One of the popular religious destinations of Solapur is
the ancient Siddeshwar
Temple.
The temple was built by a yogi, Shri Siddharameshwar, a devotee of
Sri Mallikarjuna of Srisailam. Enroute to Srisailam, he was ordered by his guru
to return to Solapur and consecrate several Shiva lingams. He duly returned to
Solapur and began his work, starting with this temple. Siddharama
was a great contributor to the Lingayata religion and he is considered as one
of the six prophets of Lingayat religion. It is believed that the inhabitants of this
city became prosperous since the birth of the saint. It is also said that the
deity is capable of bestowing blessings on the devotees.
Situated in the middle of the lake, the
temple presents a very picturesque sight with its beautiful garden and coconut
trees against the backdrop of the Solapur fort that looms behind it. The Siddheshwar Lake
occupies an area of five acres and is about 20 feet deep. A narrow path circles
the temple. Ghats or Flights of steps have
been constructed to make the approach to the waters of the lake easier.
A series of
three gates are provided in the cloister for reaching the inner courtyard from
the road. At the centre of the courtyard is the samadhi or final resting place
of the Seer. Another part of the courtyard leads to a well-planned garden. In
the centre of the garden you will find a shrine dedicated to saint Nalavatvad.
The temple also has shrines dedicated to other gods such as God Vithoba and
Goddess Rukhmini. A silver plated image of Nandi, the sacred bull stands in the
ante-chamber. The back wall of the ante-chamber leads into a stone walled
shrine that is lined with sheets of silver with beautiful engravings on it. In
the centre of the back wall is the niche where the saint used to meditate.
The ancient
shrine was built 700 years back by the Habbus who were disciples of Saint
Siddeshwar. One of the greatest
attractions here is the popular annual fair that takes place in January.
Thousands of people attend the fair, colourfully attired in traditional
costumes. Excitement rents the air as local artisans, craftsmen and traders
line the road, peddling their wares. When you visit the temple, be sure to take
your camera along to capture the beauty of its picturesque surroundings.
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