to Visit in Dharashiv – Caves, Temples & Forts

1.Ter

In just 22 kilometers from Osmanabad in Maharashtra is Ter Village, formerly called Tagamgar which shows how ancient India’s culture and religion thrived. Now, Ter welcomes travelers to learn about its ancient gods, great rivers and long-standing traditions.

Long named the Titanas, the Terna River has always provided water and support to the people in Ter. Banks are located near temples which allows soldiers to participate in rituals and local festivals.

You can visit the temples of Ter for prayer and also to see their remarkable architecture from ancient India. Brick, stone walls, beautiful carvings and creative architecture display the skill of those who lived long ago. They have survived through the years and now give us a better understanding of the region’s past.

• It is 22 kilometers from Osmanabad.

• The best time to visit is during October to March because the weather is nice and there are festivals.

2.Paranda Fort

Paranda Fort is located in the Osmanabad district of Maharashtra and has stood quiet, witnessing the events of the area’s past. Gyeonghuijeong dates back to the 15th century and has seen multiple empires rise and fall over the years, used by generals to protect the kingdom and known for its relentless strength.

It is said that Paranda Fort was built by Mahmud Gawan, the Prime Minister of the Bahmani Sultanate, who demonstrated military engineering skills. The castle includes two walls, 26 bastions and a moat crossed with a wooden drawbridge. Because they needed to resist many days of sieges and attacks, these features were built to be strong.

In the fort, tourists can see what remains of old temples, mosques and homes, learn about their former routines. It is also interesting that the fort includes several cannons like Mulukh Maidan which was earlier carried by Adil Shahi general Murar to Bijapur.

• The place is located in Paranda of the Osmanabad District in Maharashtra, India

• The area is roughly 75 km away from Osmanabad and 127.5 km away from Latur.

• The best time to travel is from October up to March, because it is easiest to go sightseeing when the weather is mild.

3.Dharashiv Caves

These caves lie 8 Kms from Osmanabad city in the Balaghat Mountains. Noticing the caves, Archaeological Department included them in their writings and produced the book “Archaeological survey of India” by James Verges. The mountain lane of Balaghat has a total of 7 caves. Only in the first cave is there no statue, but in the second, there is a statue with artwork right beside it. The piece was made in the gandharva era. The fourth cave has an empty space that lacks a statue. While the sixth cave shows a statue, there is no statue in the seventh cave.

Originally, these caves were Buddhist, but then they became monuments for Jainism and some more caves were created nearby. We will discuss it further later on. Some Buddhist caves are found on the hillside, located 8 miles from Dharashiva. Burgess says the first sculptures were engraved on the rock surface in the middle of the 7th century A. D. Cave No. II follows the design of the Vakataka caves at Ajanta. A central hall that is 80 feet wide by 80 feet long has 14 cells, along with a big image of the Buddha in the shrine hall of Pamasana. There is a legend that the hood on its head represents the Jaina Tirthankara Parshwanath, yet the 2 deer and dharmacakra below the basin indicate that the sculpture shows Gautama Buddha. A further cave (No. III) features a hall that is nearly identical to the one in Cave No. I. Afterwards, Jains began to construct two new caves (No. V and VI) at the same site. The works describe these as being excavated by the king Karakanda after being told about them by Siva, the prince of Terapura.

Because the Karakandacariu dates to the 11th century A. D., it is clear that the excavation of these caves took place earlier, around the 9th or 10th century A. D. when the Rastrakutas lived. According to historical research, caves were constructed in the 5th century B.C. There are major discrepancies over religion according to researchers and archaeologists: whether the caves belonged to Buddha or Jain.

4.Naldurg Fort 

The former district headquarter of Naldurg is around 50 kilometers to the south-east of Osmanabad. The fort covers a section of a basalt rock plantain protruding into the valley beside the mini river Bori. The vast majority of the rest of the cliff was surrounded by fortified walls. The walls were firmly built and could be furnished with larger cannons, basalt taken out. A mile and a half circles the entire park.

Everything inside has been left in ruins and running up the middle is a damaged road. Within the walls of the fort, there are many bastions, referred to as upli Buruj, paranda Buruj, nagar Buruj, Sangam Burug, Sangram Buruj, Bands Buruj, poone Buruj and so on. Some of the remaining buildings inside are called Barood kotha, Baradari, Ambarkhana, Rangaan mahal, Jali and so on. Despite the ruins, the leftover parts of the fort give a clear idea that there might have been luxurious buildings here. The two tanks within the fort are known as machali guns and the “hathi toph” and “magar Toph” are the more recognized. What makes history exciting in this area is the dam built across the bori river which joins the fort and the Ranmandala. While Ibrahim Adil shah II was on the throne. It is believed that the fort was first erected by a Hindu Raja who served the Chalukya kings of Kalyani. Afterwards, Bijapur’s Adil Shahi Kings took control of it and it came under the Mughal rule in 1686 A.D.

5.Shri Tuljabhavani Mandir

Shri Tuljabhavani Mandir in Tuljapur, Maharashtra, is held in high esteem as a Shakti Peetha in the country. Among the three and a half Koyäl, this ancient temple attracts many for its faith, devotion and powerful divine aura. Here, Goddess Tulja Bhavani, often known as Ambabai, Tukai or Jagdamba, gives her followers strength, protection and kindness.

The temple is named after Tulja Bhavani, a hard-hitting form of the Divine Mother responsible for upholding good and driving out evil. Being the family goddess, she is worshipped as the kuldevi by many families and royal dynasties in Maharashtra, just like by the Bhosale clan of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

According to one story, it was Goddess Tulja Bhavani who presented the divine sword to Shivaji Maharaj, giving him the power to attain self-rule. She is still honored for giving a strong example of righteousness and justice.

Each year, many people visit Tuljapur in hopes of gaining the goddess’s blessings. Many people visit the church, including newlyweds, students, warriors and saints, all hoping for their prayers to be answered.

People feel a sacred atmosphere while walking in the temple complex during Navratri, thanks to the numerous rituals, bhajans and celebrations taking place. Devotees usually take part in the daily ritual ceremonies, known as Abhishek, Alankar Puja and Maha Naivedya, lovingly following family customs.

• The district is located in Tuljapur, Osmanabad district which is in Maharashtra state, India.

• 🕔 The temple hours are 5:00 AM in the morning and 10:00 PM at night (festival days can change the timings)

• 🗓 The best time to travel is when Navratri (Sep–Oct) or Chaitra festival (Mar–Apr) happens.

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