The Bhawani Waghjai Temple is an ancient temple situated in Terav in Chiplun, Maharashtra. Terav is a spectacularly beautiful hill station in Chiplun in the Konkan region. The Bhawani Waghjai Temple is a merger of three temples that includes the shrines of Shree Bhawani Mata, Shree Waghjai Mata and Lord Hanuman.

A Symbol of Effort of Devotees

These three temples were among the oldest shrines of this region at over 300 years. Due to the extensive wear and tear caused by exposure to the nature’s vagaries, the temples were in a bad shape. The village committee decided to create a grand temple that could accommodate all the three idols. A trust called ‘Shree Kulswamini Bhawani Waghjai Jimodar Trust’ was founded to look after the construction of the temple in 2001.

The trust sought and voluntarily received donations from locals, people from the village working in cities, and others who had an emotional attachment to these temples. The construction of a new Bhawani Waghjai Temple commenced in 2003.

The Details

The new temple is a magnificent structure at 123 feet long and is 40 feet wide. There are four majestic domes and two imposing entrances to the temple to welcome devotees. The temple is divided into four sections inside. Three of these sections are homes for deities of Shree Bhawani, Shiv Shankar, Waghjai, Kalkai and Navdurga. All the four domes have the classic stamp and detailing of South Indian temples. The fourth section has the idol of Lord Hanuman. The large hall of the temple is huge and spacious and designed to seat approximately 2,000 people at one time.  A large balcony of 100 feet long is attached to the hall for people to move in and out of the premises.

The Idols of Bhawani Waghjai Temple

The central idol is the statue of Goddess Bhawani which is nine feet in height and is made of dark black stone. The statue depicts a number of weapons and is in the act of vanquishing the demon Mahishasura. One of the unique features of the Bhawani Waghjai Temple is that it is the only temple in the state of Maharashtra in which the ‘Navadurga’ or the nine forms of Goddess Parvati is present in one place.

The Surroundings

The area surrounding the Temple has also been taken care of by the Trust. There are seven beautifully created gardens here with one large semi-circular garden designed on the east side of the temple. The other areas are also densely populated with thick foliage and huge trees, giving the whole place a naturally attractive appearance.

When to Visit

The best time to visit Bhawani Waghjai Temple is during winter months. The summer is too hot and humid while the rains are extremely heavy in the Konkan region.

How to Reach

By Road

The Bhawani Waghjai Temple is located about 11 km from Chiplun and easily accessible from the Mumbai-Goa Highway. It is 70 km north from the district HQ Ratnagiri. There are state-run buses as well as private buses available from various destinations in Konkan to go to Chiplun. From Chiplun you can take an auto or a private taxi.

By Rail

The nearest railway station is Chiplun on the Konkan Railway track.