Pandaripuram – Sri Pandarinathar and Sri Rukmini Devi

Pandarpur or Pandaripuram is on the banks of the river Chandrabaga in Maharashtra and is at a distance of 75 km from

Pandaripuram Sri Pandarinathar

Sholapur. The heart of Pandarpur is this ancient temple which is visited by thousand of devotees every day. The queue for darshan starts right from the river bed which is about 500 meters away and passes thro’ a foot bridge and a multi-storied queue complex before it reaches the temple. There is also another entrance for this temple for ‘Mukha seva’ a fast one by which one can have a quick darshan of the Lord at a distance of some 20 feet. Closed circuit TVs are installed to capture the pujas offered to the deities.

Pandaripuram Pandurangan temple preaches the importance of parents, the foremost among the conducts to be adopted by each and every citizen of this land, namely patronizing one’s parents in their old age.

Thayar’s name is Rughumayee or Rukumanibhai. There are separate sanathis for the Lord and his consort and they are seen in standing position with hands on their hips, which posture is like, they are enjoying the bhajans of the devotees.

In previous times, this location (where now Pandaripuram is found) is known as “Thandiravanam”. There was a large forest area, close to this place is found and an aged couples named Muthabhai and Sanadevan led their life there. They had a beautiful child by named “Pundareegan” and he had a great love towards his parents. Since, Indiran killed an Asuran, Virutharasuran, he was given a sabham that he would become a brick / stone because of his sin and as a stone, he was thrown in front of the house of Pundaleegan. Sri Krishnar wanted to test the love and affection of Pundareegan.

Routes and Distance :

While traveling from Chennai, one has to travel from Chennai in Mumbai Express from a junction by named Kurdhuvadi, a narrow gauge train will lead us to Pandaripuram.

So, one has to get down in Kurdhuvadi and from there we can reach Pandaripuram. Even we can reach this sthalam from Mokkol railway station and from there, this sthalam is reachable at 40 Kms away.

Distances between Pandaripuram and various major cities / towns.

1. Nagpur to Pandaripuram – Around 768 Km.
2. Delhi to Pandaripuram – 1580 Km.
3. Bangalore to Pandaripuram – 750 Km
4. Kolapur to Pandaripuram – 75 Km
5. Coimbatore to Pandaripuram – 1110 Km. 

* 2 Kms away from Pandaripuram there is a place named “Gopalpur”, where a Vishnu Paadham (divine feet) of Sri Vishnu is found. 

* There is another great specialty in this sthalam and it is the way we worship the Perumal. They adapt as process called “Padha Sparisa Seva” and it is that we can place our fore head touching the divine feet of the Perumal in Garbagriham (Moolavar Sannadhi). And, it is considered as a special one if we do it on Wednesdays. 

Jai Jai Vittala, Panduranga Vittala